The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-10-18
RISING sun, CECIL OCTOBER

''prospectors kits were powerless be-
fore this heavy half liquid impediment.
At last the driver with an oath relin-
quished the attempt and, unhltching
his horses, collected the passengers and
led them forward by narrower and
more sheltered trail toward the next
station, now scarce a mile away.
The led horses broke a path before
them. The snow fell less heavily, but it
was nearly an hour before the strag-
Cling procession reached the house and
the snow coated and exhausted passen-
gers huddled and steamed around
the redhot stove in the barroom. The
driver had vanished with his team in
the shed. Masteton's fellow passen-
ger on the box seat, after a few whis-
pered words to the landlord, also dis
appeared.
81 see you've got Jake Poole with
you" said one Of the barroom loungers
to Masterton. Indicating the passenger
who had Just left. Il reckon he's here
on the same fool business"
Masterton looked his surprise and
mystifcation.
Jake Poole, the deputy sheriff." re-
peated the other. 81 reckon he's here
pretendin to hunt for Montagu Trixit,
like the San Francisco detectives that
ken up yesterday"
Masterton with difficulty repressed a
start. He had heard of Poole, but did
not know him by sight II don't think
l understand" he said coolly.
Il reckon you're stranger in these
parts" returned the lounger, looking
at Masterton curiously "Ef you
warn't, you'd know that about the last
man San Francisco or Canada City
wanted to ketch is Monty Trixit. He
knows TOO much. and they know it.
But they've got to keep up show
chase-a kind Of cirkis ridin-up here
to satisfy the stockholders. You bet
that Jake Poole hez got his orders
they might kill him to shut his mouth
EFF they got an eXcuse-and he made
f1ght-but he amt no such fool. No,
sir! Why, the sickest man you ever
saw was that director that come up
here with detective when he found
that Monty hadn't left the state"
''Then he is hiding about here?' said
Masterton, with assumed calmness.
The man paused, lowered his voice
and said: Il wouldn't swear he wasn't
a mile from whar we're talkin now.
Why, they do allow that he's taken
drink at this very bar since the news
came and that there's a hoss kept han
dy in the stable already saddled just to
tempt him eff he was inclined to scoot."
"That's only a bluff to start him 60
in, so they kin shoot him in his tracks,"
said bystander.
"That amt no good eff he has-as
they say he has-papers slowed away
with friend that would frighten some
mighty partickler men out of their
boots" returned the first speaker.
But he's got his spies, too, and there
amt man that crosses the divide as
amt spotted by them. The officers
brag about havin put Gordon around
the district, and yet they've just found
out that he managed to send tele-
graphic dispatch from Black Rock sta
tion just under their noses. Why, only
an hour or so arter the detectives and
the news arrived here thar came along
one of them emigrant teams from Pike,
and the driver said that n smart look
in chap In store clothes had come
out of an old prospector's cabin up
thar on the rise about mile away and
asked for a newspaper. And the de-
corin hn too Oou iI1ct
Trixit to T. Well, the information
was give so publiclke that the detect
ives had to make rush over thar, and,
b'gosh, although there wasn't a soul
passed them but file of Chinese COO
lies when they got thar they found
nothin - nothin but them Cinnamon
cookin their rice by the roadside"
Masterton smiled carelessly and walk
ed to the window as if intent upon the
still falling snow. But he had at once
grasped the situation that seemed now
almost providential for his inexperi-
ence and his mission. The man he was
seeking was within his possible reach,
if the story he had heard was true.
The detectives would not be likely to
interfere with his plans, for he was the
only man who really wished to meet
the fugitive. The presence of Poole
made him uneasy, though he had new
er met the man before. Was it barely
possible that he was on the same mis-
sion on behalf of others? If what he
heard was true, there might be others
equally involved with the absconding
manager. But then the spies-how
could the deputy sheriff elude them
and how could he?
He was turning impaden1y away
from the window when his eye caught
sight of a struggling file of Cinnamon
breasting the storm on their way up
the hill. A sudden idea seized him.
Perhaps they were the spies in ques-
ton. He remembered the drivers sto-
ry. A sudden fash of intuition made
him now understand the singular way
diverted their course after passing the
wagon. They had recognized the dep
uty on the box. Stay! There was an
other Chinaman in the coach. He
might have given them the signal. He
glanced hurriedly around the room for
him. He was gone. Perhaps he had
already Joined the fle he had just seen.
His only hope was to follow them. But
how? And how to do it quietly? The
afternoon was waning. 1t would be
three or four hours before the down
coach would arrive, from which the
driver exDected assistance Now if