Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-07-19

self together for shave. After lunch
he walked down the street in the sun.
shine, with a careful eye for enemies
but passed FLYERS to see what the
place looked like, after the change
Of owners.
Scott had patched up the scars
The front doors showed fewer traces
of the rude assault than Selwood had
expected. But there was a deathly
quiet about the place. The town knew
that there had been a fight at the
store during the night, but for vari-
GUS reasons the principals concerned
had kept their own counsel. When
Selwood approached FLYERS, two men
stood on the corner talking-Big
Haynes and Harry Barbanet. Sell
wood understood perfectly well that
Harry, chief gossip of the River
quarter. was uptown to bore into
Haynes for all the Information 60
could get as to who the pseudO-Vigi-
lantes had been-that his sore and
aching friends might be posted &C.
cordingly. Big Haynes, however, had
been communicative and. when
Selwood hove in sight, left Barbanet
unceremoniously and drew Selwood
aside.
81 want to explain things a little,
john" said the big fellow. "This
sneak'-he nodded toward Barbanet,
who, left alone, was walking up the
steps into the store-"is up here try
ing to pump me about who was In
the party; he didn't get anything.
What I want to say to you Is this ::
l want in no way mixed up in this
scheme to rob Fyler. l had some
goods of my own in there and stayed
with them fellows so as not to get
robbed, myself. I've got no money,
John-you know that. It's come easy,
60 easy. Last night I fired no gun
and hit no man. That's all, John.
Right is right, amt it, John? M
you know the facts. 1 helped the girl
n the Indian and McAlpin get Fyler
up here early this morning-they'll
tell you that, too-they understood
the situation. And want to tell
you, tween you n me-that man
Fyler amt hurt much. neither"
Selwood had no reason to doubt
Haynes story. 81 hold nothing
against you, Haynes, as far as I'm
concerned. And I don't know rightly
what you're talking about. Somebody
at the hotel said there'd been a fight
If any of my men were mixed in 1t
and have injured anybody, they'll
have to make it right"
Barbanet came down the steps with
satisfied smile on his face-a wise
smile, meant to ingratiate him with
the two men talking on the corner.
Nothing lacking in assurance, he ad-
dressed Selwood. "That's a nice girl
in there" He nodded back toward the
store. Selwood only looked at him in
silence, turned his back abruptly on
the impudent loafer and walked away.
Haynes nodded toward the store.
"Go slow on what you say about
anybody in there to Selwood, Harry"
"How SOP"
They're friends of his"
Barbanet smiled anew. "She thinks
Selwood is a mining man. She and
her old man were talking about him
just now. I asked whether she meant
Selwood the gambler. She said no.
she meant the mining mantle man
that runs the Russell and Wentworth
wagons. She don't know he runs the
place up the HILL" grinned Barbanet.
II guess from the way Mr.. Gentleman
John walked off just now, he wouldn't
like her to know he's gambler"
"I've got a better guess than that:
when he wants her to know it he'll
tell her himself"
"Wonder how he'd like me to tell
herr"
"He wouldn't like it."
"Wonder how much it would he
worth to him for me not to tell herr"
Big Haynes was prompt in his
reply, and disinterested. "Not a cent