The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-03-01
..Nothing doing Tor a long timer,

'sNothing doing for q long timer
"Nothing."
81 imagined so. Have you visited Lon
Hollow of latel"
/. 81 haven't"
'Grace Penroy's cousin has arrived"
81 heard something about at she was ex
pected. A great beauty. l s'pose, with air
enough to smother personl"
"Nothing of the kind She's mannish ani
fiery. Idon't like her, and that is why Pv'
come to you"
"Well!"
Mother CABRERA grinned more pronounced
ly. Her eyes were sunken deep under 6
narrow skull and looked very like two black
| twinkling beads There was the glitter Of
avarice plainly revealed. Her visitor knew
| her well, and was cautious enough not t(
commit himself in a way that might after
ward prove dangerous
"Sit down and let us have aquiet talk
| mother" he said at the same time placing
| himself squarely on q rickety chair. She
followed his example, and as they sat there
they made an odd picture-he with his un
spotted garments, with oiled and combed
locks, she with gown whose original color
was undiscoverable from grease and dirt,
her hair in dubious tangle and frowze.
A unique picture indeed.
Snow, then, Mr.. Starbright, Pm all ears, "
she SAID, carefully depositing her clay pipe
ON the floor, and leaning forward until her
gaunt form, with pointed chin resting on
her attenuated palm, resembled semicir-
Gle of bones.
"rd like" SAID the Captain, "for this
newcomer at Lone Hollow to depart from
there Immediately. Her coming has COM
pletely upset my plans, and that is very an
moving, as you may well believe"
"Of course" agreed the crone. "You
would like her to drop dead with heart dis
ease or somethin' of the kind. A leetle of
my cough drops"
"For heavens sake, Mother CABRERA,
stop!' he commanded, hoarsely. 81 hadn't
such an idea in mind. / wouldn't think of
numbering the girl. I'm not that sort Of
person. hope"
A low, whitening chuckle that caused his
flesh to creep interrupted his speech.
He glared at his companion, then sprang
to his feet with muttered imprecation.
''I'll have nothing to do with You, old
woman, not a thing"
Then he walked to the door, opened it and
gazed out into the darkness. He did not go,
however, neither did the crone offer to pre-
vent. She sat Immovable, glaring at him
with her black, beady eyes in q way most
unpleasant. She knew Captain Starbright
even better than he knew himself. He had
come to the cabin for a purpose that night,
and Mother CABRERA knew it.
After brief moment the Captain closed
the door. slipped a wooden bolt across the
opening, and turned once more to the pro-
prietress.
81 am sorry that you can not trust me,
Mother CABRERA"
Nobody but fool would do that, Clint
Starbright," the woman interrupted ''1t
would take heap o. sand an soap to wash
your character clean, more'n can afford to
perduce."
Isuppose you consider yourself immacu-
late''
''Of course do; don't your
There seemed no good to argue the point,
so Captain Starbright made no further re-
mark, but walked back and resumed his
seat. A covert smile about the thin lips of
the bag proved that he had done nothing
more than she expected. The greater part
of his indignation was simulated, evidently.
"Now, then, will you listen to me in
silence for minute, Mother Cabera"
"Ill make try ont, Cap'n."
"What wish to say is this. II at any
time during the next fortnight an accident
should happen to Miss Lura Joyce no one
would be found to mourn, and somebody
would find herself considerably richer IN
this worlds goods. You understand
1--WE got pretty good perceptivc faculties,
Cap'n."
81 believe you. am not to be known in
this affair at all; remember that, Mother
Cabrera
Certainly"
sand it must be on accident entirely"
What's the price fur such delightful
work! A girls life ought to be worth a
good deal these times" chuckled the bag,
unpleasantly
"a hundred"
"Tush!" she interrupted, angrily. "Do
YOU take me for common garroters Not
cent less n a thousand would tempt me.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Cap'n,
dear''
"Very well, we will not dispute over the
price"
Again he came to his feet, walked to the
door, hesitated moment, then returned to
the side of Mother CABRERA.
"Wal?"
She regarded him with queer glitter OF
the sunken, beady eyes.
"Some of your cough drops, madam.
Could you accommodate me with a small
vial of the stuff!'
Il might
"Then do so and be quick about 1t, for /
must get back to Lone Hollow Immediately"
The bag held out her withered hand.
"Cross my palm with gold and the elixlr's
YOURS
He drew from his pocket gold eagle and
dropped it into her hand. Then she rose,
emitting a chuckle, and glided swiftly
to cupboard near and opened it. After
a short time spent in fumbling about among
various articles she returned and placed
small vial filled with colorless liquid in his
hand.
a. had it all ready" she said. &C reck-
oned you'd be wanting some before long.
The old gent at the Holler's gettin' old,
and he needs somethin' stimulatin' to keep
his gray head above ground. 'Twould be
pity eff he'd drop off with heart disease
some day, an awful shock to the community
like; Ell, Cap'n?"
"None of that, you bag of darkness" re-
torted he, with nervous grip on the deli
cate substance in his hand. 81 will call
again in short time, Mother CABRERA"
She went with him to the door, and open
ing it saw him pass out into the night. As
ne walked silently and swiftly away he
TO himself:
There were no witnesses to our meeting,
and that was as l wished. Should any
thing happen, any trouble come of this, that
hags word would count as nothing against
me. l am sharp enough not to be caught
7 a. -.
twins been present 1 should never have
made mention of the object Of my visit
never. am not sure that / shall need the
contents of this vial, but it is well enough
to be prepared. The poison is so subtle as
aF, IL