Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-18

game until they are stung by sciati'
bleachers and give their private op1r
the glittering stronghold, he was
bumped into by q passing gentleman,
and as he was receiving the apologies
of the passing gentleman a hand from
behind felt for possible revolver or
bomb in his rear pocket. 1t was all SO
quickly and coolly done that Matt had
hardly time to realize he was under
suspicion. A large mirror gave MIN
the clue, for there, at full length, ne
saw what deeply tanned, wild-haired
ragged desperate he appeared; and
saw also, with the tail of his eye,
scurry Of pale employees to- guard the
exits and block his escape.
Flushing to the eyes, more with
shame than anger, and still closely fol-
lowed by the store detective, ne made
his way to the nearest clerk.
IT am Captain Broughton, OF the
shipwrecked schooner North Star, ne
explained. "All had went down with
my ship, except this ring, and should
be glad to get some idea OF its value
so that the pawnbrokers cant cheat
me-"
ats hardly in our line" snapped
the clerk. Expert valuation is bust
ness in itself, and"
The conversation was interrupted by
bald, oldish man. who, with an air
of authority, demanded to know what
was the matter. On it's being explained,
he took up the ring, looked at 1t with
some surprise, and asked Matt If he
belonged to the people that had been
rescued at sea by the mail steamer.
eyes," said Matt smiling, "and
though appearances are against me,
am neither one of the James brothers
nor bandit"
The man thawed at this, and re-
quested Matt to step into his private
Office. rs,rt
managing partner of this concern"
AS soon as they were inside the Office
and seated, Mr.. Snood examined the
ring carefully.
"Where did you get this?" he asked
suddenly, raising his keen eyes to
Mats face.
1T was given to me-"
Permit me to inquire by whom?"
"My employer-the gentleman whose
ship lost"
"Why did he give it to your"
II was leaving his service. had
been associated with him for years.
He held me in very great esteem and
made me a present Of the ring on my
departure"
Hes a very rich man-this en-
ployer?"
! ooh, yes--very rich indeed
Then you have no reason to doubt
that this ring overwhelmingly
Iacquired?"
mo one who knew him could ever
doubt that Why, 1t would be utterly
incredible"
"You must pardon me for asking
these questions went on Mr.. Snood
| in a kinder tone. "It's good plan to
be careful, you know. After all, 1t Is
to your own interest as well as ours,
isn't it,"
"Quite So" assented Matt, hoping
that Mr. Snood would soon come to
the point.
"I'll tell you what I'll do" said the
latter. hesitating, and examining the
ring again with evident admiration
"Mind, I'm not saying you mightn't get
better offer elsewhere, but this Is
the best Snood and Hargreaves can dc
| for you. Well advance you four
thousand dollars on it at seven per
cent interest, and we'll engage to buy
1t outright, now or later, for f1fty-fve
hundred dollars"
| This was so much more than Matt
had ever dreamed Of, that he could only
gasp. Fifty-five hundred dollars! He
had thought vaguely of couple OF
! thousand, trembling at his own pre-
sumption. Fifty-five hundred dollars!
Why, that was a fortune! Not that he
wished to sell the ring except in the
last extremity; nor, as he bewildering
" considered the proposal, did he care
to take so large an advance as fou1
thousand. The interest charges would
soon grow beyond his powers to meet
them. and the ring would be ire
trievably lost Explaining his perplexi
ties to Mr.. Snood, it was finally agreed
that he was to be advanced a thou
sand dollars only, with the privilege
Of selling the ring at any time ne
wished for the larger sum.
| A little later he left the store witt
| fifty twenty-dollar gold pieces weighing
down his pockets, and the following
memorandum pinned carefully inside
his waistcoat:
"San Francisco. January "a. 1904
"Messrs. Snood & Hargreaves hereby
acknowledge the receipt Of solitaire
ruby ring, of an antique, oriental set
ting, from its owner, Captain Matthew
Broughton, who, in consideration o
one thousand $1,000 dollars, adj
! yanced to him today by Messrs. s.
i H. on security Of said ring. and receip
by Captain Broughton hereby acknow
Iledged, agrees to pay S. & H. sever
4 per cent interest, semi-annually OF
said loan.
George H. Snood,
i For Snood & Hargreaves.
Matthew Broughton."
4 Matt returned to the windy street i