Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-04-17

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she said. in a querulous voice. He
was a bright little fellow, and we all
liked him. We had hard pickin' to get
I along, but pa her voice was reminis-
Gently sweet as she pronounced the
affectionate name by which her hus-
band was known, PA had a big family
to support, and did the best he
could
1--WE been comfortable since Char
ley grew no, though, because he takes
care of me since he's been able to-
Farwell had not mentioned this fact
to Cheney, and it increased his re-
spect for the young man.
| Mrs. Farwell," he replied, did you
or your husband ever have any idea
as to who were the parents of Bias
ket Charley?"
NO, sir, l can't say that We had.
There was note pinned to his cloth
! ing
Yes, / know that" interrupted
Cheney. Il have it here"
There was a family living near
at the time, Reyburn by name. There
were two girls, one of them, Maggie,
disappeared a year before Charley
was left with us. Sometimes I've
| thought maybe they knew something
about the case. Once | asked the 9th
er sister, Jane, where Maggie was,
and she froze up and said she didn't
know. That was all. Jane Reyburn
| is married and lives in Chatham now.
What is her name?' asked Cheney,
interested.
Rogers, / believe. Her husband is
lawyer chap"
| 1t was only a slight cIew, but it was
worth following up, so Cheney babe
Mrs Farwell good-by and left. First
he Investigated as far as possible the
Reyburn family. There had been the
| father and two daughters, and they
had lived on a small farm near EX-
moor. When they first came there
everything was pleasant. but they kept
| pretty much to themselves. One boy
about IA years of age did chores
about the place and helped Mr.. Rey-
burn. This boys name was Roy
Belcher. Of the two girls Maggie was
I the best looking. AS one old settler
put it: She was quite comedy, and
acted as if she was better than other
| girls. She received letters from afar"
| (evervOne in the small community
knew every ones business, especially
the garrulous postmaster) ''and every
once in awhile she went to Detroit to
visit friends" This old settler was
! prolific of information.
Did you ever hear of Basket Char
| Iey?'" asked Cheney.
What, Farwells founding? Oh,
yes, / remember him we'll"
Ever have any idea how he became
Farwell's foundling?"
No; but I've suspiciOned several
times that the Reyburns knew some
thing about it. You see, year before
| Charley was found Maggie Reyburn
| left home for good. Old man Reyburn
| failed and died Jane tried to run
the place, but didn't succeed. She
wasn't very sociable, and no one ever
went there. She and the boy were
all there were about the place. They
| left one night, just the day before
Charley was found; the place was
sold and now Jane lives in Chatham.
Maggie. | reckon, is dead"
Yes, but this boy-Belcher, l be-
lieve his name is-where did he come
from, and what became of him?"
God knows stranger. I've heard he
was an illegitimate child. came from
Montreal Lately I've heard he was
a Seventh Day Adventist preacher in
| Illinois, PalvO, / think, is the
place."
The story of the Reyburns interest
ed Cheney; the two girls, one cOmely,
her receiving letters, visiting Detroit
at times, then disappearing year be-
fore Basket Charley" was found
then the breaking up of the Reyburn
family, all pointed circumstantially
strong to their knowing something
about the boy. Cheney went to Mon
| treal found out that Belcher really
was an illegitimate child, as the "Old
settler had said. En- route back, he
stopped at Chatham and interviewed
Mrs. Rogers; but as soon as he said
Basket Charley" she closed up like
a clam and terminated the interview
! The trail was warm. Belcher, the
boy. ought to know something. He
would look him up. Cheney advised
Farwell that progress was being made,
and that he would report more fully
| later -rsesFggesSSsssss--
A,day or so after this Cheney was at
, Palvo, III. Belcher was there, and,
among his sect, was a respectable
member of society. He was married
and had quite family. It was Friday
when Cheney reached Palvo, and that
day and Saturday he spent quietly in
vestigating Belcher. He saw him on
the street and in the post office, a
tall, spare-limbed man, with raven
black hair and eyes, large hands and
feet, thin-lipped straight mouth, and
smooth face. 1t was almost cruel
face. Cheney went to church and