Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-07-26

soon. pa." she assured INN. II should
have had a fit and stepTel into it, if you
had delayed coming another minute.
But what is the matter, pa? Are you
sick?"
"That informal brother of mine has
robbed me of two hundred thousand dol
lars" growIed Jerry Skidder, with such
deem internal convu'sions that his voice
seemed to be ground out of his throat.
oI'm sorry didn't shoot him dead in his
tracks
"Hush, pa, this is public parlor,
en- Joined Daisy, placing her hand over
his mouth "They'lEhear you i"
"Wel, l don't care who hears mo-
It's trun," blurted out Jerry, dropping
into chair, and glaring at Wynans and
El6e from behind the figure of his
daughter. "But bless my SOUL I'll put
him where he won't get out till the ants
carry him through the keyhole!"
allow did he rob you?" asked Caisy,
comprehending by long experience that
the only way to silence him was to give
vent to his wrath
"How?" roared Jerry. 81 bought the
Musselshell mines for 5000, 600, and he
pretended to give me a deed OF them'
but he told me, aftef had parted with
nv money, that he sold them three years
ago to man named Perry Wynans and
the deed he gave me turned out 10 De
deed of bit of wild land in Idaho, curse
him!"
"a fine brother, should think!" COM
men.ed Eaisy with the air of being up
set by her fathers revelations "Why
didn't you take back your money!"
"Hc had slipped it into his desk"
"Then why didn't you take other
measures?"
81 couldn't do thing, child! He lad
gi en- me a deed for my money, and he
would have been quite willing to go into
court and swear that the money was
paid for the Idaho land on account OF
| its being supposed to be gold Held.
"But about the other half interest, pa
that of Uncle Charles Tower"
"Oh, Tower and his wife are botl dea1'
after selling their interest to the PERI
| Wynans aforesaid" walled Jerry you
sec what luck Two had by this trip to
town! It's enough to drive man crazy" ..
Drawing capacious flask from ono OF
his numerous pockets. he sheltered him
yef behind Daisy, and proceeded to
cheer and console h mself with about
"three fingers" Of "mountain dew" ali the
way from Montana
"Then you didn't go to Ingleheim, as
talk d, pa?" queried Daisy.
"No. Why should waste my time IN
any such way?" retorted Jerry. "To be
sure. Tower left a girl named Eliic-so
named by that sister Of mine, her moth
er. who was one of the most romantic
creatures | ever knew-but the title was
never in Ellie, and so we have nothing
TO fear or hope from her, and that's
| sufficient reason why didn't go near
her"
but this Perry Wynan>," said Daisy,
who seemed to have faculty for follow
ing the sub. .cct in hand, "who and what
is hep"
81 only know that he has been a book
keeper or cashier in Hiram's employ l0l
number of years" replied Jerry.
"You didntsee him, | suppose?"
"No, couldn't, for the reason that he
leaves for Montana to-day, according tc
Hiram
The statement seemed to give Daisy
suggestion.
"Can he have heard what the property
is worth?" she asked.
"Of course he has"
"Then he'll never be fool enough tC
sell it?"
"Never."
"Did yol learn from uncle Hiram
what SOFT of man this Perry Wyna1'
is and whether he is married single?'
"No. Daisy. Aud what has all that t(
do with the Mus ,elshel mnes?"
"Perhaps nothing, and perhaps grea
deal" declared Daisy, with o smirk o
self-conceit. "lf he arts for Montani
TO day he can't get there any Qulcke
than we SHALL can he?"
"Certlinly not"
"If ne comes to the Musselshell," pur
sued Daisy, with the air Of schemlnI
aloud, 1--WE shall be aware Of the fact q
soon az anyone, and can make our ar
rangemelts according If he is incine'
to be civil l may be able to hook on T.
him and become Mrs. Wynans, thu
concil ating all our interests"
TO BE CONTINUED.