Page:Jackson Gregory--joyous trouble maker.djvu/97

Rh doing. Discharge him by six o'clock tonight if that man Steele is still on my property."

The first glint of understanding came into Stanton's dark eyes. He made no response and the girl continued:

"Hurley will put you in possession of all the facts. You will instruct him for me that I shall expect him to have Steele acquainted with my decision within an hour; it should not take longer than that for him or his men to get from the Little Giant to the Goblet. You may tell him or not, as you please, that I count upon having the pleasure of witnessing Mr. Steele's ejection. In other words, as soon as I have breakfasted I will have Parker, drive me as far as the Big Bend; from there it's only three miles to the Goblet, isn't it?" "Yes," nodded Stanton.

"Very well. It's also about three miles from the mine? Then you are to have my horse there by the time I get there. I imagine," drily, "that you won't have much time to spare, Mr. Stanton. I'll expect you there, too, to ride with me to the Goblet. And," with a sudden flash in her eyes, "as many men as you and Ed Hurley think necessary to throw one man off my land. That is all."

Stanton wheeled and went. But before calling up Hurley he telephoned the stables to have Miss Corliss' horse and his own saddled. He had an idea he was going to have the devil's own day of it, with his work cut out for him getting to the Big Bend before any car that Parker would drive this morning. In the