Part 5 (1/2)

”Oh--I--I will Thanks!” the ht

Then Jack rode on, and Tantrell passed hiloom, for the moon was non below the hills

Rather shaken by his night's adventure, and a bit anxious, Jack finally reached his own cottage He turned in there, preferring to do so rather than to awaken Mrs Watson and her fah he was anxious to kno his father was feeling

”But I guess he ht, or they'd have sent me some word,”

reasoned Jack

He put his horse in the stable, and, after a hasty lunch from the cupboard, turned into his own roo He was up early in order to deliver thethe things he turned over to the driver was the package that had so nearly been lost

”I'et rid of that,” he said to Jed Monty ”It looks as if it's worth so,” and he pointed to the many seals

”That's so, it does,” Jed replied ”Guess I'll stow it in a safe placeplanks of the bridge, and the road co of his suspicions that the planks had intentionally been loosened, for he felt it would do no good

”I'll just keep my eyes open s It ht be that soht try to make trouble for me in that way Maybe they didn't actually want to harht have wanted me to lose so ofhappening to hiht loads to carry His father ihtly, but Dr Brown predicted that it would be at least twoJennie was busy with her post office duties, but she found time to spend a few hours with Jack when he was at the settle rider went to the Mansion Hotel, as the one hostelry in Rainbow Ridge was called, that Saent, who had once been a prominent e station and post office with several letters in his hand Each one was sealed with red wax

”Going to h today, Jack?” he asked, for he knew the lad slightly, though better acquainted with his father

”Yes, I expect to, Mr Argent,” was the answer ”Is there anything I can do for you?” Jack often executed small commissions, for which he was paid extra

”Well, this is in your regular line,” the miner said, ”but I have soive them to you, personally, than put them in the mail I'd like to have you hand theeout of the hotel He waved his hand to Mr Argent

”Don't send those letters!” he exclaimed, and he seemed quite excited

”Hold 'em! Don't let Jack take 'eent paused in the act of handing the sealed docu pony express rider, and turned to look at the nized hi He had not lived in Rainbow Ridge long, but he had done considerable work elsewhere for Mr

Argent

”What's that you said?” inquired the miner

”I said, don't send those letters by Jack!”

The young pony rider felt the hot blood co in the warning He was being distrusted The service which he perfore to Golden Crossing was under suspicion

Was this because of the letter that had put his father under suspicion--the Harrington epistle--or was it because of false reports being spread by those anted Jack's place?

Soh Jack'sassayist, whose name was Payson Wayde He smiled at our hero, and said: