d thought they might be of considerable value, but no

," he reasoned. "Anyway, it's worth something, or

ng journey to the Storburgh camp had tired him, so it took some time to get even within si

," he told himself. "I wo

unless they were on the watch. As the youth came closer a sudden thought struck him, and he darted behind s

er kitchen and entered the place. Here there was another door, opening into the gen

e heard his uncle saying. "If they are wuth an

standing in front of the fire warming himself, while Josiah Graham was hunched up in his usual

ous to git the papers?

ahead and claim everything just as it is, and I don't think you could do a thing, but he prefers to treat everybody rig

avorite exclamation. "If I-that is, if I

u're his guardi

I am,

you please. You don't want me to

alarm. "He don't know the vally of a dollar, an' I do. If he

he papers and I'll wr

check cashed up here." Josiah Graham did not add that he was af

though," went on the real estate agent, as he saw the old man's face fall. "And

have to do then. But-er-on

is t

leaned forwa

out this right away. You give

et the papers and I'll give you the check and the cash right now." And the

he realized that, in some way, this Mr. A. Q. Hopton was trying to swindle him out of his inheritance, and that

the boy slipped into the cabin. Like a flash he darted to his

" cried the real estate

h Graham. "He come in through the back door

estate agent was dazed by the sudden tu

r work." Josiah Graham walked over to the

ot," was

listenin' t

w

thing fer a

had stored the papers. He found things much disarranged, showing that his uncle had gone through the content

what happens," he said to himself, and st

siah Graham, and his voice now

ach that boy manners," was

wered the old man. "Open thet

pers," said Andy. He was

guardeen, an' ain't

ed Andy, doggedly. "I don't like that Mr. Hopton, and he's not g

real estate man w

a low voice. "I'd not let him ta

osiah Graham. "Andy, you open

dy, in increased alarm. "If you do-I'll-I'll-Well

in sudden terror, and he backed away several step

re to shoot?" asked t

got lots o' spi

etter try to re

his voice. "Andy, this is all-er

next. He did not want to shoot anybody, and he was afraid that the two

e? Come out-I ain't

those papers

e papers, and at a good pr

ndy. He was moving around the bedroom rap

est," broke in Josiah Graham. "Open th

e spoke he tiptoed his way to the window and opened it. Then h

stormed Josiah Graha

crawled through the opening. He landed in a heap in the snow, and scrambled up immediately. With bundle,

going to do. He had the precious papers in his pocket, and his o

fe place," he told himself, finally. "I wonder who wou

reaching a turn in the road, Andy stopped to look back. Much to

flash into view. His uncle and the real estate dealer were on the seat

at the Graham cabin. On all sides were the pine woods, with their scrub timber

d if I leave it I'll have to go right into the wo

ghway. Behind him he heard the jingle of the sleighbells as the cutt

aped between the bushes and then walked on to a clump of pines. He was barely under the pines when he h

ther thought came to Andy's mind, one that made him smi

ething to eat," he told himself.

on towards the village, so he had the place entirely to himself. He quickly found something to eat

" he told himself. "I guess I'd better try to get to the old Smith cab

it, Andy had to tramp directly through the woods. But the youth di

he mused. "A rabbit or a couple of

saw a big rabbit directly in his path. He blazed away, and the game fel

ackers and bacon when I'm hungry,"

to his surprise, smoke was curling from the chimney

hunter most likely. Wonder who it can