Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-09-17
ADeal6WiIdLaldS
ON, THE-
Fight for The MHSSGlShGn Millions.
BY LEON LEWIS.
CHAPTER I.

prominent merchant Of Chicago. sat in
his private Office one afternoon, debat-
ing seriously the question Of making an
assignment He was not only pinched
for money, but his credit had been ut
terly demolished. as the result of GER
tain crooked transactions which had
been widely whispered under cover Of
secrecy. IL Is needless to say that the
frame of mind In which he found himself
was unenyiable. His smoothly shaven
face had become rigid in its outlines, and
was Daier than usual His manner had
become irritable, fOrbidding, and at
times even viOient-
At the moment we look In upon him,
he had just entered upon the examina-
ton Of his afternoons mail-a task he
had found at once irksOme, monOtOnous,
and annoying.
-Duns. threats, and reproaehes-this
Is the burden Of their whole song he
muttered, suspending Operatio--s a mo-
ment @I'll see IL can't get together a
few additional thousands and vanish
Picking up another letter, the mer-
chant opened IT, The handwriting be-
ing unfamiliar and singular, no glanced
at the signature
-From Col Harvey Whipsaw, of Rat
tlesnake Ranch. Musselshell, Montana, I"
he read. smiling invOluntarily.
What could such a man have to say to
himP
He began reading the mlssive, display
Ing an interest which rapidly increased
TO agitation and wonder. BY the time
he had reached the signature again the
sheet fairly rustled in his grasp, and he
looked startled and bewildered.
-How stranger he calculated. @Evi-
IDENTIFY there IS some good in those wild
lands on the Musselshell, after all
What pity sold them!"
Ia eN,a I'LL 3,
keen elaboration, his excitement in
creasing.
ayes, the Colonel wants to buy an in
terest in those lands and become resident
~-nager," he muttered- what can be
II secret of his deep and sudden desire
TO purchase? Is it another case of
striking il rlch2' His language sug-
gests it, and, on the face of things,
nothing is more likely. The richness of
Montana in all sorts of mineral is pro-
verbal"
He secured the letter of Col. Whipsaw
carefully in an inner pocket
ats clear that some great discovery
has been made" he added II mustn't
lose moment in recovering possession
of those lands"
He touched a call-bell on his desk, in
answer TO which a clerk made his ap-
pearance.
~Send Mr.. Wynans here" ordered the
merchant
The clerk withdrew. to be succeeded
promptly by young gentleman who had
been in the employ of Hiram Skidder a
dozen years, at first as clerk, then as a
bookkeeper, and finally as cashier.
@Sit down, Mr.. Wynans, greeted the
merchant affably, indicating chair. al
wish to talk with you about the Mussel-
she'll property l sold you two or three
years ago"
The cashier inclined his handsome fig
ure gracefully, accepting the proffered
chair, while a curious sort Of smile
traversed his face.
He was about seyen-and-twenty years
of age. with form of the finest proper
tions. He had the strength and agility
of an athlete. without having any eS-
peciaI consciousness of the fact so
completely had his thoughts been alb
sorbed in study and science He was
uncommOnly goOd-loOking, with his
smooth, regular features, his shapely
head and curly hair, his mild blue eyes,
and his genial, sunny aspect.
Lets see" resumed the merchant,
with his blandest voice, edo you remem-
Der how became the owner of the
property in question:"
@Of course, replied Wynans. @Your
only brother, jeremiah Skidder, went
out there fourteen years ago and bought
a ranch. Later he wrote you and your
brother-in-law, the late Charles Tower
of Ingleheim, that he had a grand
chance to invest SO, 600 in land near
him, and you and Tower sent out
the money, taking joint deeds Of the
property
Exactly. And what then?"
~Why. Jerry Skidder wrote that he
had been deceived. that the acquisition
was practically worthless; and he con-
tinued to write in this strain for years,
until both Tower and yourself gre ? sick
of the whole transaction, and finally
sold the property"
True again. commented Skidder.
-And you have cared so little about your
purchase that You have not yet had the
deeds recorded2"
Wynans assented.
$50 that Tower and I are still on rec
ord as the owners2"
The cashier nodded again, and, in
fact, as much was shown by the applica-
ton the merchant had received from
Colonel WhipsaW, OF Rattlesanke Ranch.
Lets see, said Skidder again, after
a thoughtful and sinister pause, show
much did you give me, Perry, for my
half interest in that Musselshell prop
erty?1
~Seven hundred dollars, sir.s
~YOu have been at no expense in re-
gard to it. presume?@
Sat very little, sir"
@You have never even fenced the
lands or paid the taxes?S
mo, sir" acknowledged Wynans
"The fact is, you had left your brother
aforesaid in possession, charging him to
pay the taxes, and I naturally adjourned
all action until such time as l could ap-
pear there In person
The merchant nodded understand
ingly.
aWell, I'd like to buy that property
back from you, Perry" he announced.
with assumed earelessness, -and of
course I'll frankly give you my reasons
The cashier again intimated by an in
clination that he was all attention, and
Hiram Skidder continued:
II desire to send my son out there, not
merely TO establish him in an independ-
ent position but to get him out OF the
dangerous path he is now following. As
you may have heard, or even read in the
papers, he has been in a number Of dis
reputable affairs, and I fear another
year or two in the midst of his present
surroundings will prove his utter ruin. "
These plausible statements OF Skidder's
motives did not deceive Perry Wynans.
He knew them to be untrue
II suppose you'll want something for
the use OF your money" pursued the
merchant, with an insinuating smile.
~You gave four hundred dollars, be-
lieve, for the half interest Of my late
brother-in-laW, Charles Tower, in this
property"
-Quite right, sir. Just four hundred "
Then the eight thousand acres, con-
tinued the merchant, with a smile of
anticipated triumph, shave cost you just
eleven hundred dOllars?S
Perry assented, and Skidder proceeded:
~ To- g.