The Owosso times., 1897-06-25

could do so half dozen men were hold
ing him and the papers We're forced out
of his hands. Albert Cullen-for all of
them were on the platform of 21S by
this time-shouted, well done,
Rallesr' quite forgetting in the excite
ment of the moment his English accent
and drawl Apparently Camp didn't
agree with him, for he ripped out a
string of oaths which he impartially di-
vided among Rallies, the cowboys and
myself. I was decidedly sorry that I
hadn't given the real letters, for his
lordship apparently had no scruple about
destroying them, and knew few men
whom 1 would have seen behind prison
bars with as little personal regret.
However, no one had apparently paid the
slightest attention to the pony, and the
probabilities were that he was already
headed for Baldwin's ranch, with no
likelihood of his stopping till he reached
home. At least that was what hoped,
but there were lot of ponies standing
about, and, not knowing the markings
of the one I had ridden, wasn't able
! to tell whether he might not be among
them.
| Just as the fragments of the papers
were passed over to Mr.. Camp he was
| joined by Baldwin and the judge, and
Camp held the torn pieces up to them,
saying:
"They've torn the proxies in two"
Don't let that trouble you," said the
judge. "Make an affidavit before me,
reciting the manner in which they were
destroyed, and I'll grant you man.
damus compelling the directors to ac-
cept them as bona fide proxies. Let me
see how much injured they are.
Camp unfolded the papers and I
chuckled to myself at the look of sur
prise that overspread his face as he took
in the fact that they were nothing but
section reports. And, though 1 don't
like cuss words, have to acknowledge
that enjoyed the two or three that he
promptly calculated.
When the first surprise of the trio was
over, they called on the sheriff, who ar
rived opportunely, to take us into 81 and
search the three of us, proceeding that
puzzled Fred and his lordship not lit
tie, for they weren't OH to the fact that
the letters hadn't been recovered I pre-
sumo the latter will some day write
book dwelling on the favorite theme Of
the foreigner-that there is no personal
privacy i'll America. The running re-
marks as the search was made seemed
to open Fred's eyes, for he looked at me
with puzzled air, but I winked and
frowned at him, and he put his face in
order
When the papers were not found on
any Of us, Camp and Baldwin both
nearly went demented. Baldwin sug-
gested that had never had the papers,
but Camp argued that Fred or Lord
Rallies must have hidden them in the
car in spite of the fact that the cowboys
who had caught them insisted that they
couldn't have had time. to hide the pa;
pers Anyway they spent an hour in fer
reting about in my car, and even search,
ed my two darkies, ON the possibility
that the true letters had been passed on
to them.
While they We're engaged in this 1
was trying to think out some way Of
letting Mr. Cullen and Albert know
where the letters were. The problem
was to suggest the saddle to them with
out letting the cowboys understand, and
by good luck thought had the means.
Albert had complained to me the day we
had ridden out to the Indian dwellings
at Flagstaff that his saddle fretted some
CALLED spots which he had chafed ON his
- Sc ba n
"catch on" I shouted to him:
"How are your sore spots, Albert?'
He looked at me in puzzled way and
called, "Aw-I don't understand you'll"
"Those sore spots you complained
about to me the day before yesterday" !"
explained.
He didn't seem any the less befogged
as he replied, "I had forgotten all about
them. +"
'I've got q touch of the same trou-
BILE, " went on, "and if 1 were you I'd
look into the cause.
Albert only looked very much mysti-
fed, and didn't dare say more, for at
this point the trio with the sheriff,
came out Of my car. If 1 hadn't known
that the letters were safe, could have
read the story in their faces, for more
disgusted and angry looking men have
rarely seen.
They had talk with the sheriff, and
then Fred, Lord Rallies and 1 We're
marched off by the official, his lordship
demanding sight Of warrant and pro-
testing against the illegality of his ar
rest, varied at moments by threats to
appeal to the British consul, minister
plenipo., her majesty's foreign office,
ETC.. all of which had about as much in
fuence on the sheriff and his cowboy
assistants as Moqui Indian snake
dance would have in stopping run
away engine. 1 confess to feeling GER
tain grim satisfaction in the fact that If
I was to be shut off from seeing MadSe
the Britisher was in the same box with
me.
Ash Forks, though only years old,
had advanced far enough toward civil
lization to have a small Jail, and into
| tbot xr,o xx,aro sboyad Night was come