Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-03-12
CHAPTER XIII.

James Ellison was so surprised at
the sudden turn of events, and the
thought of how neatly he had been
tricked, that he could only stare at
the door through which Hendricks
had taken his triumphant departure
He had been congratulating himself
on his cleverness in securing posses
sion of the agreement, only to find
out that it was but copy.
He was reused from his moody
thoughts by the clicking of door
latch, and his brother entered the
room, waving paper gayly in the
one hand, while he hummed song.
"Well, James, my boy, you see that
T am good for something after all!
How neatly we tricked the old fell
low" dancing up and down the room.
"You are an asst" exclaimed his
brother, sententiously, turning with
a scowl, as if he resented his COM
panion's ill-timed hilarity. The other
came over to him and looked at him
in wonder. He was much younger
than his brother, and good looking
in a reckless way. In his smart
clothes and smooth-shaven cheeks,
it would have been hard to recognize
him as the wild and ragged being
who a few days before had claimed
his brothers hospitality at Exton.
whats the matter, Jimmy?" he
asked, fumbling the paper in his
hands nervously.
Matter enough" growled the
elder. ''The rogue fooled us with a
copy, and that is what you are now
holding in your hand. He had evil
IDENTIFY made arrangements to fool
u.s."
"The deuce!" and the brother I'M
rolled the document and examined it
carefully. "Bless me if you amt
right" and then, tearing it up with
gesture of rage, tossed the pieces
in the CRATE. This done, he dropped
down sullenly into a chair near his
brother, and for some minutes
neither of the men said word.
Finally James Ellison rose, and, COM
ing over to where his brother was
seated, said in an earnest voice:
81 tell you what it is, Frank; this
fellow annoys me, and l wish you
would take steps to relieve me of
such an incubus-that is, / mean to
get possession of that paper. I don't
want him harmed, you know"
''He is cunning rogue, whoever
he is" replied the other, thought
fully.
Cunning; of course he is, and for
that reason I am interested in clip
ping his claws. Actually, have not
enjoyed a good nights sleep since
he appeared. thought, when Briggs
arrived with the interesting news
that he was an escaped convict, that
l had him sure. From the way he
acted, I am convinced that Briggs
simply concocted the story in order
to have something to show, since he
Numbered when l set him to watch
the man.
''That may have been mere
bravado."
"Well, if that is true, he is the
best actor I ever saw, or the cum
ningest rogue. Now, you have had
experience with such people"
Frank Ellison adjusted a gold mon
ocle and stared at his brother with
well-affected astonishment.
Really, my dear boy, l am at a
loss to know what you mean by such
vulgar insinuations."
James Ellison knocked over vase
on the table as he made an angry
gesture. Don't provoke me-you
are not performing-just remember
your audience, if you please. Now,
I never bothered my head about the
people you consorted with"
His brother arose and said, with .
sneer:
"Are you trying to show me how
much more respectable you are than
to gain living by our wits, You
were lucky enough to marry an heir
ess, while I was forced to live as I
could, brought up to no trade or pro-
fession, with good education and
taste for luxurious life, and no
means to crafty it,"
'There, there" said James sooth-
ingly. "I had no intention of hurt
ing your feelings, but I simply
stated the case that / wanted you to
do what you could to get possession
of this paper. Don't you see that
this impudent scoundrel holds me
fast?"
"But suppose he is the escaped
convict?"
"Bah! I believe that is all moon
shine, invented by that SNUG rascal,
Briggs. I don't put any faith in
what he may say in the future
"Well, what do you want me to
do?"
81 want you to find out, if you can,
who this fellow really is. If it is
true, as Briggs says, that he is that
celebrated criminal, you can get
some of your Che was going to say
L ,o1;oo