Graham guardian. [volume] (Safford, Ariz.) 1895-1923, 1911-07-14

lu man Atkins fnce. but the
specchmaklnG habit Ii not like
- ~ to be broken.
Cyrus Whitaker" he stammered.
"hove you been drinking? Your Ian.
guage to me Ii abominable. Why
permit myself TO remain here and lis
ten to such
III you'll keep still I'll tell you why.
And II | Has yOu | wouldn't he too
anxious to find out This evcrlastin'
cold don't make me over nnd above
good tempered. and when think Of
what you've done to that little girl. or
what you tried 10 de-. have to hold
myself down tisht--tisht--apd don't
you forget It. Now you keep quiet
and listen. It'll bc best for you. He
man. Your cards aln't under the table
any longer. I've seen your hand. and
] know why you've been playin' It.
] know the whole game. I've been
west. and Everdean and ] have had
talk"
Mr.. Atkins had again risen from the
chair. Now he fell heavily hack into
II. His lips moved as II he meant to
speak. but he did not At the mention
Of the Everdcan name be made a
queer choking sound In his throat.
II know the whole business, He.
man." went on the captain. II know
why you was 50 knocked over when
you learned who Bos'n WINS the night
Of the party. know why you took
up with that blnckguard Thomas and
why you've spent your good money
hirin' lawyers Cor him. know about
the mine. know the whole thing
from first to last. Shall I tell you?
Do you want to hear it?"
The great man did not answer. A
drop Of Precipitation shone on his high
forehead. and the veins Of his big
white hnnds stood out rs he clutched
the arms Of his chair. The monument
was tottering on Its base.
Its dirty mess. the whole Of It."
continued Captain Cy. And yet ! can
sce--i suppose can see-some excuse
for you at The be2innin'. When old
mnn Evcrdcan md liIs crowd bought
you and John Thayer out way back
there In "a. after John died. and all
the money was put into your hands
caI'late you was honest then.
wouldn't wonder II you meant to hand
over the $4,000 to your partners Wild
ow. But twas harder and more risky
to send money east In them days than
IT'S now. and SO you waited. thinkin'
maybe thnt you'd fetch It to Emily
when you come yourself. But you
didn't come home for some years: you
went tradin' down along the Feejees
and around that way. That's bow ]
reasoned It out these last few days on
the train. l give you credit for bein'
honest first along.
"But never mind whether you was
or not--you haven't been since. You
never paid over cent Of that poor
feller's money-honest money. that be-
ionged TO his heirs and belongs to 'em
now. You've hung on to It, stole 1t.
used II for yours. And Emily worked
and scratched for livin' and died
poor. And Mary, she died after bcin'
abused and deserted by that cusscd
husband Of hers. And you thought
you was safe. I cariate. And then
Bos'n turns up right In your own town.
right acrost the road from you. By
the big dlpper. It's enough to make n
felier believe that the Almighty does
take a hand In straightenin' out such
things when us humans bungle EN-
II Is so!
Course I amt sure. Heman, what
you meant to do when you found that
the child you'd stole that money from
was goin' to be under your face and
eyes till you or she died. cnflate you
was afraid ia find somethin' out.
want you: I presume likely you
thought that /. not havin' quite the
reverence for you that the rest of the
Bayporters hive. might be sharp
enough or lucky enough to smell a rat.
Perhaps you spspicloned that I knew
the Eyerdeans, Anyhow You wanted
to get the child as fur out Of your
sight and out Of my hands as you
could. Amt that sol And when her
dad turned up you thought you saw
your chance. Heman. you answer me
this; Amt 1t part Of your bargain with
Thomas that when he gets his little
girl he shall take her and clear out.
away OF sonewheres, for good1 Amt
II now-whatr'
The monument was swaying, was
swinging from side to side, but It did
not quite faR-not then. The congress-
mans cheeks hung fiabby, his fore
head was wet, and no shook from head
to foot. But he clinched his jaws and
made one last attempt at defiance.
IL don't know what you mean"
he declared. "You-you seem to be nc
cusing me of something-of stealing. !
believe. DO you understand who