The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-01-08

NaAoh ih-Etu rhEuAtl. III III a choit uihs
they parted.
Ill.
Punctually al O'Clock, on the following
evening. Brown held a celebration. lie
had sold his magazine article for three
guineas. and, 10 use his own phraseology
he "went in for good dinner" When
he had leisurely dispatched il, he ordered
a cab and drove over To Regents Park
Alighting he hunted up the exact spot OF
the preceding evenings adventure. and
awaited the gentleman from Nevada.
=" 1 know he'll be around" said Brown
10 himself. and sure enough, in little
time. he was.
He was a trife grufl. though. That in
cident about the guinea seemed TO have
ruitled his serenity somewhat. and yet.
Notwithstanding. he appeared exceedingly
glad 10 see Brown. Brown had the cigars
this time. and proifered them with an easy
grace that soothed the strangers feelings
10 perceptible degree.
BY the way remarked Brown, .'you
needed guinea last night. Here II is
Excuse me, mister" said the stranger.
with some embarrassment. II guess
won't take il. lou don't know me any
better than you did last night"
That's all right said Brown heartily.
The fact j., didn' have il then and I've
got IL now. and yod re welcome 10 it, and
he forced IL into the strangers palm. and
declined To listen 10 the awkward thanks
he was threatened with.
They talked quite while after that.
I The stranger was full of yarns about
the far West. He had been Forty-niner
he had traded i'm the tropics. he had mined
i'm Colorado. and had been :" swamped" the
la-e t,,a q
II put my whole pile in White Pine
hill," he said with sigh, land its there
yet. You write good hand, don't yOu:''
= Yes, rather a good one answered
Brown carelessly, wondering what that
had to do with the subject under discus
sion.
Il wish you'd copy some papers for me.
if you will
Certainly
:. IL had best be done tonight. want
to use them right away"
" All right. said Brown. "Where do
you live.''
"One twenty-n'ne Church Street, near
Edgeware Road.r
They left the park Immediately. Brown
insisted on paying for cab. andin twenty
minutes they We're i'm the strangers cheap
ly-furnished apartment in the locality
mentioned. Under the bed was an old
box fastened with paddock. which the
stranger hauled out and unlocked. and
from which he lifted bundle of dusty and
legal-looking documents. Selecting the
largest. and giving Brown quire Of fools
cap. he proceeded 70 dictate the contents.
Ii proved 10 be power Of attorney au-
thorizing a party by the name of John
Harrington TO negotiate sale of certain
tracts of land i'm the counties of san Diego,
Los Angeles, santa Barbara. Monterey.
Sonoma, and Mendocino. in California.
and TO receipt for the amounts paid there
for. As soon as Brown got at the full
meaning Of the document, he was not a
little puzzled.
This is power of attorney he re-
flected. "Then why should my friend
want il copied. l. his name Harrington:
The thing looks little queer"
He went on with his work. however.
AT lastan idea struck him. He insisted on
seeing the original paper. which demand I
was reluctantly complied with. He found 4
the name correct. but not the figures. One
tract in the old description. which was au-
thorized 10 be sold for So. 900. was valued I
al $50 600 in the new instrument. In all \
cases he found that he had been doubling
the figures.
NY friend" said Brown at length. with I
great suayity. do you know that you
have invited me here 10 commit a
forgery ~
The stranger looked blank for moment
and lost his self-possession. but quickly
rallied himself. and there was dangerous
CLEAN IN his eve. Brown laid down his
pen with studied GOODNESS. and the two
men stared at one another in silence. Ii
was evident that the stranger contemplated
violence. That would not succeed. hew-
ever. he reflected. He might make Brown
coIy the document. but how could he
make him keep the secret: Nothing but
assassination could do that. Not being
naturally vicious, he chose the better
course.
Young man." said he. with a clammv
perspiratiOn on his forehead. Z" this j. the
last card I've got to play. This l. the
mining stock talked about. I'm old and
desperate. I've got wife and seven chill
dren ia California. This land belongs to
friends OF mine whO've tried 10 help me.
If sell Il their figures. must rob them.
Or 20 no pe with nothing for mys,!f.
Land J. going well here now. can sell
az their figures In a minute. If double
on them can work off the whole batch In
time. and make big raise for myself
zone of my friends will lose dollar.
Nobody need know IL. Go ahead. Wen 4
meet again. and I'll square il with you.H
Brown recollected that he had contem-
Plated highway robbery only the previous \
evening. and he event ahead"