The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-04-29

year, business was plentiful and the
high power of our mechine enabled
US to run the wheat through with sur
prising rapidity and we began to no
tice with pleasure that our hitherto
deplorably flat pocketbooks were be
ginning to swell ont to quite respect
able size Fort Scott is situated about
twelve miles from the border line be-
tween Kansas and Missouri, and while
we were thresring in the vicinity OF
that place Cla.-ton and began to no
, tice that our third partner. Gleason,
appeared rather strange and that he
was over to Fort Scott almost every
, night, returning in the small hours of
the morning.
"Where does be goe" asked Fisk,
enc evening after Gleason had as usual
started off, leaving us to look after
everything alone. He sneaks off
every night jnst this way, and [ don't
like it."
40, well,' 1 answered CAS- long as
he uses us square it's none of cur bu
siness where he goes"
That's just it," Fisk exclaimed.
HOY do we know that he is not up to
some game OF other?" then sinking
his voice little lower, he continued !:
I'VE don't know anything abort this
chap, although he seems good
enough fellow He never says much
about himself to us, aud | think we
had better keep onr eyes open little
anyway"
How can he do us any harm % l
asked. He has an interest in the
thing"
THAT is more than | can tell" he
replied thoughtfully, yet / think he
will bear watching all right
''All right" | repeated, starting up.
"rll go and fix the fire for the night,
and we'll pull out of this the first
thing In the morning" We had just
finished large stack that day, and all
the hands had gone off except Fisk
and myself, and one of us generally
staid with the machine night and day
Just as | had finished banking the
fire in the fire box for the night l
thought | heard a slight rustic in the
straw, like step | thought. at the
other end of the engine, but it was
too dark for me to see anything, and
as | did not hear it again l concluded
that it was OILY field mouse among
the straw. Gleason did not show no
that night. In the morning by sun
rise ] had aroaring fire in the furnace,
and the steam had begun to make
little, when / noticed it escaping in
small, white clouds from the cylinder
heads. This surprised me little, for
I knew that they were all tight when
we shut down the night before and [
stepped around to investigate, and
upon close examination l found
that the cylinder head had been un
bolted and the packing removed.
The throttle had also been tampered
with, and it would not close tightly,
THIS letting the steam escape into the
cylinder, and showing us the loss be
fore we otherwise would have noticed
it. l hastened to the tender where
the spare packing was kept, but it
was gone | was by this time some
what excited, and calling Fisk, we
made more careful examination Of
the entire machine, but found nothing
else disturbed 1t was only too eyi-
dent that some person or persons had
removed the rubber packing from the
! cylinder heads for the purpose of dis
abling us. Who could it have been.
and what was their object was more
than we could understand, as there
was no rival machine in the vicinity.
While we were talking the matter
over and wishing that Gleason would
come man in light buggy drove
rapidly up, and asked: is this the
Gleason and Fisk outfit?"
Fisk quietly informed him that it
was.
Your other partner, Gleason" the
man in the buggy began, has been
investing rather heavily in stocks or
something of that kind, on security
of property owned by the company,
and as the investment has turned out
badly. and Gleason can't pay. I've
been instructed by the proper author
tiles to ask you 10 settle the matter at
once"
"What have we got to do with his
investmentS?' asked Fisk, with
| scowl.
lone member of firm binds the
rest in Kansas suayely remarked
the stranger.
And if we refuse to settle?" | ask
ed inquiringlv
"Ihen I'll have to serve an attach
ment on the outfit, that's ALL" said
| the man.
Let us see your papers," said Fisk.
stepping up to the side of the buggy
| The man unbuttone1 / his coat and be
gan to tumble in his pockets. As he
did so | noticed sheritf's shield pin
ned on his vest front.
"Confonnd the luck" he exclaimed
angrily. I've left them back at Fort
enough, anyway. | don't think you
doubt my authority" and he exposed
his shield to us.
Well" cried Fisk. wrathfully. II
don't think you will attach anything
here without the papers-perhaps not
then"
''Forewarned-forarmed," laughed
the sheriff as he glanced at the steam
kissing fnom the crack around the
cylinder head.
i Il don't think you will be apt to run
away with the property before | can
serve the papers, and then he drove
quickly away in TIE direction Of Fort
Scott.
Say. sheriff. 1 called after him
He stopped his horse and looked back.
rs this bill of Gleason's all straight,
or is this bill game of his to fleece
, rs.
The sheriff laughed little at this.
then he said: well, to tell the truth,
: his ways are a little dark l know
) him; he likes to catch tenderfoot
: occasionally. bat he's got the advan-
, tage of you fellows all right, because
. he's got the law on his side.,'
< Fisk was abaut to make some sharp