The Elbert County tribune., 1907-08-15
cop5 rlsht 1905 by Bobb.-MrrrilI 90.
xv,,,-continued

anu W INC Aiiht tAhh c+haaCN JCN'
diggings here trifie, things began tc
happen below. 1t sounded like ST
Patrick's day celebration in an Irish
village, and went down at gallop tc
see II there was any chance of break
ing IN. Have you seen the room
Well,''-he gave several turns to his
right wrist. as though to test tive
ali had a jolly time there by the fire
place. Another chap had got in some
where. so there were two of them
Your mani suppose it's your man
was defending himself gallantly with
a large thing of brass that looked like
the pipes of a grand organ-and
sailed in with chair My presence
seemed to surprise the attacking party,
who evidently thought was you,-
rattering must say, to mel
you undoubtedly saved Bates life
and prevented the rifling of the house.
And after you had poured water on
Bates, he's the servant,-you came up
here"
That's the way of It,"
You're a brick, Larry Donovan.
There's only one Of you; and now"
anu uONs JOill VIC ft tsOe
to get down to business.--or you must.
AS for me. after few hours of your
enlivening society"
You don't go a step until we go to-
gether.-no, by the beard of the
prop Ut, I've a fight on here and I'm
going to win If die in the struggle.
and you've got to stay with me to the
end"
But under the will you dare not
take boarder."
"Of course l darel That Wills as
though it had never been as far as I'm
concerned. My grandfather never ex-
pected me to sit here alone and be
murdered. John Marshall Glenarm
wasn't fool exactly!
"No. but trifie queer, | should say.
/ don't have to tell you. old man, that
this situation appeals to me. It's my
kind of job. If it weren't that the
hounds are at my heels I'd like to stay
with you. but you have enough trouble
on hands without opening the house to
an attack by my enemies"
stop talking about 1t. l don't pro-
pose to be deserted by the only friend
| have in the world when I'm up to my
eyes in trouble. Let's go down and
get some coffee"
We found Bates trying to remove
the evidences of the nights struggle.
He had fastened cold pack about his
head and hmped slightly; otherwise
he was the same-silent and inexplica-
BILE.
Daylight had not improved the ap-
pearance of the room. Several hun
dred books lay scattered over the floor
and the shelves that had held them
were hacked and broken.
Bates, If you can give us coffee?
Let the room go for the present"
Yes, sir
And Bates"
He paused and Larry's keen eyes
we're bent sharply upon him.
"Mr. Donovan is friend who will
be with me for some time. Well fix
up his room later in the day"
He limped out, Larry's eyes follow.
ing him.
What do you think of that fellow?'
/ asked
Larry's face wore puzzled look.
What do you call him.-Bates?
He's pluclSy fellow"
Larry picked up from the hearth the
big candelabrum with which Bates had
defended himself. 1t was badly bent
and twisted. and Larry grinned.
The fellow who went out through
the front door probably isn't feeling
very well to-day. Your man was swing
ing this thing like windmill"
81 can't understand it," l muttered
II can't, for the life of me, see why he
should have given battle to the enemy
They all belong to Pickering, ant
Bates is the biggest rascal OF the
bunch.''
AS we ate breakfast filled in gaps
had left in my hurried narrative, witt
relief that l can not describe filling
my heart as l leaned again upon the
sympathy of an old and trusted friend
| dismissed Bates as soon as possible
that we might talk freely.
Take it up and down and all around
what do you think of all this?" l asked
Larry was silent for a moment; h,
was not given to careless speech IL
personal matters.
There's more to 1t than frightening
you off or getting your grandfather
money. It's my guess there's some
thing in this house that somebody
Pickering supposedly-is very anxious
to find"
Yes; l begin to think SO. He coult
come in here legally If it were merel!
matter of searching for lost assets
Yes; and whatever it is it must b,
well hidden. AS | remember. you
grandfather died in June. You got {
letter calling you home in October"
ut was seat out blindly. with no
one chance in a hundred that it would
ever reach me-"
Certainly. You were a wanderei
on the face of the earth, and there was