The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-04-28
CHAPTER XIV.


those TWO men! How was it that he should
be shaking hands with the thief who was
caught in the very act Of plundering his
house but o few weeks before?
They were unanswerable questions. The
distrust which Norris had felt once before
was back again with a new force. He
shrank from the dark speculations which
forced themselves into his mind. What
ever motives had brought Childer to such
an association with those two frequenters
of Mike A[aloney's establishment, Norris
felt that he was not the one to Fry into
them. Better, even, that Abraham Stone
should continue to evado justice, than that
act Of his should disclose unsupported depths
that would end in sorrow and humiliation
to her toward whom his heart yearned in
that moment with q wonderful 1ninglng Of
pity and tenderness-so young, SO bright,
soinnocent, so joyous. Let Lyman Childer
beware of his deeds, that the shadow OF his
evil should not fall upon her.
:;Sort of wondering what could take our
straight-laced young partner into that She
bang, eh? What would you give ME to tell
you: I'd ought to be able to strike a good
bargain seeing the interest you seem to
take in hi1n.''
Norris faced about with an irrepressi0le
start. He had heard no step, but Hiram
lngot stood at his elbow, his face well
guarded by cap and collar his shaggy over
coat White with the falling snow, his satti-
tude one Of easy assurance, as he laid his
hand Familiarity upon the cther's arm.
T" I reckon you've been making a mount
ain out Of Il lnole-hill,' he added with an
amused laugh. " Confess now chat you've
been srspccting our friend Lyman OF
something little short Of murder or arscn.
Say! what would he think If he'd seen you
come out of the crib CveH there? I'm not
asking your business, but you see it might
have an ugly look.''
Have you been watching me, sir?''
s'Ill swear I haven't. Never was more
surprised than when s;lyy you dodge over
here and go to peeAing into OH friends
business. That's the way it looks to me,
whether yon like it or not.''
g DO yose know his business the1e?'' aues-
toned Norris, sharply Ingot gave his
shoulders a significant shrug.
''Think 1 could make q close guess at it.
But come, if you're done playing spy let
us move on. The officer tliat belongs to this
beat will be along pretty soon, and get it
into his head that there's mischief between
ets. IT'S an easy thing I'd make mistakes OF
that sort il Que judges by appearances"
AT another time Norris would have re-
scented the booll-keepers oficious compan-
iouship, but for once the latter came as q
relief to his own troubled thoughts.
ssI shall be glad if you can explain Chill
der's conduct to 1ne,'' he exclaimed, i'm
pulsively. "It seems scarcely honorable
to try to fathon it in this way, but how can
! help having my doubts! Did YOU see him
shake hands with those two men? Do you
know that one Of them was Abraham Stone?
[ want to be Lyman Childer's friahd,
Heaven knows, though am afraid he does
not care much for my friendship; yet how
can I help sllspectlng villalny ct some
sort2''
1t was g minute or u1ore before the other
answered him.
"You're right. There is vilainy, and it's
to get to the bottom Of it that Lyman has
knlclzled down to going hand-in-glOve with
two rascals. You think he ought to turn
the fellow Stone over for house-breaking g,
but I tell you. there is g. mighty sight big
ger game behind the scenes than that.
'Tain't for me TO say what. Lyman hasn't
took ME into his confidence, but he ought
to, for III swear that we're both on the
same lay. You amt SO sGarpW!tted as you
ought to be il you don't get the idea I'm
driving at. -
&c You mean that, knowing Stone to have
been implicated in the express robbery, he
would rather fix that upon him than the
smaller crin1e?"
ssJust so. Giving him rope to hang HIM
self, don't you see! And there's the rest
of the gang to be got at through him.
"ButI don't see why Childer should be
On their track. y cried Norris. in preplexity.
ellis own loss was not al important one.
He refused to take any steps when the
matter was fresher than it is llow.'
CHOW do you know he dido 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 L should be
after them, either. Say! did you ever lit
that bit Of scalp into its right place? J felt
like that scratch Oh MY head was aflre
when see THAT thing mounted under your
microscope"
Norris was taken perfectly a:bacz. He
did not know what to make Of the mans
assurance. Was it possible that he had
been mistaken after all, and that lngot was
only the good~natured, meddling busybody
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