The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1907-09-20


wen enough 10 De sure ne ~ouid not
RaVe the spot until we had found what
ID! oehihd 'he Door OF bewiidermeht'
lou didht tel the callers where
you expected 10 ma me, did you!
asked bates' as ne prushed me on IN
the kitchen.
NO. sir' Mr. stoddard received 'he
gentlemen. he rang uhe peii ior me
ana when went INTO the library ne
was saying. 'Mr. Gienarm Is at MS
studies. Bates. ne say kihuiy 'eii
MI. rieharm that III sorry 10 inter
rupt MN, put won ne please come
oo~h thoueht II rather neat SIT
considering MS clerical once. knew
you were below somewhere, sir; the
trap door was open ana iouhd you
easily enough.
Bates eyes were brighter than mad
ever seen them. A certain buoyan'
note gave an entireiy new tone 10 MS
voice. lie walked ahead OF me 10 the
('brary door, threw II open ana stood
aside.
An mere You are, Gienarm, SAID
Stoddard. Pickering ana stranger
STOOD near the fireplace In their over
coats.
PICKERING advanced and ohered his
hand. but turned away from nm with
out taking II. HIS companion, buriy
rountryman, stood staring. paper In
his hand.
Ihe sherin. PICKERING explained,
"and our business Is rather personal
He glanced at Stoddard. who looked
at me.
Mr.. Stoddard Will do me the kind
ness to remain" ! said and took my
stand beside the chaplain.
Oh! Pickering CALCULATED scorn-
fully. Il didn't understand that your
relations with the neighborinS c'ergr
were so intimate. Your taste Is i'm.
proving. Glenarm.
Mr.. Glenarm Is friend OF mine.
remarked Stoddard quietly. "A very
particular friend, he added.
Il congratulate you-both.
] laughed. Pickering was surveying
the room as he spoke.-and Stoddard
suddenly stepped toward him. merely.
] think. to draw mp chair Tor the
sheriff: but Pickering. not hearing
Stoddard's step on the soft rug until
the clergyman was close beside him.
started perccptibly and reddened.
II was certainly ludicrous. and when
Stoddard faced me again he was biting
his lip.
Pardon me-! he murmured.
= Now gentlemen win you kindly
state your business7 My own affairs
-
Pickering was studying the cartridge
boxes on the library table. The sheriff.
too. was viewing these effects with in.
terest not. ! think, unmixed with awe.
Sienarm. dont IKE 10 invoke the
law TO e)ect you from this property.
but ] am lett with no alternative. ]
can't stay out here indefinitely, and
want TO kno" WHAT'S m 10 expect.
Ihat Is tair question rephed'
III II were merely matter OF follow
Ing the terms OF the VIII ] should not
hesitate or be here now bn' II isn't
the VIII, or nv grandfather that keeps
mo. It's the determination to give you
all the annoyance possible,-to make
II hard ana mighty hard Tor you 10 get
ho'd Oh 'h's mouse uh,'' ! nave 'ounu
why you arc 80 n"cn Interested IN II,
iou Always ha" sra"o wa! III
money matters. As ! '"'a so" "e'ore
you came out mere poor STAKE.
me assets consist "no''s o' 'h's 'ana
ana 'h's mouse whose aua'''s so" nave
had an eNce'ieh' opportunity 10 test
ion nave uo"o''ess hesru .ha' 'he
co"h'r! people "ei'e'e 'nere Is none!
concealed here',o"' "aIe say you
nave eSna"s.ea 'ne p'ss'o',,oes. inis
is no' he nrs' N"e r'en man mas
aied. iea''hs precious niue oeh'hu
h'm'
YOU seem very anxious to get pos
session OF property that you call
poor stake, ! said "A Few acres OF