Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-08-09

want is the pawn ticket and your TN
dertakinc to leave me alone from this
day on
Leave you alour. | shall get
berth Of some sort aboard an India
man that sails on Monday. Do you
mean 1t. Rlaydes? Do you mean what
you say"
Mean It? OF course I mean 1t. Put
the watch In your pocket and give me
a pencil"
land the chainF'
'And the chain"
1t was made of long gold links and
short silver ones. with a huge bunch
of seals at one end. Tom pocketed the
lot without conjunction and then pro-
duced his stump of lead pencil.
Here you are"
Got any paper"
Not scrap"
well, we'll. then we must make this
do" And Blaydes produced small
sheaf OF blue paper tied with pink
tape leaned upon the stile and. with
out untyinG the tape. wrote for little
on the outside sheet, moistening the
pencil with his tongue.
"Sign that" said he and handed the
packet to Tom. who held ii to the light
and read us follows:
Received from J. Montgomery Blaydes.
late captain Coldstream guards. his watch
and chain. etc. In settlement of all
claims and in consideration of which /
! undertake TO return pawn ticket FOR same
TO said J. NJ. Blaydes. Ivy cottage. West
End. within three days from this date.
! Signed -. April q. 1887.
Tom read this tersc deed twice
through. looked again Mt the watch
and chain. weighed them in his hand.
! took n third look ut the paper and sign
cd his name in the blank space with
out word.
Good" said Blaydes. pocketing the
roll. Now l think you'll have no OBJ
lection to giving me back that worth
| less check. Come. perhaps 1t wasn't
such pure accident. after all. but !
And honestly regret i'll do. indeed
Still without word. Tom handed
him the CHECK. whereupon Blaydes
twisted il up, struck a lucifcr and ig-
nited the paper ut one end. and as II
burned he picked off and powdered the
charred bits between finger and
thumb, while the yellow flame made
his smooth face yellower than ever.
They parted, Tom going his way alone.
Tom pushed on with light step and
q swimming brain. The sudden change
In his poor little fortunes seemed too
good to be true. Thrtyfive pounds Is
not q mint Of money. but to Erickson
II was something like one; at least II
was his ALL for he had no right to
enother penny in the world. The sum
represented his full capital as we'll a
his last chance In life. And he had II
safe In his pocket in the shape OF
Blayjes watch and chain.
The moon was hidden now. Ton
had difficulty in seeing and following
the beaten path and was unduly star
tied by Il fellow wnif. who suddenly
stood before him In the darkness.
Got the time about yer. guv'norT
said high. hoarSe voice.
mo, II don't possess watch.
stammered Tom, taken as much abacl
by the question rs by the questioneE
And he graspcd the repeater In on,
pocket and doubled the other fist.
"IIa. see you don't" rcJoined tn
other as the moon shone forth Mt tina
moment. NO arm done. l 'ope. WI
can't all be real swells. can wef'
And Tom was left shuddering fron
single moonlight glimpse Of hor
rlble face horribly distigured. Diseas
had RACED the nose To the level OF tn
stubhy. shrunken checks: the YER
eyes We're more prominent but wolf
ish. unsteady. and little better to see.
To BE CONTINUED.