Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-05-19

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The thought of the treachery he had
been guilty of toward her in whose pay
he was came to me and inflamed me
with sudden and uncomfortable anger.
| Uttering an expletive, under the spur
of strong impulse, made spring for
him. Out through the door l followed
linn, and down through the yard. He
had too much the start, however, and
was over high board fence at the bot
tom of the yard before could come up
| to him.
| retraced my steps to the lawyers
office. The old fellow was standing in
the door and seemed to have been high
ly diverted by witnessing the chase,
judging by his face.
"The rascal! the villain!" I ex-
claimed, pushing past the lawyer into
the Office and sinking down, painting
for breath. "1f ever l get my hand on
him. I'll wiring his neck!"
Sonntag closed the door and then
| turned toward me. "What have you
against him?" he asked.
1 recounted the shooting incident,
to which Sonntag listened with whim-
sical expression.
HIN! And he shot at you when you
called him Skinner, eh?" he remarked,
when l had finished. "Must be some
thing in his former life; but then-well,
it's strange, certainly. Why, l always
address him as Skinner, and he never
attempted to shoot me; indeed, he
never seemed to notice"
"Then it is evident his attempt to
shoot me was not for my calling him
by his right name. See here, Mr. Sonn-
tag" l continued, earnestly, do you
suppose he is in any way concerned in
the cellar AFFAIR.""
@Who, Skinner? Good gracious, no!
! that is, cant say, but | think not"
! What were you talking to him
about?" I asked, eying the old fellow
with some impatience, for the more l
conversed with him the less l could un-
derstand him.
"Oh, about a matter of freight" my
agent replied, indifferently.
1T was trivial, then?"
"Yes, yes, of no Importance what
| ever"
"Mr. Sonntag, it is from no wish to
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with that wretch of a Skinner that |
ask the question. But l happened to
| see you just before | entered the office,
and | am a trifle curious to know if you
usually speak as earnestly on unimpor-
tant topics as you evidently did to him"
The lawyer regarded me a moment.
He seemd to be debating some question
in his mind.
"Was l earnest?" he finally inquired.
Everything about me seems to be
mysterious!" ! exclaimed, piqued to
| impatience at his wholly lodging my
| question. There's one mystery that
will be cleared up soon, however" l
added, decidedly.
Yes? And that is"
"The cellar mystery"
Sonntag again cautioned me against
being too precipitate.
Then give me some good reason for
your caution!" / exclaimed. Its get
ting monotonous following peoples ad-
vice without having q reason for so
doing. I'll do so no more. / have half
a notion to get Dut of the place. Ever
since my arrival, petty trivial circum-
stances have harassed me and kept
me in an irritable mood"
"Well, maybe it would be best for
you to visit some of your friends in
town." Sonntag said, refectively, "if
only for few days"
mo, sir. l have no friends, and your
seeming desire to have me away makes
me the more determined to stay. But
a course of supineness is done with
Now I'll take the reins, and see whar1s
to be made out of the driving"
Just as you please about that, of
course, Mr.. Conway. But 1 do beg of
you, and it is for your own interests
speak, delay the attempt to enter the
cellar until tomorrow"
"Why?" l curtly asked.
You'll know in the morning." my
lawyer replied, with smile
81 may be dead by that time" I re-
piled. "Certainly if I must be the tar
get for every assassin's bullet, my
coffin might as well be ordered now"
Saying which, l took my own pistol
from my pocket. you see that? Well,
it means that after this I'll be as handy
with pistol as others are"
Mr.. Sonntag eyed me rather sus-
piciously, as though not at all certain
but that 1 would level the weapon at
him.
"Those things are dangerous, Mr..
Conway, and are liable to go off without
warming" he remarked, dryly, after
had returned the pistol to my pocket.
Yes, l know that. And if there
should be occasion for it to go off in my
hand, you may be sure it will be for
the purpose of hitting something. l
believe my peace is threatened, if not
my life. How do l know but what that
cellar under my room has been used,
maybe is being used, for some criminal
purpose? If that is true, my arrival
in Nelsonville and taking up my abode
right in the midst of hidden crime
would naturally prevent any contin-
uance of operations, and endanger the
| secret I belieye that attPmDtS are