The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-07

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That man down there, she cried
''the one in a long black coat, going III
the street. Keep after him and stoI
him; tell him the telegram has come
Quick. quick, before he gets around the
corner. He viii pay you; run
Sweetwater, with joy in his heart-fol
. cents was a boon to him in the pres
ent condition of his affairs-rushed af-
: ter the man she had pointed out, an6
hastily stopped him.
Someone, he added, "a woman In
a window back there, babe me run af-
ter you and say the telegram has come
She told me you would pay me-" he
added, for he saw the man was turning
hastily back without thinking of the
messenger. Il need the money, and
the run was a sharp one"
With preoccupied air, the man
thrust his hand into his pocket, pulled
out coin and handed it to him. Then
he walked hurriedly on. Evidently the
news was welcome to him. But Sweet
water stood rooted to the ground. The
man had given him So gold piece, IN
stead of the nickel he had evidently
intended.
How hungrily Sweetwater eyes that
coin. In it was lodging, food, perhaps
a new article or so of clothing. But,
after a moment of indecision, which
might we'll be forgiven him, he fol-
| lowed speedily after the man and over
| took him just as he reached the house
from which the woman's veil had
fioated.
Sir. ! don me: but you gave me
So instes4u of cents. 1t was a mis-
/ take; l cannot keep the money"
| The man, who was not Just the sort
from whom kindness would be ex-
pected, looked at tine money in Sweet
waters palm, then at the miserable,
ud-bespattered clothes he wore Che
| had got that mud helping the poor mar
ket woman). and stared hard at the
| face of the man who looked so needy,
and yet returned him 50.
You're an honest fellow he de-
clarede, not offering to take back the
gold piece. Then with a quick glance
up at the window, Would you like to
earn that money!?
Sweetwater broke out into a smile
which changed his whole countenance.
Wouldn't !, sir?"
The man eyed him for another min
ute with scrutiniZing intensity. Then
he said, shortly:
Come upstairs with me-"
They entered the house. went up a
flight or two and stopped at a door,
which was slightly ajar.
I'VE are going into the presence of
| lady," remarked the man. Wait here
until I call you"
Sweetwater waited, the many
thoughts going through his mind not
preventing him from observing all that
passed.
The man. who had left the door wide
open, approached the lady who was
awaiting him, and who was apparently
the same one who had sent Sweetwater
on his errand, and entered into a low
but animated conversation. She held a
telegram in her hand, which she showed
him, and then. after a little earnest
parley and a number of pleading looks
from them. both toward the waiting
Sweetwater, she disappeared into an
other room, from which she brought a
parcel, neatly done up, which she
handed to the man with a strange Ses-
ture Another hurried exchange of
words and meaning look, which did
not escape the sharp eye of the watch
full messenger, and the man turned and
gave the parcel into Sweetwater's
hands. $40
you are to carry this said he, ito
the town hall. In the second room to
the right on entering, you will see
table surrounded by chairs, which, at
this hour, ought to be empty. At the
head of the table you will find an arm
chair. On the table directly in front of
this you will lay this packet. Mark
you, directly before the chair and not
too far from the edge of the table. Then
YOU are to come out. If you see any
one, say you come to leave some papers
for Mr.. Clifford. Do this, and you may
keep the s., and welcome"
Sweetwater hesitated. There was
something in the errand or in the man
ner of the man or woman that he did |
not like
Don't potter" spoke up the latter, !
with an impatient look at her watch. |
Mr. Clifford will expect those papers" /
Sweetwaters sensitive fingers closed /
on the package he held. 1t did not feel |
like papers.
Are you going?v asked the man.
Sweetwater looked up with smile. |
Large pay for so slight commits !
sion," he ventured, turning the packet /
over and over in his hand.
But then you will execute it at once.
and according to the instructions L |
have given you" retorted the man. TT
is your trustworthiness 1 pay for. Now
60"
Sweetwater. turned to go. After all
it was probably all right. and So easily
earned is doubly s.. AS he reached the
staircase he stumbled. The shoes he
wore did not fit him.
BE careful thereI' shouted the wom-
an, in a shrill, almost frightened voice,
while the man stumbled back into the
room in a haste which seemed wholly
uncalled for. IF you let the packet
fall you will do injury to its contents.
Go softly, man, go softly"
Yet they had said it held papers.
Troubled, yet hardly knowing what
his duty was, Sweetwater FASTENED
down the stairs, and took his way up
the street. The town hall should be
easy to find; indeed, he thought he saw
it in the distance. AS he went, he
asked himself two questions: Could he
fail to deliver the package, according to
and yet earn his money?
And was there any way of so de-
livering 1t without risk to the recipient
or dereliction of duty to the man who
had entrusted it to him, and whose
money he wished to earn? To the first
question his conscience at once answer
ed no; to the second the reply came
more slowly. and before fixing his mind
upon it, he asked himself
why he felt this was no ordinary COM
mission. This he could answer readily
enough. First, the pay was too large,
arguing that either the packet or the
placing of the packet in a certain posi-
ton on Mr.. Gifford's table, was of I'M
Importance to this man or this
secondly, that the woman,
though plainly and inconSpicuously
clad, had the face of more than ordi-
narily INSCRIPTIONS adventures. while
the man was one of those Saturnine-
faced ones we sometimes meet, whose
first look puts US on our guard and
whom, if we hope nothing from him, we
shun. Third. they did not
ook like inhabitants of the house and
rooms in which he found them. In the
few minutes he had stood in the door
way, he had noted other things besides
hose we have named. He had seen that ;
nothing was II be found there beyond