Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-08-22
CHAPTER XII


him. He sat like man in dream, half
hypnotized by the glittering eyes that
held his ewn.
You know" said Jethroe, with sud
den change of tone which brought the
young man back to full consciousness
you know that | was born near hereT
Yes" said Harvey. Il know that
from my father. He brought me here on
a sort of pilgrimage to the OLD place
years ago. 1t was his wish to have been
buried near his own people; but we we're
deadly poor when he died, and his Grsire
went for nothing"
Did you ever hear your father speak
OF Tom MonboddoY Jernroe asSed.
"A dOctor?" said Harvey 's&n old
school fellow of his who went abroadY
That's the man. He's a poor, shifty,
needy rascal, and I've bought him. That
crowd you know of, that Ezekiel gang,
mean to have this" He laid his hand
once more strongly upon the leathern
satchel. Failing that, they mean to
nave my life. l needn't bother you with
the whole story yet. You'll know it all in
time. But the fact is that so long as
am alive there's no real safety for me
night or day. Now, this is where l trust
all to you. MonboddO, who has a wretch
ed little practice, is going to be obliging
enough to kill me-in a medical certih-
cate, you understand. You are the one
surviving member of the family. He
VIII apprise you of my decease, and in re-
Spouse to my known wishes you and he
VIII have me buried close by here at
Burton. You will attend the funeral
ceremony. My will lies with your old
employers. You will take out letters of
administration as my sole heir. It will
be your business to make the news of the
death as public as you can. You'll have
to supply me with what | ask for in the
way of money. l shall want ten thou
sand dollars to go on with. l can't draw
check myself, because, for anything
that l can tell, 1 may be dead by this
time down in Burton, and it will never
do for dates to overlap"
l beg your pardon, sir" said Harvey.
Its queer business. l must think
about it."
Think about it by all MEANS" Jethroe
answered coolly. IT'S matter of life
and death TO me, remember"
Tell me, SIR" Harvey asked. after a
long pause; had you any intention of
this sort in your mind when we first
metz"
"Ah" returned Jethroe 81 see your
drift. You mean to ask if I made bid
for you body and soul when l paid that
nifty thousand to your credit. Is that it?''
That is it," Harvey answered grave
ly.
Il give you my word of honor" said
Jethroe, "and I'm your fathers brother,
Harvey, that at that time l never had
notion that l should need your help in
any way. | can stop Monboddo by a
wire most likely. I'm willing to try, and
to take my chance as 1 am, If you mis-
trust me. But my plans the only one
that l can think of to throw those ras-
Gals off my track, and 1 don't see how |
can carry it through without you. Come,
Harvey, I'm trusting you with every
thing-life and fortune"
Look here, sir" Harvey said, after
another lengthy pause. II want to I'M
derstand one or two things before l go
further. On what grounds are these men
the men of the Ezekiel firm, as that
fellow Taylor called them-pursuing
your"
They want my secret, my lad" said
Jethroe, quietly.
You believe, l suppose, that some one
or more of them was answerable for
Edgecome's death?
Yes; that's as clear as daylight. He
pretended to be me, and they took him
Mt his word and murdered him"
us that your property-honorably
honestly your property the younger
man asked, pointing to the satchel which
Still lay upon the table.
There is no creature In the world"
said Jethroe, returning the satchel to
his pocket and buttoning it over. "who
has any right to take it from me-"
Then l want to know, before l en-
ter on so strange and dark business as
you suggest to me, why it is that you
should find it necessary to stink and hide
from band of ruffians whose hands are
already stained with blood when you
could invoke the aid of the police to
hunt them DOWN."
That's natural question" said Jeth-
roe-'that's a natural question enough.
But according to all NAat can make out
there are not more than three of the
villains here, and there are a dozen of
them elsewhere. Suppose l show them
that L know they killed Tom Edgecome.
Suppose l get one of 'em hanged. Sup
pOSo get pOliSe pTOlScIlOu mere. how
is that going to avail me when l go back
to South America and verify this? He
struck hand of sudden emphasis above
his heart where the treasured packet lay.
Surely, said Harvey, you could
take an armed escort on your searchY'
Il could do that" Jethroe answered
sardonically. Il could make an armed
ncursion on savage country, and leave
the gang to raise trouble behind ME. l
could march a good-sized band to certain
death that way. But then, you see, l
prefer to use what wits l have and trick
the scoundrels instead of rushing like a
bull at gate and making their victory
certain"
Very well, SIR" said Harvey, looking
Mt his watch. I've ten minutes In which
to get TO the nearest bank. I'll 60 and
arrange for that ten thousand. Will II
be enough for your purpose?'
Ample for the time being" Jethroe
answered. in a little while you'll have
control of everything, and should expect
you not TO stint me-"
II should not employ a penny piece of
1t, his nephew answered, without your
authority"
How like his father the lad isl
unused Jethroe the elder when he was
left alone, Straight as a die, but cred
ulous and simple. True rs it is, and solid
as it is. there's not one man in thou
sand would believe this yarn of mine. If
any other man brought it TO me, l should
want chapter and verse for every line
of 1t. And now" he muttered, half
aloud, as he arose and began to pace
up and down the room. come on, Eze-
kiel; come on, Little William! Let US
see who wins" Suddenly he paused and
brought both hands resoundingly togeth-
er. He stood stock still in that attitude
for full minute, with smile of triumph
broadening il his eyes. IN do it! III
do it. Admirabler' He bent in silent
laughter and rubbed his palms together
IN sell the beggars. I'll make 'em
dream and hope! III fool EN-! Mon
boddo's the man for that job. I'll have
that joke to keep me young for the next
forty years"
When Harvey returned the blinds were