Mower County transcript., 1904-04-13

=" ~
freight" :
mo other way out of it?" = =
"Na." -,
Thorpe was seized with an idea. =
"Here!" he cried. "See that bowlder
over there? I want to ship that to
Mackinaw City by freight ON this
boat"
The scotchman's eyes twinkled ap'
preciatively.
I'm dootin' ye hae tn freight bill
from the office, )" he objected simply.
"See here" replied Thorpe, "I've got
to get that boat. It's worth $50 to me.
and I'll square it with the captain.
There's your twenty"
The Scotchman deliberated, looking
aslant at the ground and thoughtfully
oiling cylinder with greasy rag.
1T III ma be a matter Of life and
death?'' he asked hopefully. "She aye
stops for life and DEATH"
NO." replied Thorpe reluctantly.
Then, with an explosion: Eyes, by
boat I'll kill your
The Scotchman chuckled and pocket
ed the money.
Pm dootin' that's in order," he re-
piled. "I'll be no party to any such
proceedin's. I'm goin' moo for fresh
pail of WAITER" he remarked, pausing
at the door, "but as q wee item of in
formation yander's th' wheestle rope.
and mon wheestles one short and one
long for th' boat"
He disappeared. Thorpe seized the
cord and gave the signal. Then he
ran hastily to the end of the long lum-
ber docks and peered with great eager
ness in the direction of the black
smoke.
The steamer was as vet concealed be-
hind low spit of land which ran out
from the west to form one side of the
harbor. In a moment, however, her
bows appeared headed directly down
toward the strait of Mackinaw. When
opposite the little bay, with a grand,
free sweep she turned and headed di-
rectly for him. = ..,
He negotiated briefly with the cap
tain, paid $40 more for speed and the
, privilege of landing at Mackinaw City.
Then he slept for eight hours on end
and was awakened in time to drop into
small boat, which deposited him on
the broad sand beach of the lower pen
hsula.
The train was just leisurely making
up for departure. Thorpe, dressed as
he was in old pepper and salt" gar
ments patched with buckskin, his hat
a Topping travesty on headgear,- his
moccasins worn and dirty, his face
bearded and bronzed, tried as much
as possible to avoid attention He sent
an instant telegram to Wallace Carpen-
ter conceived as follows:
Wire thirty thousand my order care land
Office Detroit, before o'clock tomorrow
morning. Do it if you have to rustic all
night. Important.
Then he took seat in the baggage
car on pile of boxes and philosoph-
ically waited for the train to start. He
knew that sooner or later the man, pro-
vided he were on the train, would stroll
through the car, and he wanted to be
out Of the way. The baggage man
proved friendly, so Thorpe. chatted
with him till after bedtime. Then he
entered the smoking car and waited
patiently for morning.
At the last thought Thorpe decided
to send a second message from the
next station. He did so. 1t read:
Another buyer Of timber on same train
with me. Must have money at 9 o'clock
or lose land.
He paid day rates on it to insure i'm
mediate delivery. Suppose the boy
should be away from home!
Everything depended on Wallace
Carpenter, and Thorpe could not but
confess the chance slender. One other
thought made the night seem long.
Thorpe had but $50 left.
Morning came at last, and the train
drew in and stopped. Thorpe, being
in the smoking car, dropped off first
IA stationed himself near ,the exit
Snere he could look over the passen-
gers without being seen. They filed
past: TO two only he could accord the
role of master lumbermen, and in these
two Thorpe recognized DAILY and Nor
rison themselves. They passed within
ten feet of him, talking earnestly to-
gether. At the curb they. hailed a cab
and drove away. Thorpe with salts
faction heard them call the name of a
hotel. - /-,s,. - d g. +
1t was still two hours before the land
Office would be open. J. -, SO 1 :-- 3: 5sss2 2@
Thorpe repaired at once to a boarding
house off Fort street, where he had
''outfitted" three months before. There
he reclaimed his valise, shaved, clothed
himself in linen and cheviot once more
and sauntered slowly to the land Office
to await it's opening. +
At 8 o'clock neither Of the partners
had appeared Thorpe entered the Of
fice and approached the desk.
rs there a telegram here for Harry
Thorpe?" he inquired.
+, The clerk to whom he addressed him
self merely motioned with his head to-
ward young fellow behind the railing
in a corner. The latter shifted COM
fortably and replied ..lN4o No. z &
At the same instant; stens yvnra hoo M