The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-07-22
CHAPTER X-Continued

distance from which he could run
for safety. But Hammond moved
with him. pace for pace. Hear
me- I told you not to cross that
linel"
But | haven't been bothering
Jeanne. Honest to God, I haven't.
She doesn't even know I'm in the
country"
what are you doing in this test
pitt"
4Just getting out little gravel. "
ITO make cement with, sup
pose. How long have you worked
here?n
He tried to frame lie, but he
was too frightened.
'tSince a night or two after your
partner left
And you work for Bruce Ken
ming, don't your" The big hands
caught again at the shoulders of the
trembling man. Don't Ie-you
work for Bruce Kenning."
"Yeh--I work for him."
"You helped him salt that shaft
over on the bench land too. didn' t
your"
81 don't know what he did with
the gravel / took over there"
but you did carry gravel for
him"
i've been working for him. ain't
II"
Where's Kenning now"
Lew shade looked up.
.sAin't he at his house7"
"You know he's not there"
but / don't. Honest to God, /
don't. He said he was going to
be there"
Hammond threw the man aside
and turned again for the hill. A
light was burning in Kays cottage,
he could see her shadow as she
passed a window. But strangely,
the sight of her held no poignancy
for him. instead, there was some
thing of the same disgust which he
felt for Lew Shade. Then he went
ON to the Kenning cabin. 1t was
dark and no one answered his
knock. Loosening the leather latch,
ht walked within, stumbling about
the two rooms. Kenning was not
there. At last the lights of Whoopee
lured him.
He did not find the man. Game
keepers merely stared at his ques-
ton or said they hadn't seen him.
Hammond took it for what it was
worth; good gamester leaves the
giving of information to the pro-
prietor. Dulled by mental fatigue,
Hammond at last approached the
bar. Then Around the World Annie
strolled through doorway and
edged beside him. an elbow on the
mahogany, a well-shod foot on the
brass rail-
well, Prospector," she queried,
"celebrating?"
IF you want to call it that. I'm
looking for Bruce Kenning."
If you find him. tell me-" came
caustically. I'm still wondering if
that guy pulled a fast one on me-"
WAS he here tonight"
WAS he hereg" asked Around
the World Annie. He came in
like fire alarm. That guys nuts
on roulette. He couldn't get to the
table fast enough. Had a lot of
gold on him. Making bets like a
crazy mar"
''Who Won7"
Around the World Annie pressed
her lips.
tAm running charity bazaar7"
she queried. Answering her own
question, "Come to think Of ii,
guess I am. He didn't make good
bet all night. Then he began get
ting chips on tick. Say, she ex-
claimed, ''he was into me for ten
thousand berries of borrowed money
before could tell him / didn't lend
to gamblers. I'm givin' you the
facts. Fine chance I've got to get
it back"
'Oh, he can pay 1t. He's got the
money"
"Yeh7" Annie became more
heartened. "You know, I've been
wonderin' If it wasn't gag. This
little rat of a Lew shade comes in
just when we're arguing"
~ thought he worked for you. :"
s'Snade? He did. Until | fired
him for stealing. Tonight, he was
all excited. He rushed up to Ken
ming and whispered something, and
Kenning started to beat it. But
wouldn't let him go, not without
some security on that loan. That's
when he pulled the fast one. He
yelled for a pen and signed his
name for me and passed over the
damned thing and said he'd be
back tomorrow morning to make it
good--square up. And I was sap
enough to let him leavel"
Passed over what7"
"A check or a note or something.
Got it upstairs In the cash box;
probably isn't worth the paper it's
written on" Annie sighed. 'Oh,