The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-08

saw what he had done, and checked
himself instantly.
Mrs. Forbes-Gask colored up in the
usual manner.
IL don't quite understand" she fall
tered.
Charles scrambled out of it somehow.
white heather for luck" he said,
"and-the man who is privileged to give
piece of it to you is surely lucky"
She smiled, none too well pleased. /
somehow felt she suspected US of sus-
pecting her.
However, as it turned out, nothing
came after all. OF the untoward Incl
dent.
Next day Charles burst upon me.
triumphant.
well, he has shown his hand!" he
cried. II knew he would. He has come
to me today with-what do you think?
A fragment of gold, in quartz, from the
Long mountain"
mol" I exclaimed.
YES" Charles answered, che says
there's a vein there with distinct specks
of gold in it, which might be worth
mining. When a man begins that way
you know what he's driving at! And,
what's more, he's got up the subject be-
forehand, for he began saying to me
there had long been gold in Sutherland
shire-why not. therefore, in Ross
shire? And then he went at full into
the comparative geology of the two re-
gions."
This is serious" said. What will
you do?"
wait and watch" Charles answered;
land the moment he develops a pro-
posal for shares in the syndicate to
work the mine, or sum of money down
ae Of hfG dfSanUarN-CQf in the
police and arrest him."
For the next few days the professor
was more active and ardent than ever
He went peering about the rocks on
every side with his hammer. He kept
on bringing in little pieces of stone,
with gold specks stuck in them, and
talking learnedly of the probable cost
of crushing and milling" Charles had
heard all that before; in point of fact,
he had assisted at the drafting of some
dozens of prospectuSeS. So he took no
notice, and waited for the man with the
wig to develop his proposals. He knew
they would come soon; and he watched
and waited. But, of course, to draw
him on he pretended to be interested.
While we were all in this attitude of
mind, attending on Providence and
Colonel Clay, we happened to walk
down by the shore one day, in the OPP
posite direction from the Seamew's ISL
and Suddenly we came upon the pro-
fessor linked arm in arm with-Sir
Adolphus Cordery! They were wrapped
in deep talk and appeared to be most
amicable.
Now, naturally, relations had been a
trifie strained between Sir Adolphus
and the house of Vandrift since the in
cident of the Slump; but under the
-
matter at stake as the capture of Col
onel Clay, it was necessary to overlook
all such minor differences. So Charles
managed to disengage the professor
from his friend, sent Amelia on with
Forbes Gasken toward the castle and
stopped behind, himself, with Sir
Adolphus and me, to clear up the ques-
ton.
do you know this man. Cordery?"
he asked. with some little suspicion.
Know him? Why, OF course do"
Sir Adolphus answered. Hes Marina
duke Forbes-Gaskell of the Yorkshire
college, a very distinguished man of
science. First rate mineralogist-per-
haps the best Cbut one) in England"
Modesty forbade him to name the ex-
ception.
but are you sure it's hep" Charles
inquired WITH BIOWtnE UOuDL HIdtC
you known him before? This isn't
second case Of Schleiermachering me,
is it?'
Sure it's he?" Sir Adolphus echoed.
"Am I sure of myself? Why, I've known
Marmy Gaskell ever since we were at
Trinity together. Knew him before he
married Miss Forbes Of Glenluce, my
wife's second cousin, and hyphened his
name with hers, to keep the property
I'm the family. Know them both most
intimately. Came down here to the inn
because ] heard that Nanny was on
the prowl among these hills, and i
thought he had probably something
good to prowl after-in the way Of fos-
sils"
''But the man wears a wigp' Charles
expostulated.
"Of course" Cordery answered. Hes
as bald as a bat-in front at least-and
he wears a wig to cover his badness"
It's disgraceful!" Charles exclaimed;
"disgraceful-taking us in like thati"
And he grew red as a turkey cock.
Sir Adolphus has no delicacy. He
burst out laughing.
ooh. I see," he cried out, simply
bursting with amusement. You
thought Forbes-Gaskell was Colonel
Clay is disguise! Oh, my stars, what
lovely one!
you, at least, have no right to
laugh" Charles responded, drawing
himself up and growing still redder.
''You led me once into a similar scrape
and then backed out of 1t in a way
unbecoming a gentleman. Besides" he
went on. getting angrier at each word,
''this fellow. whoever he is, has been
trying to cheat me on his own account.
Colonel Clay or no Colonel Clay, he's
been sailing my rocks with gold bear
ing quartz and trying to lead me on
into an absurd speculation"
Sir Adolphus exploded.
"Oh, this is too good" he cried. "I
must go and tell Marmyl" And he rush
ed off to where Forbes-Gaskell was
seated on a corner OF rock with Amelia.
As for Charles and myself. we re-
turned to the house. Half an hour later
Forbes-Gaskell came back, too, in a
towering temper.
What is the meaning of this, sir?"
he shouted out. as soon as he caught
sight of Charles. I'm told you've in
vited my wife and myself here to your
house in order to spy upon US, under
the impression that I was Clay, the
notorious swindler!'
II thought you WERE" Charles an
swered. equally angry. Perhaps you
may be still, Anyhow, you're a rogue,
and you tried to bamboozle mel"