Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1904-09-22

gOug anu SOulC lOlhb dAV LILO
for keeping you here till it's cleared
up, just tell you what I'd do" and
Grocer Bington brought down his fat
hand hard on the top Of q sugar bar
rel. "If took that money, I'd confess
and give it up-but II didn't, I'd see
'em in H-h-Hanover first! That's
what I'd do"
"And that's just what I'm going to
do, Mr. Bington," answered Ezra, a
CLEAN of determination in his eye.
Let me off to-day and I'll get my de-
tense ready and begin the fight. It's
rainy and bad anyhow and there won't
be much doing. What do you say
can l get OFF,"
"Of course you can, Ezra. I'm just
as anxious as you are to get this thing
settled" agreed the grocer, land the
sooner it's settled the better!"
1t was dusk Of the same rain-whipped
day. The lone shack of Henry Somers
could scarcely be seen from the main
road, now inches deep with wet and
slippery clay, but sopped and be-
draggled pedestrian, turning in at the
gateway, made straight for the hut.
A vigorous rapping brought Hank"
to the door, candle in hand and cob
pipe between his teeth.
well, Ezra Norton!" cried the
rancher, "be you plum crazy? Come
right in!"
HANK" blurted Norton, 'T-No, l
amt coming in-'Hank,' hear that
you say got the $50 you lost in town
last week-but, Hank II didn't! II
didn't find your money and l amt
guilty." tremblingly, "but this talk and
suspicion is killing my wife and it's
hurting me. AS a member of the
church and an honorable citizen, I'd
I'd rather pay you this money than be
called a-thief! amt got it now, but
I'll get 1t and pay you next week when
you come to town-No, won't come
in, and I'm going back now the way
l came. l just wanted you to know,
that's all"
And before the astonished and half.
convinced Henry could interfere, Ezra
Norton had turned toward the ten
miles Of black and sticky road and
was swallowed by the plutonian dark.
ness.
well, swami" growled Somers, "ef
that Teller don't beat mel"
Grocer Bington was reading the
morning paper when, three weeks lat
er, Hank" Somers, much excited and
evidently bursting with concealed intel
ligence, clandestinely slipped through
the rear door of the store and beck
oned cautiously to Bington to follow
him into the alley.
Got all three Of 'em this mornin'-
been sick and couldn't git in afore-
had the rheumatic! This un's mailed
on the 7th, this I'm on the 9th, and
this I'm on the 11th," and Hank"
thrust three letters, one by one, into
the hands of Bington.
The groceryman, bewildered, won.
dering, opened the first letter, written
in a cramped and unruly hand, and
read:
Deer Sur: My gilty conshuns is
trublin me. Now, Hank Somers, i
found yer mony miself atween the
kofe kan an the pickul key and 1
hearn you air trim to lay this on Err
Norton who never done 1t. My con.
shuns wont stand it and i'm sendin
you $50 to-day and i'm goin to keep
sendin FASH kin. Yours truely,
1.-THE City One"
"And the hull $50 is in the three
letters" whispered Hank" joyously,
but" his face falling perceptibly,
"I'm mighty sorry fer layin' this here
Job agin Ezra Norton-an'-an say,
Bington, amt much on begin par
dons, amt never don much o. that,
but you jest git nice pair O. mittens
out o. the stock and Civ 'em to Ezra
with my compliments, an'-oh, yes,
want about IS cents wuth O. Big
Hatchet plug-and then I'm OFF,"
Grocer Bington studied the letters
long and carefully, scrutlnizing the
writing and the paper, but at last he
gave 1t UP as beyond his power to fer
ret out the guilty person. In his heart,
however, he rejoiced that the stigma
attached to the good name OF his
clerk could now be lifted. he would
put the letters in the safe and save
the surprise until evening, when the
village strategy board" met about the
grocery stove to settle "p'lnts" Of
stated He would then bring out the
evidence and. having rendered It.
would hand over the mittens to Ezra
with a nice little speech and the incl
dent would be closed with the clerks
complete vindlcation!
Thrusting the proof Of Norton's In
nocence into the safe, he slammed
shut the ponderous door. AS the mass
Of iron and steel settled into its place
with a Jar, a notebook fell from be-
hind the safe to the fioorl
Bington picked 1t up absently. He
did not remember Of having such a
pad. Opening the cover carelessly,
the groceryman gave sudden start
CHANGING about hurriedly, he reopened
the sefe and took from the pigeon
hole where he had placed them Henry
= - III Naf ~ a