The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-06
Bucng the Center in Big

fectly motionless, his eyes fixed on
Goodenough unvaveringly. He kept
them still more steadily, in fact, rather
piercingly fixed on him as he replied,
with some decision: You will have to
be more specific. l haven't the least
idea TO what you refer"
The report was that you and the
other two executors had Withdrawn i'm
portant documents from the safety
vault, and were to arrange the details
of this transaction with the heirs, very
soon,' returned .Goodenough, trying to
meet the others scrutiny with nom
chalance.
The young man had taken in his Wis
itor in every detail Before answering
him, he quickly arose. stepped TO the
door of his apartment and locked it,;
then locked the door to the Bedroom.
Goodenough began to feel that he was
in for an adventure. He was not abso-
lutely comfortable.
The young man came back. stood in
front of him, and letting his right hand
swing round toward his hip pocket, re-
marked with great deliberation: Il
have nothing to do with any estate, I
nave never been an executor, and know
nothing whatever of the subject of
which you speak
Perhaps" returned Goodenough q
little lamely, but acting on the inSpira-
ton of the moment, 1T may have been
your wife who IS the person inter-
ested."
The young mans expression showed
trace OF irritation, but his GOODNESS
did not forsal1e him. Il have no wife,
and never had one. VIII you please to
state at once who the devil you are,
and what the devil you are after?"
These questions were put savagely,
and were rendered unduly, or at least
unpleasingly emphatic by his drawing
a small ''six-shooter" from his pocket
with business-like manner. He held
II with his finger on the trigger.
L am afraid" said Goodenough feel
ing movement of temper himself.
but striving tc retain his composure
that am a tremendous fool. You
may help to convince me of it. But
first, do you object to telling me what
that box of documents is doing on top
of your folding bed?"
He was so confident that Mr.. Wheeler
had seen the box, from the fact that
it had been moved, that he hoped to
| force his hand by showing thus
abruptly his own knowledge of it,
Despite the young mans control. his
countenance betrayed the most utter
surprise. Recovering himself quickly,
he raised the revolver, covered Good
enough with il, and said sternly: Take
the key out of my pocket, and open
that bedroom door. Take down the
box and bring il here. If you make
the slightest movement. except to do
this, / promise you I will shoot, and
there Will be great likelihood of my
killing you. That would be highly dis
agreeable at this hour of the night.
and here. Especially, as 1 am more
than half-disposed to take you at your,
word and believe that you are only a
fool"
y can assure you that 1 have no
doubt on the subject now replied
Goodenough, with conviction. But if
you Will allow me to explain
Il shall assuredly do that" the
other replied, emphatically. But
later. First, this box. How came you
TO know it was there?"
4 put it there myself" blurted out
Goodenough, sheepishly. He had
opened the door, and as he glanced at
the box, which seemed to his excited
vision even nearer the edge than when
he had first seen it. ne said. boldly:
You must know that it is there, for
it is much closer to the side than
where 1 put it."
The young man glanced quickly at
the box. His nostrils flared, and
though he retained his astounding
GOODNESS, the color in his cheeks grew
fainter.
We will discuss that later" he said,
incisively. Since you put it there, you
can take it down, and throw it into
the street through the bedroom Win
dow. You have as much interest as 1
in handling it carefully
Goodenough got the chair, climed up
and possessed himself of the box. I'm
pressed as he was by the other mans
manner, he was not without a dis
tinct sense of foolishness The box
.rftr cid
the footboard. OF course, it could not
have travelled there by itself. 1t might
all be a splendid bluff on the part of
this cool young man, for some reason
best known TO himself.
He took the box carefully, however,
being as much concerned with carry
ing out these second explicit directions
as to its disposition as he had been
the first. AS he took it, he felt little
crawling movement under his fingers,
which were grasping the bottom of the
box.
In his wound-up condition, it was
almost enough TO make him drop it.
But the set, white face OF the young
fellow and the fidelity with which he
kept him covered with the pistol were
aids to control.
Hold it as steadily as you can, and
don't let it drop. Pitch it out of the
window, but pat your arms through
first. Do not throw it from the in
side Of the room,' said his host.
Heartened by which advice. though
trembling with excitement, Good
enough reached the window, stretched
well out and flung the box into the
street.
A frightful decoration followed. This
was accompanied by the crash of shat
tered panes Of glass in the neighboring
windows and its sharp craclzle as the
! fragments dropped to the sidewalk.
The windows of Mr.. Wheeler's apart
ment ratified with conclusion, but
were not broken.
With a face as white as a sheet and
his legs so weak he could hardly stand.
! Goodenough tottered to the nearest
seat and fell into it speeches.. regard
| ing the young man with an expression
of horror The other still kept the pis-
toll pointed st him, but seemed much
more at his ease, as if relieved notably.
You viii not object to my search
ing you, probably, after this little cpl
sode, which, apparently" he laid a
stress on the word, has been more of 4