The Winslow mail., 1900-08-16

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-
drelsl The second mate found him
there the same night long toward
morning. had my ticket on an excur-
sion train that day and 1 couldn't wait.
had lots to do getting ready"
WAS there no clew to the murderer?"
"Ne, they said there warn't no chance
of ever finding out who done it. No one
got clean off,"
"Then you don't know where he was
to be buried?"
mo, but Cap'n Coffin would see that
he was taken care of all ship shape and
snug"
"Who is this Capt. Cofin?"
skipper of the Seabird."
"Was that the craft you came out In?
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
yVbx- J;J ba r,avar xurifa0 Whan
left the ship in your charge l 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 I would get
the letter some time. He never wrote
as far as 1 know, or if he did it was
never forwarded to me. For over three
years 1 have been buried where no let
ters could reach me, and now L was on
my way to Seattle and then for home.
It's an awful blow, Rideri"
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 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:
'All 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
be 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:
II have only one thing left 10 live for
nowl L have more money than know
what to do with, and I'll see that Iay
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 for
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
Iy burn his flesh as the father went on,
and he dared not meet the speakers
gaze:
"What will he do if he finds his whelp
alive and hears what told about his
skipping out?" he thought. HE Will
murder mel / must be out of this be-
fore he gets back here, and he will never
think of looking for me on the Dalton
traill Besides. if he's rich the chances
are that they'll go east at once and l
can work my little scheme without
anyone to hinder me. Perhaps it's the
best thing after all that met him. If
the youngster is dead the old man will
never hear what 1 told about him un-
less he goes to Merrivale, and he ain't
likely TO go there now he has no folks
there. He won't go near no shipping
SGrms to hear it, not if he's rich"
He was beginning to feel more easy in
his mind when he was interrupted by
Capt. Scott, who said:
what brought you out here, Rider?''
80, got the gold fever like the rest"
"Going to the Klondille region?"
Eyes, suppose So"
take my advice and Cont. It's on
Canadian ground, and you can't do so
well. I'll give you tip that is worth
a fortune to you. Go to the Copper river
and you won't regret it. III give you
the lay of the ground and a note 10 a
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 him
.he trouble by adding:
"Never mind, Rider, see how it is
INT YOU needn't be bashful. I'll see that
von have enough to start in with the
hest of them. A good outfit is half the
hattie up there, and you want all the
Grub YOU can take in. I'm going tc
make a rush for that steamer now be-
fore I get left. III see you again II
,here is time before the boat leaves.
-uess nv partner will go, to-
Je wrung Riders hand heartily, dis
Kosared into his tent, and came out