Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-02-20

Gardiner with an almost savage In
lpnsity OF manner.
"I.tsten here. Ross" he said rapidly
"The time has come for action, an
we must get busy. Things are III
touch and go with US and the stakes
are the biggest ever played This mar
Davenport Is fool. but be has brains
II was perfectly evident that II II die
not occur to him Immediately, the
thought would soon suggest itself thai
Ii he could once get hold OF the agree
ment he had signed. be could tell us
to go whistle"
But since be and Miss Burton
'Poppycock Do you think 1t rea
sonabie he'd change his attitude inside
OF an hour7 Even II Burton were T.,
use all her Influence she could moi
have changed him that soon. 1t wa
too easy; much too easy."
"Then why"
"a blind Ii wouldn't fool q mud
hen, let alone wise old coot like me
Between the time he went away to-
mad to spit and the time he came
back here. something happened. ond
what happened was that the Idea OF
the agreement had come to him. He
had made up his mind to get It"
Gardiner whistled incredulously.
No; haven't been going to the
movies too much. disclaImed Grim
stead. II know the type. hes q
fanatic, and the most dangerous kind
I'm no alarmist. and I'm no coward
but | know enough to face facts and
discount them. watched that young
man very closely when | was telling
him where to get Off while back
His mind Is set; just as mine Is set
He'd commit murder before he'd give
In"
Gardiner shook bis head
That's pretty steepl" he com.
mented
~It's steep; but It's true. And he's
the more dangerous because he's act.
Ing from conviction, and not because
be Is lighting mad don't want to
be- too serious, but there's no ust
lodging the fact that here we are with
something In our possession that some
one else wants badly enough to com
nit q crime to get
Gardiner was excited.
Get him before he gets usl" he
suggested
"f>began to take my measures al
once Grimstead went on. obvious
iy. he'd try first OF all to steal the bill
fold. That's why took OF my coat.
and why told Simmins to clean It,"
did you think that Simmlns-r
mot at that time But figured
that II was correct In my reasoning
and there was always faint chance
this change OF heart might be real,
acknowledgements would begin to
maneuver to get hold Of the coat OF
near It."
"A test mnrmnred Gardiner.
"precisely. Well, when he did not
began to think / might be wrong
Then Simmins came back scared as 9
rabbit, and | realized he was In It
I'll settle with him later !"
ssBut the agreement"
"Was not there, of course. ! sub
stituted the carbon copy. T0morro"
morning he'll get onto it, OF course.
Now, listen carefully, Ross con
tinued Grimstead. "for this Is Wha'
you must do. You've got to get ou'
OF here, and you've got to take this
agreement with you to the neares'
recorders, and get 1t entered. ina
means you start tonight; just as soor
as everybody has turned In"
Gardiner nodded. -
$50 far, so good. But there's an
other thing. This man is absolutel,
capable Of lying down on us, no mat
ter what agreements we may have.
"What do you meany
"Refuse his formula"
rBut you can ruin him.
"Hel stand that. He'll stand lo'
anything now he's got his head set
That's the sort they used to use ths
thumbscrew on without much success
"All right; what's your plan? set
you've got one. We are to steal thu
battery?"
"That's It,"
at must weigh forty pounds Oh
jected Gardiner. do we hide Ii ou
somewhere"
.No. you'll drive 1t out. Put thu
battery back In that rattletrap OF oil
and drive 1t out"
Gardiner pondered.
"When we stop that self-starter !
will be noticed" he objected, "ant
therell be a lot of noise getting away
Simmins sleeps right next door. Wha
do dr. with himf'
"Simmihs rs already taken care OF,
snId the Pirate Chief calmly. "Ht
viii continue 10 sleep. That drink
gave tim will Fix that
"Doped?r surmised Gardiner.
Just that. Morphine from the medl
cine case. And we'll feed Davenport
little Of the same. Now, you under
stand your job. and remember It's thu
biggest stake In the world !"