The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-03-19

into wrinkles when he looked up and
saw who had opened the door. Thorn
dyle wasted no time in Introductory
phrases. =.
! Two or three months ago, Mr.. Prag-
more, / asked you some questions about
| a deed purporting to have been given by
John Kilgrow1}o James Gates. The
record shows hat you attested it, but
you denied aHSlrecollection of the cir
cumstances. Nfyou tell me now that
| you did not antedate your certificate six
years or more? that you did not &C
knowledge the signature of a man
whom you believed to be dead?"
Pragmore stiffened himself in his
chair and made no sign, though he had
| to moisten his thin lips to say: "You
| cayn't prove anything"
The sullen defiance overdrew what
ever amount of prudence the discovery
of the deed had left Thorndyke. Lean
| ing over the desk, he held the paper out
| spread before the eyes of the old man.
''Do you pretend to say that this is not
! your signature? Will you tell NE that
when you see it Did the printers make
d mistake of five years when they put
| their imprint on this blank?'
The mask of inscrutability slipped
aside for a moment, and Pragmore's
| face became gray and furred with
terror. Then he relapsed into sullen-
ness again, but there was an angry snarl
Ill his voice when he spoke.
II don't know nothin' about it, mr.
whatall ye're amin at, but I'll tell ye
first an last, We cayn't bulldoze me-
This here's my office, an since We found
the way in, reckon We can find the way
| out"
Philip started off in a white heat Of
wrath. Halfway to the door he turned
on Pragmore.
81 came down here to give you one
! more chance to save yourself" he said:
you don't deserve any more consider
alton than any common criminal, but
you're an old man and you've let these
fellows make tool of you. Once for all,
will you turn states evidence? or shall
send the sheriff after you?"
There was rasping noise, as of
hastily opened drawer, and the old man
sp, dig to his feet and leveled a revol-
yer at Thcrndyke. His eyes blazed, and
his voice qravered with excitement.
"By the Mighty! if we don't get out
o. here
Philip stood his ground long enough
fn CHI &c no
nlent of force; then he turned his back
on the angry man and ran up the street
to catch an electric car for the new
courthouse. AS soon as he could find
a magistrate, he swore out a. warrant
for Pragmore's arrest and went him
self with the deputy who was to serve
it. AS matter of course, they found
the office locked and empty; and, leav
ing the officer to continue the search
for the notary, Philip went back to the
Johannisberg to prepare the papers i'll
the suit against the town company.
The constable had promised to report
in the course of the afternoon, and
when evening came without any word
from him, Philip resolved to go to the
Jail and see if Pragmorc had been
caught. With the heedlessness which
goes hand in hand with triumphant
perseverance, he left the forged deed.
together with the unfinished papers.
on the writing-table in his room at
the hotel; and, picking his way through
the obstructed streets, he was soon in
the neighborhood of the courthouse.
Under the branches of water-oak, al
point where the light from the cleo
trio lamps at the crossings made
garish twilight, he stumbled over the
body OF man lying across the side
walk. Before he could recover him.
self he was promptly garroted, thrown
down and held by two footpads while
a third rified his pockets. The assault
was we'll planned and deftlv execu ed.
and when his assailants had left him
Thorndyke was astonished to find that
they had taken none of his valuables
Then it came to him like a sudden
stroke of illness that their object had
been to secure the forged deed, and he
grew cold with dismay when he re
membered where he had left it, The
next moment he was racing msdly
toward the hotel, stumbling and fall
ing over heaps of building material and
paving-stones, and colliding blindly
with chance pedestrians who happened
to get in his way.
He breathed freely again when ne
reached his room and found that the
m IL
quieting eAE-ience taught him the
lesson of prudence which he m ght
otherwise have gone wanting. Button
Jig the papers into an inside pocket OF
, his coat, he went out again, taking care
to keep in the well-lighted and fire.
quented streets until he reached hard
ware store where he could buy re-
volver. With the weapon in his pocket
he felt safer; and, leaving Broadway.
he once more turned his steps towar.'
the jail. Pragmorc had 70. bee.
found; and, after assuring himself thai
= description of the missing notary hal
teen telesrraphed to the ne ghl oriny
towns on the railway, Thorndyke went
SC 20 he hotel. Approach ng the
lsuild,ng by walk through the
! round@ which led him beneath the
widows IF his own room in one Of
Re southern cables, he was sufpr sed
to see them brilliantly lighted; and
holtfng IN he stairway at the erd OF
The corridor. he was barely IN NE to
save the Johann;sberg from dertrllc-
ton. Tn lis absence the room had
been thoroughly and ruth'essly ran