The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-08
do, "and set forth to find the man who
owned the treasure.

and Orofeld had been left many miles
behind when the sun shone one day
on the shabby figures of Sadie Mac
pherson and Hugh Mostyn plodding
steadily on together southwark. At
Orofeld the master had made no stay to
speak of; the fat had again gone forth
that 1--WE" were to "make tracks," and
Hugh, of course, had raised no dissentient
voice.
He little knew that the elder man in
tended his escort to accompany him only
as far as Yale upon the Fraser; and that
if tire younger should choose to proceed
farther than the head of steam-naviga-
tion-beyond which there was no likeli-
hood of loneliness and consequent fears
for the safety of the treasure-he must
shift as best he might. Hugh never
thought of earthly thing save the dia-
mond belt; he paced along by Sandie's
side like one in dream, lost in a maze
of perplexity.
All, truly very little, that he had thus
far been able to accomplish in the way
of obtaining possession of the diamonds
was the making two or three ridiculously
feeble and utterly fruitless attempts to
get his companion into state of intoxi-
cation, in the belief that, once drunk,
plunder Sandie's'person would become an
easy matter But the old man was far
too cute to be thrown off his guard at
such a time as the present; nor dared
Hugh risk all by showing his hand too
plainly or too soon. In only few more
days the travellers must arrive at the port
of embarkation; and from that place, as
Hugh we'll knew, the chances of getting
at the diamond belt would all be gone.
What was to be done?
Sometimes that tickle goddess whom
men call Fortune will choose the very
moment when our prospects are at their
gloomiest to set her face once more in
our direction; and our better luck will
spring from an apparently trivial Incl
dent. Indirectly, then, it was SO prosaic
an article as one of his own boots that
Hugh owed the winning of the great
prize. Worn and patched and shabby at
first starting, these had grown more and
more disreputable every mile Of their
long way, until at length the sole of one
parted from the upper feathers, and
Hugh's stockingless foot came in contact
with the rough pebbly road.
"Look," he said, breaking the silence of
an hours duration, II must tie this on
my boot with my handkerchief. Let us
stop for minute"
"All right" growled ancient Sandie,
and down they sat, Hugh to bind up his
: boot and its sole in the best style he
could, Macpherson to keep his on the
road to northward-northward where
lay the mining cities they had left be-
hind them, and whence any who should
think it worth while to follow them must
!. come.
And above and around them meantime
swayed and sighed the giant pines bend
, ing before the influence of the autumnal
blast.
GLOW it blows" said Hugh, convorsa-
tionally inclined. "I should say it was
d, heavy weather out at sea-"
cay, it storms some," returned his
4 laconic master. And then grumblingly
4 adddd, Saint you fixed that ar boot
y yetw
Boughs and branches snapped here and
- there, making suspiciously startling
S noises; butsthe old man reckoned little Of
e them. From the place wheron he sal
n he commanded an excellent view ol
the long road which in the distance
3. looked like mere white thread between
e the two separate, dense masses of tall
+ trees; and as far aseye could see, deserted
e nothing that should make him uneasy
: Though, had he rivitedh his gaze, not upon
0 the lonely road, but the bush behind
v him, he would, indeed, have discovered
grave cause for fear.
The day before our travellers arrived
upon this spot, passing party of indians
y had bivouacked in the forest few yard
g off the road, and upon quitting thu
y ground had carelessly left their fire t.
+ take care of itself. A slight breeze, pre-
r cusor Of to-day's tearing wind, had beer
; blowing at the time, and he fire, accom-
!, modating itself kindly to the situation
!, had spread over the space of severa
e yards, and then died out again.
q But as so often the case, the flames
ere expiring, had.wrapped round the bas
e of some of the huge pine-trunks, fndin!
:, in their resinous bark congenial stimu
e liant, had burnt large portion of then
d away, one in especial nearly through
e leaving intact the upper two hundre,
e feet or so of ponderous stem and bough
e and leavesl
e And the wind that day was gale.
t. Hugh, having bound up his dilapida
+ ted boot, was rising to his geet, and olt
i Sandie had pulled himself up by the al,
d of his formidable-looking staff, life-pre
IS server as well as support, when ther
y came terrific crash from the bush be
s hind them, and in second of time botl
h men were felled, helpless as ninepins, t.
the earth.