Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-05-04
business | could have warned the
rhe girl-what girl9N


.,ri''--
The pirl-what girls'
neushaw bit his lip, but answered
boldly. The old mans daughter--a poor
..rl--whom this act would rob as well rs
her father"
s,yi&it looked ut his companion attcu-
'Iul, "Nou might have said SO at first
AMI les up on this campmcetn' cNhorta-
ion. We'll thcn-admitting you've got
he Oh man and the young girl on the
amc string, and that you've played it
pretty low down in the short time you've
been thcrc-I suppose, Dick Rcushaw,
I've got to see your bluff Well how
much is ii? What's the figure you and
he h&yc settled on?'
For an instant Mr.. Slctht was in phys
| icnl danger. But before he had finished
speaking Rcnshaw's quick sense Of the
| lddicr3us had 50 far overcome his first in
| dicuation as to enable him even to admire
the perfect moral insensibility of his COM
| panion As hc rose and walked towards
the door, he half wondered that he had
ever treated the affair seriously. With q
smile he replied:
81 nun blutbiH1, '0lClEni, / am
throwing my cards on the table Con-
slider that I've passed out. Let some
other man take my hand. Rake down
the pot if you like old man; leave for
sacramento tonight. Adios."
When the door had closed behind him
Mr.. Sleight summoned his clerk
i, is that petition for grading Pontiac
street readyT'
GIVE seen the largest property holders,
3ir; they're only waiting for you to SIGN
FIRST Mr.. Sleight paused and then af-
liHad his signature to the paper his cierl;
| laid before him. "Get the other names
and send it up at once.'
If Nh. Mott doesn't sign it, SIR"
NO matter. He will be assessed all
| the same" Mr.. Sleight took up his hat.
The Lascar seaman that was here the
| other day has been wanting 70 see you, sir
| said you were busy"
Mr.. 5lcight put down his hat Send
| min up
Nevertheless Mr.. Sleight sat down and
ut once distracted himself 50 completely
as to be apparently in utter oblivion of
| the man who entered. He was 1.-the and
| Indian looking; bearing in dress and man
ner the careless SLOUGH without the easy
| frankness Of Il sailor.
"Wcll" said Sleight without look
ing up
II was only wantin' to know eff you had
any news for me, boss"
"News?" echoed Sleight as if absently;
"news Of what;'
"That little matter Of the Pontiac we
| talked about, boss" returned the Lascar
with an uneasy servility in the whites of
his teeth end eyes.
Oh said Sleight, chats played out.
It's a regular fraud It's an old fore
castle yarn, my man, that you can't reel
off in the cabin"
The sailors face darEened.
The man who was looking into it has
thrown the whole thing up. tell you
it's played OUT" respected Sleight, with
out raising his head.
Its true, boss-every word, said the
Lascar, with an appealing insnuation
| that seemed to struggle hard with savage
earnestness. ''YoI can swear me, boss;
l wouldn't lie to u gentleman like you.
Your man hasn't half looked or else-it
must be there, Or
THAT'S just it," said Sleight slowly;
''who's to know that your friends haven't
been there already-that seems to have
been your style"
But no one kHc@ it but me, until |
told you, l swear to God. amt lying,
boss, and | amt drunk. Say-don't give
it up, boss. That man of yours likely
don't believe it, because he don't know
anything about it. dol could find it. "
\ silence followed. Mr.. Slcight re-
manned completely absorbed in his papers
for some moments, Then CHANGING at the
Lascar, he took his pen, wrote Il hurried
note, folded it, addressed it, and, holding
it between his fingers, leaned back in his
chair.
| ~. L., a., TIA,