Ralph Gurney's Oil Speculation

he latter was so well acquainted with the country that he did not need any guide to the cabin, and could not hav

nlighters, and whenever he was seen traveling toward any of the wells that were being bored, he was followed, b

tin shell or cartridge. Several cases were before the courts undecided, and until a decision was reached, the owners of the patent would do all in their power to prevent any one from interferin

nd to in keeping the guns, fishing-rods and himself in the carriage, without attempting to carry on any extended conversation with his friend. It was

s path will lead us direct

le into the woods, they emerged into a clearing, in

g in, even if they did prevent the occupants from gazing out, and the door had more the a

one door was closely shut, with no bars or locks on the outside, one could fancy that when it

, as George stopped the horses in front of the

sy affair of mud and sticks from which a thin, blue curl of smoke could be

at the end of that time the door of the hut was opened by

hasn't Bob

t sure but that you had been followed." Then turning toward the barn, th

en were ready to pounce upon him, and then, much as if he were unfolding himself, a tall negro came out,

entered, the door was securely barred behind them with two heavy beams that woul

used as beds, cooking utensils, provisions, sheets of tin, tools such as are used by tinsmiths, and,

feet square and four deep had been formed, and into this excavation was packed a number o

ll, about six inches in diameter and fully ten fe

business here for fear we might all go up together. This, Mr. Gurney, is the moonlighte

ored in those innocent-looking tin cans," replied Ralph, as he seated hi

plied Bob, carelessly, and then as he resumed his work of sold

here i

e to-night, so Jim is doing guard duty outside, leaving Dick Norton and I to do the tinker's work. We expected to have gotten our shel

you were going to work

going to shoot his well for him," replied Bob, working savagely with the soldering iron,

ety, beginning to realize that it would not be the most pleasant thing i

ut there's one thing certain, and that is that I'll shoot that w

business two weeks ago," said Dick Norton, as he, in a very unworkmanlike manner,

" exclaimed Bob, running to the door as a l

erious had happened, for he joined Bob at the door, looking very serious as both of them quickly unf

ked Bob, replacing the heavy bars instan

d into the path, coming down here as i

ere silent, and Ralph had a

s Newc

e patent, and one who has threatened sev

t which they had been soldering, with ashes, in order to prevent any smoke from escap

out," he said, as he noted the fastenings of the window-shutters, and uncovered a small aper

chance of being besieged as a moonlighter, but yet anxious that his friends should elud

himself under any circumstances unless we called him, and f

gs of the moonlighters, nor acquainted with the general feeling of the public agai

nging a patent, the legality of which had not been fully tested, and, if he cou

rvation, and, looking out for a moment, Ralph saw six

eld up his hand as a signal for silence, a knock was heard at t

ph as if he could hear the pulsations of hi

was repeated, and

t. I wish to speak wit

seeing the look of anxiety on Ralph'

g. If they should succeed in getting in, however, they would find sufficient to prove that Bob was about to infringe their paten

o had heard George's remark. "I will put in tha

en the request was repeated, while at the same time footsteps

f the windows," said Ralph, as the

-glycerine stored here, needing only the necessary concussion to explode them. Those men know quite as well as we do

was far from being comfortable in his mind, as he awaited

to co