Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-02-12
THE Old SILVER TRAIL.
BY MARY {. sncMEy.
lcopuisht 1896. by J. D. uppIneots Col
CHAPTER X.


ised some delay, not little to the re.
lief Of Donald Bartels, whose client was
unaccountably missing at the appoint.
ed hour. brigham had also failed tn
appear, as well us the other witnesses
whom Neil had promised; but this
vcxatious Us 1t was, could not rouse the
came degree Of surprise and concern
as did the detection OF Neil himself
An ugly suspicion had crcpt into the
lawyers mind, to be dismissed ut first
MS hardly tenable, but insidiously grow.
ing into conviction rs he furtively eyed
the Grubstake people grouped together
ut the other side of the room. Did Neil's
nonappcarance, no less than that OF
the others, mean some deviltry of their
contriving?
Col. Meredith sat unconccrnedly read
ing n morning paper, his chair some
what withdrawn from his neighbors.
The colonel generally was distinguished
by this little air Of aloofncss; rarely
was he to be seen in any attitude of
friendly hobnobbing with anybody. II
seemed n 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 III
lotment OF elbow room. At n respect
full distance from his employer, whose
inpassive nonchalance he seemed UNI
successfully trying to initiate, sat the
manager of the mine, Mt intervals ad-
dressing whispered remarks 10 the at
torney who had come up from Den
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 n greater measure Of fame in
certain circles for his zeal in the work
of the Sunday school. Donald Bartels
regarded him as an nrrant sneak ind
hypocrite, 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 Bartcls' evaporation ut
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, Bartcls' partner,
WINS attorney for the defendant in that
case, and before this the unhappy attor-
ney had hastily scribbled note cx-
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 bc
heard from.
A clerk, who had been below anxious
~ looking out for the abscntces, slipped
into the chair at Dartcls' side. "LookG
mighty queer" he superluously OBJ
served. II have sent men to look them
all up; but there's hardly chance in
thousand Of getting them here OH time
now, / should say. What's to be done?"
1--WE must demand u continuance, /
suppose; though Heaven knows what
good IL will do" returned Bartels, i'm
patiently. "Who went after Neil?"
Martin, from Young's corral. You
know how he can ride, and told him he
must just hit the high places this time.
Eut what on earth can il mcan?"
Mr.. Criley, the Denver attorney, was
crossing the room with n deprccatlng,
fiptoe tread, STOPPING little, us though
IN excess of meckncss. lie had given
Bartels ceremonious greeting earlier in
the day; but now he came with more
sociable intention, the smile that
twisted his thin lips producing Curl
Gus effect of whining uglincss upon his
cadaverous, smoothly-shaven face.
at rather looks as though there
might be chance for us presently" he
observed, clasping his bloodless hqnds
together In gesture, which, for some
reason not altogether clear, seems to he
rather commonly cultivated by orators
accustomed to address themselves to
Sunday school audiences. "You fell
lows up here in the country IRE in great
luck, let me tell you," he went OIL in
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 LII Riie's just now;
he has been hearing divorce cases right
along, and where u woman Is concerned
well, you know In Rue. Your Bennett
here In made Of sterncr stuff. All. what
Is that he says?" pausing us the judge
addressed few tersc sentences to the
attorneys in the case before him. ale
limits them to five minutes apiece for
their closing arguments!-that's bust
ness!" in u tone Of cordial approval!
mo shilly-shally nonsense about him.
] believe there is not judge On the
bench In Colorado who Is his equal in
all-around ability. lie ought to be made
attorney-gencral."
at is hinte6 that he is rather Of that
opinion himself" returned Dnrtels,ii
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
ties from distance who might be put |
to serious Inconvenience Ky delay; he
felt himself obliged to hasten matters.
~That's businessl" declared Mr.. Criley