The Washington times., 1934-12-13

al "OAAAN4 oAA A"SNO Wal AANNA
toward him as he walked across
the room. Hand on the door,
he turned. "You won't see me
for a week-perhaps longer.
If anyone asks where I am,
tell them" He hesitated, and
the ghost of smile crossed
his lips, Tell them I've gone
to Laredo"
Desperately Solon Lowell
hurried forward and clutched
his arm with trembling hands.
But who was it, Dick? Who
was it-quick!"
1ntently the son looked into
the fathers face. Remember
what 1 said in Washington.
When I find out who did this
thing I'll kill him. But until
! am sure, I'll say nothing"
mot even to me?"
A strange look had come to
Dicks eyes. Least of all to
you" He turned, and with
that silent tread, he left them.
CHAPTER 9
Slowly the door swung closed.
A foreboding, uneasy silence
filled the office, a feeling as of
some impending evil dimly
sensed. Only the girl, with un-
derstanding eyes, watched Dicks
tall figure as it disappeared into
the bright sunshine of that win
ter morning.
For a time Solon Lowell sat
brooding, the great bulldog head
thrust forward, then, abruptly
dismissing his sons departure.
he turned again toward Barnes.
will, I've been reading in
your paper too many attacks on
Nick Sari. He and 1 are part
ners in this work out here and
we're going through with it.
You see," Lowell added, with
slow significance, II don't want
q fight unless it's forced on me-"
Barnes flushed. "A partner
of Sari should be ready for any,
thing" he answered. Nick Sari
Is a menace to Verde. I've been
saying that for over a year. 1
believe the way our ranchers
were frozen out of the land they
worked and starved for was one
of the rottenest frauds in the
history of the border country.
Who was responsible for that?-
Sari."
WhitewaShed
Don't forget he was ex-
onerated in the governors in.
Vestigations."
"EXonerated! He was white
washed-through political influ-
ence."
"Mine?"
II think so-yes. It's no
secret that the governor owes
his place to YOU" Barnes had
leaned forward, his deep-set
eyes burning. This talk is not
OF my choosing, Mr.. Lowell, and
/ am willing to let it rest here.
But it's best that you know be-
yond all doubt I intend to fight
any influence anywhere that
tries to cheat and rob the
Tanchers of Verde"
For a moment Lowell's eyes
narrowed, then he asked
abruptly, "You spoke a while
back of changed conditions.
Just what has changed?"
"Everything-and for the
worse" Barnes low voice had
taken on a new intensity. For
one thing, Sari has turned the
border country into two armed
camps that now stand ready to
fly at each others throats."
"HoW?"
1T was Nick Sari who first
proposed the irrigation work and
persuaded the ranchers of
Verde to buy stock and pledge
their land with promises of
bringing water to this country.
And wasn't it Sari's company
that six months later went into
bankruptcy. taking with it most
Of the ranchers' land and every
cent they entrusted to him? I
know what you're going to say
that the company is COM
pletely reorganized and that
Sari was exonerated of all guilt.
But the fact remains that today
Nick Sari owns title to over half
the land about Verde and is
selling the same land for many
times its old value on the same
promise of irrigation"
Barnes hand closed on the
desk. We'll, we're no. going to
let him get away with it. The
ranchers have dared Sari to
evict them. They've refused to
let Sari's surveyors go over their
land and if he tries to throw
them off their ranches, he'll
have to do it at the point of a
gun. Already he has fenced off