The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-12-21
/ III.
TAP THREEl-AT DAWN


Old Jerry had taken off his ragged muffler
and his greasy cap, and the freight brought
out to the staring wondering quartette more
| than one familiar feature as it glowed over
| his struggling beard and bronzed face, with
| its expression more of cunning than actual
crime.
Il look rough and I've been drinking"
said Dobbs, alias Jerry. We'll, never mind
that You recall 1 mysteriously disappeared
from Upton shortly after yonder lads father
died?"
Yes. I remember it," replied Gregory,
somewhat impressed now with the convic-
| ton that Dobbs had an object in his strange
| midnight visit.
Gabriel Marble was d schemer and a
thief and for years I'd been his trusty slave
until knew too much about his business,
and he got afraid 1 might in some drinking
| bout tell what knew" went on Dobbs.
| Then he had done wrong?" murmured
| Mrs. Gregory.
"Had!" snorted Dobbs; well, with cheat
| ing estates by fraud and forgery, shaving
| notes at fifty per cent, and other crimes, he
was just at the doors of the penitentiary.
and one day he come to me and told me
| that he wanted me to leave Upton and
never come back again, and he gave me
| thousand dollars, and said if I ever told
| any one about his shady business he would
make it bad for me, he did,"
How" queried Gregory.
L went to New York. got drinking. I
lost and squandered every dollar had. I
wrote Marble to send me enough to pay my
fare to California, and I'd never trouble
him again. No answer. I wrote again,
threatening to expose his secrets if he
didn't. That brought him. He came, got
me drinking, and next day. on trumped-
up charge of robbery, was packed off to
States prison for three years"
What dreadful mani" shuddered Janet,
| nesting closer to her lover.
Il kept quiet then; I had to-" proceeded
Dobbs, grimly. by and by, freedom came
I wandered around; time had changed me.
became tramp. and about month ago
found motive in life."
And that was?"ventured Gregory.
"Revenge!"
"On Gabriel Marble?"
who else? Hadn't he made me thief
and a convict? worked my way towards
Upton. Yesterday, at the next village, l
learned the run of town gossip. I was
sort of confused when stopped here for
food. Twas hungry, too. Then 1 remem-
bered ye all and what I'd heard of We. 1t
started me thinking; for if there was one
game for which could put the clamps on
Gabriel Marble, it was for cheating William
Tyler and John Gregory"
"Ah, at last, the brute!" murmured Cecil
Tyler, eXpectantly.
Man! man! can you right my wrongs?"
cried Gregory, eXcitedly
Wait and see. Truth was, the night that
Tyler came back to Upton he had $1,000
with him. He came to Marbles, and paid
it to him."
Are you sure?"
Il saw him. Marble pretended the notes
was at the bank, but Tyler said to never
mind, to give him a receipt and the notes
later. Just as he handed it to Tyler he
tainted away. Marble hooked the receipt,
and the next day Tyler died. and Marble
bribed me to silence and claimed that he
never received the money"
why. Dobbs. your evidence alone would
bring Marble to time!" spoke Gregory.
Trust me trying it on that crafty old fox
No, I wanted tangible evidence. When I
left here to-day 1 wanders into Upton.
Mrs. Gregorys food and drink enjoyed
at the town tavern primed me for work.
hung around Marbles old house. He saw
me, and never recognized me. Finally,
ventured to ask him for work..
And got it?"
sion, on the hill"
Il know"
$50 he gets me to help him. By and by,
| it comes to moving his desk. 1 shouldered
it. Once out of sight, I logged it to u thicket.
I had lantern of his with me. For an hour
I searched over his papers, you bet! I
| broke open drawer after drawer. Then I
| carted the desk to the new house, got a lot
| of abuse for delay, and stingy dime for all
my work; and then to the tavern, and then
-here!"
And the papers?" queried Mr. Gregory
| suspensefully.
They'll fix him." chuckled Dobbs. He
kept every scrap he ever had. I'm going on
| to the next town to see Lawyer Roberts. 1t
won't be safe for me when Marble finds the
| broken desk. I'm going to get Roberts to
take the papers and prosecute Marble for
| forgery and fraud. Oh! I'll have my re-
venge."
Dobbs arose to his feet He looked quite
serious as he glanced at the farmers wife.
"Missus," he said, you gave me food when
| you needed it. I'm glad to be able to show
my gratitude. Among Marbles papers
| found-that!"
That" was a time-wor document around
| which the eager quartet crowded.