PAGE SIX
m I** l
FIFTH INSTALMENT
The town of Carillon seemed v et,
asleep despite the climbing sun of a
new-born day. when the little caval- i
cade, turned into the single street, j
Jake Butterfieid and Tobe Hansen. ,
were the only humans in sight, the t
former swung wide the doors of his,
g.nerai store while Hansen was lazi-! ,
!y heaving up and down to the creaking
accompaniment of the rusty pump |
at the watering trough in front of his j
stable. Pink Crosby set the brake j
of the buckboard and skidded the <
two broncos to a stop at the hitch- j
ing i ail in front of Butterfield's store,
hopped out and tethered them. Tex
and Johnny dismounted there like
wise and tied their mounts.
Suppose we get right, over to the ^
hotel. Miss Konny,' Tex suggested. a
It'll give us a chance to get our business
over with before Spellc j 3
knows what it's all about. Tf we eaVi J
it'll save a heap of argument an' *
trouble "
"Just as you say. Te>\'* nodded
Ro. r.v. She jumped lightly to the
ground and divested UersoLf of the
duster. "I'm ready." j
They crossed the street to the I '
single story, false-fronted hotel. I 1
Tex and Flonny in the lead an;: | !
Johnny ar:d Pink Crosb}* bringing up1
the rear Johnny was chuckling.
Bright boy, friend Jake is," he !
snickered.
Pink grinned widely. Ore Jake ^
means well, hut ne'.< done poured. ;
molasses so long his brain's got the
sa: l kind o' movement. Yuh gotta
give Jake time. On a snap judg- 4
Vin rnn't tf?!l Urn . 1 If Vw?_ !
I ween a can o' corn an' a box o"
thirty-thirties. but yuh gotta give ^
him time. I 'member, a Sowcgi&n'
sheep herder comin' in to Jake's *
for snul'f one time an' Jake hands:
him out some flea powder. The
sheepherder couldn't read English j
but the first sniff he took o' that
bug killer shore put him on edge.
He chased ole Jake about two miles
With a single-tree. He'd a got him }
too. only he got to sneezin' so bad j *
hp couldn't see where he was "oin'. i
He fell into a barrel cactus an* got |
stuck there. When we pulled him i
out he had other to think of I j
beside his nose s?? ?!e Jake come!
through the ordeal all in one piece. | j
But he's done figgered ir out that j
it's safer to keep the bug killer! r
on the other end of the shelf from j .
the snuff."
Johnny snorted with glee. "Ain't!
he a wonder?" he sighed.
They climbed the low step to the
porch of the hotel and entered the '
dingy hallway just in time to meet
a paunchy, spry, important little in- )
dividual dressed with meticulous,
care. His low cut tan shoes were j *
polished to a glass-like glow, the
creases in his trousers were like;
knife edges, his tic faultless. He had j ;
three china, a pursy mouth and a;
tiny blonde mustache. But the eyes
behind the heavy rimmed srlasses1 .
grave the lie to the rest of his ap- !
pearance. Those orbs had a cold,; j
crafty gleam. The look he bent on t
Ttcnny caused the hot blood to c
flame in Johnny's face and his fists i f
to clench.
"Yuh're the bank examiner, I \
take it," drawled Tex. ,
It Taught Us t
Friendly Co
1 Remember the old Singing
we used to sing those old cl
?get close harmony. It took
body to make those songs sc
to take co-operation from al
this country to a prospei
knows the value of co-ope]
ficient banking service is a
within our organization an
ready to co-operate with s
ness interests.
Watauga Co
BOONE
Deposits Insured 1
?
w
1 J
,Qu4ti
P HOLM S
"I am; was the cr?3p report. "My
name is Lange. But 1/ you have
business with ine you'U have to wait.
I have not breakfasted yet. I'll be
at '.he bank in an hour."
He started to push by Tex brush!y
but the o!d puncher blocked the
way.
"Yuh're wrong* there. Mister
Lange." drawled Tex. "Our business
cain't wait. Yuh're goin' down to '
the bank with us now."
Lange drew himself up to his full :
ieight of five feet four.
"Don't be ridiculous, my man," he
mapped. "You cannot pull one of "
,-our cowcountry bluffs on me. I'll 1
>e at the bank at ten o'clock."
"Some gents are shore hard to (
lonvince," remarked Johnny casuilly.
stepping close to Lange. "Pink. v
ou get him by the seat o' the pants
n I'll grab his coliar. He'll be x
kllimh ?lirnr;ci?H tn finrl Vinur miirL- ' I
e can get to the bank."
"Why?why," stuttered T.angv
Thai is ridiculous. Don't you dare ,
y hands on me."
"Yep." drawled Johnny, ' it shore.1
. I be re-ediculous. Don't know.1
.hen a man looks like a bigger foul! 8
han when he's gittin' the bum's] ush.
But yuh're shore slated for it j r
-s'n vuh use yore haid." ! *
The bank examiner looked around 1
h some t repidation He saw no' |
gn of relenting in the faces of his v
isitors Even the slender, extreme-! 1
v pretty g"iri seemed cool and un- *
oncemed.
*1?I?very well; 1*11 come." he \ '
umed. "But mark my word ?-you'll!
>ay for this."
In all his niffh.1 dignity he march-j *
d down to the bank and unlocked ?
lie door. The otiters followed him I
n and Tex went immediately to the1 1
msiness at hand. 1
"Yuh hold a ten thousand dollar
noitgage here against Jim Delevan :
the Box D outfit." stated Tex
"We're here to clear it up. Trot it
>ut. It'll be paid in full."
"I ah?why that is very irregu- x
ar. In fact it cannot be done,"
iputtered Langc. ' You are too late. 1
vlr. Spelle )3 taking over all the ;
Bank's assets including all outstanding
paper. You will have to do your
Business with him. He will he here J
shortly. I have an appointment with '
iin; here this morning." 1
"Has he closed the deal?" snapped
Tex coldly. "Turned over the money <
:o you an' all the rest of it?" '
"Why or?no, not exactly. But
in behalf of the bank's creditors I 1
iave agreed to his proposition. I 1
must confer with him before I do f
any thing further."
"Wrong." corrected Tex "That
mortgage is right here in this vault
find he hasn't paid a cent on it yet.
Well, we're here to pay it in full.
Mebbe there might be some picavunish
point o' law somewhere in ^
the thing but that'll have to talked
over afterwards." 1
Tex reached inside his shirt and
lifted out a heavily padded money
belt. 'There's the ten thousand," 1
le asserted. "Trot out that mort- 1
jage." 1
The bank examiner bit his Hps
ind stalled. "Are you James Dele- 1
ran?"
"No?I'm not. But this young '
ady is his daughter an' Jim's au- }
t
c
Jie Value of 1
I
operation
School. Remember how
tioruses over and over to s
co-operation from every- t
>und well, and it is going
11 interests to bring back c
rity basis. This bank s
ratinn nnr cnlnn/li/1 nf- I
ji example of teamwork j
d you'll always find us
ound, conservative busi- 1
1
?
unty Bank
, N. C. ?
Up To $5,000.00 s
t
AT AUG A DEMOCRAT?EVERY
thorized her to represent him. rm, ?
still waitin' to see that mortgage." !j
What proof can you offer that j j
Lhe young lady is James Dele van's
daughter ?"
"Aw-w," burst in Johnny. "Lem- [
me work on him. Tex That jasper
lias been hangin" around Spelle an* j
Lite rest of a lyin* outfit so long he
don't know the truth when he hears
it. He's jest stalJin* fee lime. Comb
ais hair with yore guu. That'll get ;
action "
Tex ignored Johnny's outburst.
Jest tell this tin-horn who yuh are
Miss Roriny,* he said. "An' then if
he wants to doubt a lady's word, let j
him say so.'
T am Fouel Delevan," Matt?: Ron-j
ny quietiy "My father, as you no j
doubt know, is a cripple. He was un-1'
able to be present so he sent me in
his place.''
Tex turned a cold eye on L&nge. j
Satisfied ?" he drawled, his voice i
dangerously soft.
"Yu-yes." gulped Lange. "Very!
irregular as 1 said before. But I'll'
?et the mortgage. I won't be re-1 j
sponsible for what nappens over this. j
She should have her father s power of
attorney."
Don't know what one o' them
:hings." stated Tex. "But her word
s good eilough for me."
"Yeh?an* me too," chimed in Pink ;
Crosby.
That makes it unanimous," de- j
Glared Johnny.
Lange went reluctantly to the;
rault and began spinning the dial
-ie was very much perturbed?very:
ouch indeed. His dignity was badly <
unled He wished devoutly that 1
?pelle would show up. Lange knew j
he history of the Deievan mortgage, i
inew it very well indeed. And he!
:new that was the one piece of pa- ;
>er held by the defunct bank thatj
>pelle wanted to get his hands on (
ibove all else. He hated to think
vhat Spelle's outburst would be on!
inding that his chance to take over
he San Juan plateau had slipped bevveen
his greedy fingers. But apparently
there was nothing further j
ic could do. So presently the vault \
!oor swung open and Lange came out J
yith the Deievan mortgage.
Tex opened the money belt and |
. gan toss rg bundles of big denomnaticn
bills on tlie table.
"Count it." he ordered.
"Interest for three months is also i
lue." slated Lange is he laid aside;
he last hill.
"How much ?" growled Tex, digging
into his pocket.
"One hundred and fifty dollars."
Between the three of them Tex j
ind Johnny and Pink Crosby dug" j
:p a hundred and forty-five dollars !
If was Ronny who opened her purse j
tnd brought to light a final five dol- ,
ar bin to comp?ete the total. j
'Correct?" asked Tex. "All right I
then?stamp it paid. An 'sign yore
name an" official title as well. We
ion't want any comebacks on this
thing."
Helpless to do otherwise, Lange
obeyed. Tex could scarce conceal his
sagerness and satisfaction as he
picked up the precious mortgage, j
folded it and stowed it in his pocket. |
On second thought he took it out !
and handed it to Ronny. i
"Tt's yores, young "un," he smiled.
"Hang on to it."
Ronny was tremulous as she snapped
her purse shut about the paper.
"Let's go." she murmured. "T won't
tccl safe until this is in daddy's I
hands."
At that moment a low ejaculation
caused them to turn. In the doorivay
stood Silas Spelle.
Spetle glared around the room suspiciously.
his features pulled into a
hard, nasty scowl. But for the moment
he did not speak. It was Tex
ivho assumed immediate mastery of
the situation.
"Pink, take Miss Ronny down to
Jake Butterfield's," he snapped.
'Looks like an argument is goin" to
just around here. The kid an' me'll
ake care of this end of it. Spread
>ut, Johnny."
Johnny skipped lightly to one side,
lis eyes unwinkingiy upon Spelle.
'ink Crosby took Ronny's arm and
itarted for the door. Spelle squared
lis bulk in the doorway, his scowl
leepenlng.
"What's the rush?" he snarled.
What is this anyway?a hold-up?
Sobody leaves this place until I get
in explanation."
Pink Crosby's cheeks paled slighty,
but his blue eyes grew hard and
jright. He stepped ahead of Ronny
md advanced on Spelle. His right
land hovered above his gun.
"Tha-so?" he drawled "Since
vhen? Git outa the way, "fore I
now yuh down at the hocks."
"Atta' boy. Pink," chimed in Johnly.
"Make a phony move Spelle an'
wreck yore belt buckle complete."
"An" what the kids start I finish,"
idded Tex. "Go ahead Miss Ronny,
ie'11 be good."
Rnnnv wn<t vpto nala i
:bin was high as she stepped to the
loor. Spelle wavered. His nerve was
dipping. He stepped to one side and
tonny went by him.
"The Delevan mortgage," cackled
-ange excitedly. "That girl has?"
The rest of his words were muffled
>y the hard smack of Johnny's first,
rhe elegant Mr. Lange went backvards
over a chair to light on his
ihoulders with a crash.
Continued Next Issue
According to the St. Louis Court
if Appeals, turning back speedomters
on used automobiles constitutes
l fraud.
It costs Uncle Sam about 1 cent
o make a dollar bill.
THURSDAY?BOONE, N. C.
k k k k
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