Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-04-21
The Old SILVER TRAIL.
EY MARY E. SncKNEY.
tcopyriEht 1896. by J. B Lippincot Col
CHAPTER Y.


moraing; but unfinished business
brought over from the day before prom.
lsed some delay, not a little to the re-
lief OF Donald Bartels, whose client was
unaccountably missing at the appoint.
ed hour. Brigham had also failed tt
appear, as we'll as the other witnesses
whom Neil had promised; but this
VeNatlous as it was, could not rouse the
same degree of surprise eEd concern
as did the detection Of Neil himself
An ugly suspicion had crept into the
lawyers mind, to be dlsInissed at first
as hardly tenable, but insidiously grow
ing into conviction as he furtivelv eyed
the Grubstake people grouped together
at the other side of the room. Did NeiI's
nonappearauce, no less than that OF
the others, mean some deviItry of their
contriving?
Col. Meredith sat unconcerneC1ly read
ing a morning paper. his chair some
what withdrawn from his neighbors,
The colonel generally was distinguished
by this little air of aloofness; rarely
was he to be seen in any attitude of
friendly hobnobbing with anybody. Ii
seemed a part of his natural reserve
OF character, no less than the outgrowth
of his profound indifference toward all
humankind, that for his comfort he
must demand the widest possible al
lotment of elbow room At a respect
full distance from his employer, whose
impressive nonchalance he seemed I'M
successfully trying to initiate, sat the
manager of the mine, at intervals adj
dressing whispered remarks 10 the at
hn ho1
yer to appear for the defendant in the
case. This last gentleman, eminent for
his skill in handling criminal cases of
more or less shady character, enjoyed
almost greater measure of fame in
certain circles for his zeal in the work
of the Sunday school. Donald Bartels
regarded him as an arrant sneak and
sbypocrite, despising him no more for
The shyster methods he felt warranted
in crediting to him than for the cloak
of sanctimony he assumed for their dis
guise. Keen dislike for the man and
desire to down him on general prin-
ciples had added peculiar zest to the
present encounter, which proportionate-
.ly enhanced Bartels' evaporation at
finding himself thus handicapped at the
outset by lack of both client and wit
nesses.
The great clock high up on the wall
at one side of the room marked the
hour of ten, and Harvey Neil was still
derelict. The case before the court was
plainly drawing to close. The witness
in the chair was the last to be heard,
and the judge was furtively lingering
the notes, on his desk, preparatory to de-
-livering his charge to the jury. 1t hap
pened that Carlton, Bartels' partner,
was attorney for the defendant in that
case, and before this the unhappy attor-
:ney had hastily scribbled note eX-
planning his plight, and begging that
Carlton would consume all the time
possible in his closing speech to the
Jury. Their only hope now lay in de-
laying the hearing of the Mascot-Grub-
stake case until the plaintiff should be
heard from.
A clerk, who had been below anxious
ly looking out for the absentees, slipped
into the chair at Bartels' side. Looks
mighty queer" he superfuously Oh
served. II have sent men to look them
all up; but there's hardly chance in n
thousand of getting them here on time
now, should say. What's to be done?"
1--WE must demand a continuance, l
suppose; though Heaven knows what
good it will do" returned Bartels, i'm
patiently. who went after Neil?"
Martin, from Young's corral. You
know how he can ride, and l told him he
must just hit the high places this time.
But what on earth can it mean?'
Mr.. Criley, the Denver attorney, was
I,a 4ir1cr
tiptoe tread, STOPPING little, as though
in excess of meellness. He had given
Bartels ceremonious greeting earlier in
the day; but now he came with more
scciable intention, the smile that
twisted his thin lips producing a curl
Gus effect of whining ugliness upon his
cadaverous, smoothly-shaven face.
1t rather looks as though there
might be a chance for us presently" he
observed, clasping his bloOdless hands
together in a gesture, which. for some
reason not altogether clear, seems to be
rather commonly cultivated by orators
accustomed to address themselves to
Sunday school audiences. You fell
lows up here IN the country are in great
luck, let me tell you," he went on in a
whining whisper. I'm all our Denver
courts we are away behind with our
cases and losing all the time. 1t is
rather the worst in La Rue's just now;
he has been hearing divorce cases right
along, and where woman is concerned
well, you know La Rue. Your Bennett
here is made of sterner stuff. All, what
is that he says?" pausing as the judge
addressed a few terse sentences to the
attorneys in the case before him. HE
limits them to five minutes apiece for
their closing arguments!-that's bust
ntss!" in a tone of cordial approval.
''No shilly-shally nonsense about him.
] believe there is not a judge on the
bench in Colorado who is his equal in
all-around ability. He ought to be made
Encouragement"
1T is limited that he rs rather of that |
opinion himself" returned Bartels, i1r
patiently. Carlton had made a noble |
effort to gain more than the allotted |
five minutes, but the judge was mex
orable. Too much time already had |
been consumed on the case, he CURLY |
said. Other parties were waiting. par j
ties from n distance who might be put |
to serious inconvenience by delay; he
felt himself obliged to hasten matters.
That's business!" declared Mr.. Criley
again. his pale blue eyes beaming sat
isfaction. But, by the way, Mr.. Bar
tells. is your client present? am not sure