The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-11
as'aesling ascgl5ter.
FOUR GUARDIANS OF LAGRANGE
BRET HARrE'.L,TEsT STORY.
PART l.
THE TRUST.


1t certainly wss matter Cf serious
import that SC grsvely interested the
four most experienced and self contained
citsz"ns of Lagrange. For nearly half
an h,u, they had been sitting in the pri.
va.e room Of Rlker's grocery without ex
changing a word. Even the silent CON-
munion of libston WAS wanting, their
liquor stood untasted before tbem-e fact
that aroused the serious concern OF the
b.Ike, per and the free comment of the
outside bar. "Mebbee it's some new
skin game imported from Frisco, and
they want 10 keep their heads level, "
WAS suP gested by 8 cautious gossipeE.
The bar eper shook his head. "Nary
deck o keerds thsr-onless they play 4
'em under the table, and thet amt their
style"
aye didn't notisa no Jumps O sugar
sorter lyin' round keerl6ss like before
each mar" insinuated another, land
them chaps lynn low and quiet, waigin'
for some id fly to light, and rake down
the pile, I've herd" the speaker con-
Linusd cautiously, "thst heaps O good
u4Outl uSH USSu ICsG III IHSb VI ~ 'SsiOH
IKE way.
'Ye',' interpolated third, "and
trained, ez knew just where to light, hez
been rung in on greenhornS. Thar was
a man down NJ French Camp ez, they
say, picked up about $1,000 outer tibet
amp with innocent lookin' boss fly,
and ct wuzent ontil one o the boys a.
clden:ily sot his glass down on tibet
harmless inseck tibet the boys smet q
MICE"
"Tain't no game, tell We" reiterated
the bsrkeeper, stoutly; "Ehar's suthin'
more n flies and sugar on their mihds.
Ny belief is they're reck'nin' to revive
tue old YIgllautes OF 81. Thgrs lot o
dead beats 10 this yer camp" he contin.
ued, daI KY, with an aggressive recollec-
tIun of certain unsettled scores, "ez meo-
bee will find out soon enough wot's up
Unfortunately mono Of these surmises,
however ingenious or reasonable, were
correct. The simple fact was that II
lately deceased miner had on his death
bed called to his side the aboye-men-
toned four citizens of Lagrange and
.oemnly confded to them the care OF
his only child in the Estates" with the
little property he possessed in trust for
her maintenance. This trust was further
burdened with the fact that the dying
man had withheld from the child the
news OF the death of her mother, year
previous, aud i! now devolves upon the
guard ABS - inform the orphan Of her
double bereavement. This Yves the
first meatlsg Of the g2Er-.-,5 Slice - )
had last looked upon the face Of their
deld comr dc. Hence their grave silence
and Perplexity.
AT last the pell wss broken. One Of
the party, tall, thin, rickety man, who
had been softly pacing the room with a
Ger dcprecatory manner, smile or
imbecIe acquieSCenCe In everything and
anything that shone out a. the slightest
OK preston, even Ct vexution or anxiety
on the psrt tf his companions, gradually
neared the door, and .ald large, bony,
good-humOred hand on the lock. TIE
act was instantly detected by one OF the
party, who cooliy locked the door aid
put the key on the table. "Ge cant slip
outer this, Rats" he said; Eye must sit
down here with the rest OF US and see
what's to be done"
Captain Rats weakly succumbed, and
began to apologize. 81 wsrnt goln'
back on ye, Horton" he began. ~
only recKoned ez We all seemed to be
Citing along famous, thinking I'd jest
slip out and tend to some bushes, and
allow ye TO make up yer mind without
ne counuu' me out, and yourselves AS
nv proxies. For wot's agreeable to you
Is a. roesble to me. Pm no sharp at this
game"
You're guardian" responed Horton,
decisively.
"In course Thets so. But L allow
it amt no valid appointment. The very
fact tibet the OF man appined a ID fool
like me shows he wsrn't in his right
mind"
"ThsFs so, boys," calculated the eldest
of the four, with a sudden CLEAN Of hope
Culness. "The old man was sorter Eighty
lust sfore be went off, and We can slip
our heads outer this lssso he flung over
as by allcwin' insanity, YOU know"
ave can't SLOUGH out O this kind OF
trust though, Colonel" said Joe Fleet,
the youngest of the party, yet with
leaders peremptoriness. at amt white
to do itp'
The CLEAN faded from the Colonel's
face. "Thet's SO, 1T wouldn't be the
squar thing" ne said, dejec.edlyj "klcK
me boys"
Couldn't we sor:er club together snd
sppiLt a kind of sub-guardisn to take
care O. the whole thing on high salary.
I'll come down heavy" suggested Hor-
ton.
IF We could get chap to do your
feelin' for you at the Same figure l don't
know but it might suit" said Fleet with
decided sarcasm. "As for me, l amt
rich enough to buy up sny chaps con-
science" -,
oYe may as well quit this foolin'"
broke in the Colonel, with grosn.
The games made, and we're goin to
wade in like men. Mebboe su!hin' may
turn up. AGore long some one OF us
may cot shot or buried in tunnel, ana
so get excused on the sqUar. But just
now we must wade IT."
"Oh yes, wade inr said Horton, de-