Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-11-29
CHAPTER VI.
GREEN TURNS DETECTIVE.


When Tom Scott opened his eyes to
an understanding of what was pass
ing around him he gazed curiously
around his poorly furnished room.
Then as his eyes fell upon the second
mate of the Seabird reading by the win
dow he said in faint whisper:
"Mr. Green!"
Down went the paper and the hon.
est sailor fastened to his side, ex-
claiming:
"He's come to at last! You mustn't
ask any questions, Mr.. Scott! The doc
tor gave me my orders just now. You'll
be all right in a day or two"
''But where am"
"Belay!" was the firm response, as
the watcher placed his broad hand
gently on Toms mouth. 81 amt GO
ing against orders. Lay right still and
don't talk. Here, take this stuff You
was to have it as soon as you got your
reckoning"
AS he spoke he held glass to Toms
lips with one hand, raising the patien.
tenderly with the other with a deft-
ness that told of considerable practice.
Tom was too weak to resist, and swal-
lowed the medicine as he was bid. Then
he was about to try to speak again.
when his nurse raised his hand warn
| ingly. Tom would have made another
| effort, but he felt an overpowering
sense of drowsiness, and a moment
| later he was forced to yield His
head fell back and he dropped into a
restful slumber.
| When he again awoke the second
mate was doing in his chair. Toms
| head was clear now and he felt
stronger. AS he watched the sleeping
man the events of the fateful night
began to come back to him, and, as he
remembered his loss, he could not help
muttering an exclamation of despair.
| AYE, aye, sir!"
1t was the watcher who replied, ant
as he spoke he came quickly to the
bedside, saying:
Il must lave dropped off minute
How do you feel now?"
pretty weak" was the faint re-
Spouse, "and I'm hungry"
Good! You'll do! You'll be all
right in a week. I'll soon fix that"
As he spoke a portly man entered the
room, and the sailor added:
Here's the doctor now. I'll leave
him to see you while run down to- the
vessel and tell Cap'n Coffin you're all
right aloft."
When the doctor left Tom he said
briskly:
you are all right now. young man
Eat all you want and you'll be able to
travel in a week or two. It's only weak
ness now, and that is soon mended."
He proved a reliable prophet, and
Tom felt his strength return each day.
In day or two he was out, and at the
expiration of the week he felt perfectly
well, with the exception of a slight
languor which still remained.
He said nothing about the loss of the
papers at first but when he learned
from Capt. Coffin how the second mate
had offered to spend his hard-earned
savings and give up his cherished plan
of going to the mines, he determined to
make him his confidant, and offer to
share with him if they could find the
parties to whom he had been directed
After carefully thinking the matter
over he was convinced that the robber
would probably place no reliance on the
rude will, even if he took the trouble
to read it. It was more than probable
that he had thrown both papers away
when he rifed the belt, paying atten-
ton only to the tidy sum he had Sc
cured by his crime
In this case it would only be neces-
sary to find the old miners friends and
tell the truth. to which the second mate
could certify. There was another pre-.
caution, too. which might be taken. and
! that was to obtain q sworn statement