The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 78: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

548 camp. But I reckon you know about that.” “Have you any idea why the stuff was cached at Oak Flat?” “It wasn’t always cached there; Chombo picked out that place.” 66 Why? d9 “T don’t know only what I heard from Big Steve.” “What did you hear?” ‘Why, that if you found out any- thin’, Carruthers wanted to make it look bad for the Mallorys.” “ H-m!” murmured Bremerton and sat back in his chair. Following a mo- ment’s reflection, he went on: “‘ Who left the Mariquita Mine that night the crowd beat me up at the Phoenix town- ditch?” “Not me,” said Gorman hastily; **T wasn’t among ’em.” “Was Steve Bryden in the gang?” “No. Steve was jest gittin’ busy with the likker. I heard that Chombo was with that outfit. I’m purty sure no one else from the camp had a hand in the doings.”’ “A ball of amalgam was dropped by one of the crowd.” “Then it was Chombo dropped it. He was holdin’ out a little on Car- ruthers right along.” Thus one dark point was cleared up. Bremerton believed that the fel- low he had knocked into the canal was Chombo. “What men did Carruthers have with him out in the hills? Do you know that, Gorman?” _ “They was men who had been bounced from the mine. Griggsby let one or two go, and Lacey ditched the others. Carruthers. gathered ’em in, and they was more than willin’ to help him. He made it worth their while.” ‘“ Where are those men now? ”’ “Why, when Carruthers went out them fellers began to run—and I al- low they’re still a runnin’. You can gamble a blue stack they won’t show up around here no more, Mr. Bremer- ton.” “T can’t think of anything else, THE ARGOSY. Gorman,” said the superintendent. “You're in luck to come out of that amalgam deal as well as you have. Keep that in mind. That will be all.” The millman arose and passed soft- ly toward the door. He halted there for a final word. “Tm to stay on and have no trouble? ” “So long as you do the right thing, Gorman, you needn’t worry.” “IT know I’m in luck, and I’m stand- in’ pat on an honest deal. Much obliged to you, Mr. Bremerton.” He faded out of the office, and the superintendent was positive that the fangs of Deane’s last enemy had been drawn. From that time on there would be only clear sailing for those in charge of the Mariquita Mine. Everything was propitious for that final accounting with Deane. Thursday afternoon Bremerton had Dutch Fred put a pair of cayuses to the pole of the mine buckboard. When the rig was ready, and the superintend- ent was about to climb into it for the ride to Phcenix, O’Hara came down from the mill. “You're off after Deane, Bremer- ton? ’” asked the Irishman. “Yes,” was the answer. “ He'll reach Phoenix in the morning, and I intend to bring the rest of this busi- ness to a close in short order.” A worried look crossed O’Hard’s face. _ “It’s not your plan, is it, to do any- thing in Phoenix or on the way out?” he continued. | There had been something that Bre- merton had wanted to say to his friend for several days. Here was a good time for it. “Mike, you’re not my guardian. No man could-ask for a better friend, but there is a dead line which even a friend cannot cross without making trouble. My business with Deane is my own affair, and I’m going to han- dle it in my own way without let or hindrance from you. Don’t meddle. Keep hands off.’ Co NOO AMUUC S CO@