Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-09-03
r&ht 70 do this thiM1HN

Il beg your pardon, but it has been
decided not u subject yourself and your
sister 10 the trials and Inconvenience
! of a return. You remain in our charge
j.; for the present "
Without waiting TO hear her comment
i on this, Bouton turned and walked hur-
riedly away. AS he neared the fire he
saw the men under Font Robb crowding
around a prostrate form. He knew that
the man ON the ground was Henry Kyle,
and in his heart he hoped he might find
him dead In this hope he was disap-
pointed. Skilled in the rude remedies Of
that land Font Robb had assured him
self before carrying the wounded man
back that no bones Were broken and that
he still br,,athed. When Robb got him
back to camp, he discovered a cash on
his head and saw that he was suffering
from a shock that would have knocked
the breath forever out of a man Of ordi-
nary vitality. He bathed the wound and
bound up the head, which, in addition
to forcing water into the unconscious
mans mouth, had the effect of bringing
him back to reason. Kyle had opened
his eyes and was looking around him IN
a dazed way when Bouton forced his
way through the crowd and stood before
him.
Hello, Hank. Who did this:" asked
| BoutOu.
Il don't know, " replied Henry Kyle,
and he raised his hand to his forehead
and shut his eyes the better to collect
| his wandering senseS
was to treat me in that way, I'd be apt
to know who it was and to remember
him till the day died. "
1T was Captain Brandon" said
Black Eagle.
| "Hah. This is q case where the hunt
er was hunted, " laughed Bouton. But
never mind, Hank; better luck next
time You have failed. but l have won. y
And the young ladies, the Blanch-
ards?'' asked Harry eagerly.
"Oh, they are safe and sound You
don't suppose I'd let harm come to those
lovely creatures? No, no. they are re-
posing peaceably within the stOckade. "
"And the brother-Howard?'
He escaped, l believe, " said Bouton-
After the women had ceased their
wailing and the children their sobbing
| Tom Bliss and his brother Sim drew
apart and congratulated themselves on
| the success of their mission. They had
now no doubt of being able to get rid OF
DR.. Blanchard. Howard they regarded
as already dead, and they imagined
themselves the guardians Of the beauti-
ful sisters-the heirs of the Weldon
estate in Virginia. But their conversa-
ton was interrupted by Bouton, whom
| they did not dream to be within hear
ing. But he suddenly appeared and said:
"Of course you are shrewd as your
| father, who has charge Of the Weldon
estate ON the Great Kanawha," just as
if he were talking about a subject in
| which he was but little interested.
Tom Bliss Strengthened up on hearing
this and looked into Bouton's mocking
black eyes until his own fell under their
unf1inching gaze. In that brief time he
| saw this man had discovered his secret,
no doubt from hearing conversations
bs betMsen himself f liza and sl.S SIM for which he
and his brother. But from what Bouton
said he inferred that he knew NOR
than he could have overheard, and he
determined to draw him out To do this
| he knew that genuine candor was neces-
| sarv. for he could not deceive n man as
we'll versed in all the tricks of vlllalny
| as himself. Tom had inherited quick
| ness of thought and shrewdness from
three generations of backwoods lawyers,
| to whom the term ''shyster. " though de-
served, had not yet been applied. he
had underrated the ability Of Bouton,
as all men underestimate the ability of
their tools, and now that the reaction
| had set in he was inclined, as Is the
rule, to 90 to the other extreme and give
him credit for powers which he did not
possess
"Bouton, I'll be frank with you, he
said
| Il like that
"And want you to be frank with
me-"
"You can count on that "
| Shielding himself and his father and
coloring all the facts i'll his own favor,
Tom Bliss told h.story of the Weldons,
and represented With considerable ac-
curacy the condition and value of the es-
| thlt Ol JOll w CANiIIlJ NAtAi viz - -
| his ridiculous will He did not say that
DR.. Blanchard or his children could con-
test the will, but he gave Bouton to un-
derstand that if the doctor and his son
were out of the way that all would be
plain sailing.
II see," said Bouton. "If the doctor
and his son were out of the way, then
you think you and your father would be
safe, particularly if you and your brotL
ers married the doctors daughters, eh!
"No, not that; there are other heirs. .
I'm West Virginia.
YES"
"And they, you think, are the only
heirs in your way?"
1.-THE only ones.
tom Bliss, you may be good law
yer and as prime rascal as myself, but
YOU are mistaken about the heirs. "
How do you know that? What can
Won know about it?' asked the amazed
Tom Bliss.
when we began to speak just now,
1 didn't think | Nv anything, but
since | have head y,u | find l know
! more than You do - great d'al more than
you dc. -
Then l hope y,lN = he equally
candid and TIL me all =. it, said
Tom Bliss, who still believed that Bou
ton was joking him.
See here, Tom Bliss, how old do
look to be?" Bouton Strengthened him
self up and turned his face to the law
yer.
About 80 should say, " replied
Tom Bliss after Judicial survey.
Many thanks for the compliment t(
my youthful appearance. 1t is the com
pensation for my moderate life. an
now in my thirty ninth year, and, hk'
every man, am just as old as l looi
and feel, and never felt better i'll IN.
life. "
But what has your age to do Will
this question:"
More than you think, Tom Eight
cen years ago 1 was grown man
Twenty one years Of age''
"Yes, and for four years l had beel
guiding parties from Council Bluff
west to the mountains.
Indeed. -
"Yes, indeed And let me say, Tom
that | guided many curious parties
I've known men to leave Council Bluff
with one name and to have anothe
when they got to the mountains, ant