The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-04-07
CHAPTER xII-continued.


high like the peaked crown of his
rusty nat.
did your, grandpa send you?"
''Uh-huh! I brung y'u letter.
Gran'pa tends t. tn post office now.
The oil postmaster had stroke night
b'fore last, an hain't knowed nothin'
since. So gran'pa tends 80 it"
He unbuttoned the bosom of his
waist. drew out letter and handed it
over.
'.Air you Box 23?" :
"Iyes-I guess So" was the
startled answer as she took the letter.
sHuh! That's funny name-fer a
girl"
But she was too busy with the let
ter to notice the remark. 1t was adj
dressed in very bold and legible
hand: Box %, Buckeye, Ind. The
postmark she could not be sure of. 1t
appeared TO be Vincennes, but some of
the letters were too dull to read with
certainty.
rs that your r'volver?"
There was not much chance to read
letters-or do anything else-with a
youngster like that in the house.
''Yes. Have they found that man
that escaped from Jail last night?"
"Nawl An I hope they don't. I
met that timber buyin' Teller on the
way down here" He came near the
girls chair. 'If they's anybody hate,
it's him. Gran'pa says"-he leant
nearer, and spoke low-''he kills peo-
pie! Gee! but WIS skeered when I
saw him a-comin' down tn roadl He
wus awful mad. an a-swearin' to his
self. He slashed at me with switch.
But / ducked, an cut dirt, an Skinned
over tn fence. When I looked back
he was a-goin' on toward town, an
streaked it through tn woods lickety-
split"
The very information she had been
about to venture forth into the woods
to acquire.
"How is your grandma today?"
"Oh, she's well ag'in She cooks
lots of things now. She fried me
some screw-cakes yisterd'y."
He was gone-'l ickety-split"
The girl closed the door. laughing
softly, and turned toward the curtains.
The Pearlhunter was just coming
through them. sit couldn't have
turned out better" he said. .sThe
dark, one stroke more, and things will
take a turn"
'That stroke!" She was very
thoughtful her eyes searching the side
of his face toward her. you speak
of it lightly; but so you spoke of that
dreadful fight with the mob"
He sat still a long time.
sT don't know why shouldn't tell
you." he said at last. 1.-The only rea-
son I didn't was to save you the
thought of it. But a~girl like you'd
ask no better backin' in tight place"
Her face lighted.
..Then why not take me with you?"
He started, turned his slow eyes
toward her. A moment he studied
her, and then shook his head.
.No"-the word seemed final. ''It
won't do for a girl-a lady-to hear
what will have to be heard tonight;
and see what will have to be seen.'
Her eyes dropped so did his. They
both met at the same focus-the letter
in her, hand. She passed it to him. He
turned it over anG over, looked at the
address, the postscript, and handed it
back
II never got letter in my life,' he
said, "nor wrote One."
Neither did To- she turned the let
ter over and over. studying it. "Box
23," she unused. 'It's for Daddy! He
couldn't read it, even if he were here.
Do you think should open it,"
yes, think you should" he adj
vised
She tore open the end of the envel-
ope. and drew out folded sheet of
legal cap. AS she unfolded it, bill
Ia greenback- fell out upon her lap.
She pouneed upon it.
Fifty dollars! Why-why-i"
1.-The letter will tell" he said. lean
ing eagerly toward her.
She unfolded the stiff sheet, the in
ner side of it covered with the letter,
written in clear, readable hand:
'sVincennes, Ind, June 10, 1874.
"My Dear Colonel:
Enclosed l am sending the usual
monthly remittance, as per your order
wien you left.
"Why haven't you answered any of
my letters? / have sent the remit
lance regularly but have not heard
word from you for nearly seven years.
AS have repeatedly told you, your
estate has increased till / hardly know
how to invest it further. If / don't
hear from you / shall have TO come
up to Buckeye for consultation.
1.-The little girl-little Hesper Dawn
must be quite a woman now. AS
have written you, her grandfather, old
Godfrey Dawn, died last year. He re-
pcn1ed in his last hours and left her
sole heir to his fortune, which, as you
know, is eSen more considerable than
your own. The estate is in my hands
ready to convey to her. The legal age
of a woman in this state is eighteen.
If old Godfrey has not misinforIned
me, she will be twenty the twentieth
of this present month. So. She has
been for some time legally competent
90 come into her estate. If, under
the terms of your will, she should fall
heir TO your fortune as well, which
she bids fair to do, as no word has
come and none likely to come at this