Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-10-25
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CHAPTER xxv.-(contlnued.)
WAS that ail?"

WAS that ail?"
de OIL gln'ral he didn't seem ter
know what ter say; he done set dar
sookin' off ober de prairie like he was
char fumegasted. He sho' did look
like dat black debble he'd hit him
mighty hard. Den he says slow like,
iarnin' his boss round: Bartlett, yo'
am putin up good bluff, but, by
Gawd. I'm goin' ter call yo'. Yo' don't
get a cent oh dat money less yo' put
up de proof. I'll meet yo' whar yo'
say. but ef can git hO' OBJ some pa
pers OATS missin' I'll take dat grin off
70 face De odder one laughed, an
de oil ginral started TO ter ride away,
sen he pull up he's boss, an look
back. 'Yo' sorter herd wild dat kind
ob cattle, Bartlett he say, sharp like,
maybe 20 know gambler roun'
we're called Hawley?' De black debble
nebber chen lose he's grin. DO yo'
mean Black Bart Hawley?'- OATS the
man, where is he?' DeaNn faro TO-
Mike Kenna In Topeka a week ago
friend OBJ yours? OATS none OBJ yo'
damned business, snorted de OIL
gin'ral. givin' his boss de spur. Sho',
Massa Jack. he nebber knowed he was
falkin' ter dat same Hawley, an dat
blaci debble Jest laughed as he rode
off.
When was all this, Neb?"
Bout de time yo all went I'D on
dc hill. | reck'n. done come right
we're. and waited"
Keith walked across the room. Sc
tected a cigar. and came back. his
mind busy with the problem Hawley
had In some manner, then. got into
communication with Waite, and was
threatening him. But Waite evidently
knew the man under another name
his given name-and the gambler had
sent him off on a false trail. The lost
papers apparently contained the sou-
tion to all this mystery. Waite be-
tieved Hawley possessed them, but
did not suspect that Bartlett and Haw-
ley were the same person. What
would he most naturally do now ?
Seek Hawley in Topeka probably;
seize the first opportunity of getting
there, Keith turned impatiently to
the clerk
Amy train running east?"
We'll. they generally start one out
every day" with glance toward the
clock. "long bout this time Maybe
It's gone. and maybe it hasn't"
1t was already nearly dark outside
as the two men FASTENED toward the
depot. They arrived there barely in
time to see the red lights on the last
car disappear. No inquiries made OF
those lounging about brought results
they had been interested in lot OF
drunken graders loaded on the fla,
cars by force. and sent out under
guard-and not one could tell whether
any man answering Waite's descrip
ton was in the single passenger
coach Convinced. however, that the
General would waste no time In prose
cutting his search, Keith believed him
already on his way east, and after dis
missing Neb, with instructions tc
watch out closely Tor HaWley, ne
made his own way back to the hotel
1T seemed strange enough how com
pletely he was blocked each time, jusr
as he thought the whole battling mys
Gerry was about to be made clear Haw
ley was playing in rare luck, all the
cards running easily to his hand, thus
at least. gaining time and strengthen
ing his position. There could no long
er be any doubt that the gambler pos
sessed some knowledge which made
him a formidable adversary. From
Waites statement 1t was the loss o
the papers which left him helpless t.
openly resist the claim being mad'
upon him on behalf of the mysterioul
Phyllis His only hope, therefore. la.