The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1897-01-08
CHAPTER XVI.

VI tiiut uupItiutulJdtSu Dub uOuo tilc
less unquestionable murder, and hardly
more than a couple of blocks away from
where it was being done, vigil of eager
expectancy was keeping for the coming
of him who that night ceased to be az
man.
In q meanly furnished front room on
the third floor of a big "cheap fiat, bar
racklike building, at opposite sides Of
a bare table, sat two men, one old, the
other middle age. The elder seemed to
have full 70 years to his discredit, and
his age became him not well. His
scanty hair was gray and unkempt. A
pair of thin, leathery, red ears, with
great punches Of bristles in them, stood
out like loosely hinged flaps from the
ded among wrinkles under overhang-
ing, grizzled brows, cleaned small eyes
that despite their age were still keen
and almost fierce with an expression of
selfish cunning and suspicion. His nose
was flattened at the bridge, but its sharp
point stood up so abruptly as to fully
expose his large nostrils, which marked
the outline of triangle from its tip to
the ends of his wide, thin Tipped mouth.
The younger man was stolid look
ing brute, still in the prime Of animal
life and worthy of no special regard. A
listener would readily have gathered
from the conversation between them
that the latter was the old mans SON.
in-law, and that his wife, Mary, had
died during her fathers long absence in
the far west. A rather good looking
buxom girl, 10 or 16 years old, came
into the room and went out again, from
time to time, in the discharge of her
household duties, apparently paying no
heed to the talk of the men, but look
ing curiously now and then at the lit
tie clock on the mantel as if wondering
at the unusual prolongation Of their sit
ting.
$50, Dinnis" pursued the old man
argumentatively, 1.-THE best for youse
will be to take Kitty there an go back
with me as soon as this business is set
tied"
II dunno. DOM say won't if I get
out Of job, but I'd be fule to go
away now an the new alderman be-
howlden to me as he is. Sure, I'm as
good as promised to be an inspector in
the public works.
''To the devil with your alderman,
an your inspector, an your public
works! Dye want to be all yer life
bob on the tail of somebody else's kite?
It's grand start, mind we, that I'll be
able to give ye an fine country yell
find it for man to roise up in. Sure
there's nothin to stand in the way of
your goin to congress from out there be-
fore you die, an a girl like Kitty
well, there's no KNOWN the wealth Of
the man she might marry out there. +"
care you right sure you'll get the
money you're after?'
cam l sure it'll be warrum next
Fourth of July?"
"M-maybe so. But isn't it time he
was comin?''
"'Aith it is. He knows better nor to
disappoint me, an he's likely to be here
now any minute. Well be maxim ready
for him. Stand that tin kettle here close
by my arrum, Kitty, dear, ON this side.
Ye, Dinnis, go Until the back room an
keep there, without We hear the kettle
fall on the fure. I'll push it off if he
goes to come round the table lords me,
an if you hear it fall come quick for the
love Of heaven, for it's meanin me no
good he'll be. Sure it's mighty little
I'd trust him. Yell let him in, Kitty,
an put the chair for him there, where
your father is sittin now. Oh, he'll be
comm an bringin the money sure
enough, but he'll be wantin me to give
him up the paper how'd, an 1 won't
do that. I'll how'd it while live, an
I'll Pave it to you, Kitty, dear, after I'm