The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-11-07

T readily to further temptation in the same direction. h fact, they had not gone more than hundred yards before Dare said: This iS the sort of weather when . man feels the want of something warm inside to 6ght against the cold outside" | With that he drew his flask from his pocket, opened il, poured some of the con- tents into the cup, and pre'ended to drink It oh. Then pouring quantity more into the cup he handed 1t to Iohn, Swallow this. old boy you will hod il do you good" he said,
 John drew Tulip up into a walk, aud took the flask in his left hand, He was quite aware that he had already taken as { much, or more perhaps, than was good for him. Bl,the odor of the brandy was sweet him, and the night was certainly very cold, and his conscience was not m the habit of making much ct 6Sht on such occasions. The natural consequence ensued he hesita,ed and vas lost LiE- inG the silver cup to his lips, he swallowed tho contents at one huge eulp.
 The spirit was potent. And ohn coughed q little as he jngged Tulip 10 ge, up her pace again, That's strong Nuff cap tain. and it's got queer twang with it. v he said. What may be the name oi IL now ?"
 Its Dutch brandy wha, the myn- heers drink in Holland"
 "Ah, I've heard say as how they are rum lot over there"
 It Sas not DAre's policy to talk, SO he made no reply. But fl he did no, talk he watched h,s companion keenly. The crucial moment was al hand
 Presently J0hn PeKram's head began to nod ominously. He pulled h;m>elt up with jerk, Yawned and rubbed his eyes with his disengaged hand For two or three minutes all went we'll Then hts head began to nod again, then he drew himself up again, but not so suco oessiuliy as before. Oae or two further ta,nt s,rug. gles he made, but iu vain. H,S eyes felt as if they had leaden weights on them. numbnesS ercpt through all his limbs bis chin sank forward on hts chest John was fast asleep. One hand sull gIasped the reins; he was kep, from ialling by the strap around his waist, which was SC. curely buckled to the ir~n-work of his seat. Tulip, unconscious that anything out Of the ordinary was happening be. hind her, logged quietly on her way
 Nothing happened to mar Harold Dare's scheme. They met one or two vehicles returning from BArIowcl,h. and three or four bela,ed pede s,tians. but the sight of two peosle instead of one on the box ot the mail-cart was not SO unusual as to call for particular notice. Here and there they passed farm house, but the lights were all sx,inguiShed and the tn- mates in bed long ago. And so. after what seemed to Harold greater mum. Der of hours than they were minutes ID reality, the mail-cart reached the waste plst of ground ou which stood the two unfinished houses Here Harold con tnved 10 get possession Of the re,ns. al though not without little difficulty Johns fingers seemed to grip them ,n- sunctvely, sound asleep though he was and even after they had been taken from his hand still kept its shape and position AS before
 An admonitory tug brought Tulip 10 a stand Harold listened with all his nigh, for the sound of anything tha, nigh, be appro .ching either from one direction CT the other; but all was silence. the mos, profound Then he turned the mares head to~ard the waste ground, and leap ing down, led her round gable of the empty houses, and so 10 the back of them where nothing could 6e seen from the high road. This done, he climbed into the cart again and turned on the light of his bull s-eye
 The mail bags were contained In re- ceptacle al the back of the cart the iid l of which was simply fasicned with basp The hIsi bag that Harold drew out was the very one that he wanted IL bore a brass label with the word London " on It, and its mouth vas tied round wih string sealed with coarse red wax liar. old's sharp pen knife quickly cut through the string, and then the bag was open 10 his hand.
 The cor eJpopdence between Saltwater ard the outer world was, as rule, no, very voluminous, and he bag wa, only abou, one th,Id iaIl Harold seager togers had liule difficulty ID finding tn. particular packet they were in ,euch of seeming to close on Ii ins,inctivsiy the momen, they touched 1t. SAth jung him self by single glance that he had not made a mistake, he thrust the packe, into his breast pocket. blew out h,s lantern nu, back among the other bags, shut do"n the lid and leaped lightly to the ground
 Then enteting the empty house, Dare quickly found his own bag tn the corner where he had Left IL. IL was a work of very little time divest himself of his wig. moustache, opera hat and white huff sr. Then taking his bag .s one hand, he -ent back to the mail cart, and leading Tulip by the head, they were ali presently on the solitary high road again The mare head vas turncd iD the direction of Stl- water, the Iesns were replaced in Johns unconscious fingers. and Tulip being bid- den to @gee-up," started of at bnsk trot, being probably quite aware that abe was on her say back to the stable. That night ,he Saltwater ie,tsr-bag never rear ned Londo4