Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-01-23
SHIFTING SANDS

''Nb "Hd bo,
The small shed where the forge
stood was close by the tracks and as
he pulled up before II, Elisha espied
through Its doorway not only Peter
McGrath, the blacksmith. but also the
rotund figure Of Artie Nickerson, the
Sawyer Falls station agent.
ARTS insidel Amt that luck?" he
remarked, clamberlng out of the car.
They went In and after the usual
greetings, Elisha stated his errand.
McGrath took the handouts AMI
badge to the light and examined them.
"Humphl Looks as II you'd been
In some sort of a scrimmage," he COM
mented. But I'll start on 'em straight
away. / amt busy on nothin' that
can't be put aside"
Elisha and Eleazer strolled over to
a box and sat down TO wait.
How are you. Art?" Elisha In.
Quired. "Didn't you have a nephew
or a cousin ISOLATED with a police
force somewheres?'
"Bennie, you mean? Oh yes. He's
a policeman out In Chicago. Just now
he's laid up in the hospital, but he
'spects to be out again fore long. Got
shot through the arm a couple of
weeks ago. Winged by a stray bullet
while chasln' up a guy that had broke
into a store. The shrimp hit him.
Luckily he didn't kill him. Ben
thought he got Off pretty easy"
Es!sha's smile faded.
These fellers that's Mt large now
don't give a hang who they murder"
went on the station agent affably.
They're a desperate crew. They'd as
500 kill you as not. Bonnie landed
his man, though. He's done great
work on the force. Been shot three or
four times while on duty. 'Taln't a
calm l myself void choose, but he
seems to get a big kick out Of It"
Elisha, pale to the lips, suddenly de-
cided he had heard enough of Bonnie
and shifted the subject.
"S'pose you're still goln' round In
the same ole treadmill over at the sta
ton, Art" he observed.
"Yep. Same ole rut. I've had,
though, a bit more telegraphin' to do
of late than formerly. Know a Teller
over to Wilton named Health He's
sent Off several wires"
Both Elisha and Eleazer straight
ened up.
Heath. Yes, indeed. He's stoppin'
In town for a WHILE"
$50 l gathered. Lives in New York
at n Of them big hotels. He sent a
wire to his wife. Leastways, / fgger
twas his wife. He signed himself
Lovingly, Stanley an addressed 1t to
Mrs. Stanley Heath"
"You don't sayl That's news to
me- Elisha cried. He darted a glance
at Eleazer.
Artle. gratifed at seeing he had
created a sensation, beamed broadly.
"'Course / amt permitted to d.
vulge messages that go through my
hands. They're confidential. But for
that / could tell you somethin' that
would make your eyes pop outer their
sockets"
"Somethin' about Heath?"
"Somethin' he said In a telegram"
Elisha had an inspiration.
"S'pose / was to ask you officially? 2"
he suggested. "S'pose It's important
for me to know what was In that mes
sage? S'pose l demanded you tell me
in the name of the law? I'm askln'
you as sheriff Of the town of Wilton"
"Oh, that's different. The wire was
Just sent to a friend. The part that as
tonished me was Its b%eginnin'. 1t ran
somethin' like this:
"'Safe on Cape with my lady. Shall
return with her later"
"What interested me-" droned Artie.
twas who this lady could be. Heath.
apparently, is a married mar. What
business has he taggin' after some Will
ton woman an totin' her back to New
York with him when he goes?"
HE amt got no business doin' It,"
Eleazer shouted. Hes a blackguard
that's what he Isl But don't you
worry, Artie. He amt goin' to put
no such scurvy trick over on any Will
ton woman. Me an Lishll see to that.
How much more tinkerin' have you got
to do on them trinkets, Pete? Thu
sheriff an me Is In a hurry to get
home"
you'll have to give me a good half
hour more"
"That'll mean we won't fetch up at
Wilton til after dark" Eleazer fretted.
"There's no use goin' up In the air
an rilin' Pete all up, Eleazer," Elisha
interviewed. "We1l just have to be
patient an put off what we was plan
min to do until Tomorrow. ] reckon
mornin'll he a better time, anyway.
Certainly twill do just as we'll"
"Mebbe," Eleazer grumbled. "Still,
I'm disappointed. Wal. that bein' the
case. s'pose you an' me step over to
the drug store while we're hangin'
round an do them errands W. men,
toned"
Elisha agreed.
A faint flush had crept back into his
cheeks and his eyes had regained their
light of hope.
He had wrested from Fate another
twelve hours of life, and life was
sweet.
(TO BE CONTINUED