The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-07-07

passion for him. But he had no alter
native, Anything to prevent Toms
father from learning the truth. He
had told his story. and now he must be
prepared with the details. Fortunate
lv tie absence of his latest victim had
given him time to rapidly sketch out q
line of procedure which he hoped
would be safe.
Your brother died three years ago"
he said, land your son was passenger
with me to Frisco this winter. He was
coming to the mines, he said. He was
killed a couple of weeks ago one night
when he was coming down 10 the yes
sell Capt. Coffin took charge of the
body 1t was the day before left town.
mad my ticket all bought and couldn't
wait for the funeral"
Did you see the body yourself|'
NO said the mate, hestatingly,
"but | heard the second mate say be
was dead"
"Do they know who did it?"
mo"
How did it all happen?'
The stalwart miners voice trem0ied
! as ne SIlOhts uuA ne yum VIZ lN'l liiiilHN -
10y a superhuman effort and Obed Rider
replied:
He was picked up dead on the water
front one night lie was on his way
down to the vessel and they supposed
some one hit him from behind. They
went through the poor chaps clothes
and left him on the sidewalk the scoun-
drels The second mate found him
there the same night long toward
morning. l had my ticket on an eXcur-
sion train that day and couldn't wait.
| had lots to do getting ready"
"Was there no clew to the murdererP
NO, they said there warn't no chance
Of ever finding out who done it, No one
was round to see the Teller do il and he
got clean off"
"Then you don't know where lie was
to be buried?"
NO but Cap'n Coffin would see ;hat
he was taken care Of all ship shape and
snug"
"Who is this Capt. Coffin?"
skipper Of the Seabird.'
WAS that the craft you came out imp
The mate replied in the affirmative,
and the unhappy father went on:
"God bless him for his big heart If he
does that Money is no object to me
now. I've frozen and sweltered all these
years to get gold and now I'm alone in
he world You haven't told me how
my brother died. When was that?"
The mate gave him all the details,
this time truthfully, for he had heard
them all at Merrivale. When he had
finished, Capt. Scott said:
Did you never hear Tom speak OF
me? Why did he never write? Wien |
left the ship in your charge gave you
a letter to mail to him, telling him that
! was going up in Alaska after gold,
and giving him an address in Seattle
where he could write, and would get
the letter some time. He never -vrole
as far as know or if he did it was
never forwarded 10 me. For over three
years | have been buried where no let
tiers could reach me, and now | was On
my way to Seattle and then for home.
Its an awful blow, Rider!"
The mate was silent, and the stricken
man continued:
"What did the owners say when YOU
turned over the vessel and accounts ?"
The others face was ashy pale. but
he made grea, effort. and replied.
go. il was all right"
accounts were all straight"
Riders agitation was so great that
the other must have noticed it hut for
his own great grief. but Ae luaraged &c
say:
"Au straight. cap'n."
Toms father was silent moment
and Obed Riders thoughts were any.
thing but pleasant. Iii, brain was in a
whirl. and he feared that any moment
bis tol gue might betray Vim to them
be had wrouged SO deeply. He was a,
his wits end for the best course (,
pursue. when suddenly his companion
settled the matter at once by eXclann
ING:
II have only one thing left 20 live foI