Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-01-30

"We both answered ssNo."

"We both answered ssNo."
The man took the paper out of his
pocket, and spreading it open before
as, put one of his slender forefingers
upon the following paragraph:
FATAL AccIDESr. This afternoon as two men,
named respectively Henry Yanscoter and C. II.
Griggs, were at work chopping timber in the
gineries near Scranton, tree Iell upon them,
killing VanScoter instantly and inficting injuries
| spon the person of Griggs, fom which he died in
and it is understood that their remains will be
taken to that place for burial.
'Henry Van Scooter was my only
brother-my twin brother-who re-
sembles me very much indeed, and
Charley Griggs was my sisters hus-
band. 1t is.a sad blow! sad blow!
don't know how my poor sister will
bear it. It's about this sad affair
that came here chiefly. want to
send the bodies through to c. by
express Thursday, by the IL 40 train.
What will be the charges?"
( 1.-THE charges will be EOS" an
swerea the agent. II o,5fcersr e1s2
The stranger only bowen s5lemnly
in recognition of the reply. Then
he was silent for minute or two,
during which he appeared to be strug-
Cling with his grief.
s'The bodies will be here Thursday
morning." he said. 81 hope you will
make all the arrangements to prevent
delay. l guess my package won't
come this week."
The agent assured him that there
would be no delay, and he might de-
pend on having the bodies 60 through
to C with the greatest possible
expedition.
| The man bowed again politely;
then he said:
sis the telegraph Office near? /
must break the sorrowful news to my
poor sister, suppose, though it is
anything but pleasant duty"
/ told HIM how to reach the place
he sought. and with a polite 'Thank
you," the man with the red eye
walked out of the office, and in a
couple of minutes the sound of his
footsteps died away in the distance.
"a queer sort of chap" said 1.
"A little odd," anwered the agent.
81 wonder if he heard us talking
about the specie2" he queried.
''Yes," said l, "for I'm sure he
was listening to our talk when first
saw him.
''Are you certain of p the agent
asked, eagerly.
"Well, no." L replied, ssnot alto
gether certain beyond all mistake,
but it looked NIGHTLY like it, 1 can
tell you."
Suppose you go to the telegraph
Office and see what kind of a message
he SENDS" suggested the agent.
: No sooner said than done. | hast
ened around to the telegraph office,
and as L went in the man came out.
He didn't seem to recognize me; at
least he didn't look at me, and /
thought it prudent not to notice him.
''Did that preacher-looking fellow
send message to CO" L asked
Of the operator, when had gone in
and closed the door after me.
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, only out of curiosity" 1 re-
piled.
"Was it anything of Importance ?"
'The man said that his brother and
brother-in-law were both killed this
afternoon"
The operator took the copy of the
message from the file ON the table and
laid it before me. 1t was addressed
to Mrs. C.. II. Griggs, G., and
signed Isaac G. Van Scooter. 1t
read:
Henry and Charles are both dead.
They will be sent home Thursday"
Everything seemed consistent, and
any doubts had entertained of the
good intentions of the stranger were
speedily dissolved. didn't go back
to the office, but turned my steps to-
ward my boarding-place, thinking,
rs walked along, that Thursday
would be an uncommon day with me,
with two corpses and $50, 900 in specie
in my car.
The money was safely deposited in
the car an hour before the time for
the train to leave Thursday morning.
1t was securely locked in two strong
iron-bound chests, and, when they
were slowed away in the large safe,
and the heavy doors made fast, 1
thought everything fixed. A few
minutes before We pulled out, two
wagons passed by the car, one of
them containing two coffins and the
other six men, who were evidently
acting as pail bearers. / looked
around tor the bereaved brother with
the peculiar eye, but he was not to
be seen. l Thought it little strange
that he should be absent at such a
time, but l forgot all about it in mo.
ment.
The collins were placed in one end
Of the car, and after it had been ar
ranged that one of the men should
come into the car and take look
at the bodies when they arrived at
Redwood, he shook hands with the
others and entered one of the coaches.
As the door closed on him the bell
rang and we went steaming away.
1 was quite busy for an hour or
more, and we had entered three or
four stations before / had time to
cast more than a casual glance to-
ward the quiet passengers at the end
of the car. But after little, when l
had more leisure an uncomfortable
desire took possession of me to look
at the faces of the dead men. It was
not mere morbid curiosity, and cam
not describe it any better than to
say it was sort ofvague desire which
could not quiet without satisfying
it. / noticed that the lids were not
fastened down. My next discovery
was that the screws were gone. This
struck me as strange, for was sure
had noticed them when the coffins
were lifted into the car. remem-
ber that I had given the attendants
permission to arrange the easket to
their own satisfaction, and they had
been long time in doing it. If they
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