Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-03-14
"rhe thing .ssus plausible to you,

~The thing sssnxs plausible to SUu1
khena"
"Oh. very plausible. The only point
against it il, that things of that Kind &se
not easily covered over. There would have
e be acconpUces. or at least false reo-
Cris."
"a clever man could manage it. Wen
pass over the difficulties, and see what
comes next Surprising that he IS dead and
buried in the eyes Of the law, where would
q person of Edson's stamp naturally turn
to hide himself, Not an intellectual man, q
plodder in fact, understanding no language
but his own, after living all his life here,
what chance world there be for him to
have i good time in foreign countries, Not
any. There's NOR. probability of his drift
ing back here III some sort OF disguise
where hc knows his ground. and will not
feel altogether outcast and alone"
"Then your idea is to watch for him
here:"
Norris had learned to be patient III his
uncle's hobbies. He looked at all this as
another chimcra. to be pursued while the
novelty lasted, then dropped and forgotten,
but he would not wound the relative who
| had been kind to him in his own eccentric
way by saying as much.
A shrewd look came into Amos Bergman's
shriveled face.
1--WE given yon my theory in full, but /
shall not give even you my plan Of action.
| A pretty detective I'd make, even of the
amateur sort, if l didn't know when to hold
my tongue. It's a lesson YOU have learned
very well. my boy, very well indeed, and l
approve of it in you. Come and SEQ my
| flowers while the daylight lasts
He arose with a~lac"lty and led the way, as
if anxious to leave the subject they had
been speaking on. Norris blushed a little
| to feel that he was leaving Z wrong impress
sion By his silence. He had lost all zest in
his own effort at detective work: the mys-
terry of the train robbery was likely TO re-
| main as much a mystery to the end, and of
late he had not felt SO sensitive on account
OF the express company's suspicion.
He staid three days at the cottage, then
finding Amos Bergman still absorbed IN his
theories and plans, went back To his city
lodgings.
1t was only the middle Of December now.
| He lac quite two weeks at his disposal be-
| fore settling down to the routine of bank
duty-for Norris had made up his mind to
go to work there with the new year. He
had a check in his po~ckat-hoOli which Uncle
Amos had insisted upon giving him for ex-
| penses, my boy: YOU know | said [ would
see you through" and though Norris had
seized upon the opportunity to explain that
he had no hopecf discovering the train-rob-
| bcrs, the other hadonly laughed and refused
to be convinced.
"Take your w time, my lad. There's
nothing gained by being in too much of q
hurry. Come to me when you want more
and use that as you please. l haven't had
| my eyes shut. though you may think SO.
| Your friend Chiidcr is II brick, eh!-lucky
that his loss wasn't such as to worry hln
muchl-a fine fellow, but we could wish he
was more sociable and not SO much on his
guard. By the way. did he go to see you
after you were hurt! / thought not! But
| his sister did co. and there's you point OF
vantage. Remember that all's fair in love
and war;
Saving which, Uncle Amos had parted
from him in high, good humor. leaving his
nephew amazed by his penetration and
shrewdneSS.
"He must nave got an mixing of how
things stand through the Everleighs. And
he seems perfectly willing for me to try my
luck with Carol. thOught-but no matter
what thought. The dear old man is i'm
proving with age. must show him more
attention after this. l have not gone to see
him as often as / might"
Oh, wonderful kingdom of q lovers
hearth The magic touch which opens it is
a kind word for the reiguing deity; the
knowledge that his uncle was not averse
to sweet Carol did more to win his nephew's
gratitude tina all his kindness in the past.
Mrs. Bates opened the door for him close
after his ring.
swell, it do seem like a Providence that
you should come just now, with such a note
waitin' from the lovely young lady, and
hope it's no bad luck as has come to her. ]
L didn't go for 10 read it, Mr.. Bergman,
not bein' inquisitive, as I'm sure you'll say,
but it sort of fell apart in my hands before
I knew. You'll find it on your table, yes.
sir; and I hope you'll excuse me for hap
penin' to see. Oh, lordy! lordy! what did
Ihave to go and give that away fora" groaneC
the landlady, as Norris sprang up the
stairs three steps at a bound. Il hain't go1
a mite mors sense han that Sally
But, indeed. that slip OF cream-tinted
paper, neither inclosed or sealed. must have
proved q temptation to the average land
lady. Norris Bergman's heart beat fast as
he took it up; but for that confession by
Mrs. Bates, | am sure it would have gone tt
his lips before he opened it.
1t held but a dozen words:
"Come to me at once. l am in the great
est distress. Yours, ALTHEA."
A sense of disappointment, but also of re
lief, passed over the young man. The
simple matter of the signature made al
the difference, but he prepared at once te
obey the