The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-11-01


, the stranger.
You don't look as well as you were,
| Tom Brady" said the stranger, seating
himself before the stove. by the
way, what name do you 90 under nowP
! Turned honest in your old age, ehp"
The old man glared at him like wild
beast at bay.
"Don't play with me, Mike" he
said, hoarsely. "You know mo Of old.
| am dangerous, man."
"Cool down." returned Mike, cross
ing his legs, and looking old Marble
head straight in the eyes. elm not
here to play with you. You've given
me the slip for six years, and, TO Judge
from appearances, you seem TO have
prospered. haven't. I'm pretty near
" played out, and must ask you to put
me on my legs again. First Of all, give
me something to eat.''
Marblehead placed some meat and
bread on the table, and waited silently
until his unwelcome visitors appetite
was satisfied.
"That young lady was very like an
old acquaintance of mine," said Mike
at last, throwing himself back in his
chair.
Old Marblehead shuddered, and hid
his face with his hands.
"Just like Jack Geary," continued
Mike, musingly. "As fine fellow as
ever breathed was Jack, but little too
fond of knocking about the world. l
first met him in Mexico, sixteen years
ago, when he went gold hunting with a
friend of mine, called Tom Brady. Three
weeks after, riding from San Antonio to
Bexar, found Jack Geary, dead and
doubled up, lying alongside the track,
and Tom Brady's knife was up to the
hilt in his heart
Old Marblehead groaned.
"I've got that knife now" resumed
Mike, drawing it from his pocket, and
passing his thumb over the edge. "This
is the second time have shown it to
Tom Brady"
UMarblehead jumped up with an oath, F:
but Mike was on his legs as soon as ne, !
and held the murderous weapon men,
acingly. !
"Be reasonable, - said the visitor, as
soon as his host sat down, "and don't
try to run away from me again. don't '
think any the worse Of you for giving 7
Jack Geary his quietus, and since you :
have taken such care Of his daughter |
can't see why his ghost should haunt Z
you as 1t seems TO do. III settle down
here, become apartner in your concern, !
and marry your charming protcge. y
Hand down the brandy, old one, and q
cts make night of it, 2
When Alice and Ralph returned from
service, Mike was introduced to them
IA Mr. Thon..bslg,s nr1r~kt.r -. ~ III
gentleman, not long in the country.
Mr.. Theophilus Broughton soon cut
figure in Pittsburg. He exchanged !!
lis shabby clothes for Others Of fash y
enable cut and excellent quality, placed e
! gold watch in his fob, put on clean u
inen, and appeared to be gentleman =
Il 40 or something under, well man q
Tered and well educated. Henceforth ~
business was advertised q
$ conducted by Marblebead & Brough-
on, and people wondered why the old "
nan took a partner at all =
Very soon Ralph Peaton found that :"
very thing, save Alice, was changed. a.
Ike Marblehead commenced TO drink u
eeply, neglect his business, and avoid IN
he society Of his clerk, who instinctiyely
iscovered in Mr.. Theophilus Brough-
On bad, bold man and an enemy.
he gentleman proved to be an excel az
mt man of business, and under his q
Management the store become 80 profit ln
bic that Marblehead, recovering his
onfidence, and feeling convinced that ne
roughton, for his own sake, would not az
etray him, became reconciled to the IA
assessor Of bis terrible secret Ia ..sr ST.
rinking, and thought alone Of money
taking.
The year expired, and Ralph demand :,
! the fulfillment Of Marblehead's pi
romise, but he was put off for another M
months, and the embarrassed man iel
er OF the old man made him fear that
lere was some underhand work going pr
Broughton wished to discharge the ial
ERIK at once, but Marblehead would not IN
srmit him to carry out his wishes for pr
me time. &c
The lads done no HARM" he said; or
let him stay est
But Broughton was not to be thwart- or
!. One fine morning Ralph found ne
,te on his desk, telling him that the me
IN Of Marblehead 4 Broughton had 40
} further need Of his services, and that say
y engagement existing between him o.
d Alice was thereby rendered null tne
ID void. Angry and wild with despair, arr
you may judge he was, Ralph taxed az
with malice and treachery, the
ID asked to see old Marblehead, and 10
IS finally tumbled headlong out Of the deI
pre- after spelling Mr.. Broughton's 10
%, and breaking things generally. res
Alice, ignorant of all this, was kept Pre-
refully out Of the way until nightfail, A.
len, receiving o letter from Marble Gle
ad, who stated that he was awaiting pe
r IN -, q town not far from Pitts :
ro sha srot 49,. i .ia,<~L ..a -