Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-04-19

dent and controlling owner of that
bank holds also an overdue first mort
gage in the sum of two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars, with a years
interest in default. In addition the
Kershaw estate owes the Bar H Land
and Cattle company more than three
hundred thousand dollars. The bank
and the banker are going to foreclose.
but the Bar Fl isn't"
Good news" the lawyer interjected,
as Nate Tichenor paused for breath.
ut would seem that the girl is not in
a position to hold you up, so you ought
to get that four thousand acres cheap"
Precisely. But I'm not going to
give her the opportunity to begin to
think she can hold me up; there'll be
no argument as to the price. I'm mail
ing my bank in San Francisco today
a check in its favor for four hundred
thousand dollars, with instructions to
issue certified check in favor of Lor-
raine Kershaw and send 1t over to
your Office. Meanwhile, prepare a deed
from Lorraine Kershaw to the Noun
tain Valley Power company for that
four thousand acres"
why not do a little trading? Offer
the girl twenty an acre and work up"
Listen Paddon. You transact nv
legal business for me, but do not
need you for my general manager.
That land is worth four hundred thou
sand dollars to me if can get it with
out a fight and without leaving a bad
taste in Lorry Kershaw's mouth.
can afford to pay for my fancies, |
have fancy for this four thousand
acres. and l fancy it now But do
not wish to be known in the premises,
so do not come up yourself to close
this deal. The girl would suspect col
fusion. Understand"
AYE. aye, sir"
The following afternoon livery car
from Gold Run arrived at the ranch,
bearing Mr.. RUDE Tenney, Mrs. Rube
Tenney. and two little Tenneys, boy
and girl Mr.. Tenney. in his younger
days, had been Hensley bodyguard.
willing talbeit never called upon to do
SOY to kill a Kershaw out of loyalty
to the bread he ate. He was riding
under Nate Tichenor's father. and
when the latter died was elevated to
the position of ranch superintendent,
which positnon he had held with credit
and honor until Nate Tichenor had
gone out of the cattle business. RUDE
Tenney was nearly fifty years old now.
but active and still Trustworthy. He
greeted his old master as informally
as If they had not seen each other
since 1917.
well, | got your wire ordering me
to report. Nate" RUDE Tenney an.
nounced. $50 I came a-runnin'."
Tichenor smiled. When the Bar a
retirement had left Tenney without
job. Nate had financed his old super
intendent in the lease of a ranch and a
band of two thousand sheep. Sheep
were and always had been repugnant
to RUDE Tenney. but he had worried
along with the nuisances and even dur
ing those lean years had managed to
make more than living off them.
"You left good man in charge OF
your sheep. | hope, Rube?"
II sold 'em to a good man. My lease
was expiring in October. an after
three bad feed years ! reckoned I'd
better quit before my sheep died o.
starvation" He handed Nate a
check. There's the money you staked
me to. got few thousand over an
above that. Thank God, the rest o. my
life will be spent with decent. re-
spectacle cows"
"Now's fine time to git back into
the cattle business" Mr.. Tenney went
on. "Prices is advancin' but you can
still stock up cheap"
I'm not going back into the cattle
business, RUDE. But you are. You're
to be riding boss of the Circle K-on
the salary of ranch superintendent"
"Ahl Closin' In on them Kershaws,
eh?" Tenney grinned.
Patiently Nate proceeded to disillu.
sion him. and while he was doing II
the Tenney head wagged understand
ingly. "Never did figger you'd be able
to keep up steam like the Hensleys,"
he declared. That's your fathers
blood. Very well. son. I'm glad to
have the job"
Miss Kershaw knows all about you
knows I've sent for you. There's a
Miss Bachman staying with her at
present. Tell her suggested she send
Miss Bachman back to Valley Center
in this rented car of yours"
He gazed long and affectionately
after the departing RUDE Tenney and
his brood. "Old Faithful" he solilo-
quized. "He doesn't suspect bought
him out of the sheep business and
took loss to do it. But it's worth
It to have him back on the job--to be
free of worry about that Kershaw girl
and her fnances-and mine. Fine joke
on RUDE and me If she takes a notion
to fire him-fOr a woman's reason |"