t that was joined in by the rest, that reached the
flying Plimsoll as the view-halloo reaches the fox making for its
earth.

CHAPTER XV

CASEY TOWN

The man named Keith called to Sandy Bourke who, for the moment, still
stood alone, now rolling a cigarette. He was the only man in the close
vicinity of the car and he turned at the sound of Keith's voice.

"You-all talkin' to me?" he inquired mildly.

"I would like to know," said Keith in a manner which he appeared
struggling to invest with humor, "exactly what is the idea of this
theatrical, moving-picture episode?"

Sandy smiled back at him.

"Look like film stuff, to you?" he asked in his drawl. "Surely is movin'
pictures to Plimsoll, though it's hell on the hawss. You can let it go
at that, if you like. Li'l' western drama entitled _To Be Shot at
Sunrise_."

The crowd began to gather closer, curious to find out the reason for the
swift advent of the car, the desire to see Plimsoll.

"You were ready to shoot at Plimsoll?"

"I was ready. I didn't figger there was goin' to be much shootin'."

"It looks to me as if you've driven the man out of camp and, as I've
come all the way from New York to do business with him, driven the last
two hundred miles in this car, I'd be obliged if you would tell me just
what was the matter, Mr.----?"

"Bourke. Sandy Bourke."

The stranger had managed to muffle down his chagrin and resentment at
the outcome of his trip. Of necessity he was a judge of men and it did
not take him long to place Sandy. Keith was an adept at adapting himself
to his environment.

"Sorry to have upset things fo' you," went on Sandy, "but this was a
personal matteh between myse'f an' Plimsoll that had to be settled
pronto an' permanent. I don't reckon how you've lost a heap, said
Plimsoll bein' a crook."

"My name's Keith, Wilson Keith," said the other. "I don't know that that
means much to you as I judge you generally belong to the range rather
than the mining camp, but there may be a few in the crowd who know me. I
am a mining promoter. Plimsoll had agreed to sell me his interest in
certain claims which showed well in assay reports. They alone were
insufficient to interest me. When he wired me the news of the general
strike, the prospect of development opened and I came on. You seem to
have blocked the deal. However, I suppose Plimsoll can be located later.
Have you any idea where he might be found?"

"It w'udn't do you one mite of go