Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-11-29
xxx.-(Continued.)


$50 on and tell me-"
Cheatham clasped his hands prayer
fully, puckered his lips, and dropped his
chin on his breast; so looking very wise
and thoughtful while he listened.
''You know" began Smugg, "thst the
main thing is to cut off the stairs In the
upper floors, and to see that the fire es-
cape won't work.
Cheatham nodded
"Well, the boys have operated On the
fire escape with aqua FORTS, and the iron
supports are, in consequence, so eaten
out and rotted that it's the biggest kind
of wonder that it don't fall down of its
own weight in them two upper stories.
As it is, if you was to let child step
on the top part of that escape, crash 1t
would tumble, child and all, down to the
pavement sixty feet below. So you see
that part is fixed"
Smugg's companions shuffled their feet
and coughed, and Cheatham nodded APP
provingly.
"Now as to shootin' the gun off. You
see, the boys have filled their rooms with
cotton and coal oil, besides powder. A
match thrown into one of them rooms at
this mint, and whizz, out would fash the
fire, and bang would go the powder tear
In out the walls Then, as to under the
stairs, we have that fixed in the same
way"
Smugg hesitated and looked at the men
yes" said one of the men, under the
stairs is a magazine, and it has engine
set for the same hour as in the rooms"
"An engine?" repeated Cheatham.
''Yes," explained Smugg 'You see,
this is how she works"
He turned up the palm of his huge
black hand and went on, as if he were
reading therefrom.
eve have a dynamite clock under the
stairs, and another, set to the same sec
ond, in the rooms just above
"a dynamite clock? You said nothing
to me about that"
Yes, | did, them's the machines | told
you about. You see it wouldn't nigh do
for any of us to be found near the place
when the explosion comes off and the fire
follows. We want to be safe, and beln'
safe, we want to be so fixed that suspi-
cion won't point to us"
Alone again and Cheatham pursed his
lips, intalocked his fingers, and drew
in his chin till the folds in his cheeks
became more conspicuously baggy.
It is said that "An idle brain is the
devils Workshop" but like many other
popular sayings, there is neither truth
nor sense in it. Neither in sleeping nor
waking was this mans brain idle; yet it
was a workshop that had turned out plots
and plans which, for ingenuity and wick
edness Of design, must have excited the
admiration, if not the envy, CT the Prince
of Darkness An idle brain may be con
temptible, but it cannot, for its very Idle
ness, be wicked-unless idleness is itself
wickedness SO absorbed was Cheatham
in his thoughts that he did not hear the
door open and partly close, nor the step
Of the man approaching him.
"What! are you asleep, uncle? called
out Sim, drawing up a chair and sitting
down before him.
"Why! why didn't you knock" asked
Cheatham, starting up and manifesting
much uneasiness and alarm. ~ don't
want people to come into my presence in
that way Did you come alone"
"All alone" replied Sim.
In this belief Sim Cheatham was mis-
taken; he had been Swallowed from the
city by Charles Carpenters and that per-
son was now outside the open window
listening.
Have you seen anything of Carpenter
down town.
81 think I saw him, but / am not GER
tain. I'll soon have him out of my way"
That's what you have been telling me
for MONTHS sneered Cheatham.
"But | have it fixed now Wait till
the fire tonight is over
"What do you know about the fire?"
about the plan to burn down the Pu-
ella street house, and all the people on
the two top floors. l know everything.
| would give great deal to have Car
penter on top of that house.
"Of course you would.
YES and it would be so like a drama
TO have him disposed of in that way. You
deserve credit uncle; there amt another
man in the world could do what you have
and be successful"
What do you mean?" asked Cheat
ham. quite willing TO pass the time in
hearing himself hattered.
"Why. mean this. 1t was you started
this fellow in crime; and when he left
prison you knew it, and could have put
him on the track of his wife and child,
for you knew where they were; but you
gave ont that they were dead. When
Carpenter tried TO get down to square
work, it was through you the story cot
out that he'd been in the penitentiary.
and so of course he lost his place Then
you kept his wife-whod changed her
name to Mrs. Hope and became Her
mann's housekeeper--under your thumb.
And when again and again she wanted
to tell Mr.. Hermann that Miriam was
her daughter. you wouldn't let her. All,
that was far-sighted. can see through
1t all now
you are getting sharp Sim
Il ought To be, with such an example
But when Hermann died. aud you had
the German will translated into English.
names and ALL you showed your genius
and your knowledge of law Who'd ever
think that the Charles Carpenter you
advertised Cor and didn't want was Karl