Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-04-24

US whether IL was because You were his
brother, which he denied, or because you
had a secret Of his worth paying for.
For all we want, you are"
swell, I was, ! tell you"
Never mind; we can establish, by put
ting your papers and my papers together,
that Charles Pierson was an assumed
name; the reason why he changed it;
that you were his brother; that he had
no relations other than you, and no de-
scendants; and establishing these facts
we can take his property. Now. l don't
dare take the first step before the surro-
gate until I have seen you have got the
story so straight YOU won't stumble
when you so on the stand"
.aoh. I'll get it, don't you fear"
well, ! do fear. Then there Is the
story Of your own life, I have written
that, too"
Parker laughed an ugly laugh.
at was a tough job to reconstruct the
twenty years of your life you spent be-
tween four stone walls"
Flush" said the other old man, ''for
heavens sake don't talk of that"
"Well, you served -FOUR time out; they
can't take you for it again. 1t was a
rocky path that of your life, old man,
and I hare smoothed it very inge-
niously."
keep qliety' cried the old man, with
an oath, "or I'll kick the whole thing
overheard"
This threat had a subduing effect upon
Parker.
"Well, don't get huffy,"h he said; "Tn
be quiet. But you must be pat with it
when you're called upon for it. Idon't
think you viii be, for I doubt if there
| will be a contestant. But the lawyer
whom I shall employ may want to know
your story"
"why don't you do it yourself? You
are a lawyer"
ssThere are certain circumstances con-
nected with my professional career
| which make ii advisable for me to keep
| out of court. But I can't idle here. I've
| got a great deal to do today. Here are
some papers l want you to sign"
"What are they
"The agreements and contracts OF
| transfer to me of one-half of the proper
| ty when you get it"
"Well, l am entitled to the whole"
"Of course you are, you old ass; but
if you don't give me half you won't
have any part of it. Sign, or you won't
get a smell of it; and besides, I'll stop
your allowance"
This was a dire threat, and meant q
stoppage of liquor, SO he signed with a
trembling hand:
"James Preston"
SNOW, wait a moment" said Parker.
He went to the window and beckoned
to a man who stood upon the opposite
side of the street.
In a moment more the person entered
the room.
"You are a notary public; I want you
to verify these signatures"
1t was a ceremony soon accomplished,
and Parker, placing the papers in his
pocket, went off, after leaving a ten dol.
lar bill with the old man Preston.
The Shadow remained long enough at
his post to hear Preston say:
"Well there's something crooked
about this, but I don't know what. Any.
how, / know I am the brother of the
man they call Charles Pierson. Ican't
figure it out, but I can go and get q
drink"
As the old man went out, the Shadow
stepped down lightly and passed into his
room.
81 don't know that the matter has any
bearing ON that which the Boss has in
hand. Iguess not. But ! will tell him
anyhow"
When he did tell Tom. that astute
young gentleman said:
"No, l do not believe it has any imme'
diate bearing on our matter. It has this
effect, however, and that is, that We
won't worry much about Parker's par
ticipation in the matter, for he is no,
pursuing the line we are and has no con.
nection with it. What he is in for il
clear enough. He will make a blundel
of it, for he don't know it all, and he'll
get in a mess before he is aware of it
I'LL drop a hint to the surrogate to e
slow on any application made on behalf
Of James Preston. But, l say, old Par
ker may be a valuable man to follow VI
on the line of Pierson. He evidently
knows more about him than we do. I
will be worth while to cultivate hin
when we get the chance, but just nov
there are other things to be DONE"