The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-11-15

SNA AS - LACoyE al
there was such q change In his rugged
features that even the mate felt com-
passion for him. But he had no alter
native. Anything to prevent Toms
father from learning the truth. He
had told his story and now he must be
prepared with the details. Fortunate
" the absence of his latest victim had
given him time to rapidly sketch out a
line of procedure which he hoped
would be safe.
Your brother died three years ago.
he said. "and your son was q pas
senger with me to Frisco this winter.
He vas coming to the mines, he said.
He was killed q couple Of weeks ago
one night when he was coming down
to the vessel. Captain Coffin took
charge OF the body. 1t was the day
before I left town. I had my tickekt
all bought and couldn't wait for the
funeral
Did you see the body yourself? 2"
NO" said the mate, hesitatingly,
but I heard the, second mate say he
was dead"
DO they know who did it,"
How did 1t all happen"
The stalwart miners voice trembled
as he spoke, but he controlled himself
by a 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
som one hit him from behind. They
went through he pool chaps clothes
and left him on the sidewalk, the
scoundrels! The second mate found
him there the same night long toward
morning. I had my ticket on an ex-
cursion train that day and / couldn't
Uatt II bod 1afcN 70 DO rn%<ln- - - o
Was there no clew to the murderer"
mo. they said there warn't no chance
of ever finding out who lone 1t. No
n was round to see the Teller do it
and he got clean off"
Then you don't know where he was
to be buried?"
mo. but Captain Coffin would see
that he was taken care of all ship shape
and snug"
Who Is this Captain 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 IL
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
ne HoW my pfolLeF uleu. men was
that?"
The mate rave him all the details,
this time t%ruthfully, for he had heard
them all at Merr!vale. When he had
finished, Captain Scott said:
did you never hear Tom speak Of
me? Why did he never write? When I
left the ship in your charge I gave you
a letter to mail to him. telling him that
l was going up in Alaska after gold,
and giving him an address In Seattle
where he could write, and I would get
as far as I know. or Il he did it was
never forwarded to me. For over three
years 7 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 vas silent. and the strick-
en- man continued:
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 1t but for
his own great grief. but he managed
to say:
All straight, cap'n."
a SAA 10 SAAOAL a. A11OlklCAls
and Obed Riders thoughts were any
thing but pleasant. His brain was In
a whirl, and he feared that any mo-
ment 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 COM
panion settled the matter at once by
exclaiming:
"I have only one thing left to live
for now! I have more MONEY than I
know what to do with. and I'll see that
my poor boy Is buried properly In
Frisco. Then I'll do the square thing
by everybody that was good to him
there and then
He broke of suddenly and set his
teeth hard.
Then I'll put $4,000 reward up for
the wretch who killed himi,
Rider shuddered involuntarily as the
captain spoke, but he made no reply.
The belt about his waist seemed to fair
~ burn his flesh as the father vent on.
and he dared not meet the speakers
gaze:
LHE k1~.xt-. ~ pR7 5sf