The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-09-19
CHAPTER II.
THE MAIL BRINGS STARTLING NEWS.

CHATTER III.
THE MAIL BRINGS STARTLING NEWS.
Something like three weeks had passed
and the departure of Crenshaw had been
almost forgotten, when, one afternoon,
the mail brought u letter addressed to
the "Chief of Police Of Redrock Springs"
superscription which greatly puzzled
the major.
"Sim," he called to his bartender, to
whom he mainly contided his troubles,
81 don't half like the looks o that letter.
Seems sort O reckonise the handwrite,
Sim."
"Nothin' like findin' out when yer in
do:lbt," said Sim. laconically. "Ther's
no law agin' openin' it, s'pose?'
"True enough, Sim; but ther' amt no
chief O police here, an don't know as
have the right to open it,"
tStuff!' piped Sim. "Aint yer the
magistrate and the jedge all in one?
When the boys hev spat, don't they
como to you fer settlement an to de-
eide it? Who is the chief ef faint you,
Id like ter know?'
The major drew long breath. lie
turned the letter over and over and then
held it up to the light. His open feat
ures, OH which his so years had left hard
ly the trace of q wrinkle, were all pulled
together in the mighty effort to pene-
trate the mysterious envelope and gather
an inkling of its contents. He drew a
long breath, stroked his whiskers softly,
and laid the letter on the counter before
him.
"Sim, I've bin five years at Redrock,
an no man ever said as Jonas Black
took liberties with what didn't belong to
him. But as there don't appear to be
nobody here what kin lay claim to this
letter, and seein' as how I'm postmaster
and sort O gin'ral survant to the town
actin like, ye know, Sim, till we get
kinder organized as it were-I feel as if
l mout venture"-
Sim smiled and began to move toward
the major, who had taken up the letter
again. The latter weighed it gently
across his foreinger. and then, with a
sudden resolution, tore it open at one
end and let the inclosure drop on the
counter. He stared ut it hard for a min
WV "'AAiS AiS "ipC0 lilo opcCLdCleSs
''lt's from Frisco, Sim, that's what it
is. I might a-knowed by the handwrite.
Ah it's from woman-a lady, l jedge,
by the style of penmanship,' and he
took it up carefully, Sim meanwhile
scanning the paper over his shoulder.
''Snakes and bars! What can she
mean? Jest lis'en to what she says"
And the major began to read, slowly
and carefully, pondering every syllable.
This was the letter:
2,012 KEARNEY STREET
SAN FRANCISCO June H. 49,
DEAR SIR-1 have just learned of the fate of
my unfortunate boy. John Drowning and write
to ask you to keep the body till his sisters arrive
at Redrock. They will come by the cars to Pres
colt and will reach the Springs by the stage on
Wednesday next.
Do this for the sake of his sorrow stricken
mother, SopuRoNIA BnowNISe.
When he had read the letter through
the major laid it down again and glared
at Sim.
"What's it meant" he almost gasped.
"Why, saw young Jack and his mate
only last night. And she talks about him
bein' dead, and oil that. Sim, there's
trouble ahead"
Somebody's been a-playin' it on the
old lady to pay off grudge, pears to
me, major" suggested Sim. "Anyhow,
it can't do the young Teller much hurt.
He's big enough to look out fer himself.
An meantime the two gals is a-comin'
over. Well, it's goin' ter be interestin'."
"Two ladies, Sim. l don't doubt as
aow they're high quality folks, fer that
Jack does hold himself up wonderful like,
and SO does his mate, that Lispenard.
'Spose you send Bill over to the mine
and jest tell Browning ter come across
here by noon."
The sun was lighting up both sides of
Shaggy Peak when Browning entered
the hotel. Without word, the major
took the letter and handed it to him,
smoking vigorously while Browning per-
used it. Jacks brows knit and he shook
the paper as if trying by that act to get
ut its secret.
"Well:" inquired the major.
"It's mothers writing" muttered
Browning, "but who in heavens name
could have been so cruel as to impose
upon her with such story? There's
some deviltry here. What does it mean?"