The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-12

pungcnt smell of burning. the dry. sui
phurous smell of burning coke. had as
cended from below. with now and then
noise of Il hand-bellows blowing Il fire.
but no steam or sound or SAVIOR of cook
ing. Now and again there was the noise
of stirring q fire, and now and again the
noise of tongs gripping and loosing and
slipping en- what a listener might take to
be pieces of coke.
If no one was listening to the stoke"
some one was watching the exterior of the
marine store. A short time before ii
o'clock a man dressed in seedy black
cloth. with short iron-Sray whiskcrS and
beard, and long iron-gray hair and wear
ng blue spectacles. turned into the street.
and sat down in Il crouching position on
the aXle-tree Of a cart.
When it was about a quarter past IL
'rimmons emerged from the cellar, carry
| ing in one hand a dark lantern, with the
slide closed. He went cautiously to the
wicket, and with Il trowel began digging
up the earth Of the floor, which was here
dark and dry. 1t was old sand from a
foundry, and could be moved and replaced
without showing the least trace OF dis
turbance.
After digging down about a foot he
came upon q small, old bag, which he
lifted out, and which contained some
thing heavy. The bag had been all rubbed
| over with grease and to the grease the
dark sand stuck thickly. Out of this bag
he took a small. heavy, cylindrical bun
| die of chamois leather. Then he restored
the bag to the hole, shovelcd back the
sand and smoothed the floor.
Timmons walked softly over his noise
less floor until he got behind the old
boiler of a donkey engine. Here he slid
back the slide of the lantern and unrolle;I
the leather. The latter proved to be d
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 all; six of them contained some
heavy substance. Each one closed with
q piece Of string tied at the mouth. Tim
mons und;d one and rolled out on his hand
a thick lump Of yellow metal about the
size of the large buttons worn as orna-
ments on the coats of coachmen.
He smiled Il well-satisfied smile at the
gold ingot, and weighed it affectionately
IN his grimy palm, gave the ingot a loving
polish with his sleeve, dropped it back
into its bag, and retied the string. Then
OUT VI cdC1 VI HIS llOuSclS lOChttS IN
took a similar ingot or button. weighed
each, and looked at each with affectionatA
approval, and secured each in one of the
half-dozen vacant leather bags.
1.-Two pounds two ounces all together
he whispered. 81 have never been able to
get more than four dollars an ounce for
it. taking it all round at fifteen carats.
His offer is as good as ten dollars an
| nIJnHn which lon VOC u novTjn for n ms n
70 get a living out of it. if the dwarf is
safe. If 1 had had only one deal with
him, I'd feel he's safe, but he has lone
little but talk grandly and. vaguely up to
this. Well, after this deal tonight he
can't draw back or betray me. That's
certain, anyhow
He unbuttoned his waistcoat. strapped
the belt round his lank. hollow waist,
blew out the lantern and stepped into the
deserted street. Before he disappeared,
the elderly man with grizzled hair and
whiskers, dressed in seedy black cloth,
emerged from the shadow of the cart and
kept stealthily in the rear of the marine
store dealer. Timmons was on his way
to keep his appointment with Leigh in
Chetwynd street. and the low-sized man
with blue spcctacles was following, shad.
owing Timmons.
Oscar Leigh sat in the dark on the last
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 up close to his body
his elbow rested on his knee, his long
bearded chin in the palm of his hand. Il
was pitch dark. Nothing could be seen
absolutely nothing.
"My mother cannot live forever" wills
pered the dwarf, "and then all will bt
blank. all will be dark as this place rount
me. Where shall l turn then? Whom
shall l speak my heart to? l designed
my clock to be a companion. a friend, {
conidant, a solace, a triumph; it is be
coming a tyrant and a scourge. A mar
must nave something to think Of beside:
himself; a deformed dwarf must nevel
think Of himself at all, unless he think!
great things of himself. Here's Tim
MONS"
Leigh rose, and sliding his left foot ant
supporting his body on the stick, went t.
the door and opened it.
Twelve to the minute" said Tim
mons.
LET us go for a walk" said Leigh.
But I have the stuff with me-" sale
TimmOns, in q tone of annoyance ant
protest.
Let us 20 for a walk. I say" crict
Leigh, imperiously, striking his thicl
twisted stick fercely on the flags as h,
spoke.
The two men turned to the LETT, ant
went on a few PAGES in silence.
II nave been in Geographic communica
ton with Milwaukee since l saw you.
said Leigh. II had not only a message
but several messages"
cay" said Timmons, scornfu!ly. will
IN impatient serpentine movement run
ming up his body and almost shaking hi
head off it's long. stork-like neck. "Well
is the fool off the ioh?' asked he coarse
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