The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-02-11
The Curiosity Vendor

. p'Du hiol INNS WI f'ih'i 'AV" ."
the curio business today
Fairly good. Can do anything for
youi'
"Since you deal IN old manuscripts,
| have thought | might sell you one"
"Um The prices We get for manu-
scripts are so poor that il hardly pays
us to buy them, even when we get
them at our own terms But TO whom
am indebted for this visit don't
know that | ever saw you before
"Call me Damon. ! don't care to be
known just now, especially in this
transaction. If the police should get
hold of the matter, they might make
trouble for me"
The ShOpkscpCr turned a pair of gray
eyes partly covered 10y shaggy eye
brows. like those of terrier dog, on
his visitor
"lf | could find certain man." con
tiuucd Damon, IL could sell it to him
for every cent he has in the world"
Ncrdcr said nothing for Il time. lie
appeared to h" puzzled 10y the singular
statement. Damon was watching him
closely. why do you come hcrct' said
Vcrdcr at last
81 have thought you might find the
man for me"
There was another pause, at the end
OF which Ncrdcr said:
81 could tell better about that IL
knew his name"
at is Dealy."
Vcrdrr turned from the piercing
glance the other brought to bear upon
him, went to desk and began to look
over his cashbook.
"You don't seem TO know him"
mo, don't You must excuse me. I
am busy today. Last night there was
an error in my cash"
Would You not like TO see the bit
OF paper refer to-" asked Damon.
1T would not interest me-"
Not even to know where 1t was
found?'
The curio merchant seemed not to
hear the question. He was adding
column of figures. Damon proceeded:
81 had visit the other day from n
dealer in secondhand furniture. He
told me that he had bought Il desk that
had belonged to an old man who was
found one morning some years ago
dead I'm his bed Had il not been for
some blue marks on his thrOat-there
were three right hand finger marks, the
third finger missing his death wOnld
have been attributed to heart disease.
As II was II was believed that he was
murdered When his estate was set.
tied, instead of finding S500.0OO in gov
Ia a, s,1h had
Informed his family he had put away
for certain use none was found.
Well. as | see that ! am boring you |
will cOndcnsc what ! have to say. The
furniture dealer who bought the desk
was putting ii In order when he came
upon a secret drawer In which was
letter. That's the letter | came here to
sell"
Meanwhile the curio dealer had ceas
ed to add figures and was listening
breathlcssly. when the speaker had
finished he turned his face to a fire
place fitted with n colonial mantcl.
brass andirons and fender He placed
his hands on the mantcl. bowed his
head and groaned. The third finger on
his right hand was missing.
Presently he turned.
What do You want for your-your
curio?" he asked
"You wouldn't buy 1t without seeing
II, would yOuT
81? wouldn't buy il, but know a
man who
Just so. I thought you would know
somebody who would take an interest
In hn I think N mould
sharpen your faculties to see the letter
or at least hear It read. | will read it
to you" And, taking paper from his
pocket, he read aloud:
must have the rest Of the bonds before
the close Of the month. If not you will
J not live to complete the year IDEALLY.
"The name is made up" continued
Damon, looking up at his victim.
"That's plain. It's the word 'dcal'-a
pretty vllanous deal, | should say.
How much would your friend pay for
the Irttcr?"
"Namr the price" said Vcrder hoarse.
lY
"Thc missing bonds"
"if YOU will come in tomorrow, | will
tell you what have done"
~ must know today"
"Well, remain here. | will be back
within half an hour"
"If you need 10 send a messenger,
call one, but I'm timid man and
wouldn't like TO be left so long alone
What guarantee has this-Dealy-
that he will not be prosecuted|
"Ah. Now we are getting to some
thing that interests you. Look at this
He drew from his pocket paper
+ which he handed 10 Verder. Verder
read 1t and put 1t In his own pocket
1t was an naturalization.
Now you're acting like n sensible
man. But ! want TO explain 10 you
that the estate OF the man who was
bled Of his bonds turned out a shell
and his family are impoverished. That's
why Mr.. Dealy escapes the gallows
See"
} Yerder took up an old bayonet, Da.
= mon drew n revolver. but he had no
occasion to use II. Verder used the