Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-01-09

well, go Oh. GrluQllES cuIUeu HILL
self with difficulty. There were, he
knew, only men in this bachelor estab-
lishment, and no doubt the butler and
the valet would have taken the oppor-
tunity to be off. to the town. Grind
ling knew as well as If he had been on
the spot where he would find them.
Master told me to lay down the
tray said Gregson Junior, still
through the crack Of the door. HE
had his big motor-coat, That goes
a chair
"Ah!" said Walter Grinding.
Eyes, sir, and when l went to take
the tray again after he was gone
while the big safe was shut. It's shut
now"
Thank you, young Gregson," said
Grinding.
81 hope you think did right, sir?"
the boy called out after him.
Perfectly right-tnis time!" said
trouble you again, however-when
| ed in The Boys Penny Thriller!"
Turning his back on the "Caravn-
serai," Grinding, who had something
|
straight as he could through the vii
lage of Kirktown, leaving the works
to one side, and so took the hill road
with its many windings which con-
Quoted him through i the s woods Ito
CORN Castle. :. ~ s,s.s, .;sss s.s.s !.
Here also the master was not at
home. Y But Gregson in person assured
him that from his knowledge Of his
employer, and from certain confer
ences with the coachman, MT. Grind
ling would be almost sure to find Mr..
Romer on the sHeugh of Portogarten,
occupied in inspecting the new mine
they were opening tnere-near J, the
| lighthouse old Dick Finnan was build
| ing on the point Of the rough isle.
t. Here Gregson permitted himself to
smile respectfully and indulgently. He
also was evidently of the opinion that
his master could not keep himself
from mining speculation in some
shape or form. It was. according to
Gregson, an amiable weakness. We
have all our failings, even buffers.
| AS soon as Walter Grinding knew
this he turned his horses head about
and set off in the direction Of Porto
garten. Hitherto the name had excit-
ed only mirth at the great Incubus Of
fces-from which they controlled
their half-score of pits, and their
whole regiments Of men, But if having
sold out of the Kirl1town colleries,
Mr.. Jacob Romer was inclined to in
terest himself in Portogarten, the at
fair took on quite another aspect for
Walter Grinding.
What had been but the folly of a
| 1p1@ oE nd al SrHf ony,
suddenly became worth lookink into.
But in the meantime, however. some
thing was still better worth looking in
to. AS he rode, Grinding had before
him the hasty toilet of James Kahn,
the scarcely touched lunch tray, the
door of the big safe, first open, then
shut-espeeially the great motoring
coat flung over the sofa. He knew that
coat. It was full Of inside pockets in
the lining-pockets which buttoned
down, each with its great flap of skin.
If James Kahn had disappeared, what
did these pockets contain.
AS Walter Grinding rode through
the birchen glades which clouded the
motor-edges he became conscious of
the subtle change in the atmosphere
which comes with the rearness of the
sea.
But the great Heugh of Portogarten
stood up before him shutting out the
) view. Only little railway care trund-
. led by, and Walter Grinding examin-
ed the piled ore with professional
eye.
They've struck our Carron main
lode, or Pm a Dutchman!" he cried,
Shaping his mare with the fiat of his
hand SO that she dashed away.
But the next moment he had some
thing else to think of. Above him at
the top of little hill was the we'll.
known CORN Castle turnout. Grind
ling knew it afar off. Once, before the
: days of Kahn, he had often been ask
, ed by "the chief to help him choose
his horses, and even now, though in a
t way passed by, he still took an inter
, est.
: He checked his horse, still inclined
to dance little. The coachman was
i on his proper side, one wheel in a
: nook vacated by a stone-breaker. So
like well-bred Jehu, he never once
Y turned his head as the sounds ap
preached.
: "Mr. Romer anywhere about?" in
. ouired Grinding. 81 have ridden ovel
: from the offices. l went up to the
: Castle, and Gregson sent me on here.
Yes, SIR said the coachman
!, speaking over the multiplicity of his
chins and the curving comfort of his
t lower waistcoat; you will find Mr.
e Romer UP the hill-somewhere abou
/ that there new pitt"
Y But what am l to do with ms
d ! horse?" said Grinding: If were t.