The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-11-11
GALL RIGHTS REsERvED.)


that this claim of ours (that she never
knew. of, you know was paying much
more than L sent her-and she wanted
return of accounts and papers or she d
write to some lawyer, mighty quick.
| Well, reckoned that all this was natur.
ally In the line of my trouble. and l did
manage to scrape together fifty dollars
more Tor two months and sent 1t. But
thct didn't seem to- satisfy her-as you
see. He dealt Colonel Starbottle another
letter from his baleful hand with an I'M
changed face. "When 1 got that, we'll,
just up and told her the whole thing.
l, sent her the account of the fight from
the newspapers, and told her as how her
son was the Frishee that was my partner
ana now he never had cent In the world
-put how I'd got that idea to help her,
and was willing to carry it out as long as
| could.''
Did you keep copy of that letter.
asked the Colonel, strengthening his
masklike mouth.
No." said Corbin, modify. "What
was the goodP 1 know'd she'd got the
letter-and she did-for that is what she
wrote back" He laid another letter be-
fore the Colonel who hastily read few
lines and then brought his fat white
hand violently on the desk.
Why it all. sir, this is blackmail.
AS infamous case of threatening and
chantage as L ever heard OF.
WELL said Corbin, dejectedly, II
| don't know. You see she allows that
murdered Frisbee to get hold of his claim
and that I'm trying to buy her off, and
that if don't come down with twenty
Thousand dollars on the nail, and notes
for the rest, she'll prosecute me. Well,
mebbee the thing looks to her like that
mebbe you know I've got to shoulder
that too. Perhaps it's all In the same
| lipe.'
Colonel Starbottle for a moment regard
ed Corbin critically. In spite OF his
chivalrous attitude towards the holmicidi-
cal faculty, the Colonel was not optimis-
tic in regard to the baser pecuniary in
tincts of his fellow man. 1t was quite
on the cards that his companion had muir
dered his partner to get possession of the
claim. 1t was true that Corbin had
voluntarily assumed an unrecorded and
hitherto unknown responsibility that had
never been even suspected. and was vir-
tually self-imposed. But that might have
been the usual, one unerring blunder of
criminal sagaoity and forethought. 1t
was equally true that he did not look or
act like a mean murderer but that was
nothing. However, there was no evidence
of these reflections in the Colonel's face.
Rather he suddenly beamed with an ex-
cess OF politeness. uldssyou--er-mind
Mr.. Corbin, whilst am going over those
letters again, to-er-step across to my
MISUNDERSTANDING me the copy Of
Woods Digest that lies on my table? 1t
will save some time"
The stranger rose, as if the service was
part of his self -impoRed trouble, and as
equally hopeless with the rest and taking
his hat departed to execute the commits
sion. AS soon as he had left the building
Colonel Starbottle opened the door and
my seriously beckoned the bar-keeper
within.
"Do you remember anything of the
killing of a man named Frisbee over in
Fresno three years ago?"
The bar-keeper whistled meditatively.
Three years -Frisbee?-Fresnop
names. He was jack Walker over here.
Yes-and by Jove that Teller that was
here with you killed him. Darn my
skin, but thought recognized him.
Eyes, yes, know all that said the
Colonel impatiently "But did Frisbee
have any property Did he have any
means Of his own?''
Property" echoed the bar-keeper with
scornful incredulity. Property? Means?
was the free lunches OF drinks he took in
at somebody else's expense. Why the
only chance he ever had Of earning a
square meal was when that fellow that
was with you just now took him up and
made him his partner. And the only
Way he could get rid of him was to kill
him! And didn't think he had it in
him. Rather queer kind O. chap-good
deal of hayseed about him. Showed up
at the inquest so glum and orkerd that
If the boys hadn't made up their minds
that this yer Frisbee orter been killed it
might have gone hard with him.
ITO be continued