Gilpin observer., 1910-09-15
CHAPTER l-Continued.

BE seated. Captain Plum; right
over there-opposite me. Sol"
He continued for moment to
smooth out the creases in the letter
and then proceeded to read it with as
much assurance as though its owner
were a thousand miles away instead
of within arms reach of him. Cap
tain Plum was dumbfounded. He felt
the hot blood rushing to his face and
his first impulse was to recover the
crumpled paper and demand some
thing more than an explanation. In
the next instant it occurred to him
that this action would probably spoil
whatever possibilities his nights ad-
venture might have for him. So he
held his peace. The old man was SO
intent in his perusal of the letter that
the end of his hooked nose almost
scraped the table. He went over the
dim, partly obliterated words line by
line. chuckling now and then, and ap-
parently utterly oblivious of the 9TH
er's presence. When he had come to
the end he looked up. his eyes glitter.
ing with unbounded satisfaction, care
fully folded the letter, and handed it
to Captain Plum.
That's the best introduction in the
world, Captain Plum-the very best!
Ho, holt couldn't be better. I'm
glad 1 found it." He chuckled gleeful-
ly. and rested his ogreish head in the
palms of his skeleton-like hands. his
elbows on the table. $50 you're going
back home-soon?"
Il haven't made up my mind yet,
dad" responded Captain Plum, pulling
out his pipe and tobacco you've read
the letter pretty carefully. l guess.
What would you do?"
Vermont" questioned the old man
shortly.
That's it,"
well. I'd go. and ver- soon, Cap
tain Plum, very soon, indeed. Yes, I'd
hdrry!" The old man jumped up with
the quickness of a cat. So sudden
was his movement that it startled Cap
tain Plum. and he dropped his tobac-
co pouch. BY the time he had recov-
cred this article his strange compan-
ion was back in his seat again holding
q leather bag in his hand. Quickly
he united the knot at it's top and
poured a torrent of glittering gold
pieces out upon the table.
"Business-business and gold" he
gurgled happily. rubbing his thin
hands and twisting his fingers until
they cracked "A pretty sight eh, Cap
tain Plum? Now, to our account! A
hundred carbines, eh? And thou
sand of powder and ton of balls. Or
Is 1t in lead? 1t doesn't make any diff
ference-not bit. It's three thou
sand, that's the account, eh?" He fell
to counting rapidly.
For full minute Captain Plum re-
mained in stupefied bewilderment, ST.
fenced by the sudden and unexpected
turn his adventure had taken. Fasci-
mated. he watched the skeleton fingers
as they clinked the gold pieces. What
was the mysterious plot into which he
had allowed himself to be drawn?
Why were hundred guns and ton
and half of powder and balls wanted
by the Mormons of Beaver island?
Instinctively he reached out and closed
his hand over the counting fingers of
the old man. Their eyes met. And
there was n shrewd. half-understand-
fng CLEAN in the black orbs that fixed
Captain Plum in Nm unfiinching chal-
lenge. For little space there was
silence. 1t WAS Captain Plum who
sroke 1t.
Dad. I'm going to tell you for the
third and last time that you've made
a mistake. I've got eight of the best
rifles In America aboard my sloop out
there. But there's a man for every
gun. And I've got something hidden
away undertook that would blow up
st. James in half an hour. And there
Is powder and ball for the whole out
Mt But that's all. I'll sell you what
I've got-for good price. Beyond
chat you've got the wrong mani"
He settled back and blew a volume
Of smoke from his pipe. For another
half minute the old man continued to
look at him, his eyes twinkling. and
then he fell to counting again.
Captain Plum was not given over to
the habit Of cursing. But now he
Jumped to his feet with an oath that
Jared the table. The old man chuck
led. The gold pieces clinked between
bis fingers. Coolly he showed two