Iron County register., 1896-03-12
CHAPTER xvL-CosrNrEn

CHAPTER XvL-CoxrrSrEn
Wilders' loss had created a stirring
sympathy a the neighborhood, and
no ones kindly emotions We're more
aroused than Mrs. Whitford's. Like
many others. too, this good lady had
suggestions to make, which, to her In
tense disgust, nobody would pay seri-
Gus attention to. To her the solution
lay In . nutshell At Marquette was
q wise woman, an old crone, who told
fortunes and revealed the past and fu-
ture, an exceedingly sagacious person,
who did q roaring business In the
divination way
To this ancient Sybil the worthy
dame resolved TO go ON her own ac-
count and probe the mystery of the
lost boy to its bottom, SO accordingly
she has impressed the corporal's serv-
ices, and the twain have started for
Marquette, leaving the house in charge
of Jacob Gregson and Mr.. Dodd, who
do not seem to be having too pleasant
Q time of it
Unaccustomed to the severity of such
q season, they are sitting shivering
over the big stove, cursing with much
heartiness the intense cold and wish
ing themselves thousand miles from
the desolate country.
eThat gold mine didn't pan out as
you expected" Mr.. Gregson cheerfully
observed.
'.No,"snarled Dodd, ''they knew too
much to bite"
''Been there too often, eh?"
"Guess So"
"Wen. what's the next move?"
''Skip." ------,---
ssI would If were you. heard yes
terday of fellow who salted mine
here once, an they caught him an sat
him down on a red hot stove, an held
him there till he confessed, an then
took him out an hanged him"
ugh! The savages- Say, Jake, I'm
of as soon as it is dark"
''Sorry to lose you, Tony, but the
best of friends must part"
''It's bad time to be hard up. Isn't
it?'
..It is." Gregson replied, impervious
to the hint
You'll let me have hundred dol
lars?'
Cant possibly"
y
must
IF thirty would do. Tony, 1 could
manage it."
1T will have to do, suppose" Dodd
said, without much expression of graft
.ude in his tones
We'll, then, I'll go to my room an
get it for you; an while I'm gone, just
mix rs couple of stiff glasses of hot
grog, an let Us try to thaw ourselves
out. My bones ache with the cold"
As he turned his back Dodd's eyes
glearned with satisfaction.
The big whisky bottle was on the
table in a minute ianked by glasses
and sugar bowl.
Mr. Dodd was very careful in his
preparations
First he mixed the sugar and SPIRITS,
then poured on the boiling water and
added bitters-then, doubly anxious to
crafty Mr. Gregson's taste, he took
small phial from his pocket and poured
ten drops of a dark siruplike Il uid into
that geotlenan's glass, remarking to
himself with chuckle:
That's good for twenty-four hours
solid slumber, anyhow-now, see if /
cant improve the opportunity"
Oregon returned shivering but cheer
fGI.
Here you are, old boy. I've made
il forty dollars, but i: win be pull on
me.''
You're brick, Jake, and here's
your jolly good health" U
.'Sanc to you, Tony!" He took long
draught as he spoke. Bah. man.
you've put too much bittcrs in it."
''Pshawl It's more whisky you want.
Help yourself"
''Do you know" Gregson said, as he
took the hint, Pm deuced sorry you're
going away, Tony"
''Yo on always had an afectionate dis
position, jake" Dodd sneered.
''liut l say. mate, you won't lie up to
no tricks with me; you won't be nosing
around New York after Elsie?"
''Iou forget, my dear fellow, that
she's gives US the slip. Haven't you
been trying for months to get her adj
dress and failed?' -
''That's so. Have some more punch
don't sit looking like a-what was 1
e,o;n' TO osay-if Ii tisn't-headache-ro
all svimmin'-drugged, by heaven.n
Gregson fell heavily forward in sense
less stupor, and Dodd, with the remark.
.'Wha: simple fool you were to go
back on man like me" arranged his
body comfortably on . sofa, rified his
keys from his pocket, and went up
stairs to ransack his portmanteau. He
returned with a large roll of bills.
Il do not think poor Jake could
speak the truth if he tried to- he mutt
tered, counting his plunder; his moral
obliquity iS something fearful to con-
template. Here's enough for another
E~=-.sn, and I've not requisitioned
more than half his store. Only forty
dollars you could spare for q friend in
need! Oh, Jake. how could you be SO
pc2urious?"
A knock at the door startled him.
Il was only Joe Smith, rough lad
who gained precarious living hawk
ing newspapers around the town, and
who was, perhaps, the one human be-
ing who held Archibald Dodd in low
ing reverence. for the adventurer had
been kind to the boy, and kindness was
unfamiliar to Joe.
The boy was out of breath with rum
ming.
Say. boss" he cried, as soon as he
could speak, .'there's gang o. fellers
down at the hotel, as says they's goin'
ter hold q neclz-tie social. with you
s-tloin' the honors.n
.What do you mean, boy?"
why, hang yer, o. course.
ssWheno.