Iron County register., 1888-08-02


What had Lyman Childer in common with
those two mens How was It that he sbould
= De shaking hands with the thief who was
caught In the very act Of plunderinp his
rOuse but q few weeks beforel
iney were unanswerah1e questions. The
'oistrust which Norris had felt once before
was back again with new force. He
snrank from the dark speculations which
torced themselves into his mind. What
ever motives had brought Childer to such
an association with those two freouenters
Oh nike Maloney's establishment, Norris
ieit that he was not the one to prv into
tnem. Better, even, that Abraham Stone
bhouid continue to eyade justice, than that
act OF h's should disclose unsuspected depths
tnat would end in sorrow and humiliation
TO her toward when his heart yearnefl in
that moment with wonderful minglng of
pity and tenderEess-so young. SO bright.
30 innocent, so joyous. Let Lyman Childer
oeWare OF his deeds, that the shadow of his
EVIL should not fall upon her.
Sort OF wondering what could take our
stralght-laced young partner into that She
oang, ehf What would you give me to tell
youa I'd ought to be able to strike a good
bargain seeing the interest you seem to
take in him.
Norris faced about with an irrepressible
start. He had heard no step, but Hiram
ingot stood at his elbow, his face well
Guarded by cap and collar, his shaggy over
coat white with the falling snow, his atti-
tude one OF easy assurance, as he laid his
hand famiharly upon the others arm
81 reckon you've been making a mount
ain out of mole -hill," he added, with an
amused laugh. "Confess now that you've
been suspecting our friend Lyman of
something little short of murder or arson.
Say what would he think If he'd seen YOU
come out of the crib over there2 I'm not
asking your business, but you see it might
have an ugly look"
Have You been watching me, sirs'
IL swear l haven't. Never was more
surprised than when I saw you dodge over
here and go TO peeking into our friends
business. That's the way it looks to me,
whether you like it or not.''
Do yo~ know his business there." ques-
toned Norris, sharply. Ingot gave his
shoulders significant shrug
"Thnk could mako a close guess at it.
But come, if you're done playing spy let
US move on. The officer that belongs to this
beat VIII be along pretty soon, and get it
into his head that there's mischief between
rs. It's an easy thing 10 make mistakes of
that sort if one judges by appearances"
At another time Norris would have re-
sented the book-keepers oficious compan-
relief to his own troubled thoughts.
al shall be glad if you can explain Chill
dcr's conduct to me,' he exclaimed, i'm
prlsively. "It seems scarcely honorable
to try to fathom it in this way, but how can
hcto having my doubts! Did you see him
shake hands with those two men! Do you
know that ono Of them was Abraham Stonet
T. want to be Lyman Childer's friend,
Beaven knows, though 1 am afraid he does
Rot care much for my friendship; yet how
can I help suspectng villainy of some
sort?'
1t was rai nute or more before the other
answered hin
aYou're right. There is villainy, and it's
to get to the bottom of it that Lyman has
knuci1lcd down to going hand-in-glove with
two rascsls. You think he ought to turn
the fellow Stoae over for house-breaking,
but tell you, there is q mighty sight big
ger game behind the scenes than that.
faint for me to say what. Lyman hasn't
took mo into his confidence, but he ought
to, for I'll swear that we're both on the
same lay You amt so sharp p-witted as you
ought to be if you don't get the idea I'm
driving at. "
"You mean that, knowing Stone to have
been implicated in the express robbery, he
would rather fix that upon him than the
smaller crime!"
'sJust SO. Giving him rope to hang him.
self, don't you sec. And there's the rest
Of the gang to be got at through him."
sBut don't see why Childer should be
on their track" cried Norris, in prcplexity.
"Hls own loss was not an important one.
He refused to take any steps when the
matter was fresher than it is now.'
'Hcw do you know he dids May be he
Only refused to go to work with you, and
it's likely he had his reasons for it. dare
say, now, you can't see why should De
after them, either. Sayi did you ever fit
that bit of scalp into its right place. felt
like that scratch on my head was atire
when 1 see that thing mounted under your
microscope"
Norris was taken perfectly aback. He
did not know what to make of tho mans
assurance. Was it possible that he had
bsen mistaken after oil, and that Ingot was
only the good-nat ured, meddling busybody