Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-10-02

lJOnESOnS NEWS 10 u neW uuu sdAel
lhabitation? He might as well endeay-
or to move an unwilling elephant.
The thought chilled him. For the
first time since his parting interview
with Mr.. Abingdon, Philip experienced
dread of failure. With something Of
panic in his blood. he snatched the
candle and ran hastily into the yard.
He knelt and held the light low in the
excavation. Then he cried aloud:
what! Am so ready to lose faith
in mother?"
For the huge metallic mass-so big
that it would not enter the bore Of the
largest cannon known to modern gun
nery-was split asunder in all direc-
tions. Its assures gaped widely as If
to mock at him. The rain and steam
had done their work well. 1t was even
possible that he would not need the
spade, but would be able to pick out
each separate chunk with his hand.
Instantly hesput the Thought into ex-
ecution and succeeded in lifting sew
eral pieces to the yard level. He noted
that they We're gorged with the dull
white pebbles, some being the size Of
pigeons eggs. He could not help COM
pairing them i'll his minds eye with the
collection now lodged in Isaacstein's
safe. If those We're worth $4,000,
these must be of fabulous value.
Any other person in the wide world
might have been cYcGsel il he pinched
himself or winliel fnriously or took
out the gold filed tobacco pouch for
careful inspection to assure himself
that he was not dreaming. Not SO
Philip The only dominant feeling In
his brain was one of annoyance that
he should have doubted for one single
instant that means would be given him
to secure absolute and undisputed con-
troll of his treasure.
But there remained the problem Of
weight. His original idea was to wrap
the actual body Of the meteor in the
STOUT sack he obtained from Q'Brien
and then inclose all his valuables in q
tin trunk which he would purchase
next morning. Any ordinary trunk
would certainly be spacious enough,
but its phenomenal weight would I'M
Questionably evoke more comment than
he desired, and it would need two
strong men to lift 1t.
This portion of his plan needed to be
entirely remodeled, and he was now
more than ever thankful that the ESQ,
save one expended, reposed in his
pocket. With money, all things, or
nearly all things, We're possible.
Owing to the cramped space in which
the meteor lay, it was no small task to
bring it to the surface in sections, but
lie persevered. By strenuous endeavor
he accumulated an astonishing pile of
iron ore studded with diamonds, look
Ing not unlike almonds in brown
cake, and the guttering candle held low
down failed to reveal anything else in
the hole. There was a good deal of
debris at the bottom, and the depth was
now over four feet. To reach to its
full extent lie was compelled to jam
his head and shoulders into the excava-
ton and feel blindly with one hand, SO
he rightly concluded that final ex-
animation might be left until daylight
By this time he was hot and covered
WIN ah liz SthlppSA, NoSLCNl Ah1AiSCA&
in front of the fire and changed into
his new clothes.
He did not possess looking glass,
but he felt sure that he presented re-
markably different appearance when
attired in neat serge' suit, clean
shirt and reputable boots. His first i'm
pulse was to thrust his discarded gar
ments into the fire, but sentiment pre-
vailed, and he folded them into par
Gel.
Then he eXtinguished his candle and
went out. To his exceeding surprise he
discovered that It was nearly 8 o'clock.
Time had indeed flown.
The shops in the Mile End road open
early and close late. He entered Il
restaurant where he was unknown,
passing, as a matter of policy, the cof-
fee stall Of his kindly helper of those
former days now SO remote in his
crowded memories. After eating q
hearty meal, for which he was thor
oughly prepared, he rendered sover-
eign in payment.
The proprietor barely glanced at him.
Philip was now well dressed, according
to local ideas, and his strong, erect
figure, his resolute face, added two or
three years to his age when contrasted
with the puny standard of fifteen as
set by the poverty stricken East End
He had forgotten to buy necktie
and new pair of stockings. These
omissions he now rectified, and he also
purchased II warm, dark gray travelling
rug, several yards of drugget, ball OF
of stout but worn leather portmanteaus
caught his eye
''Those are cheap" said the salesman
quickly, "only 10 shillings each"
I'm not sure can afford so much,'
said Philip hesitatingly, for the rug
alone cost Il Gs.
They're a real bargain-real leather
They We're never made under f3 each.
"Oh, very well! / will take them"
He produced Is, got his change ant
walked away with his goods without
causing any wonderment. The shop
man was only too glad to have such !,
customer at that late hour.
Philip now knew that he was fairly
safe, but he decided that a billycocl
hat gave him more mature appear
ance than cap. This alteration bein;
effected, he hurried off to Johnson.
News and re-entered his dolnicile with
out incident worthy of note.
Very quickly, with the help of drug
get, scissors and Irvine, the two small
portmanteaus were packed with pieces
of the meteor and the paper covered
parcels already prepared. When eacl
bag weighed about forty pounds III
stuffed the remaining space with rolled
up newspapers, closed and locked them
He estimated that three larger leather
bags, these being less noisy than tin
would hold the remainder of the me
teor.
AS the next morning would find hin
occupation enough, he decided to do as
much as possible that night. Three
times he sailed forth and returned
with good sized valise. He paid
prices varying from u los. to e los
=,