Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-11-23

whole story. 1t may be a wild goose
chase, but there 1t is. VIII you go In
with me and share and share alike? l
know the papers by heart, and they
are probably lost, so we VIII be all
right. What do you say?"
Say? Why, what would. any man
ssy? I'm with you as long as 1 have a
drop of blood left! or course I'll 60,
but / have hanged little
Don't talk money to mel" interrupt
ed Tom, quickly. IT know what You
did for me before you knew / had ~
cent. / have $4,000 left, and the first
thing is for you 10 take half of 1t. I'll
feei safer then"
Don't you think anyone knew you
had them papers?" asked his new COM
rade after awhile. Sure you V
mentioned them or showed them?"
Sure" replied Tom. Il did not men
ton them to a single person. and they
were never u Of the belt except when
l vas looking at them alone by my
self"
was the money you lost in the belt,
too?"
"Yes-no, come to think of 1t, had
Il in my pocket that night. 1t was
lucky ! put the most of 1t in the safe
that very day."
What made you do THAR"
Captain Cofln advised me to-" re-
piled Tom, a little surprised at the per-
sistency of his friends questioning.
why do you ask?"
"I'm figuring up how many folks could
possibly have seen those papers,"
II tell you"
Delay a bitl" broke in Green. LET
me finish my calculation. Two heads
are better'n one. The old man gave the
papers TO you aboard ship, in your
s~tateroom?"
Tom nodded, and the other went on:
Now, who could have seen them
when they was in your room? Let's
count up. The cap'n, the mate and me
is the only ones that had any chance,
cause no n else Is allowed In the
cabin beside the cook. The cook went
to sea long ago, which he wouldn't done
X he had any money to buy rum nor
any such papers as them in his pocket.
We know Cap'n Coffin didn't Stub you,
for he amt that kind, and IL he was he
wouldn't have told you to put your
money in the safe and felt so bad over
your hurt"
what are you driving at?" asked
Tom, rather amused at the businesslike
way in which the sailor was checking
off his points on the ends of his fingers.
Then there's the mattel"
Green paused and looked triumphant
ly at Tom.
1.-THE mates room was next to yourn.
He might have seer them. He was In
his when you came out and said
the old may was dying. He skipped out
the same day o was hurt and give no
notice. He never come nigh you at all.
He"
What do you mean2" demanded
Tom, starting to his feet, as for the
first time the others meaning began TO
dawn upon him.
II hated you like poison, and"
eyes! Yes! / see it ALL" cried Tom.
clenching his fists. 81 see why he left
pocket by an excursion train for Seat
tie! 1t was only good that dayl He is
the robber. l could swear to It! How
did you come to think Of ii so quick?'
"'Cause the chap that did it would
have taken your money out of your
pocket and lit out. He wouldn't have
took no chances hunting for a belt I'M
less he knew there was one there. / see
1t must be some n that knew of the
papers, and then the rest was easy.
Now come down aboard and we'll see
If we can't prove IT,
Tom followed him to the Scabird, and
ShSy Sooh etoou Ill IhS AlaIVS SIdle-
room.
See here!"
The second officer pointed as he spoke
to a narrow crack In the partition
which separated it from Toms room.
It needed but a glance to show that 1t
had been recently enlarged.
That's what did the business" he
continued, and he's of for that gold
mine. He's got a big start, and what's
to prevent his passing himself OF as
AIR. Tom Scott on those people"
He couldn't do that!" exclaimed
Tom.
why not? Was there any descrip
ton OF you in the paper the old nan
gave you? How are they to known"
But I've got a statement in my
pocket from Captain Coffin, telling
who We are, and all about it," insisted
Tom.
What good is that when the mate is
on the spot, perhaps, with his docu-
ments, and how can you make anyone
believe you are the right chap? Look
here, Scott, there's only one thing to
dc. We've got to go after that son of
a sea cook, and take the law In our
W hands. Something will turn up to
help Is out. After all, | don't know
but hat there is something in what
you say. All he could tell about Avery
was what he saw on board the vessel.
he never talked any with him, and
don't know anything uoout his family
or business. Now, / dare say the old
chap told you q good many things
about himself, didn't he?"
YES" replied Tom, eagerly, she told
me all about his family, and I can soon
convince anyone that the mate is lying
IL he claims to be me-. I've got the cap
tain's statement, you know, sworn to
before a justice of the peace, and all
witnessed. That mate will have o hard
time to get round that"
"Mebbe So" was the doubtful reply,
''but it's a wild country where were
going, and I don't believe papers will
be of much account there. We're two
to one, anyhow, and'if we overhaul the
rascal we shall find some way to get
square with him."
THE sooner we start the better,
then" q cided Tom. Come on, let's be
of, and see about II at once"
It did not take the two friends long
to make their simple preparations. The
money remaining in the captains safs
was equally divided between them and
worn in belts. Tivkets TO Seattle were
procured, and the following day, after
a hearty farewell to the big-hearted
skipper, the two young men started on
their adventurous trip.
At Seattle there was no steamer
ready to sail for Dyea and they decided
to continue to Victoria, where they
learned they would arrive in time tn
purchase their outfit and catch the
steamer. 1slader, which sailed on the
18th Of the month, and was due in Dyea
five days later.
At Victoria they found the streets
thronged with men, each with an earn
est look on his face Is he hustled
about. They were from all walks In
life, but all animated by the same pur-
pose. Some were buying horses, others
learning to ecu packs with the ia
nous diamond hitch" which alone
will lanswer the purpose. Others were
heavy woolens, belts to
wear about the waist, with flaps that
buttoned down over the compartments.
Exposed for sale on every hand were
buckskin bags to hold gold, heavy
shoes. OccaSi of moose