The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-03-11
CHAPTER IV-Continued

A.
"What's that?" demanded Selwood,
18th shade more of life and care
llness in his tone-"if Tracy said
nat"
"Not doubling your word at all,
elwood-nOt at all. But somebody
town like this always has to
ct as peacemaker-yOu know that.
he boys seemed to pick on me for
ne job. 1t amt much of job, nor
ne / was looking for. But I was
oot-loose and took it to oblige.
ound was getting all the kicks and
he boys getting all the money, so I
sked them to chip in down along the
me. Most of 'em did. Tracy and a
ew others didn't"
"Wasn't Tracy the only one that
.idn't?" asked Selwood impassively.
'"That may bel don't remember.
SUIT I never had any hard feeling
.gainst Tracy on that account. /
want you to know that, Selwood.
,Ou SEEM continued Starbuck with
.ome irritation, ITO want to stick to
hat subject. I didn't come here to-
light to rake over old scores; came
,ere to try to patch up new ones, Sell
vood."
Before we get out the sticking
,laster," Selwood went on evenly,
lets get Dawes position clear-and
nine. Dave felt that place run like
his place. where straight game is
iealt. didn't need any protection
neither the place nor the proprietors.
t may be he made a mistake, but
hats the way Dave felt-that's the
way / feel. Now about this Bartoe
business. He robbed today, among
,thers, boy here with his widowed
mother, of six hundred dollars. l told
3artoe to give the boy back his
money. He refused. I told him I'd
lean him out in the morning or he
.ould clean me out. There's no use
IF more words about it-that's all
here is to it."
swell, 1 wouldn't say that's all,
Selwood," observed Starbuck, assert
ng himself. I'm here to keep law
and order and 1 can't have any places
burned in the business quarter of
Sleepy Cat. He's in the gambling
business same as you are"
Selwood jumped as If stung, and
used a strong word. "Same as l
ann" he echoed angrily. do I send
out jailbirds like Atkins to drag men
n here to rob them? What do you
nean?'
It needed all of Starbucks diplo-
macy to quiet things down. He re-
hearsed Bartoe's defense. He urged
good feeling-all to no purpose. He
found he could make no impression
whatever on Selwood's firmness. He
rose at length, indignant. 81 see /
can't reason with you. II anything
unpleasant happens-don't hold me
responsible
"Not If you keep out of it," OBJ
served Selwood, unperturbed.
''I'm here to keep the peace, not to
keep OUT" retorted Starbuck, ris-
ing to his full height before his
troublesome customer. Selwood rose
in turn. II believe you left Thief
River just before I went there" he
said calmly. you had some trouble
regarding claim signs"
Starbuck blazed. "yvhat do you
mean?" he demanded.
miners will travel all night to
round up claim jumper. But feel
exactly as you do. Starbuck. Why
rake up old scores?"
"As far as I'm concerned" ex-
claimed Starbuck, advancing holly, as
Selwood purposely retreated, "if you
mean the bunch that tried to jump
my claims down there-bring on your
miners!"
I'm not much on old scores, Star
buck" said Selwood soberly. 81 don't
think we're going to have any trouble
here-not you and 1, anyway. Our
teamsters can take care of Bunty's
outfit tomorrow. I'm riding down to
Thief River myself tonight on bust
ness and I've told McAlpin to keep a
horse saddled for me. But I shan't
start till eleven o'clock. I expect be-
fore that Bartoe will have that six
hundred here. Drop in any time,
Starbuck. Always glad to see you"
With this judicious and even-hand-
ed mixture of threats. hints, "any-
ways" and small talk, Selwood let
Starpuck go, with feathers once more
unrpffled. But neither had fooled
thefother In the slightest degree. Both
understood It was only possible
to situations that might
odtry Tar into tho future.