The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-10-09

officer turned up missing.
Several circumstances had caused
suspicion of the man who had been the
subject of the afternoons sessions in
the present instance. He had been i'm
Gold Hill about two weeks, and had
hardly spoken TO any one in the camp;
he had said nothing about his business;
he took not even hammer with him
when he walked or rode about the coun-
try presumably prospecting); and he
had been seen on several occasions,
after nightfall his light-colored clothes
were conspicuous), outside the camp,
talking to some one, probably a strang-
er, who was as yet unidentified, inas-
much as the two had never yet been
seen together by daylight or within the
limits of the camp.
On the evening after the consulta-
ton of the powers in the Merchants
Hotel, Professor Hendrix met the
stranger, who claimed the name of
Tennison, and tried, i'm his most suave
and diplomatic manner, to draw him
out and TO learn something of his bus
iness but the young man, while will
ing enough to discuss matters in gen.
eral, became as dumb as an oyster
when it got to personal questions, and
displayed an aptness. in turning the
conversation worthy of one of twice
his years. So Hendrix tried another
tack.
"Er-Mr. Tennison," he began, in
his mildest manner, at what he con-
sidered an opportune moment, Al
greatly fear you think me unduly curl
Gus about our-ah-er-affair, but"
"Yes, do" interrupted the other,
curtly; "you're about the seventeenth
man that has tried to sound me-" And
he bit off the end of his cigar i'm a man
ner that betokened not little resent
ment.
Hendrix was u bit disconnected but,
not "A biz cast down, he resumed:
'T'm sorry, Mr.. Tennison, but-er-
the fact is, if must tell you, that
that there are rumors-that is, there
are those who affect TO believe you are
not what you pretend to be-"
"What have / pretended to be? ?"
asked Tennison, shortly.
"Nothing-nothing," said the pro-
fessor, in some haste. ''That's just the
trouble. They think you ought to"
"Mr. Hendrix, we are in free Amer
lea, are we not? Well, then, propose
to attend to my own affairs and as for
these prying gossips you refer to, l
have the sublimest contempt for them
Whereupon Mr.. Tennison rose abrupt
ly, went into the hotel, and retired to
his room.
As matter of fact, he was through
with most Of his business at Gold Hill;
but he did not propose--even though
he expected, before his departure, TO
discuss other matters with certain
mining men-tO give the idle gossips
chance to have any satisfaction cut of
him.
his back office, reported his failure to
extract anything from the close-mouth-
ed ''tenderfoot"
"See p" said Major Fulton, al know
ed how 'twould be. They hain't but
one thing left t do, as en- see"
Little Ike looked at him interroga-
lively. aye don't mean" he began,
with some apprehension.
''Nothin' ~ replied the major, short
ly. "Jes' give this angel tn run,
that's ALL"
About two o'clock in the morning
Tennison was suddenly awakened by
repeated raps at his door.
"Who's there?" he called sharply.
"Me-Hanks," was the response, in
what the colonel intended to be a
trembling voice. "Open the door II
Grumbling at thus having his sleep
broken, Tennison complied and at
once found himself covered by half n
dozen revoIvers in the hands of masked
men. Sensibly he threw up his hands
and they entered the room, pushing
the apparently unwilling landlord, he
mently protesting against what he
called their brutality, before them.
"What does this mean, gentlemen"
asked Tennison, angrily. "Do you
propose to rob or murder ME ?-Or
both ?'
''Shet up"' was the reply, San git
intuth them clo'es an pack that there
grip, dam quick! Ye won't be hurt ef
We don't make no fuss"
Twenty minutes later the unfortu-
nate suspect found himself some dis
tance out of camp, grip in hand, and
with footsteps accelerated by the part
ing injunction of his captors:
''Ef y're within ten miles O. yere b.
We won't need no breakfast.
The New Kimberly Miner and
of week later contained
the following item, and marked copies
of the paper were sent to Gold Hill:
"Again have the moss-backed deni-
zens of that antique settlement of Gold
(save the mark y Hill stepped on them
selves; one more blunder have they
to their everlasting cost.
"Three weeks ago, Mr.. G. +. Tenni-
son, a gentleman of culture and refine
ment, who represents an Eastern syn
dictate with millions of capital, went to
Gold (?)Hill with the intention of
about for investments. First,
however, it was his aim, with the as
possession, and under the guidance of
that veteran prospector Peter the Her
nit, to locate some of the old Jesuit
supposed to exist there. Fail
ing in this, it was his intention to in
vest in one or two properties which he
considers are not being properly work
ed las nothing, excepting an OCCASION
al sucker, ever is at Gold Hill.
'.Behold the stupidity of Gold Hill
ties Because Captain Tennison. who
is, as We said before, a gentleman of
culture, refinement and education, did
not stand upon the housetops and de
clare his business to the open-mouthed