Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-09-24
Fight for The MHSSGlShGn Millions
BY LEON LEWIS.
CHAPTER In-CContlnusd.D
OR THE

III course you've DGGn very ElQQ 10
me, Hiram" continued the visitor, ito
give me the use OF these lands SO long
Jest for the taxes, but were both getting
old, and II you should die and your es-
tate be divided, there might be no end Of
trouble, and 81 told Daisy I'd come and
buy these lands OF you while she's getting
rested 4 little from her long journey"
~How much will you give me for my
half interest, Jerry?8
~Well, thought three hundred dollars
might strike you as n fair offer, Hiram,
replied the visitor, @and so I've brought
you the money!
The merchants sarcastic smile deep
ened as his brother drew out a pocket
book which looked as II a considerable
slice Of the Rocky Mountains had at
some time fallen upon 1t.
Don't be so fast, jerry" he said.
Now that you are here, I'll show you
the sights week or two, and then Wen
go to Montana together. Nothing would
please me more than to see how you
have been living all these fourteen
years"
Jerry waved his hand in nervous i'm
patience
@All that is very kind, Hiram he de-
clared, ~but business is business, and 1
must get the little matter Of the lands
off my mind before I can take 4 step
with you"
The merchant surveyed him again In
quiringly, not a little interested by his
clothes, which looked as If he mad taken
them from some scarecrow he had en-
countered in his travels.
Il couldn't think of selling you the
lands In this off-handed fashion, Jerry"
he then said. await till l have looked
them over in person
Nonsense. Let me have the deed
now"
L IN IN
returned the merthant you must re-
member that these lands cost me five
thousand. Probably, too, 1 could make
better terms with Colonel Whipsaw than
you can. Let's wait
~No, Hiram, protested Jerry. There's
no time like the present Give me the
deed now, and I'll make the payment
five hundred dollars.
That's more like it." commented the
merchant, still wearing his quizzical
smile, ~but l must have a thousand"
"a thousand?" repeated Jerry, catch
ing at the remark as an offer.
Il mean a couple Of thousand"
amended the merchant Il couldn't
think of taking a cent less I really
couldn't"
~Well, let me have the deed now and
I'll give you two thousand" returned
the visitor, with evident eagerness. @Oh,
yes, I have the money right here, he
added, surprising peculiar look on his
brothers face. Here it is"
He drew out a large wallet and opened
It, showing that it was full OF green
backs
~You surprise me. " cried Hiram aI
thought ynrS barely made living in
Montana
~True. But what is 81, OOO?"
"A mere nothing, to DO sure. And
that's why won't sell the land for that
sum, now that think more about it, "
declared the merchant. @I'll hold the
property forever, Jerry, II 1 can't get
the sum it originally cost me-"
ado you mean it?7
Absolutely
Then I shall have to give you the
amount said Jerry" The fact is, Daisy
is about TO marry a man uamed sam
Gaddler, who has nothing, and I want
him to have this property for a sheep
ranch. Five thousand IL is, then. Give
me the deed and I'll count you ont
the money"
Not to-day. Jerry. Give me time to
write to Colonel Whipsaw. Let me get
his opinion as TO what the price ought
to be. -
THE Colonel's away, Hiram, travelling
somewhere in Europe returned Jerry,
getting more and more nervous every
moment "He has been gone a whole
year, and no one knows when he'll be
home again"
Then 1 must write to the postmaster
of Musselshell or to some other person
who is on the spot" protested the mer-
chant @How do I know that these
lands are worthless? May there not be
a gold mine upon them?"
He went on In this way until the face
of his brother was beaded with perspira-
tiOn, and then thrust under his gaze the
letter he had received from Colonel
Whipsaw. Of Rattlesnake Ranch.
~Read that, he said
Jerry complied, turning all sorts Of
colors, and finishing with howl Of con-
sternation-
~And now tell me what this means, "
commanded Hiram.
at means-that there is gold there, "
painted Jerry.
@Ah, 1 though sol Go on"
~Jest how much can't say" eontin-
ued Jerry, returning the Colonel's letter,
~but am willing to risk $4,000 upon
your half INTEREST,""
II should want cash, jerry"
Al have IL with me-"
besides, l should want at least a
hundred thousand dollars for the prop
erty, jerry announced the merchant.
1In fact, 1 won't take a cent less, now
that begin to see what the situation of
affairs Is Colonel Whipsaw will doubt
less arrange with me for the property II
you dom. want it For 500, 900, Jerry,
If you say So"
1Well; I do say it." interrupted the
visitor eagerly. @Give me the deed!"
That's big pile of money, Jerry"
Nevertheless, I have it with me,
Hiram"
at doesn't seem possible. Let me see
it.
The visitor produced the amodnt in a
not very bulky Wad from an inner pock-
ct, with the remark:
ats yours as soon as you give me the
deed
The assurance served to intensity the
two red spots which had been rapidly
gathering on the cheeks of Hiram Skid
der. How angry he was that the false
hoods Of Jerry had induced him to part
with his interest In a property now
shown by the offenders own actions to
be running up into hundreds Of thou
sands
AYou have it, sure enough, he ad-
mitted, after a rapid glance at the
money. sand the grand question now
is, how did you come BY it2"
~Stock-raising, Hiram-stock-raisin
The sheer with which the merchant
received this statement was simply saw
age.
$50 much the more reason why
should go TO Montana before giving you
the deed, he declared Il can become
q 'stoekraiser,' too"
He took two or three turns across the
floor, and then resumed:
Il was only joking in what said about
selling. I've no intention of dispOsing
OF the property-not the slightest No
offer can tempt meiS
This declaration worried Jerry Skid
der quite as much as a similar one from