Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-12-09
nHADTED XN

CHAPTER XIV.
1t was after IL o'clock, and John Tim.
mons had not yet emerged from his cellar
All the while he had been below a strong.
pungent smell of burning, the dry, sui
phurous smell OF burning coke. had as
eended from below, with now and ther
noise of a hand-bellows blowing hre,
but no steam or sound or SAVIOR OF COOK
ing. Now and again there was the noise
of stirring a fire, and now and again the
noise of tongs gripping and loosing and
slipping on what listener might take te
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-gray whiskers and
beard, and long iron-gray hair and wear
ng blue spectacles, turned into the street
and sat down in a crouching position OF
the axle-tree of a cart.
When it was about a quarter past II
T1mmons emerged from the cellar, carry
ing in one hand a dark lantern, with the
slide closed. He went cautiously to the
wicket, and with a trowel began digging
up the earth of the floor, which was here
dark and dry. 1t was old sand from .
foundry, and could be moved and replaced
without showing the least trace Of dis
furbance.
After digging down about foot hs
came upon small, old bag, which ht
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 baf
he took small, heavy, cylindrical bun
die of chamois leather. Then he restored
the bag to the hole, shoveled back the
sand and smoothed the floor.
Timnlons walked softly over his noise
less floor until he got behind the old
boiler of n donkey engine. Here he slic
back the slide of the lantern and unrolled
the leather. The latter proved to be d
belt about a palm deep, and consistin.
of little bags or pockets of chamois leath
er, clumsily sewn to n band.
There were a dozen of those little pock
cts in all; six of them contained somt
heavy substance. Each one closed witt
q piece of string tied at the mouth. Tim
mons undid one and rolled out on his ham
q thick lump of yellow metal about the
eize of the large buttons worn as orna
ments on the coats of coachmen.
He smiled a well-satisfied smile at The
gold ingot, and weighed it affectionatel!
IN his grimy palm, gave the ingot lovini
polish with his sleeve, dropped 1t baci
into its bag, and retied the string. Ther
out of each of his trousers pockets ht
took similar ingot or button, weighed
each, and looked at each with affectionat'
approval, and secured each In one Of thu
half-dozen vacant leather bags.
'.Two pounds two ounces all together,
he whispered. 81 have never been able t.
lnl1 fnr
It. taking it all round at fifteen earats
His offer is as good as ten dollars al
ounce, which leaves a margin for a mai
TO get a living out of it, if the dwarf Ii
safe. If / had had only one deal will
him, I'd feel he's safe, but he has don'
ittle but talk grandly and vaguely up t.
this. Well, after this deal tonight h,
can't draw back or betray me. That
certain, anyhow"
He unbuttoned his waistcoat, strappe<
the belt round his lank, hollow waist
blew out the lantern and stepped into th'
deserted street. Before he disappeared
the elderly man with griZzled hair ant
whiskers, dressed in seedy black cloth
emerged from the shadow Of the cart ant
kept steslthily in the rear Of the marine
atore dealer Timmons was on his wa.
to keep his appointment with Leigh il
Chetwynd street, and the low-siZed mai
with blue spectacles was following, shad
owing Timmons.
Oscar Leigh sat In the dark on the las
step but one of the stairs Of his house
awaiting the arrival of Timmons. 1t wa
close to the appointed hour. He had on
of his knees drawn up close to his body
bis elbow rested on his knee, his lon,
bearded chin in the palm of his hand. l
was pitch dark Nothing could be seen
absolutely nothing.
"My mother cannot live forever" whis
pered the dwarf, 'and then all will b.
blank, all will be dark as this place roun'
me. Where shall / turn then? Whom
shall 1 speak my heart to? l designet
my clock to be q companion, a friend,
confidant, a solace, a triumph; it Is be
coming tyrant and scourge. A mai
must have something to think Of beside
himself a deformed dwarf must neve
think of himself at all, unless he think
great things Of himself. Here's Tim
mons"
Leigh rose, and aiding his left foot an,
supporting his body on the stick, went t
the door and opened 1t.
Twelve to the minute" said Tim
mons.
LET us go for a walk" said Leigh.
'But I have the stuff with me-" sal,
Timmons, in a tone of annoyance an,
protest.
LET us go for walk, I say" erie
Leigh, imperiously, striking his thicl
twisted stick fercely on the flags as
spoke.
The two men turned to the left, an
went on a few PAGES in silence.
81 have been in telegraphic communics
ton with Milwaukee since I saw you,
vaid Leigh. Il had not only a message
but several messages"
cay" said Timmons, scornfully, VII
IN impatient serpentine movement ruu
ming up his body and almost shaking hi
head off its long. stork-like neck. "Wel
is the fool off the job?" asked he coarse
y, savagely, in slang, with view {
showing how cheap he held such unprir
cipled circumlocution.
The dwarf stopped and looked up wit
blank amazement on his face and an VI
fash in his eyes "Is what fool OF -
Job, Mr. Timmons? Am / to understan
that you are tired of these delaysT
"Look here, Mr.. Leigh. I've come o
business. What have you to say to me
4 have twenty-six ounces that Will ave
age fifteen carats. Are you going to al
square and stump upP
"Hah! I see" said Leigh, smilin
blandly. II own am relieved IT