The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-04-16


furnished when ordered"
That's a good, careful provision -
Fench broke in, respectfully as the NOR
tar isn't dry on the first set of Innings
yet. Go on"
Then here's Edgeley, the cutlery
man. I've been having the devils own
time with him. lie sent man down
hele to look over the situation, and I've
had u dozen interviews with him. First
he made me go to the courthouse and
overhaul the records. Then he wanted
tosee the deeds. tried to switch him off
Of the Gates tract to location farther
down the river, but he wouldn't have
that. l wouldn't fool with him a minute
if l wasn't sure that Edgeley has plenty
of money"
Wanted to see the deeds, did hep"
said Fench, thoughtfully. 'D' you
know, Sharpless, I've been sorry ii dozen
times you burned that deed. 1t would
have been as good as any to show; and
I've wanted it 20 times if have once"
'But you've got Gates deed to us"
81 thought had, but haven't"
w llthI hlfC yOu bOhS " I'LL 49,
81 don't think I've ever had it. The
last remember of it was that night
when you put it in your pocket and said
you'd have it recorded with the other.
Look in your safe" said Sharpless,
''and I'll go through my papers"
He was back in ten minutes without
the missing document. "Did you find
it?" he asked.
mo"
"Then it's gone"
"Well, it don't matter much, except,
as 1 say, they'd be handy to show.
They're both recorded"
"Yes, they're recorded all right, but"
-Sharpless paused and knitted his
brows at the small bisque figure hold
ing the matches on Fench's desk.
but what?"
"Have you heard the talk about Kill
grow?"
"Who, the dead man? No; what
about him?"
"They say he isn't dead-that he's
been seen On the mountain; comes and
perches himself up on that crag they
CtII lS Vim " NdiSll ltlC
ments we're making on his farm"
THE devil you say!" Mr.. Fench came
out of his chair with a jerk and began
to walk the floor nervously. The cooler
headed lawyer smiled and waited
Fench tramped himself into a perspira-
ton, and then sat down again with a
groan.
We're done up, Sharpless-d up
slick and clean. That man can send us
both over the road whenever he gets
good and ready"
The attorney seemed to be enjoying
the discontinue of the manager. The
incident threw sidelight on Fench's
character that was Instructive; it eX-
posed the shoddy warp that was usually
hidden under the woof of impudence.
Sharpless knew then that if there were
any fighting to be done he would have
to do it himself, and there was con-
temptuous emphasis in his reply:
"That's as you like. He'll fight for
what he gets, 1 can tell you that; only
wish we had that deed"
Fench swore a quavering oath, which
was, nevertheless, broad enough to
cover the whole transaction and every
one connected with it. 81 don't see how
that could make any difference. 1 tell
you, we're done up, Sharpless."
at will make just this difference
we had that deed with Gates signature
we might stand some chance of pleading
as innocent purchasers, and Gates would
make first-class scapegoat. AS it is,
there are some people who might be
mean enough to hint that we made our
title out of whole cloth. However,
that's all beside the mark. This old
fellow must be at least 65 or 70; he's
On outlaw, and he's only one ignorant
man against the whole syndicate. If
we can't hold our own we deserve to go
to the wall"
'What are you going to do about it?''
"Run him out of the country again
II can; get somebody to give him a
hint that Uncle Sans men would like
to interview him."
"Who knows him?"
"Plenty of people among the natives
but think he can be reached quickest
through the old Scotchman up on the
Little Chiwassee-what's his name
Duncan-Jamie Duncan"
Sharpless rose to go back to his OWL
room, and Fench called to him as he
reached the door:
"say, Sharpless, you know I never
would have touched this damned thing
with a ten-foot pole if you hadn't made
me believe the man was dead. Now
you've got to stand by me; are you sure
you burned that-that deed we madef
sure you didn't make mistake and
burn the wrong one?"
The lawyer glanced back at his abject
fellow conspirator with frown of i'm
patience. "Fench, you make me tired
Do you suppose I'd be fool enough to
take any chances?"
By what means the attorney carried
out his threat of intimidation no one
but those most nearly concerned knew
but there was no more talk of the SEN
tinel on Eagle Cliff and the gossips OF
the town were much too busy fighting
for the crumbs which fell from the spec
ulators' table to make more than &
passing mention of the old mountain
eer's second disappearance.