Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-01

"A SS5TA Ss5TA SS3TA SsS7TA SsecTA 80
muddle was silent as it was in the
name "Toombs" as uttered by old Mr..
Beams. 1t should be cut out then, as
having played no part in the mental
confusion, and as result the reverse OF
"Tooms" was Smoot," we'll accepted
name if not a very common one.
Homes was already following his
sweetheart's advice. His legal instinct
and training were busy with the Sla-
venk case: indeed, they were absorbed
| with it, Let him see, then. He was
lust as sure that he had not heard this
name "Smoot" recently. as he was sure
that he had heard this name "Knevals."
Where then and by whom had "Knev-
ais" been recently mentioned?
AS he pondered, striving to recollect,
Homess eyes rested first involuntarily
and then curiously on the desk before
him. Not a bad bargain by any means,
for all the ianitor's sighting words.
Probably one of the very first Of the
roll top sort ever manufactured and
hence a trifle bulkier than the later
| models, the interior sides being lined
instead of skeletoniZed, but still far
too serviceable for a kindlng fate.
What, then, was it the cantor had
said? Why, of course he had said that
the desk had belonged TO that get rich
quick fellow Knevals, who had lit out
lively betune two days and had never
been heard of since" And there you
were: yet, and there was the man, be-
yond the shadow of doubt.
1t came back vividly to Homes, the
excitement of that financial fraud and
fiasco of three years. How exposure
had sprung unexpectedly upon Knevals
and his accomplices at the very height
of their plundering; how Knevals en-
tering the Aerial building at nightfall,
had been set upon by mob eager to
tear him into pieces and how in the
narrow bends and turns leading to the
waterfront he had managed to escape.
Why then was not this get rich quick
Knevals the fugitive KneVals whom old
then was not Smoot an accomplice OF
his, who had followed him and killed
him, having reasons of his own why
he should not he heard of since?
Here it was that Homes's involun-
tary gaze became a curious gaze.
What was that crisp bit of yellow par
per sticking out from under the lining
of the desk on the side, yes, on the
side, that was undeniably thicker than
the other and so did give the impress
sion of being, as the janitor had said,
all askew? Opening his knife Mr..
Homes drew out from its hiding fresh
gold certificate for $1,000.
Could it be? He raped frantically
on the panel; it did not sound hollow
and empty. Could it be that this deep
er side of the desk was secret store
| for treasure which Knevals had not
had time, had not lived long enough to
remove?
Why, if the janitor had not raised
the other end of the desk to reset a
castor he might never have known,
never have dreamed of such a mar
vellous thing. At all events he would
| find out at once, at once.
Homes jumped to his feet. He pick
ed up the hatchet from the corner
where Faxon had left it. He beat that
particular panel of the desk at least
into kindlings. Then he started back.
The fiat surface of the desk was COW
cred with crisp certificates, flowing
over his stationery, his watch, Aga
tha's letter, the despised promissory
notes and the rejected judgments like
river of gold.
He would not have believed he could
have been so avid as he piled and
counted and counted again. Not that
he had any idea Of withholding and
| keeping the treasure. 1t belonged to
the deluded depositorS in the get rich
scheme; he would account to them for
every cent of it. But equally of course
he would be literally rewarded; that
was no more than right: and oh, but a
small percentage of it would mean SO
much to Agatha and to him.
There was a deeper shadow in the
shadowy window opening on the blank
wall as a man swung like a cat on the
ledge from the side, but Homes did not
heed it as he counted and recOunted
Then came a report not half so loud
as the unnoticed racket of the hatchet
and Homes fell forward bleeding and
unconscious still grasping, still guard
ing half a million of dollars.