The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-30

der line between Kansas and Missouri.
and while we were threshing in the vi
entity OF that place Clayton and l be-
gan to notice that our third partner,
Gleason, appeared rather strangely.
and that he was over to Fort Scott al
most every night, returning in the
small hours of the morning.
where does he go?" asked Fisk, one
evening after Gleason had as usual
started off, leaving us to look after
everything alone. He sneaks off every
night just this way, and I don't like
it."
'Oh, WE'LL 1 answered, las long as
he uses US square it's none of our bus
mess where he goes
That's just it, Fisk exclaimed.
! How do we know that he is not up to
some game or other?" Then sinking his
voice little lower, he continued: I'VE
don't know anything about this chap,
although he seems a good fellow
enough. He never SAYS much about
himself to US. and l think we had bet
ter keep our eyes open a little any
way"
How can he do us any harm?" I
asked. He has an interest in the
thing"
That is more than I can TELL. he re-
piled thoughtfully yet I think he will
bear watching all right
Il go and fix the fire for the night.
ana Wen 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 ex-
cept Fisk and myself. and one of us gen.
orally stayed with the machine night and
day. Just as | had finished banking the
ire in the firebox for the night, / thought
j heard 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 1 did not hear it
again L concluded that it was only a
field mouse among the straw. Gleason did
not show up that night In the morning
by sunrise | had roaring fire in the
make a little, when / noticed it escaping
in small white clouds from the cylinder
heads. This surprised nae a little, for I
knew that they were all tight when we
shut down the night before, and stepped
around to investigate, and upon q. close
examination | found that the cylinder
head had been unbolted and the packing
removed. The throttle had also been
tarcDered with and it would not close
tightly, thus letting the steam escape
into the cylinder, and showing us the
loss before we otherwise would have no.
ticed ii. | FASTENED to the tender where
the spare packing was kept but it was
gone. | was by this time somewhat ex-
cited. and calling Fisk. together we made
a more careful examination of the entire
machine. but found nothing else dis
turbed. 1t was only too evident that some
person or persons had removed the rubber
packing from the cylinder heads for the
purpose of disabling 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 vicin-
lty. While we were talking the matter
come, man in a light buggy drove rap
idly up, and asked: is this the Glea-
son and Fisk outfit?"
Fisk quietly informed him that it was.
M no1- M -fr hn
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 in
vestment has turned out badly, and Glea-
son can't pay, I've been instructed by the
proper authorities TO ask you to settle the
matter at once"
What have we got to do with his in
vestments?" asked Fisk. with scowl.
One member of a firm binds the rest
in Kansas" sauvely remarked the
stranger.
And if we refuse to settle?'' 1 asked
Then III have to serve an attachment
on the outfit, that's all, said the man:
Let US see your papers, said Fisk,
man unbuttoned his coat and began to
tumble in his pockets. AS he did so [
noticed sheriff's shield pinned on his
vest front.
"Confound the luck" he exclaimed an
griy. I've left them hack at Fort Scott,
but never mind; it's all straight enough.
anyway. l don't think you will doubt
my authority and he exposed his shield
to us.
Well cried Fisk. wrathfully. Il don't /
-hink you will attach anything here with
1ut. the papers-perhaps not then
rewarned-forearmed. laughed the |!
sheriff as he glanced at the steam Kissing |
rom the crack around the cylinder head. |
L don't think that you will be apt TO /
-un away with the property before | can /
serve the papers, and then he drove |
quickly away in the direction of Fort /
Scott.
Say, sheriff. l called after him. He !
stopped his horse and looked back rs |
his bill of Gleason's all straight, or is it /
game to fleece us?
The sheriff laughed little at this. and /
hen he said: well, TO tell the truth, !
is ways are a little dark. I know him; /
lie likes to catch tenderfoot occasionally.
,ut he's got the advantage of you fellows
Ill right, because he's got the law on his
ide.'