The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-08-01

ne was aware. Inc malu WAS bJrau-
ger to them, as to him; but, in spite of
circumstances, 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
temperate judgments; and after few
minutes reflection he made up his
mind what to do.
81 cant swear that put the wallet
under my pillow, or anywhere else"
he said. "Tm pretty sure that did,
but my thoughts about it are confused,
somehow, and it may be left it at
Bolton, where / slept Tuesday night.
| don't want no injustice done on my
account. 'Dont cry like that"
dressing himself to the girl---"lll tell
you what I'll do. Will you get the
bay mare shod during the day ~
"and if you'll lend me a saddle I'll
ride back to Bolton and make inquiry
there II | find the money, well and
good if don't it will be time enough
to talk further about it tomorrow"
'1'm sure it's good of you to take SO
much trouble" declared the landlady.
"But whether or no, the girl don't stay
here. III have no suspected thief in
my house"
'Therell be nothing to suspect her
of, if l find the wallet" rejoined John,
dryly. "Don't give the poor thing a
bad name till you know that she de.
serves it, Then he left the room, un-
mindful of the look of gratitude which
shone upon him from the blue eyes of
the girl, who had dropped her apron,
and she gazed after him till he was out
Of sight.
His reflections were not agreeable, as
he retraced his footsteps over the dusty
highway, travelled but yesterday with
so light heart. The loss of his mon
ey meant a good deal to John Boyd.
The pressure of anxiety seemed to set
tie again upon his shoulders, as he
thought over the probabilities of its
nonrecovery. "But I won't give in
without fight for it, he thought,
grimly, as he urged his horse for
ward
Miles seem doubly long when meas
ured by heavy heart, what with dust,
heat and the continual effect to clear
his mental confusion as to when and
where he had last seen the wallet, the
young farmer was tagged and dispirit-
ed enough, before noon was fairly
come.
He stopped to dine at little tavern
attached to toll-gate, and with some
vague hope that the money might have
been picked up on the road by some
one, mentioned his loss. The toll
keeper shook his head.
"Bolton's your only choice" he
said. eff it was on the road you
dropped it there's no likelihood that
you'll ever hear of it again. The dust
is eight inches deep, should say, and
there's been three big droves OF sheep
and one of bullocks along since yester-
day, so if your wallet was lying there
they 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 pick
ed it up and made off with it. Your
chance is slim one, / reckon
Cold comfort this; but John was
forced to agree with his opinion. De-
spondingly he rode through the after
noon, scanning the way as he went,
for despite the toll.keeper, faint hope
still fingered in his heart, though the
track, deep in dust and churned and
trampled by the crowded droves, pre-,
sented sorry field for either hope OIL
discovery.
He had gained the top of long hill
from which Bolton was dimly visible
when moving object far ahead caught
his eyes and he rose in his stirrups in
order to see more clearly. AS he did
so his horse made a false step, stun
bled and threw him forward in the sad
die so that his head grazed the horse.
neck. 1t was in this position that &
tiny object, a patch of red, caught his
eye. His heart gave little leap, ther
he called himself fool, but all th'
same he dismounted to examine.
Already random hoof-stroke hat
burned the red patch from sight, bu
Jonn recollected the spot, and STOPPING
dug and scooped till it again became
visible. His fingers recognized soli'
substance. Trembling with excite
ment, he continued to dig; anothe
second and the object was uncovered
lifted out, and with wild, incredulou
whoop of joy, John Boyd held in hi
hand his wallet, buried deep by tn,
hurrying herds, and uncovered for on
passing moment that his eyes nigh
rest upon it, and no other. Except fo
that lucky stumble, he would hav
ridden over the lost treasure, an,
never dreamed what lay beneath hi
horses feet.
Sand some folks say there amt n
Godw was his mental comment
spoken half-aloud. Then-for job
Boyd's religion, though a homely, wa
a true one--he bent his head, and sal
a few words of thanksgiving; afte
which, jumping on his horse, he too
the backward route, eager to tell hi
good fortune, and exonerate the DOC
| girl, who, as he now remembered wit
self-reproacb, must have passed a pair
full day under the stigma of undeserve
suspicion.
| The heat was yielding to evenip
breezes, and he urged his horse, in
patient to set matters straight, br
with his best endeavor it was eleve
o'clock before he at last drew rein i
front of Nash's hotel. He was e,
pected; that was evident, for ligh
were burning and Nash and his vii
hurried out to meet him, wearing fact
of luguborious length, which only i
part changed to cheerfulness whe
they heard of the recovery of the wa
let.
"rhere, what did | tell you7" eric
the husband. Haven't / been a ga,
! ing and saying all day that likely {
not this scare wouldn't turn out all t,
nothing? And you would not liste
to word, but just kept on to th
poor thing inside there, and she not
} ing to blame all the time. / declal
it's too bad the way women act