Palo Alto High School - Madrono Yearbook (Palo Alto, CA)

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stationed in the reclamation district. W hen it is convenient call up the Kleine Detective Agency and see if Clarence Swabey has found any clue to the lost collar button—and don't have him prove that he took it him- self as he did in several other cases of his. It is a clever trick but it gets monotonous. That will be all: show Daley in when he arrives. Miss Killam left to do some more thinking for the promoter. A few minutes later there breezed in a picture of the wild and woolly West such as Henderson had never seen equalled even in the moving pictures. He was short and round : a disintegrating sombrero drooped over his face: a pair of cowhide boots pinched his toes: two outrageously large horse-pistols dangled from his hips. Henderson began to get nervous. The apparition, shooting out a hand confidently, informed Henderson that he was .Sheriff Daley of Belt Hole. Nevada. “Well, Sheriff Daley, what can 1 do for you? In some respects Henderson didn’t differ much from the ordinary office boy. Daley seated himself on the desk and made himself comfortable for an all night session. “Now, Hendy, you savvy it’s this way. licit Hole is just about as nice prosperin’ a community as ever had the misfortune to horn in on that crawlin' piece of real estate that these guys who write pomes go loco about. Anyway thev’s a fair population of hombres there and they all know what thev’s hollerin' fer. Now me, as sheriff of this thrivin’ metropolis, had kept the shootings down to one a year fer twenty- year—an’ it always come about that the Scalpes—that’s the name of the party agin me—got their man picked off. So I kept me job and in a few more years they wouldn’t have been any Scalper party left. But I didn’t have no hand in that—I let them have a murder a year and hereby testify that it was a good institution—gave the multitude somethin’ to talk about. Well now along comes this hombre Boyson—straight from Xu York with a lot of fancy knots about the way to keep order. And he ups and runs fer sheriff. Now any other year I could have lice hawed in his face but this year somethin’ went wrong. About ten of my backers died and that left it so Boyson could win the election on his own vote—and I grants him the right. So there you have the whole family histry and the skeletin thrown in. Now—I hear as that you were horning our way and I thought 1 might set your pinto in the right direction—of course if you see that I get the safekeeping of Belt Hole.” Well. Mr. Daley—don’t know that there is anything that you can do—except—well, get all these men on this list together where I can get at them. I’ve tried every method I know.’’ [26J

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he wanted to. but didn't want to take a chance with the others. Rut if we have Rucklin it is also necessary to have Hardeman—if it is possible to get them on the same side at once. James Walker is also included in the list, although doubtfully. It is very bard to say whether it will be possible to persuade him to take off his smock and don bis silk bat. and show himself as the true power behind the American Party. And last are the leaders of the Women’s Party— “The leaders of this party are Catharine Rrusstar and Mary May Gorringe. They lead it like a cat does a kitten—by the neck. I f they can he convinced you will have the Women's Party behind, you twice. Miss Killam continued: “The last one on this part of the list is Herbert Dwight. It is scarcely possible to call him a politician hut he has a great following. He made his start some years ago speaking at student-body meetings at P. A. I . II. S.. and has never been able to lose the habit. Because of the unusual climatic conditions it is important that some- one look after the physical welfare of the workers. I)r. Dwight Wil- bur is by far the best fitted for this position. We will he very fortunate if we are able to secure him as lie is verv busv and takes an almost lanati- • cal pride in his work. It is also evident that men, placed in unnatural con- ditions with no form of amusement, will tend to degenerate. Because ot this I have added the great theatrical magnate, Alexander Briggs. Mr. Briggs was a very successful actor until he had a lapse of memory and spoke the murder scene of ’Macbeth’ in ’Midsummer Nights Dream.’ Me would never consent to act again and so took up the business side of it. There are only two more on my list. One of them is Stephen Arata, the dry goods king. He visited the office a short time ago and made a very business-like hid to supply the tents for the workers, should the project go through, 'flic other was a person by the name of Daley. “This man Daley came hustling into the office the other day. Wears a sombrero, two six-shooters, and a six-inch star. He says In is sheriff of Belt Hole, Nevada, and a power to he reckoned with. When he heard of you he decided that perhaps you could help him out as you were considering doing the reclamation work near Belt Hole, and would hold power in that region. He is due to call in a quarter of an hour. “Hmmmmm—well, take these notes and then show him in. I will make him governor if he gets all these men together and ready to talk business. The first is to look up General Ashley. I Pc’s the guy that put down the mess on the Island of Yap—T think he is in charge of the troops 125 J

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Daley look the list and looked it over. You says,” he said, “that you hev tried every hog tie you know?” Yes, every method I know.” Well now get this straight. 1 guarantees to hev this assembled mul- titude in one place—here say—at 8 o'clock at say three days from now. And you guarantees, if I do, to see that I ain’t beat out by this billie twirlin' hombre.” Agreed, Mr. Daley—but, remember, all of them. Three days had passed, and Henderson, breaking all precedents, had arrived at his office at the unearthly hour of half past seven. With a grunt of impatience he looked at his watch. It registered twenty minutes to eight. Twenty minutes to go,” he rumbled, there is still a chance—hello what's that ?” The door of his office had opened with a crash, and through it he saw Sheriff Daley's back. Now, gentlemen.” Daley was saying, yer all kind of hot at being dragged around same as a branding calf. Don't blame ye, gents—would feel the same way myself—but it had to be did. 1 did it fer the welfare of the prosperous community ev Belt Hole. And, gents, yer goin‘ to get your salt out of it, too, when ye have talked to this hombre Henderson— limping lizards, please don't begin to talk again. Mr. Jordan”—this to a bellow from the mouth of that gentleman— I aint on the same range with you at that. Now, gents, form for the grand march and follow me —and you. guards—see thet they don’t discover any gopher hole to hide in around here.” At that, led by Sheriff Daley, the men began to filter in through the door, and, under the persuasive arguments of Daley's cow- punchers, were lined up around the walls of the office. As Henderson looked at the familiar faces of the men he felt a sus- picion of doubt as to the way they would take such treatment. Every man on the list was there—very disheveled, and all with glowers for Henderson that did not comfort him. His speculation was cut short, however, by the drawl of Sheriff Daley. “Well,” lie said, I guess 1 win. Hcndy, don't I—here they all are.” The reclamation service was a success, and Belt Hole prospered and agreed that they should have two gun plays a year instead of the accus- tomed one. Daley reigned triumphant as the sheriff of Belt Hole that year, although Boyson, in the position of deputy sheriff, insisted that the rangers wear blue helmets and billies. [27]