Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-01-14
ICONTINUED.l
CHAPTER ".

not quite comprehend what l said and
then with laugh called out:
"What's that, HANK
lyon are Hank Beyer," | added,
keeping my finger pointed at him and
restraining my anger. You know it as
we'll as |. Dare you deny it?'
His merriment seemed so hearty that
several joined it. Comprehending his
baseness, it required my utmost self re-
straint to keep from sending bullet
into his worthless brains.
eff you deny that yeu are Hank
Boyer, who are you:'
"You ought to know, Hank" he
said, with amazing GOODNESS. Il came
mp on the steamer Bonnie Belle yester-
day with you from New Orleans and
you won all ] had at poker"
All who looked at the miscreant
must have noted his extraordinary re-
sembance to me. Had he not removed
his mustache the difference would have
been unappreciable His preparation
for his part was admirable, for when
he spoke l observed that his voice
sounded different from when he talked
with me at the crossroads. He had sue
ceeded to perfection i'll Disgusting it.
Since he was stranger to the rest
Tor, what was the same, they believed
him to be such), hoped to gain an ad-
vantage from that fact.
"Who are you?" [ thundered.
"I'm not accustomed to introduce
myself to folks i'll that fashion, but you
L.. - = 81 mo
your name OH the steamer as Hank
Boyer | told you mine was Richard
Early-at your service, gentlemen.
And. the unconscionable scoundrel
DOTTED his hat and bowed to the right
and left with the suavity and blandness
of Il Chesterfield.
eff you are Il stranger like myself,
what business brought you to Aldine?'
II explained all that to You on the
boat. My uncle sent me here TO look up
some valuable cotton land that is i'll the
market, but, - he added, shrewd enough
to perceive the tangle i'll which | was
likely to involve him, II decline to be
questioned any further by you, though
| am ready to give these gentlemen any
information they desire.
Nothing could have been cleverer than
his manner and words. His announce
ment that he was after cotton land was
passport to the good will OF the coun-
trymen, most of whom were eager to
sell their unproductive property. His
glib story of our travelling together on
the steamer was accepted as truth.
"Then you deny selling me that
horse yesterday?'' | said tioundering i'll
the wordy mire into which | had step,
ped.
"Oh, l don't deny anything" he an
Swcred with bored air. 'Tell your
story to these gentlemen. You make me
excessively weary y
1t was vain to daily with him. Stag
gcred for the moment, l was about to
address my words to those around me,
when Squire eager, who had not yet
| spoken, interpOsed. He was conscien-
| tious man, and, though he undoubtedly
sympathized with me. did not sympa-
thize with the frightful fiction which
nc believed was trying to weave.
II wish to ask this man few ques-
tions, " he said, and the universal re,
spcct felt for the officer of the law caus-
ed Il hush to fall upon the angry throng.
bowed suspecting what was coming,
"Iou don't deny that you rode up to
this hotel this afternoon on the chestnut
golding which Mr.. Bultinch put into
his stable at your requests"
II have already admitted that, aft,
rrwurd crossed to the postOtfice and got
q letter which was mailed from New
York and addressed to me, Edward
Kenmore"
And any of us might have done the
same by asking for it, having arranged
that little matter beforehand" said
ttp squire brushing aside this cobweb,
"hut when you came and sat down on
thn porch and talked with me and MI.
Eulfnch We both addressed you as Hank
. B,ycr."
"Nou did" | replied, and the land
. D ri nodded his head in acquiescence.
"Nuu talkCd with us as if you We're
Hank Boyer You spoke about your ia.
thor and asked questions of US. Why
didn you deny you were Hank Boyer
at that timcF'
~ WIZ NiAN IlE ~ uhll IlltO my COilln,
md knew my explanation would not
ts accepted by single one Of my hear
trs
n did foolish thing. was amused
ty the mistake, and by way of fun l
humorrd it lou will recall that my
gur-tiuns showed my Ignorance, not
.uly q your affairs, but of Hank
Esyrr'~"
- tslicve you pretended something
II fhr kind.
Ttu -Iuir' mOurnfully shook his
Hs.id tir was through, having SEN
rrad ms, ss may be- said, to capital
HHHIshufrut.
90 al nat drny, gentlemen, that tho
.I.. baks tsd against me. iou have
H.IH..i iHat thr man whom pointed
.af fr fhH d.Hr r,-rmblcs me- except
H.Hf wrara uiusiache and he does not.
ia nai .nH twIay. bat shayed IL of
antr uu pariUd. probably foreseeing
l.austhinE uke this hut I have the