Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-11-11
CHAPTER XIV.

Had / taken that canvas bag to Graf
nor early in the morning instead of the
evening. many things might have turned
out differently; among other things, Da-
vid's extraordinary scheme of revenge
might never have been possible. If |
had told Daniel Leighan the strange
thing had witnessed from Hooknor Tor,
he must certainly have connected the
box taken from Grimspound with the
box of his own papers.
The scheme was almost worthy of Da
vid's American pals-the gentlemen who
had all done something" The box,
when David had carried it home, proved
to be quite full of papers. His own
knowledge of their value was slight. but
he knew very well that signed papers
had been his own destruction, and that
the possession of signed papers made his
uncle rich.
David called upon his uncle about IL
o'clock in the forenoon. He was receiv-
ed with the cordially generally extended
to all needy relations. Mr.. Leighan shut
fled his papers as a sign that he was
busy and wished the call to be short,
nodded his head with scant courtesy, and
asked his nephew what he came for.
i've come, uncle" David began very
slowly, spreading himself upon a chair
and producing a small brown paper
packet. I've come, uncle"
Don't be longer than you can help.
David. Get to the subject at once, if
you can. Say what you came to say,
and then go away and leave me with my
own business. It's high time you were
looking after your own. Will George
Sidcote give you job? l hear you bor-
rowed bed yesterday. and a chair and
table, and that you have settled in the
cottage-my cottage. Very good. l don't
mind if you have it rent free till you
get into work, when you'll have to pay
your rent like your neighbors. If you be-
gin any more nonsense about robbing you
of your land you go out at once"
David, at the risk of seeming monot
onous. uttered a forceful wish for the
destruction of his uncles cottage.
IF that is all you came to say,
nephew, the sooner you go the better
And the sooner you clear out of my cot
tage and leave the parish, the better, or
I'll make the place too hot for you-''
81 didn't come to rail at you, uncle"
said David, more meekly. eff you
4
hold your tongue and listen. I've got
something very serious to say, and it's
about your business. toov'
Then make haste about it,
six years ago, they tell me. you
were robbed, that night when you fell
off your pony, after I'd gone away"
ut was the evening of that very day"
"Ah!'-David's eyes smiled, though
his lips did Motive little thought when
| used those words with which we part
ed how quick they'd come true. When
you lay there on the broad of your back.
now, your face white and your eyes open,
but never seeing so much as the moon in
the sky did you think of your nephew.
whose farm you'd robbed. and did you
say, David, it's a judgmentY"
mo, l didn't, David"
You felt it all the more, then. Very
well. While you lay there, as they tell
me, some one comes along and robs you
What did you lose, uncle? Was it your
watch and chain and all your money p
mo; my watch and chain were not
taken, and only little of the money"
Uncle, are you sure you were robbed
Do you think that robbers ever leave
money behind them? Was the money
taken in notes, or was 1t in goldT
at was all In gold. Fifty pounds ir
one bag, twenty pounds in the other, anc
beth bags in one pocket. The small bal
was taken and the big bag left. Blu
what does 1t matter to your
"You shall see presently. am goin,
to surprise you, uncle. What else dl,
you lose besides the little bagi'