The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-05-08

end of it. It's the last time I'll evel
have help | don'tknow all the long and
short of, so you needn't feel afraid TO
/ stop with us agaln-nO, nor none OF your
friends, either; and as for her, out she
packs this dayr'
I'D better go for the constable, hadn't
I?-if you're sure it was under the pill
low you put it, B." suggested the landlord
"Oh, don't, please; please don't,
/ pleaded the girl, weeping violently.
"Give the gentleman his wallet back,
then, and perhaps he'll let you of. .
81 can't. | haven't got it. | never
saw It, Oh, please, believe me. Don't
send me to Jail, " she urged.
The landlady only Unanswered by a SOUND
expression of disgust. And throwing
her apron over her head, the poor CIR
wept in silence, saying no more.
John had held his peace during this
alteration, sharply cycling the parties
concerned III it meanwhile. The Washes
he knew something about. They were
Of good reputation as far as he was
aware. The maid was IA stranger tc
them, as to him; but spite Of the cir
cumstances, and her manner, which was
hardly less suspicious, he could not
bring himself to believe her guilty. He
was not hasty man, and he was a Just
one, with kind heart to back his tenn
perate Judgments; and after a few min
utes reflection he made up his mind what
TO do.
81 can't swear that | put the wall ct
under the pillow or anywhere else, " he
said. I'm pretty sure that [ did. bat
hon al ,n,4+
how, and it may be that | left it at
Bolton, where | slept on Tuesday. |
don't want no injustice done on my ac-
count. SO don't cry like that address,
ing himself to the girl-''Tll tell You
what I'll do. Get the bay shod during
the day, will you ?"-to Mr.. Nash-'and
If you'll lend me a saddle I'll ride back
to Bolton and make inquiry there. If |
find the money, well AMI good; if |
don't, it'll be time enough to talk further
about it tomorrow.
I'm sure its very good of YOU to take
80 much trouble, declared thelandlady.
" But whether or no, the girl don't stay
here. I'll have no suspected thief III my
house.
"There'll be nothing to suspect her OF
II find the wallet, rejoinedJohn, dryly.
" Don't give the poor thing a bad name
TIL you know that she deserves ii. ="
Then he left the room, unmindful Of the
look OF gratitude which shonc upon him
from the blue eyes OF the girl, who had
dropped her apron, and gazcd after him
till he was out of sight.
His reflections were not agreeable rs
he retraced his footsteps over the dusty
highway travelled but Yesterday with 50
light a heart. The loss of his money
meant great deal to John Boyd The
pressure OF anxiety seemed to settle
again upon his shoulders, as he thought
over the probabilities OF its non-re-
coyery. 'But | won't give in without
a fight for 1t, he thought, grimly, as he
urged on his horse. Miles seemed
doubly long when measured by heavy
heart, and what with dust, heat and the
continual effort to clear his mental con-
fusion as to where aud when he last
had seen his wallet, the Young farmer
was tagged and dispirited enough before
noon was fairly come.
He stopped to dine st a little tavern
attached to a tolI-gate, and with some
vague hope that the money might have
been picked up on the road bysome one,
mentioned his loss. The toII-keeper
shook his head
Bottoms your only chance, ne said.
of twas on the road YOU dropped it.,
there's no likelihood that you'll ever hear
of 1t again. The dust's eight inches
deep, l should say, and there's been
three big droves OF sheep and one OF
bullocks along since yesterday, so if your
wallet was a-lying there, they must have
trampled it under pretty thoroughly. 1t
is buried deep enough, you may be sure,
unless, which IS just as likely to happen,
some one has picked ii up and made off
with it. Your chance is a slim one, |
reckon.
Cold comfort this; but John was
forced TO agree with the opinion. De-
spondiugly he rode through the after
noon, scanning the ways as he went; for,
despite the toll-keeper, . faint hope still
fingered In his heart, though the track,
deep In dust, and churned and tramnled
by the crOwding droyes, presented a
sorry field for either hope OF discovery
He had gained the top Of a long bill,
from which Bolton was dimly visible,
when a moving object far ahead caught
ms eye, and he he rose IN his stirrups in
order to see more clearly. As he did 80
his horse made a false step, stumbled
and threw him forward III the saddle, SO
that his head grazed the horses neck
1t was III this position that q tiny object,
patch Of red not over an inch square,
III the dust beneath. caught his quick
eve His heart gave little leap; then
he called himself a fool: but all the same
he dismOuntel 10 examine Already a
random hoof-str0ke had buried the red
patch from sight, but John recollected
the spot, and STOPPING, dug and scOOped
till again il became visible. His fingers
recognized a solid Substance. Trembling
with excitement. he continued to Dig;
another second the object VAS uncovered,
lifted ont. and with Il Wild, incredulous
whoop OF Joy, John BOYD held IN his
hand his wallet. buried docp by the hur-
rying herds, and uncovered for one pas
sing moment that his eve might detect
il, and no other Except for that lucky
stumble. he too would have ridden over
the lost treasure, and never dreamed
what lay beneath his horses feet
"Aud some folks say there amt no
God !" was his mental comment, spoken
half aloud. Then-for John Boyd's re-
lgion. though homely, was true one
-he bent his head and said few words
OF thanksgiving; after which, jumping
on his horse. be took the backward
route, eager to tell his good fortune and
exonerate the poor girl. who, as he now
remembered with sef-reproach, must
have passed a painful day under the
stioD1a ~ undiscovered s11SI,lpi0u