The Argosy, Vol. 61, No. 4 — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE IMPOSTOR. Hart’s eyes narrowed, and he re- garded the slim, manly figure in front of him with strong disfavor. ‘‘ Ah,” he inquired coldly, “ how so?” “Why,” explained the Whiffet eager- ly, “this is pore old Uncle Billy’s nephew, his sole survivin’ relative. He was jest a tellin’ us, when you come in, how he’d traced out that Uncle Billy was his uncle who’d disappeared from their old home in Vermont many years ago, an’ how, havin’ some business out this way, he’d concluded to look the old man up, an’ resoom friendly felations as it were. .He never suspected, though, that the late lamented had struck it rich ; an’ when we told him how the Gladys B. was pannin’ out, he was clean flab- bergasted. “But, excuse me,” the Whiffet went on, “I’m fergittin’ that you two hain’t been interduced yit. Judge Hart, let me make yer ’quainted with Mr. Henry Sardon, of Denver.” Hart made no attempt to acknowledge the introduction. He merely looked the other over with a quizzically contemptu- ous glance. “Humph,” he grunted. “ Did you come here on the strength of a rig- marole like that?” His tone was so openly offensive that the other instantly stiffened, and the crowd uneasily started to scatter in view of a possible gun-play. But the stran- ger restrained himself. ere “T do not think you understand,” he said quietly. ‘‘ You probably believe me one of those needy adventurers who al- ways appear in the wake of any big dis- covery with a claim of relationship to the discoverer.”’ ‘And aren’t you?” drawled Hart. ‘“‘' No,” disclaimed the other vehement- ly. “I ama mining engineer from Den- ver, and my business out here, if you care to know it, is to examine into and report upon some properties in this lo- cality. “Having learned, some time ago, upon unquestionable evidence, however, _that an uncle of mine who dropped out of sight before I was born, was identi- cal with Billy Burke, a prospector of this region, I determined, while I was in the neighborhood, to look him up, and see if I could do anything for him. 611 “ You may, consequently, imagine my surprise when, upon making some in- quiries here to-night, I was informed that the man I sought was the owner of the sensational Gladys B.”’ ‘““ Never dreamed, of course, that you were letting yourself in for a _ good thing?”’ sneered Hart, and the crowd, accustomed to take their cue from him, burst into a guffaw. The stranger flushed angrily, and started to retort in kind; then bit his lip, and caught himself together. ‘“ Look here,” he said, turning to Hart with a winning smile, “I am not going to quarrel with the man I just heard telling how he had held my poor old uncle during his last moments. Be- sides, I can’t blame you for feeling skeptical. I would, myself. But, if you will suspend judgment till to-morrow, I think I’can convince you of the truth of all I say by indisputable proofs.” “Proofs?” Hart snapped his fin- gers. ‘What do I want to see your proofs for? You ought to have got here in time to show them to Uncle Billy. Or, I see—” with a nasty change of in- tonation. ‘“‘ You expect, now, to step into the old man’s shoes on the strength of this alleged relationship, eh?” His overtures of friendship spurned, the young man realized that, for some reason, he had aroused Hart's enmity. Henceforth, it was evidently to be war between them. He looked in the lawyer’s eyes. ‘“ Yes,” he said; “since you put it that way, I, as next of kin, am undoubtedly his heir.” A light of vindictive triumph flashed into Hart’s dark eyes. ‘Well, -you’re not,” he declared; “for Uncle Billy made a will, just be- fore he died, leaving the Gladys B. and everything else he owned to his only daughter, Miss Gladys Burke, of Chi- cago. I’m on my way now to Overton to telegraph her to come out and take possession ! ” a CHAPTER III. HAIL TO THE QUEEN! THERE was grumbling in Lame Creek loud and long when it was learned that EO JOO (Cc (©