The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-10-09
cHAPTER v.--continued.


"Bout n week, maybe morn dat
Ago. De Warrior brought de bod.
down. sah."
"rhe Warrior? Did anyone e
ashore with lt?"
"'Pears like thar wus two mer
stopped Off at de Landin'. i disre
member de names, but one oh EN- wu'
an OF friend oh de jedge's."
turned my head away silently, but
only for q moment. The two men were
in all probability Kirby and his satel
lite, Carver. Doubtless the Beaucaire
property was already legally in Kir
by's possession. and any possible
chance I might have once had to fol
him In his nefarious purpose had now
completely vanished.
TO be sure I had reasoned out nc
definite means whereby / could cir,
cuinyent his theft, except to take legaI
advice. confer with Governor Clark
and warn those threatened girls OF
their danger. But now II was too late
even to do this. And yet Il might not
he. IL Kirby and his confederate be-
lieved that / was dead, were con
vinced that I had persisted beneath
the waters of the river, they might
feel safe in taking time to strengthen
their position; might delay final ac-
ton. hoping thus to make their case
seem more plausible. If Kirby was
really serious In his intention of mar.
rying B~eaucaire's daughter he would
naturally hesitate Immediately to nc
knowledge winning the property al
cards, and thus indirectly being the
cause of her fathers death. He would
he quite likely to keep this hidden
from the girl for a while. until he
tried his luck Mt 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
HainesY"
'Tivin' down at de Landln'? Vas.
sah."
l lifted myself up In bed, too deeply
interested to lie still any longer.
"Now listen, Pete" / explained ear
nestly. "I've got sufficient money to
pay you well for all you do, and just
as soon as you get me something to
eat | want you to go down to the
Landing and bring Lawyer Haines
hack here with you. Just tell him a
sick white man wants to see him at
once, and not a word to anyone else"
"Yas, sah." the whites Of his eyes
"He done know OF Pete, an
III sure bring him back yere."
1t was dark when they came, the
fire alone lighting up the interior Of
the dingy CABIN with a 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 I ex-
ercised my muscles. Haines was a
small. sandy-complexioned man. with
4 struggling beard and light blue
eyes. He appeared competent enough.
4 bundle Of nervous energy. and yet
there was something about the fellow
instantly impressed me unfavor-
ably-probably his shc:t, :serky man
ner OF speech and his inability to look
straight ut you.
"Pete has been telling me who you
are. lieutenant" he said, as we shook
hands, sand putting some other things
together I can guess the rest. You
came south on the Warriorw
From Fort Armstrong-yes; who
told you thisi-
"Captain Throcknorton. Issaw him
In 81. Louis, and he seemed deeply
grieved by your sudden disappearance
No one on board was able to explain
what had occurred"
sYek there were two men on the
boat who could have explained H. they
had cared to do 90" l answered dryly
II mean Kirby and Carver: they were
the e who threw me overheard"
He dropped into 4 chair. his keer
ferret eyes on my face.
~Kir5y ana Carverf They went
ashore with the judges body al thu
Landing. So there IL q story back Of
III fhis," he exclaimed jerkfly. ID
h. / thought ~ much. Was Beau
cnlre ki1od1v
~no-not at least by airy violence
douht the shock Of his loss has
tened Us DEATH Surely you mus
row that - rlsked all he possessed
81 ! same e cards and lost3"