Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-03-08
HBy eeorgem FItngsraId vhlstIed

in the family, and his Wall street
friends have shown him how TO double
what he has, from time to time. Just
for the sport Of the thing some old
fellows go In for crOckery. some for
pictures, and some for horses. The
admiral just hunts treasures. Half
past 6; you'll excuse me- There'll be
some train dispatches in a minute"
Fitzgerald gave him a good cigar. took
up his bag, and started of for the main
street; and once there he remembered
with chagrin that he had not asked
the agent the most important thing Of
all: Had the admiral a daughter:
Well, at S o'clock be would learn all
about that. Piratesl 1t would he as
good as 4 play But where did he come
in? And why was courage necessary:
His interest found new life.
Swans hotel was one Of those non
descript buildings Of wood which are
not worth more than a three line para
graph even when they burn down.
The landlord himself lifted Fitz-
gerald's bag TO the counter
a room for the night and supper,
right away"
Here, Jimmy" called the landlord to
growing, numbering boy, take this
satchel up to No. 8"
The boy went his way, eying the
labels respectfully and with some
awe. This was the third of its kind
he had ported upstairs in the past
twenty-four hours.
Fitzgerald cast an idle glance at the
lOungers. There were half a dozen of
them, some Of them playing cards and
some displaying talent Oh a pool table,
badly worn and beer stained. There
was nothing distinctive about any Of
them excepting the little man who
was reading an evening paper and
the only distinctive thing about him
was a pair Of bright eyes Behind
their gold trimmed spectacles they did
not waver under Fitzgerald's scrutiny.
So the latter dismissed the room and
its company from his mind and pro.
ceeded into dinner As be was late
be dined alone on mildly warm chick
en-, greasy potatoes and muddy coffee
He was used often to worse fare
than this. and no complaint was even
thought Of After he had changed his
linen he took the road to the house
at the top Of the hill Now, then,
what sort Of an affair was this going
to be, such as would bend a girl of
her bearing to speak to him on the
street, Moreover, at moment when
he was playing a grownup child'S
game? II could not be a joke. Women
never rise to such extravagant heights
Pirates and treasures. He wouldn't
have been surprised at all had Old
Long John Silver hObbled out from
behind any one of those vine grown
fences and demanded his purse
The street was dim, and more than
once he stumbled over loose board
in the wooden walk If the admiral
had been the right kind Of philanthro.
pist he would have furnished stone
But. then, it was one thing to give a
country town something and another
to force the town council into accept.
ing it. The lampposts, also Of wood
, stood irregularly apart. often less than
a hundred feet, and sometimes more.
lighting nothing but their immediate
vicinity Fitzgerald could see the
lamps plainly, but could separate none
Of the objects round or beneath. That
Is why he did not see the face Of the
man who passed him in q hurry He
never forgot face If 1t were a mans
His only difficulty was in placing 1t al
once.
Fitzgerald tramped on cheerfully.
1t was not an unpleasant climb, only
dark. The millionaire's home seemed
to grow up out of a fine park There
was great iron fence inclosing the
grounds. and the lights on top Of the
gates set the dull red trunks Of the
pines ALLOWING. There were nc
lights shining In the windows Of the
pretty lodge Still. the pedestrians
gate was ajar He passed in, fully ex.
pecting TO be greeted by the growl Of
Ia dog Instead he heard mysterious
footsteps on the gravel He listened
Some one was running.
Hello. there" he called
No answer The sound ceased. The
| AuhHSA uou CNluculIl ldheu W Tie 81
lent going Of the turf Fitzgerald
came to stand Should be go on oil
return to the hotel? Whoever was
running had no right here Fitzgerald
rarely carried arms. at least in civiliz
ed countries. A stout cane was the
best weapon for general purposes
He swung this lightly,
II am going on | should like tC
see the library"
he was not overload Of unknown
dangers In the night, but he possessed
keen ear and sharp pair Of eyes
being a good hunter. A poacher, pos
Sibly. At any rate. he determined tC
60 forward and ring the bell
Both the park and the house were
old. Some Of those well trimmed
pines bad scored easily hundred ant
fifty years. and the oak standing be