The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1888-10-11


What had Lyman Childer in common with
those two menl How was il that he should
be shaking hands with the thief who was
caught in the very act Of plundering his
house but a few weeks beforel
They were unanswerable questions. The
distrnst which Norris had felt once before
was back again with 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 Maloncy's establishment, Norris
felt that he was not the one TO pry into
them. Better, even, that Abraham Stone
should continue TO evade 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 wonderful niingling OF
pity and tenderness-so young so bright,
so innocent, so joyous. Let Lyman Childcr
beware Of his deeds, that the shadow Of his
evil should not fail upon her.
"Sort OF wondering what could take our
straight-laced young partner into that She
bang, chi What would you give me TO tell
youi 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-
tudo one Of easy assurance, as he laid his
hand Familiarity upon the others arm.
:. reckon you've been making mount
ain out Of mole-hill,r 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 therol I'm not
nsking your business, but you see it might
have an ugly look"
Have you been watching me, sirln
"rll swear haven't Never was moro
surprised than when 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 notn
+" Do you know his business therel" ques-
toned Norris, sharply. Ingot gave his
shoulders significant shrug.
"Thinl1 could make close guess at it.
But come, if you're done playing spy let
us move on. The officer that belongs to this
beat will be along pretty soon, and get it
as. It's an easy thing TO make mistakes Of
that sort if one judges by appearances
At another time Norris would have re-
scented the book-keepers ofiiclous compan-
ionship, but for once the latter came as a
relief TO his own troubled thoughts.
I" 1 shall be glad If you can explain Chill
der's conduct to me-" he exclaimed, i'm
pulsively at seems scarcely honorable
to try to fathom it in this way, but how can
help having my doubtsl Did you sec him
shake hands with those two meni Do you
know that one Of them was Abraham Stonei
Il want TO be Lyman Childer's friend,
Heaven knows, though l am afraid he does
not care much for my friendship; yet how
can help suspecting villainy Of some
sort!n
1t was minute or moro before the other
answered him. ~
"You're right. There is villainy, and it's
to get TO the bottom OF it that Lyman has
lmuckled down TO going hand-in-glove with
two rascals. You think he ought to turn
the fellow Stone over for house-breaking,
but tell you, there is 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 I'll swear that we're both on the
same lay You amt so sharp.witted as you
ought to be if you don't get the idea I'm
driving at. I"
You mean that, knowing Stone to have
been implicated in the express robbery, he
would rather fix that upon him than the
smaller crimeln
uJust So Giving him rope to hang him
self, don't you sect And there's the rest
Of the gang to be got at through him."
"But don't see why Childer should be
on their track, cried Norris, in preplexity.
.His own loss was not an important one.
He refused to take any steps when the
matter was fresher than it is now"
Show do you know he did, May be he
only refused to 20 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 fit
that bit of scalp into its right placel / felt
like that scratch on my head was afire
when / see that thing mounted under your
microscope"
Norris was taken perfectly aback. BE
did not know what to make Of the mans
assurance. Was it possible that he had
been mistaken after all, and that Ingot was
only the good-natured, meddling busybody