The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-06

ly exercising his talents in that direc-
| ton. At the present moment he was
at large Vark gave him a bundle of
Jimmy's letters and the draft of a
memorandum which he wished TO be
| initiated in the handwriting of the alb
sent heir When this was ready Vark
watched his opportunity and slipped it
INTO Chinese jar in the back parlOr
in which he knew Jimmy had been ac-
cUstomed to keep tobacco. This recep-
tacle stood on high shelf, and had
not been touched by Jacob since his
sons departure Vark, like the clever
scoundrel he was, ascertained this fact
by the thick and undiSturbed dust
which coated jar and shelf. The trap
being thus prepared, it only remained
TO lead Jacob into il, and this Mr.
Nark arranged to do in the most skill
tuI manner He quite counted on sue
cess, but one necessary element there
to he overlooked, and that was the aid
or Hagar- But as he had designed the
whole scheme primarily for her bene-
Mt he never thought she would refuse
TO forward its aim Which blindness
showed that he was incapable of ap-
preciating or even understanding the
honesty OF the girls character.
According to his custom, he came
one evening to converse with Jacob.
The room with its solitary candle, the
starved fire, and the foggy atmosphere
were the same as on the night when
HaSar had arrived, save that now Ha-
gar herself sat sewing by the table
She froWned when Vark came cringing
into the room, but beyond greeting
him with a Slight nod she took no no
tice of the smiling scoundreI. Vark
produced his bottle of gin md sat
down near the fire opposite to Jacob /
who on this night looked very old and
feeble The old man was breaking I'D
fast and was more queruIous and crab
bed than ever. As usual, he asked |
Nark if Jimmy had answered the ad-
Vertisement. and as usual he received /
a negative reply. Jacob groaned.
'TH die this winter" said he with |
moody face, and no one will be by to |
close my eyes
What is this I hear Mr.. Dix sayr' !
cried Vark, smilingly. He fOrgets our /
beautiful Hagar."
''Hagar is all very well, but she is /
not Jimmy"
Perhaps if your dear friend knew
all he would be pleased that she isn't"
Hagar looked up in surprise at the
significant tones of Vark, and Jacob /
scCwled- What dye mean. you
shark % he demanded, a light coming
into his faded eyes
why" replied the lawyer. Turing on
the old paWnbroker, Jimmy was a
scOundrel."
Il know that, mani snapped Jacob.
He wanted your money!
Il know that also
It's probable he did retOrted Ia
cob, nOdding; but he was content to
let me take my own time to die
n m I'm not so sure of that"
Guessing that Vark had some scheme
in his head which he was striving to
bring to fulhlIment. Hagar dropped
her sewing and LOGGED sharply at him.
As Nark spoke Sh9 saw him glance at
the Chinese jar and mentally wonder
ed what possible connection that could
Eag1r~ Z.
on this point she was soon enIight-
ened.
''Vark.' said Dix, seriously. ARE YOU
going TO tell me that Jimmy wished to
Kill me?"
The lawyer held up his hands in hor-
ror- oh, dear that I should be so
he said in a piteous
tone, Jimmy was not as bad as that
my venerable friend But if someone
else had put you out of the way ne
W ould not have been sorry
DO you mean Hagar?''
let him dare say sou cried the girl.
leaping TO her feet with flaming ewes
I do not know your son. Mr.. Dix
What! said Vark, softly; mot red
haired jimmy
Hagar sat down with q male fare
'Red-haired?' she muttered. Goliath
No. it is impossfble!'' II
Nark looked at Hagar and she stared
back at him again. With the approach
ing senility of old age, Jacob had
ceased to take part in the converse
ton, and was moodiIy staring at the
miserable fire. a trembling and paIsied
creature. The idea limited at by VarL-
that Hagar had been employed nv
Jimmy to destroy him-so stupefed his
brain that he was Incapable of even
expressing an opinion. Seeing this. the
lawyer glided away from the DANGER
Gus topic, to carry out the second mart
Of his scheme.
"Oh. dear, dear,' he said, hunting in
his pockets. MY pipe is empty, and I
have no tobacco with me-
Then go without it. Mr.. Varkr', saia
Hagar sharply. There is no tobacco !
here
'Oh, yes; I think in that Jar" said
the lawyer, pointing one lean finger at
me nigh Jimmy's jar
Leave Jimmy's jar aIoner' mum
oled Jacob, saVagely. {
What! will not Mr.. Dix spare one
my pipe OF tobacco for his old friend 81
Nhlned Nark, going toward the shelf !
On, think so; I am certain and !
With this one of his long arms shot nm
ward to seize the jar. Jacob rose mn {
steadily as Nark took down the article :
and he scOwled fiercely at the daring 7 {
II MS visitor. Indifferent To what was !
gong on, Hagar continued her sew
ng.
Leave that jar of Jimmy's alone e
ell your! snarled Dix. Selling the
poker. I'm break your fox's head if ]
you don't" o
''Violence-and from gentle Mr.
Dix cried Vark. still gripping the Y
ar. "Oh, no, no, not at all If he" i
At this moment Jacob lost patience
md delivered d swinging blow at the
awyer's head r
Ever watchfuI. Vark threw hineeIf q
o one side, and the poker crashed down
N the jar. which he held in his hands
n a moment il Law in fras-r,,e,,+r - - { y,
loor. A pile of broken china. a loose
lit of dried tobacco. and 4 careInss1.. q