Chicago eagle., 1905-08-12
TIE DIAMOND RIVER
CHAPTEI, XII.
~ DAVID MURRAY

sThe wealthiest man In the world" |
The words rang oddly on Harvey's ears. |
and q singular feeling assailed him. The |
light had begun to fade. and the flicker |
ing FIRE was playing strange pranks with
that strangers face which confronted
him. lie sat like man In n dream, half
hypnotixed by the glittering eyes that
held his own.
"You know" said Jethroe. with a sud
den change of tone which brought the
young man back to full consciousness
'you know that I was born near hereY'
EYES," said Harvey. 81 know that
from my father. lie brought me here on
q sort of pilgrimage to the old place
years ago. 1t was his wish to have been
buried near his own people; but we were
deadly poor when lie died. and his desire
went for nothing
"Did you ever hear your father speak
Of Tom MonboddoT Jethroe asked.
"a doctorT said Harvey. "An old
school fellow of his who went abroadT
'Thats the nan. He's 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
satclel. Failing that. they mean to
have my life. needn't bother you with
the whole story yet. You'll know II all In
time. But the fact Is that 80 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 wretch
ed little practice, Is going to be obliging
enough to kill me--in n medical certiii-
cate, you understand. You are the one
surviving member Of the family. He
will apprise you Of my decease. and In re-
spOnse to my known wishes you and he
will 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. 1t 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
Q check myself. because, for anything
that l can tell. may be dead by this
time down In Burton. and 1t will never
do for dates to overlap"
beg your pardon. SIR" said Harvey.
"lt's queer business. l must think
about It,"
"Think about 1t by all MEANS" Jethroe
answered coolly. ITS 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"
"Ab" returned Jethroe. II see your
drift. You mean to ask II made a bid
Tor You body and soul when I paid that
fifty thousand to your credit. Is that It p
THAT is It," Harvey answered grave
u.
II give you my word Of honor" said
Jethroe, "and I'm your fathers brother.
Harvey, that mt that time I never had
. notion that l should need your help In
any way. l can stop Monboddo by n
wire most likely. I'm willing to try, and
to take my chance as I Am. II you in,s.
trust me. But my plans the only one
that l can think Of to throw those ras.
calls of my track, and don't see how
can carry 1t 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 un.
derstand one or two things before 70
further. On what grounds are these men
the men of the Ezekiel firm. as tha,
fellow Taylor called then-pursuins
your"
"rhey want my secret, my lad" said
Jethroe, quietly.
''You believe, I suppose, that some ono
or more OF them was answerable fol
Edgecome's death!'
"Yes; that's as clear rs daylight. HI
pretended to be me, and they took hin
at his word and murdered him."
els that your property--honorably
honestly your property?'' the younger
man asked, pointing to the satchel which
still lay upon the table.
'rhere IL no creature In the world,
said JethrOe, returning the satchel Il
his pocket and buttOning 1t over, "wh,
has any right to take 1t from me-"
''rhen ] want to know, before I en-
ter on so strange and dark a business Al
you suggest to me. why 1t IL that yo,
should find II necessary to stink and hid
from band Of rufilans whose hands ar
already stained with blood when yol
could invoke the s!d ot the police 4
hunt them DOWN."
''That's natural question:" said Jeth
soe-"that's natural question enough
But according to all that can make on
there are not more than three of tn
villains here. and there are dozen o
them elsewhere. Suppose l show then
that know they killed Tom Edgecome
Suppose l get one Of 'em hanged. Sup
pose l get police protection here. How
Il that going to avail me when go bac
to South America and verify this? II
struck hand Of sudden emphasis abOv
his heart where the treasured packet lay
Surely" said Harvey, "yOu cOul
take an armed escort on your searchf"
~ could do that" Jethroe answers
sardonically. II could make an arme
incursion' on a savage country. and leav
the gang to raise trouble behind me.
could march good-sized band to certai
death that way. But then, you see,
prefer to use what wits have and tric
the scoundrels instead of rushing like
bull at a gate and making their victor
certain"
"Very well, sir" said Harvey, lookln
at his watch. "I've ten minutes in whic
to get to the nearest bank. III go an
arrange for that ten thousand. VIII
be enough for your purpose?'
sample for the time being" Jethro
answered. I'm little while you'll hav
control of everything, and l should expet
you not to stint me-"
II should not employ penny-piece @
It," his nephew answered, without you
authority"