The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-14
deed. hope you know how thoroughly
detest that man.
CHAPTER ".

n.
THE PRICE OF AvERTING A SCANDAL.
AS the train resumed speed after stopping
at station. Grant, the porter, came back
to the observation room of the Bines car
with a telegram for Uncle Peter. The old
man read it and for time unused himself
into seeming oblivion. Across the car, near
by, Percival lounged in a wicker armchair
and stared cheerfully out into the gathering
night. He, too, was musing, his thoughts
keeping pleasantly in time with the rhyth-
mic click of the wheels over the rail-joints
After day in the open air he was growing
sleepy.
Uncle Peter aroused him by making his
way back to the desk. the roll-top OF which
he lifted with sudden rattle He called TO
Percival Sitting down at the desk he read
the telegram again and handed it to the
| young man, who read
Party will try to make good; no bluff.
Won't compromise inside limit set. Have
seen paper and wish another interview be-
lore following original Instructions. Party
Will wait torty-eisht hours before acting.
| where can You De seen? Wire office to-
might. TATE q COPLEN."
Ine young man looked up with mild in
tereSt Uncle Peter Was writing on tele-
graph blank.
--Iafe * Coplen, Butte. Montana:
| HoS o0StV s.oV a. Ill lO-itlOilOns jun iuS
on car nonght sixteen, go to Montana City.
| ID. L. h. 742 PETER BINES."
To the porter who answered his ring he
nrst stop.
But what's it all about?' asked Percival,
seeing by Uncle Peters manner that he
was expected 10 show concern.
Uncle Peter closed the desk, lighted one
| OF his best cigars, and dropped into ca
paelous chair. The young man seated HIM
| self opposite.
Wen, son. it's matter 1 carlated first
off TO handle myself, but it looks now as IL
| you better be in on il. l don't know just
now much you knew about your pas ways.
but, anyhow, you wouldn't play him 10
grade much higher above standard than the
run Of 'em out here that has had things
| comm too easy for EN- He was all right,
Dan1 ]. was. God knows l amt discountin
the comfort I've always took in him. He'd
stand acid all right, at any stage of the
game Don't forget that about your pa"
| The young man reflected.
The worst story 1 ever heard of pa was
about about the time ne wanted an to draw $4,000
grapbed the Butte National to wire his de-
| drunk"
Well, son, his periodicals. want ALL
Seems as If this crowd has way fur wom-
en-, and they generally get the gait because
| they're so blamed easy. You don't hear of
them Eastern big men gettin' it SO often.
but I've seen enough of 'em TO know it
amt because they're any straighter.
They're jest a little keener on business
propositions. They draw a fine sight when
1t comes To splittin' pennies, while men out
here like your pa is lavish and careless.
You know about lots of the others
There's Sooley Pentz, good-hearted, a
man as ever sacked ore, and plenty long
headed enough for the place he's bought In
the Senate. but Sooiey is restless until he's
bought up one end OF every town he goes
into, from Eden plumb over TO Washing
ton, d. C..-and faint ever the Sunday
school end Sooley buys, either. If he was
maxim two million month instead of one
lAxytI cyrtax h
they don't make that IS kind Of wine fast
enough.
Then there was Seth Larby. We're jest
gettin' to the details of Seth's expense &C
count after he found the Lucky Cuss. see
the courts have decided against the widow
and children, and SO they'll have to worry
or about five or six millions for the poor
lady he duped SO outrageously-with a
checker on the chips.
LAS fur old Nate kranil, a lawyer from
Cheyenne was tellin me his numerous
widows by courtesy was goin' to form an
association and share his leavin's pro raty.
Said they'd all got kind of acquainted and
made up their minds they was such a
was able to do any of the others in the
long run, so they'd divide even.
Then there was Dave Kisber, and"
Never mind any more" Percival broke
in. do you mean that my father was
mixed up like those ole Indians?"
Looks now if he was That telegram
from Coplen is concernin a lady-a party
that was with him when he died. The press
report sent out that the young and beauti-
full Mrs. Bines was with her husband, and
was Frustrated with grief. Your ma and
Pishy was up to Steamin' Springs at the
time. and KEEP it from them all right
But how was he entangled?-to what ex-
tent?"
That's what we'll get more light on in
the. morning. She made play right after
the will was filed fur probate. and 1 told
Coplen to see jest what grounds she had
and I'd settle myself if she really had any
and want unreasonable"
| Its just a question of blackmail ISM
it? What did you offer?'
well she has a slew of letters-gettin
| them is a matter of sentiment and keepin
ne thng qq sst pece Shs CLAIMS ann d to have
messed, givin' her the One Girl outright, anC
a million cash. So you can see she aim
her million cash for everything rather'r
) have any fuss. was going to fix it up my
self and keep quiet about it,"
And this telegram looks as If she wanted
to fight"
well, mebbe that and mebbe it mean:
that she knows we don't want to fight con
siderable more than million dollars
worth"
How much do you think she'll hold on
for?"
Cant tell: you don't know how big pills
she's been smokin'."
r but, damn it all, that's robbery!'
''Yes-but it's her deal. You remembel
when Billy Brue was playin' seven-up Will
: stranger in the Two-Hump saloon over t.
called him up front and whispered that he't
: jest seen the Teller turn a jack from tn,
7 bottom. Well says Billie, looking kind O
reprovin' at Chiddie, lit was his deal wa NJ
IT.? Now it's sure this blonde party's deal
and we better reckon ahead mite befor
: we start any rough house with her. YOUR
| due to find out If you hadn't better LET he
! | turn her Jack and trust to gettn' even @,
| your deal. You got a claim staked out il
New York. and a scandal like this Nigh
handicap you in workin' it, And faint a
| If hushin' her up was something w
; | couldn't well afford. AND think of how
would torment your ma to know Of then
doin's, and how 'twould shame Pish 4,
, mebbe it's our play to be sporty like Bill,
| Brue was"
e Pretty bad. isn't it? never SUSPECTED n
9 | was I'm anything of this sort" =
! well, ! knew Dan'l j. purity well. and
| spleened against some of HIS ways bu
| that's done fur. Now the folks out in thi
part of the country have come to expec
: | 1t from man like him. They don't min
much. But them New York folks-weIl
I thought mebbe you'd like to take a cIeal
: bill of health when you settle In that cente
| of culture and enlightenment-and remem
| Der your ma and Pish.
: ."Of course the exposure would mean
: lot OF cheap notoriety-''
| even If we beat. I've heard that LAWYER
= are threatenin' to stop this thing Of worktr
1 | entirely fur their health. There's that Z
. | weigh up"
But hate to be done"
q | ''Wen wouldn't you be worse done If yo
. let matter Of money, when you're reekir
= | with it, keep you from protectin' your pa'