Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-09-19
CHAPTER V.-Continued.

| Lie WdTTlOEt OlO ohJOA0 SO
ashore with it?"
"'Pears like thar wus two men
stopped off at de Landin'. disre-
member de names, but one OBJ 'em Wus
an OF friend OBJ de jedge's."
I turned my head away silently, but
only for a moment. The two men were
in all probability Kirby and his satel-
lite, Carver. Doubtless the Beaucaire
property was already legally in K1r-
by's possession, and any possible
chance I might have once had to foil
him in his nefarious purpose had now
completely vanished.
To be sure 1 had reasoned out no
definite means whereby l could cir
cumvent his theft, except to take legal
advice, confer with Governor Clark,
and warn those threatened girls of
their danger. But now it was too late
even to do this. And yet it might not
be. If Kirby and his confederate be-
lieved that I was dead, were con-
vinced that 1 had perished beneath
the waters of the river. they might
feel safe in taking time to strengthen
| Iu0lT pOolllOuy LulShL OCloJ AAoA ~
tion, hoping thus to make their case
seem more plausible. If Kirby was
really serious in his intention of mar
rying Beaucaire's daughter he would
naturally hesitate Immediately to ac-
knowledge winning the property at
cards, and thus indirectly being the
cause of her fathers death. He would
h. ;@a fn hidden
from the girl for a while, until he
tried his luck at love.-If love failed,
then the disclosure might be made to
drive the young woman to him-a
threat to render her complaisant.
"Do you know a lawyer named
Haines?"
''Livin' down at de Landin'? Yas,
sah."
1 lifted myself up in bed, too deeply
interested to lie still any longer.
"Now listen, Pete" explained ear
nestly. 1--WE got sufficient money to
pay you well for all you do, and just
as soon as you get me something to
eat 1 want you to go down to the
Landing and bring Lawyer Haines
sick white man wants to see him at
once, and not word to anyone else y
"Yas, sah," the whites of his eyes
rolling. HE done know OF Pete, an
I'll sure bring him back yere."
1t was dark when they came, the
fire alone lighting up the interior OF
the dingy cabin with fitful glow OF
.. red flame. 1 had managed to get Out
of bed and partially dress myself, feel
ing stronger, and in less pain as ex
ercised my muscles. Haines was 6
small, sandy-compleXioned man, will
a struggling beard and light blue
eyes. He appeared competent enough
a bundle of nervous energy, and yet
there was something about the fellow
which instantly impressed me unfavor
ably-probably his short, jerky man
uer of speech and his inability to lool
straight at you.
: "Pete has been telling me who yol
= are, lieutenant" he said, as we shool
< hands, "and putting some other thing
q together 1 can guess the rest. Yol
came south on the Warrior?"
"From Fort Armstrong-yes; WIN
told you this?"
captain Throckmorton. 1 saw hin
In st. Louis, and he seemed deepl,
grieved by your sudden disappearance
No one on board was able to explain
what had occurred"
: "Yet there were two men on tn
T. boat who could have explained if the
e had cared to do So" I answered dryly
4 81 mean Kirby and Carver; they wer
8 the ones who threw me overheard"
l. He dropped into a chair, his kee
d ferret eyes on my face.
o "Kirby and Carver? They wen
y ashore with the judges body at tn
3 Landing. So there is a story back @
q all this" he exclaimed jerkily. ID
it, 1 thought as much. Was Beat
- caire killed.?
A, "No-not at least by any violenct
No doubt the shock of his loss ha:
tened his death. Surely you mus
know that he risked all he possesse
>. on a game of cards and lost?"
- "Throckmorton knew somethiu
- - about it, and there were other rumo1
- have heard no details"
- 81 have every reason, Haines, to fe,
convinced that both Kirby and Carve
, trailed Beaucaire up the river wit
- the intention Of plucking him. Kirt
- practically confessed this to me, boas
ingly, afterward. That last night h
so manipulated the cards-or rath,
:" Carver did, for it was his deal-as
deceive Beaucaire into firmly belle
ing that he held an absolutely unbea
L. able hand-he was dealt four ac,
and q king"
ne The lawyer leaned forward, breat
:" ing heavily.
"Four acesl Only one hand is be
ter than that, and it would be impo
sible to get such hand out of OF
- pack"
10 ''That is exactly true, Haines. a
no card player, but do know tn
AiS much about the game. Yet Kirby to-
the pot with straight flush. No
either he or Carver slipped an ext
ace into the pack, or else Beaucai
ed did. In my opinion the judge had
'k' chance to work such a trick. Al
mt that's the case as 1t stands"
he Haines jumped to his feet and /
er gan pacing the dirt floor excited
en- his hands clasped behind his back.
Il. "By heaven, manw he cried, PAL
he Ing suddenly. "Even if he did have
lis chance the judge never did it-ney
ay He was a good sport, and alwa
ng played a straight game. You say
'th net everything he had"
ch .'To the last dollar-Kirby ega
aim on. Besides the money a deed