Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-06-26
AN EVEN SCORE
BY CHARLES II. BRENNAN.

trict," voted half Of the people Of Ac-
ton. referring to Gregory Rhodes.
"He is a man thoroughly unjust and
INSCRIPTIONS" echoed John Throop,
In his mind, for, though poor, and
troubled, and wronged, he never ut
tered a word aloud against any fellow
being.
Throop had reason to distrust, de-
spise and dislike Gregory Rhodes. The
latter had got him in his clutches
through a loan Of a few hundred dol
lars. Once a victim was in the net
of the old usurer, he was lost. The
original debt had piled up until
Throop, according to his despoiler and
the documents he had been foolish
enough to sign, brought him to a stage
where the farm lay under a heavy
debt. 1t was over his. manifold
troubles that ThroOp was rejecting
mournfully when a brisk step sounded
on the gravel walk, and q young man
of about twenty strobe up to Throop,
SSIlCu I'll Xix houSC SICDS. L. ISl
tor had the air of . sturdy WeSterner,
a bronZed face and q fearless, aggres-
Sive manner.
Don't know me-" he questioned.
"Tm no stranger. Look twice"
at can't be-surely not-NIort AL
LEM"
you've hit it." nodded the visitor.
I'm on my way back to the mines,
and took a sort of longing to see an
old boss. Tell, you, Mr.. Throop, I've
had 4 hard, rough life, and you were
the only man 1 ever mixed with who,
didn't take advantage of me. In the
old days, l mean, for I'm now in q
district where draw first and lynch,
law tactics rule the roost. !,
Throop recalled the friendless lad to
whom he had given q home for two
years. Mort had been a troublesome,
mischievous lad, but Throop had been
kind and patient with him. Then
Gregory Rhodes had dazzled Mort, and
in his sneaking, undetermined way had
prevailed on him to leave his Ii
ployer and come to work for him.
SIS that old skeesicks living YETI"
propounded Mort, referring to Rhodes.
"Say, I've often wondered how I ever
stood his lying and abuse! He man.
aged to beat mt out Of two months
wages, he half starved me, he came
heal to making me q thief. 1 bolted
finally, glad to get away from a life
that was worse than slavery"
Casually chatting over old times led
to Throop informing Mort Of the con-
dition of his affairs, of how hard he
was trying to realize on his desperate
equity. Twice he had nearly secured
q purchaser, but Rhodes had conspired
to defeat the sale.
IF 1 could get a couple of thousand
dollars out Of the wreck" said
Throop, 81 could 80 to my married
daughter. She has invited me to pass
my declining days with her, but I
don't want to go empty-handed."
"Why :" almost shouted Mort. "You
have allowed that scoundrel Rhodes
to swindle you out of your eyes! He's
done enough to deserve the peniten.
tiary! Why don't you law him?"
II haven't the money to do that"
"Wish I had" said Mort. "Td stake
you to my last dollar. 1 may be able
to, soon. I've been east with a satchel
of nuggets and ore samples, and /
have interested a capitalist, who is
coming ont to my mine next month
I say-Tve an idea. I will work up a
wild Western game on Rhodes. Don't
mention a word Of my being here.
Don't recognize me if you happen
across me Don't notice any strange
things you may see me do. Just sit
tight and take the money that Rhodes
NAV offer you. / don't think that old
robber Will recognize me as his for
mer working slave"
Mort Allen proceeded to the next
village and took up quarters at its
hotel. The following evening he Wis
tied the Throop farm and proceeded
to plant here and there about 1t the
contents of his satchel, nuggets and
ore samples. The next day he man.
aged to get acquainted with the
Rhodes man Of all work. He limited
at a chance for this dupe to make a
lot of money and bound him to Sc
crecy. He was to give him twenty-five
dollars for helping him "to find gold'
on the Throop farm.
"It's there" he whispered mysteri-
ously to the creditor victim. "We'll
get lanterns and 60 over IL at night"
That was done, and the eyes of the
hired man bulged out as glittering bits
of the pure metal and ore wero
brought to light. Mort paid him a
certain sum for each particle he
found, talked big of the value Of his
marvellous "fnd," and wondering what
the owner of the land would sell this
bonanza farm for.
What happened vas just what Mort