Show I OLD MISERY By Hugh Continued fr from m yesterday In great disgust Tobin declared declared- Phelps isn't all keyoka Hes He's holding the ribbons and driving those fools in a double Arid And they're not l keen een enough to that if they could light on your m medicine place his would be the only crowd to get the plunder Might's well be be- traveling to Nevada City As they set out for the mile four-mile walk three of the saloon group and two Phelps men suddenly discovered discovered discovered ered they had business in that di direction di- di Before they were quit of the Valley VaHey they noticed a new newman newman newman man among their trailers He had none of the dried white mud of the local prospector on his boots and clothing npr did his hands suggest an acquaintance with pick or shovel He was vas with the Grass Valley citizens and yet was not of ot them Old Misery felt uneasy forthe for forthe forthe the first time since ince leaving his foothills foothills foothills foot foot- hills camp The stranger must be bea a representative of the Vigilance Committee And yet he carried no weapons In sight nor did he look like a gunman Misery called a ahalt ahalt ahalt halt and filled tilled and lighted his pipe The trailers cam came up and passed on ahead The stranger halted near Old Misery l and bent over to dust his shiny shoes with a spotless handl handkerchief I Got a a message for you he Informed in informed informed In- In formed the mountain man without I glancing at him Er huh Does ho want to fight I Iwi wi with tb knives or guns gently asKed I Misery i Friendly message My names name's I Roger I Im I'm m playing at the theatre Message is confidential Mustn't be seen giving giving- it or they'd do me mischief Dont Don't pic pick it up till after Im I'm Im I'm gone Let her flicker encouraged Old Misery stooping to tie his moccasin mocca mocca sin On the ground said Roger and turning on his heel he slowly sauntered sauntered sauntered back to the Valley Tobin stepped to the small wad of paper paper and flirted it with his foot to within reach of his friend Old L Misery's isery's r. r fingers secured it t and risIng ris rising ris ris- ing they resumed their journ journey y Two of the spies were returning to I meet them pretending to be looking for something What you lost Z innocently asked Old Misery Knife worse luck growled one of the men who was Vas retained by Phelps What sort of a knife Buckhorn handle with a W scratched on It Wouldn't a lost it lt for fifty dollars Old Misery clapped Tobin on the I shoulder and arid cried I 1 tell you It was dropped by some one going this way And you was so danged sure i If It was wasI dropped by some one bound for the I Valle Valley Never say again my medi medi- medicine medicine cine aint Stranger you'll find that buckhorn knife with a n aW W VT scratched on it stuck in in a a. tree this side of ot the road bout quarter I of ot a mile below here My pard ame n a me couldn't agree so I left it there for the owner to locate The two men hesitated and ex exchanged ex- ex cx- cx changed embarrassed glances I Then the alleged ed loser mumbled i Thanks and walked on toward the Valley The other explained to the mOUntaIn mountain moun mOUn- tam tain men Reckon theres there's no need of me sue going with him hm One man can carry a knife without help Sure ho he can if one can lose a a. knife heartily agreed Tobin But its it's a mighty fine show of brotherly love when a manil drop his busIness business business busi busI- ness and help hu hunt t for tor a knife But It was a simon-pure simon buck buck- horn-handled horn knife with a a. W I scratched on it 11 reminded Misery And that's different The spy has hastily tHy said Time I 1 was was was' hurrying along Got Gotto Gotto Gotto to meet a man In a rush And he made off ahead head of ot them Old Misery glanced back and chuckled Theres feller We oughter slow down and make him him- show us the knife knite But the spy behind them had no Intention of overtaking them and when they halted he did likewise Thus with watchers behind and andr ahead the two entered Nevada City r Tobin urged Lets Let drop In somewhere and see what that writing Is the man give you its it's a a. witch powder In a minute or two Well We'll open it in Peters' Peters room Probably something some some- thing hing hell he'll like to see sec Giving no heed to their trailers they entered the Hotel do Paris and ascended to Mr Peters' Peters room The gambles gambler opened the door and returned to bed explaining Had a long night nIghtS Lasted well Into the morning Two men from the bay Cost m me seven hundred dollars to learn they're looking for some one They believe they're hot hoton hoton hoton on his trail How did your our game pan out Old Mis Misery told him and without giving him time t to finIsH his laughIng laughing laugh- laugh i Ing spell he produced the wad of i paper and Informed I A stranger a play acting feller slipped this into my hand in Grass Gras Valley Read It out loud to Tommy n U me ne Mr U. Peters smoothed out the pa paper paper paper pa- pa per and on observing the neat neat chirography of a woman He grinned broadly as he caught the I aroma of some soma delicate scent But once he perused the feW lines h his s face grew grave and he wore swore I softly Listen he said and lowering his voice almost to a whisper he I read Some one has told Phelps that Mr Gilbert was In the El EI Dorado the night Murieta 1 was there It may mean nothing or much I 1 understand understand un un- un- un you are his friend The mountain men ex exchanged hanged I startled glances and Tobin asked Who ho wrote rote It It Theres no name hitched to it It But ut a l woman wrote it replied Peters Old Misery said The yonker I knew Roger and the Montez woman Come up on the boat to Sacramento with em Roger is In the tho womans woman's play-acting play outfit it I And its it's believed Lola Montez I will marry Phelps and his million I quickly Informed Mr Peters So Phelps told her But who told Pl Phelps I I Old Misery had no Idea Ill Til have hav to find the yonker and I take him over the ridge he de de- de M 11 1 r Peters slid out of ot bed and hurriedly began dressing You mean young Gilberts Gilbert's in town he cried as he slipped on his waistcoat and dropped a brace of derringers Into the wide pockets Went Vent on ahead with a mule-load mule of grub this morning Didn't conie come here Well We'll overtake him afore he makes Grass Holler Then you should be traveling without any delay The two men from the bay have hit the trail trall If It they learn a ag all much as Is In this note hell he'll have to go before the committee And Im I'm afraid Tobin spoke up and reminded A parcel of ot men have been traIling trailing trail traIl- ing us They're curious like Uke to find out where Misery gits his nuggets If It we quit here before dark they'll trail us clear up to the hills Hell Why did you have to Mr show more nuggets snapped Peters You cant can't wait Every minute Is precious Any minute may be the minute I smelled trouble trouble trouble trou trou- ble in that poker game last night But I didn't think it was so close Some Some Someone one told Phelps the boy was In the gambling place Told him mighty re recent ent Hes He's told Jold the wo wo- man If If word gets to the men from the bay bay bay- Vh Why they may know it even now now They rhey may Imay be on theIr way to your camp You cant can't wait till dark Misery See here lere this is how we will play the hand Tobin Is to go downstairs and order ordeta a big dinner for the tho three of or us Hell He'll Jalle talk loud Then hell he'll go to the bar and order three drinks and say saybe be right down The Grass Grasa v Va men will keep close to him J I And then what 1 asked Tobi Tob Th ts t's all You stick to th thas the as long as they stick By a and aid d dIll Ill I'll look you up I r read the signs Old Mi Miser Miser- erto er- er to hit the trail and Im I'm to st hind and nd throw dust See you north sometime old hoss boss and se Be our little difficulty After Alter this troubles trouble's over Jv have our fun If I have to trave Hudsons Hudson's bay blY Dont Don't let damage you afore we meet up ag g you little runt Continued tomorrow 1 I |