Then his expression softened.
“My father knew yours.”
“So I've heard.”
“What do you need?”
Ellis handed him the copied notation.
Henry read it.
Then read it again.
“Where did you find this?”
“Inside an old safe from Harland Feed.”
Henry stopped.
“Harland?”
“Yes.”
Without another word, he walked inside.
They followed.
One room contained filing cabinets from floor to ceiling.
Old field notebooks.
Plat books.
Rolled maps.
Boxes labeled by township.
Henry searched three drawers.
Then another.
Nothing.
Eli's heart sank.
Henry disappeared into a back room.
Several minutes passed.
Then ten.
Ellis looked at Eli.
“Don't decide yet.”
Eli recognized his own words from the safe.
Finally, Henry returned.
He carried a long leather tube tied with faded twine.
“My father told me never to throw this one away.”
Ellis stared.
“Why?”