Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-08-02
v,c,,ms of the evident mystldcation III


thor nroduced hearty burst OF laugh
ter from Perry and Eine' anu even iron
stad Mrs Rankle 49,,
at seems / have unwil lngy broken
M little masquerade in which you ana
Elfc were figuring, Mr.. Wynans," said
@Ycs. but no harm is DONE" replied
Pcrrv. al received your telegram in due
course. and intended to forestall this
accident bit the truth would have come
ont at the best few minutes later. You
have come prepared to go with MS, l
ho. e?"
81 have, sir As you suggested, | left
nv trunk at the station
"Gi,e me your check, please.
Mrs. Rankle compiled:
al will see to checking your baggage
to its destination, or as lar cam" he
explained, securing the check In his
rocket ave are ready to start, and
shall be off in. few minutes. Have
you had dinncr?"
"a bite simply"
@Then sit down here and make yourself
at home" invited Perry, leading to the
table. "We've been haring sort OF
Belshazzar feast. and there's enough
left to dine dozen hearty men
Mrs. Rankle smilingly complied with
the invitation, as entirely at her case as
if the Skidders had been thousand
miles distant, and Ellie sat down near
her, losing herself readily in the many
pleasant queries and anticipations crowd
ing upon her.
"And so-you avow yourself to be MI
Wynans?" growled Skidder, turning his
bloodshot eyes anew upon Perry; "the
owner Of the Musselshell mine?"
A smiling nod answered him.
"How very singular it oil Isl"
"Very," said Wynans.
al never heard of more extraordinary
encounter" pursued Jerry
"Nor did J."
sand you knew all the while who
WASP"
certainly. Your daughter had men
toned your name and identity bcfore
your arrival"
"What a pity! And-and you've sat
there with my niece and listened to eyory
word Daisy and were saying?"
ave couldn't do less, sir. We woro
simply charmed by the very extrao dl-
nary views, facts and intentions you
were so rash as to thrust upon us.
"To think Of our being such fools, pal"
exclaimed Daisy, with an aspect and
voice suggestive of Mysteries. "The
mean things!"
"Do you suppose we know enough, pa,
to get back to Montany?" pursued Dali
sy, in tone of deep vexation. "lf so,
let's order carriage and start Tor the
station"
"Not without my money!" calculated
Jerry, deep pallor suddenly replacing
the lividity of his features. "You seem
to have forgotten that little point, MIR.
Wynans."
aWhat little point, p'ease?" asked
Perry, facing about in his chair.
"My money. You put my money in
your pocket, you'll remember"
"Your money!" emphasized Wynans.
EXACTLY My two hundred and
twenty thousand dollars"
"Nonsense, Mr.. Skidderl Didn't you
avow to Detective Grimshaw that you
had taken this money from my mines
and that it really belongs to me?"
aInstead of having any of your money,
Mr.. Skidder," pursued Wynans, quietly,
with O smile, at looks to me as II l had
mercy recovered a portion OF the sum
you have stolen from me!
"Stoen?" clustered Jerry.
"As you have yourself affirmed in your
conversation with your daughter
"Whatl you don't intend to give that
money back to me?" cried Skidder
springing to his feet as the full extent
of his disaster suddenly flashed upon
him.
"Not cent of it "
"Then I'll take it," threatened Jerry,
advancing menacing'y.
"See here, old man," warned Wynans,
perfectly unmoved in manner and voice,
"if YOU should be SO foolish as to be
guilty of the least violence, even in Ian
gGag5, I win call a policeman and send
you to the calaboOse. Do l look like a
man likely to stand any violence or ag-
gression from rascal of your descrip-
tiOn?"
Jerry wilted as abruptly as II the
point of a sword had touched him.
"If the involuntary payment you have
Just made me has left you short OF
funds" pursued Wynans, al can make
you small loan-enough to take you
back to Montana.
"You are very kind s'r," sneered
Daisy with scornful ferccness Of voice
and manner, "but we can get along with
out you"
81 am glad to hear it" returned Perry.
"Your present mood suits me better than
the one you displayed few minutes ago,
when YOU were talking of hooking on
to mol"
The eyes and checks Of the rustic
beauty blazed furiousy.
"If l ever do hook on to yor," she
declared sternly, 'it will be with hoes
YOU will not like. You seom to have
scored one on this occasion-I'm frank
enough to avow it. But It's long road
that knows no turn, they say, and we IL
try to get square with you later in
Montana
"I overheard you speaking Of that to
your father" retorted Perry. "Rcst as
sured that l shall not be easily Gre
mated"
It cost Jerry Skidder the biggest pang
of his life to tear himself away from all
thought or hope Of recovering the inyol-
untary payment he had made, but Daisy
had him by the arm, and was whisper
ing all sorts of dire vengeance in his ear,
and he finally acceded to the impulse
she was giving his steps toward the door.
But at the door he haltca, facing
about, his eyes cleaning.
ave shall see you again in due course"
he growled, shaking his c.enched hand
at Perry, "and when VIC do"
He drew his finger horizontally