Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-11-29
CHAPTER v.-CoNrrNuEp.

How did it all happen?"
The stalwart miners voice tremoied
as he spoke, but he controlled himself
by superhuman effort and Obed Rider
replied:
HE was picked up dead on the water
front one night. He 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. I had my ticket on an excur-
sion train that day and couldn't wait.
1 had lots to do getting ready"
"Was there no clew to the murderer?''
"No, they said there warn't no chance
of ever finding out who done it. No one
was round to see the Teller do it and he
got clean off,
"Then you don't know where lie was
to be buried?"
"No, but Cap'n Coffin would see that
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 i'll 90
| 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
the 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? When 1
left the ship in your charge gave you
| letter to mail to him, telling him that
I was going up in Alaska after gold,
| and giving him an address in Seattle
where he could write, and 1 would get
| the letter some time. He never wrote
as far as I know, or. if he did it was
| never forwarded to me. For over three
years / have been buried where no let
| tiers could reach me, and now I was on
! my way to Seattle and then for home.
| It's 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 a great effort, and replied:
20, it was all right"
Accounts were all straight?"
| Riders agitation was so great that
| the other must have noticed it but for
his own great grief, but he managed to
say:
Cali straight, cap'n."
Toms father was silent a moment,
and Obed Riders thoughts were any
thing but pleasant. His brain was in a
whirl, and he feared that any moment
his tongue might betray him to the man
he had wronged SO deeply. He was at
his wits end for the best course to
pursue, when suddenly his companion
settled the matter at once by eXclaim-
ing:
81 have only one thing left 20 live for
now! / have more money than l know
what to do with, and I'll see that 1ay
poor boy is buried properly in Frisco
Then I'll do the square thing by every
body that was good to him there and
then
He broke off suddenly and set his
teeth hard.
"Then I'll put $4,000 reward up fol-
the wretch who killed him."
Rider shuddered involuntarily as the
captain spoke, but he made no reply
The belt about his waist seemed to fair
ly burn his flesh as the father went on
and he dared not meet the speaker:
gaze:
What will he do if he finds his wnelI
alive and hears what I told about hi!
skipping out?" he thought. He viii
murder me! I must be out of this be
fore he gets back here, and he will nevel
think of looking for me on the Daltoi
trail! Besides. if he's rich the chances
are that they'll go east at once and
can work my little scheme withou
anyone to hinder me. Perhaps it's tn,
best thing after all that met him. l
the youngster is dead the old man vii
+ never hear what L told about him un
less he goes to Merrivale, and he aim
5 likely to go there now he has no folk
r there. He won't go near no shippin.
, firms to hear it, not if he's rich
He was beginning to feel more easy il
r his mind when he was interrupted b.
!. Capt. Scott, who said:
0 'What brought you out here, Rider?'
: 30, got the gold fever like the rest.
/ "Going to the Klondike region?"
Eyes, suppose So"
:. "Take my advice and don't. It's OF
S Canadian ground, and you can't do 81
well. I'll give you tip that is wortl
Q fortune to you. Go to the Copper rive
l. and you won't regret it. III give 20,
the lay of the ground and note to
good chum there who will set you right
:. How are you fixed for money!"
Rider hesitated. Scoundrel as he was
he could not find his tongue for mo
/ ment in reply, and the miner saved hin
the trouble by adding:
: 'Never mind. Rider, see how it is
but you needn't be bashful. III see tina
yon have enough to start in with tn
best of them. A good outfit is half tn
battle up there, and you want all tn
: grub you can take in. I'm going t
make rush for that steamer now be
fore I get left. III see you again i
Y there is time before the boat leaves.
J guess my partner will go. to-