Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-02-24
THE LIONS SHARE.
Continued from page /

! pie in a heap of different businesses
the little people who talk. They no
tice all right but they can see only
low riding round and seeing the town.
ship. pheced together the plot and
told Endy Tracy. He wouldn't believe
me a. first, because his Il ther had
| given Keatcham his first Gtart, and
done a hundred things for hi n. To be
sure, his father has been obliged as
an honorable man to oppose Keatcham
! lately but Keatcham' couldn't mean to
| burn him out that way But he soon
found that was precisely what Keatch-
am did mean. Then he was glad
enough to help me save his father. The
old man doesn't know thing; We
don't mean he ever shall know. We
let him put up the best sort of a fight
man can with his hands tied while
the other fellow IS free. My hands
are free, too. | don't respect the
| damned imbecile laws that let me be
plundered any more than they do; and
since nay poor mother died last sum-
mer am not afraid of anything; they
are; that's where / have the choice of
weapons. ! tell yon, sub, nobody is
big enough to Cypress desperate
man! Keatcham had one advantage
he had unlimited money. But Aunt
RebeccT helped us out there. Colonel,
| | want you to know | didn't ask her
for more than the bare grub-stake; it
was she herself that planned our stock
deal"
"She is a dead game sport" the
colonel chuckled. 81 believe you"
And | hope you don't allow that
was willing to have her mix herself
in our risks. She would come; she
said she wanted to see the fun"
Il believe you again" the colonel as
sured him, and he remembered the odd
sentence which his aunt had used the
fret might Ct their i2urpey, when she
exE. assed her hanker.ng 10 match her
wits againct those Of rrst-class Grim
inal
We didn't reckon en- your turning
up, or the complication with Archie l
wish 10 God we'd taken the boys own
wore! But. now you know all about
It, willgou keep your hands off !? That's
al we ask
well, tho colonel examined his
finger nails, rubbing his hands softly,
the back IF one over the palm OF the
other-'well, yen haven't quite told
me all Don't, unless you are prepared
to have it used against you, as the po-
llcemen say before the sweat-box.
What did you do to Keatcham to get
him to go with you SO like Mary's lit
tie lamb"
II learned of little device that
looks like tiny curry-comb and is so
fiat and small you can bind 1t on a
mans arm just overfan artery. ,Just
press on the spring and give the
least scratch, and the man falls down
In commissions. / showed him raj
had had fetched me, and killed 1t like
flash. He had his choice Of walking
out quietly with mel had my hand
on his arm-ors dropping down dead
he went quietly enough.
"That was the meaning of his LOOK
at me, was it?" Winter thought. He
said only: did Endicott Tracy know
about that?"
"Of course not" Mercer denied. do
you reckon want to mix the boy Ut
In this more than have? And Arnold
only knew l was trying some kind OF
bluff game"
Il will lay odds, though" the colo.
mel ventured, in his gentlest tone
tone. that Mr.. Samurai, as Haley calls
him, knew more. But when did yor
get rid of Atkins?"
Mr.. Keatcham discharged him at
Denver / met Mr.. Keatcham here;
1t was arranged on the train. We had
1t planned out. If that plan had failed
/ had another"
Meat. Very neat. And then you
became the secretary"
Mercer flushed in an unexpected
fashion. Certainly not!" he said,
with emphasis. do you think would
take his wages and not do the work
faithfully !. NJ, sun. dSSuiucu W DS
his secretary in the Office; that gave
ne chance to arrange everything.
But did it to oblige him. never
touched a cent of his money / paid,
in fact, for our board out of our own
money. 1t would have burned my 6n-
gers, subj"
And the valet? Was he In your
plot? Don't answer il you"
he was. subj" replied Cary Mcrce-
lie is a right worthy fellow, and he
thought, after he had seen to the tick
ets--which he did very carefuliy-anj
given them to me, he could go or or
the little vacation which came to hi.1
by his master through me-"
That's little bit evasive How
ever, | haven't the right to ask you
to give away your partners, anyhow"
He was peering at MERGERS face be
hind his glasses. but the pallid, tired
features returned him no clew to the
thoughts in the head above them,
What have you done with Mr.. KeatcE-
ann" he concluded, suddenly.
Yhe question brought no change Of
expression. and Mercer answered read
lily: Il put him OF by himself, where
he sees no one and hears nothing.
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