The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1896-10-17
CHAPTER Ky

mons had NOT vet emerged from his cellar.
All the while no Ind been below a strong.
Duncent smell of burning. the dry. sui
Dhurous smell of burning coke, had as
cended from below. with now and then
noise of a hand-bellows blowing fire,
but no steam or sound or SAVIOR of cook
ing. Now and again there was the noise
Of stirring n fire. and now and again the
noise Of tongs gripping and loosing and
SHINING on what a listener might take to
ne nieces Of coke
If no one was listening TO the stoke-
come one was watching the exterior OF the
marine store. A short time before ii
O'clock a man dressed in scedy black
cloth with short iron-gray whiskers AMI
beard. and long iron-cray hair and wear
ne blue sppctacles, turned into the street,
and sat down iu crouching position on
the axle-tree OF a cart.
Whom if was obout quarter past II
/ rimmons emerged from the cellar. carry
ing in one hand n dark lantern, with the
slide closed. He went cautiously to the
wicket. and with a trowel began digging
IN the earth Of the floor. which was here
/ dark and dry. 1t was old sand from d
/ foundry. and could be moved and replaced
/ without showing the least trace Of dis
]
Aftor dicginr down about a foot he
/ came uDon n small. old bag. which he
/ lifted out and which contained some
/ hing beoyv The hog had been all rubbed
! over With grease and ia the grease the
/ dark sand stuck thickly. Out Of this bag
he took small heavy. cylindrical bun
/ die Of chamois leather. Then he restored
the bag 70 the hole shovcled back the
TimmoDs walked softly over his noise
! less floor until he got behind the old
( boiler Of 4 donkey engine. Here he slid
/ back the slide Of the lantern and unrollei
/ tho leather The latter proved to be i
belt about a palm deep. and consisting
Of little bags or pockets of chamois leath-
or. clumsily sewn to a band.
There were a dozen Of those little peck
cts in NIL: six of them contained some
heavy substance. Each one closed with
a piece Of string tied at the mouth. Tim
mons undid one and rolled out on his hand
q thick lump of yellow metal about the
size of the large buttons worn as orna-
ments on the coats Of coachmen
He smiled a well-satisfed smile ut the
gold ingot. and weighed il affpcti0natplv
IN his grimv palm. gave the ingot a loving
polish with his sleeve. dropped It back
into its bag, and retied the string. Then
ont Of coch Of his trousers pockets he
took similar ingot or button. weighed
each and looked at each with affectionata
approval, and secured each in one of the
nalf-dozen vacant leather bags.
! ''Two pounds two ounces all together"
he WHISPERED. II have never been able 10
gel more than four dollars an ounce for
4 taking If all rornd Mt fifteen carats
His offer is rs good as ten dollars an
ounce which leaves n margin for n man
"a get q living ont Of II if the dwarf is
Sefe If had had only ono deal with
him Ia feeI hos safe hur no hos done
,ittle but talk grandlv and vaguely M to
This We'll otter This de0I to-nigbt no
can't draw back or Lctray me. That's
cartoin ANYHOW"
He uohr++onad bfs v,istcoo+ Strained
he bell round his lapk. hollow waist
blew ont the lantern and stenped into the
deserted street Before no disaDnoo-ad
I r. IL. 49,, Ill. c,,,;.araI "a; =
whiskers, dressed In seedv black cloth.
emerged from the shadow Of the cart and
kent steslthiIy in the rear " the marine
store dealer. Timmons was on his wov
"a koon bis onnoin+nnn+ Nth Ta;s,h ~
Cherwvnd street, and the low.sized man
with bira snec+aclos vas following sbaJ-
owing Timmons.
Oscar 7 a;pb ca, In the 5,rl, ., III, 1os+
step but one Of the stairs of his house,
awaiting the arrival of Timmons. 1t was
close to the appointed hour. He had one
OF his knees drawn nm close TO his BODY
bis elbow rested on his knee. his long
bearded chin in the palm OF his hand. 1t
was pitch dark Nothing could be seen,
absolutely nothing.
MY mother cannot live forever" whis-
pcred the dwarf, land then all will be
blank, all will lie dark as this place round
me Where shall I turn then? Whom
shall speak my heart to? | designed
my clock to be a companion. n friend n
confdant, a solace, a triumph: Il is be-
coming tvraut and a scourge. 4 man
must have something to think Of hesiTos
himself. = daforrrad dwarf ,,,,s+ neon
think Of himself Mt all. unless he thinks
great things Of himself Hare's Tim
mons
Iniob rosa o,d s,idi-,r hi. lie. 60. 49,,
sU,,1rfing his hadv on Tho s+icl, 90, +-' -
tbe door and nnenn1 i ~
..,TwaIva ~ tho minute" so;l IT,,
mons
Ter rs 20 for walk :" s,;d Taiob
"Bur ! have the sruFf with mo :, .oi7
Timnons in a tons ~ onnarar,oo 800
protest.
..ro+ ,s r., ea- ali
roigL ;r,5or:as,,. III Sp H. ! G1:e,,
VEL -.;,,. 49, "Is 'AiLA
s $780, SUM 'i'''eIE on 'ae nags as ne
IT, +,,., ,,,,., .,.., -.
'--e' '"' iie" - me leI'. ana
went en- on, on " few PAGES IN silence