The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1896-08-12

claim.
"Wealthy?"
Somewhat" meaningly.
"Who killed him?''
That's what they're tryin to find
out down to Jacks"
"What induced the act?''
Cant tell you any more Jest advise
you to keep clear O. Jack Doolan's till
some other cur us FOOLS paid the penalty.
Good day, stranger.
But Bob was not to be frightened into
abandoning his trip. Besides, here was
a scoop for The Meteor, and the value
of scoop to that enterprising sheet was
not to be ignored Bob resolved to go
on and trust to luck and his own adroit-
ness to save his neck The stranger had
shown too much anxiety for his peaceful
departure for him to give full credence
to the story, and before Bob had ridden
mile he had thoroughly convinced
himself that he had conversed with the
real murderer provided that the whole
thing was not fake, and that by con-
tinuing his journey he would be the
means of the capture and punishment of
the escaping criminal
Another nile and he came to camp
That part Of the travellers information
was correct at least, and inquiry quick
ly proved that it was Jack Doolan's
Contrary to his expectations, Bob met
with hospitable reception without
any suggestion of suspicion. True, Jim
Smith was murdered there that morn
ing but Jim Smiths murderer had al
ready been apprehended, and, from the
bootless feet Bob discovered dangling
in the breeze back of the camp, had evil
IDENTIFY met with lofty treatment At
any rate, some one had paid the penal
ty, and Bob had nothing to fear.
1t made great story for The Meteor.
Being Oh the ground, Bob got all tho
details, and they needed no embellish-
ing. He did not rest until he had the
story Oh the wires, though it necessitat-
ed an extra ten miles Oh horseback to
Jimtown, the nearest telegraph station.
But The Ne teor appreciated it, and that
was sufficient.
The next day Bob returned to Jack
Doolans, prepared to continue his va.
cation that had been SO suddenly inter-
rupted. He had hardly entered the
camp, however, when the man who had
given him the main facts in the murder
story called him aside.
"Say, stranger, do you want another
story? Since you're in the biz you might
as well have all that's goin, and there's
a cussed lot of it round these diggin
jest at present. We're suspicionin, Jack
and me, that thay's a gang O. counter
feiters back in the mountains some'ers
You know that Teller you met on the
road yesterday? Well, he's one o. 'em,
er I miss my guess He didn t want you
up here Mistook you fer a government
chap. See?''
Bob grew interested. He wasn't par
ticularly anxious for another SCOOP but
neither was he in the habit of letting a
good story escape him. The result was
a quiet investigation, eliciting proof
that the miners suspicious were cor
rect. Several days later scare head
topped three column article from The
Meteor's correspondent at Jimtown.
Then followed visit to Rocky Canyon
of posse of government officials and a
raid on the den. The Meteor had a
scoop daily, and The Telegram and The
News felt themselves obliged to send
correspondents to this interesting scene
of action. But Bob had the advantage
of precedence, and the rival scribes
found themselves unable to get at the