The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-09-28
CHAPTER XII.

THE wealthiest man in the world!'
The words rang oddly on Haryey's ears,
and singular feeling assaiied him The
light had begun to fade, and the flicker
ing fire was playing strange pranks with
that strangers face which confronted
him. He sat like q man in q dream, half
hypnotized 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 was born near hereT
''Yes," said Harvey. II know that
from my father. He brought me here on
q sort of pilgrimage to the old place
years ago. It was his wish to have been
buried near his own people; but we were
deadly poor when he died, and his desire
went for nothing"
''Did you ever hear your father speak
of Tom Monboddo?' Jethroe asked.
"A doctors" said Harvey. IAN old
school fellow of his who went abroadT'
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
have my life. / needn't bother you with
the whole story yet. You'll know 1t 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 / trust
all to you. Monboddo, who has wretch
ed little practice, is going to be obliging
enough to kill me-in a medical certif-
cate, you understand. You are the one
curysvtu0 81 h uo
will apprise you of my decease, and in re-
Spouse to my known wishes you and he
will have me buried close by here at
Burton You viii attend the funeral
ceremony. My will lies with your old
employers You will take out letters of
administration 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 j ask for in the
way Of money. | shall want ten thou
sand dollars 10 go on with. / can't draw
check myself, because, for anything
that / can tell, may be dead by this
time down in Burton, and It will never
do for dates to overlap"
II beg your pardon, SIR" said Harvey
IFS a queer business I must think
about it,
Think about it by all means" Jethroe
answered eoolly. Its a matter of life
and death TO me, remember"
Tell me, sir" Harvey asked, after a
long psuse; had you any intention of
this sort in your mind when we first
metz
"Ah- returned Jethroe. II see your
drift You mean to ask If l made bid
for you body and soul when / paid that
fifty thousand to your credit. Is that it?'
That is it," Harvey answered grave
~.
Il give you my word Of honor" said
Jethroe, "and I'm your fathers brother,
Harvey. that at that time l never had
a notion that 1 should need your help in
any way. / can stop Monboddo by a
wire most likely. I'm willing 20 try, and
to take my chance as I 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 / 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 IN
derstand one or two things before I 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. suppose, tina. some one
or more of them was answerable for
Edgecome's deathT'
Yes; that's as clear as daylight He
pretended to be me, and they took him
ut 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 / want to know, before / en-
ter on so strange aud dark business as
you suggest to me, why it Is that you
should find 1t necessary to stink and hide
from a 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 a natural question" said Jeth-
roe-''thst's a natural question enough.
But according to all that can make out
there are not more than three of the
villains here, and there are a dozen of
them elsewhere. Suppose / show them
that know they killed Tom Edgecome.
Suppose get one of EN- hanged. Sup
pose / get police protection here. How
il that going to avail me when go back
to South America and verify this? He
struck a 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
incursion on a savage country, and leave
the gang to raise trouble behind me. /
could march a good-sized band to certain
death that way. But then, you sec, /
prefer to use what wits I have and trick
the scoundrels instead of rushing Ike q
bull at gate and making their victory
certain"
very well, sir" said Harvey, looking
at his watch. I've ten minutes in which
to get to the nearest bank. I'll go and
arrange for that ten thousand. Will II
be enough for your purposeT"
Ample for the time being" Jethroe
answered. In a little while you'll have
control of everything, and l should expect
you not to stint me-"
Il should not employ penny-piece OF
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