Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-04-10

1 NARACSStCA OI LIS 1dNt do AAC NOAa HDOui
the mysterious inscription be had seer
Dick make on the old cottonwood tree.
You say you saw him make it, dc
you?" asked Wayne.
Il did so" answered Bill.
"And you are sure you saw him going
past your place at one or two O'Clock on
the night Averiips horses were stolen =
Il did Sc" replied Bill, as solemnly as
il he were answering questions on wit
ness stand.
Gould you make me copy of what
you saw on the cottonwood tree?" asked
Wayne.
4 reckon" replied Bill. 4 looked at
it long enough an sharp enough to git it
all by heart, | allow"
He took the singing book from the
teachers hand, and proceeded to make
an awkward but correct copy of the in
scription on the old tree, on one of the
1y-leayes.
There" he said after a critical inspec-
ton of his work, as he handed the book
back to Wayne, that's precisely what
/ see him mark out on the tree, an Pm
willin' to make atIidayy to it any time.'
It's more of a puzzle to me than any
thing else" said Wayne, turning the book
in all ways, and evidently failing to get
any key as to its meaning.
It's so" responded Bill, who felt that
he had enlisted keener and cleyerer
brain than his own in an attempt to solve
the mystery, and was content to let him
puzzle his wits over it, while, while he
looked on with an air of reticence that
limited at deeper knowledge Of the mat
ter than he felt willing to divulge.
You say that you can't FIND that he
was at anybody's house On the night in
which the horses were stolen-the night
when YOU saw him going past your
house?7
I've took pains TO ask ev'ry Twin soul
in the whole neighborhood, an he want
nowher's," replied Bill
And he denied being away from home
on the night in question:"
Wall, jest the same as denied it," an
swered Bill. He tried to make me b'leeye
| was mistaken. / s'pose he dasson't say
right out that | lied, but he did just as
nigh as he dared to. Now, | know |
want mistaken, an he knows it."
well, what do you think about itI'
asked Wayne, apparently at a loss to
know what to think himself
'Gol burned eff | know what to think, ;"
answered Bill. Il never took any likin'
to Dick Brayton, but | snum, | never
would ha' b'leeved he'd got mixed up in
boss stealin', eff | hadn't seen what it
pears to me means suthin' like that, s
ncar's | can jedge. Don't it look to you
as eff circumstances kin O. p'inted that
way?"
TO be frank with you, it does, replied
Wayne. But | wouldn't care to say as
much to anybody but you, because it is
well understood that Brayton and myself
are. not on the best of terms, and they
might think | was trying to injure him,
because of my dislike for him. You have
taken the matter in hand, and | advise
you to go on with it. Keep your eyes
open and see what happens. If your sus-
picions are correct, something will turn
up to prove them so before long"
I'm keep my eyes skinned" said Bill.
And Bill was as good as his word.
He lost no chance of creating suspicion
against Dick by sly destinations, which,
in such cases, generally tell more effec
lively against a person than open asser-
tons do.
To some of his particular cronies he
told the details of what he had seen in
manner that made his story not only
plausible but somewhat convincing one.
With the minds of the settlers greatly
excited by the recent occurrence, they
were ready and eager to accept any clue
or what seemed likely TO prove clue to a
solution of the mystery surrounding the
theft, even when their better Judgment
told them they were acting hastily and
unwisely in forming an opinion on no
more reliable evidence than that which
Bill Green had to offer. At such times
men do not stop to coolly and dispassion-
ately weigh the testimony presented. If
it bears the stamp of plausibility on the
face of it, they seem to consider that
enough to warrant them safe in accepting
it in place of something better.
'Ah, my fine fellow, who's likely to
come out ahead?" chuckled Wayne, as
Dick went by the house that afternoon.
His face wore a look of intense satisfac
ton as his eyes followed the man whose
mark his features still wore very plainly
impressed on them. The game is mine, !"
he laughed, as Dick passed out of sight.
I've got a whole handful of trumps, a
full hand, so to speak"
That afternoon young man came from
down below" to visit Dick. He was n
harmless, inoffensive sort of fellow, and
has nothing whatever to do with this
story, except in so far as his coming to
Brownsville helped TO increase the sus-
picion which Bill Green was creating
against Dick Brayton.
When Bill found out about the visitor,
he had no scruples about limiting that
it was his firm belief that he belonged
to a gang of horse thieves.
He hain't come mp here for nothin', !"
said Bin, with wise look and d shake
of his head.
Coupled with the various suspicious cir
cumstances surrounding Dick. Bill sue
ceeded in making the visit appear as a
link in the evidence against him in the
minds of many with whom he talked.
Strange as it may seem, Dick had no
knowledge or suspicion OF what was going
on. Had he known what Bill was doing
il would doubtless have been quite UNI
healthy for that young man in the climate
of Brownsville at that particular time.
The young man from down below. +"
who would as soon have entertained the
idea of turning cannibal as becoming a
horse thief. went home on Friday. and
Dick accompanied him. He would take a
''lay-on' til! Monday. This was his first
one since he began work for Mr.. Boone.
in the spring. and be felt as if he needed
and had earned resting spell.
Keep your eyes open while I'm gone. "
he told Samanthy.
Il viii So" replied that worthy dam
sell I'D Civ considerable to know what
the Singin teacher an Bill Green air
figgerin' on. Suthins up, | reckon.
They've got their heads together nigh
about ev'ry day. Bin comes up here
a-lookin' as important as turkey strut
tin. an ey'ry time he sets his foot down
he seems TO be sayin'; I'm Bill Green,
be. an Bill Green, he's some punkins.
he IS" an il makes me laugh to see him
swell up sometimes. when he says suth,
in. jest like the oil turkey fer all the
world when he's gitiin' ready to gobble.
He an him air hatchin' M suthin'. an
know 1t. but can't make out what us
yit.
Il don't know what their consultations
are about" responded Dick. land what's