The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-04
THE TREASURE CHEST.
By CLARENCE c. CONVERSE.

Ned was eating supper-his father and
mother had been gone half an hour-when
the vagrant's frowsy grizzly head ap-
peared at the dining-room window.
He was the same tramp that Ned Hart
had seen before that day lounging about
near neighbors house. He was thiclS-set,
sandy haired and beetle browed; and had
a particularly sly look in his eyes that
stamped him rascal. He carried the reg
ulation bandanna Standardization
| less containing all his worldly goods, and
long club-lilse staff.
His ugly visage was anything but
welcome sight to Ned. The farm house
was two miles east of the city limits of
| Duluth, and the home of the Johnstons,
the nearest neighbors, Yves nearly mile
| distant. The house stood back OF the
Lake Road; " the near by road, quite
distant away also.
With the knowledge that there was
hardly chance of visitor dropping in,
and that his parents We're not TO return
| from the city until twelve or one O'Clock,
il was ras&er trying matter for young
fellow to remain cool, for he felt that the
tramp meant mischief.
"Well what do you want?" he asked
sharply, as the worthy remained silent;
"work?"
The tourist made an ugly grimace.
"a bite o. that bread, sonny" he an
swered.
Ned was wishing that Sprig, his faith
full old dog, would surprise the unwel-
come visitor in the rear; but, two weeks
before, Sprig had mysteriously disap-
peared, and had not materialized since
Meanwhile the tramp was looking over
the other doors, windows, and furnishings
| of the room very kcenly.
"An' some o. that meat an Coffee" the
fellow added grufiiy.
Placing the things on the outer sill, he
told the tramp to "pitch in" and closed
! the window.
n The big fellow looked for moment rs
! il he resented the action; but he said
nothing, and moved off toward the main
road with the lunch.
Ned began to feel bit lees nervous. He
poured out another cup of coffee for HIM
self, and drank it with q better relish
than he had drank the previous cup when
his visitors shock Of head had been
framed in the window. Then he yawned.
He had been fishing out on Lake Superior
all the morning and part of the afternoon;
and the row out to the fishing grounds
was long one, and had made him, strong
as he was a bit tired.
81 wonder il the old vag. is in sight?"
he exclaimed, "He is a mighty hard
looking fellow! I'll go up in dads room
and take survey of the road"
Suiting the action to the words, he went
upstairs and looked out OF one of the win
dows in his fathers room, which COM
m anded view OF the Lake road.
1t was growing dusk out; the sun had
been down perhaps half an hour and the
atmosphere was just tinted with the dy-
ing reddish tinge; light twinkled, will
o'-the- wisp-like, from a farmhouse or
two over q distant hill, and the stars were
beginning to come out--there was no
moon. For time his eyes could dis
tinguish few objects, coming as he had
from an illuminated room. All of the
road leading to the farmhouse seemed one
mass OF deep shadow, too strong for his
eyes to pierce-but soon he could begin to
! see better.
Involuntarily he drew back from the
window suddenly. Either his sight de-
ceived him, or there were two men stand
ing by the tree, half way between the
Lake Road and the house, one a large,
beayy-set man, the other trifle smaller.
In silence he watched for some time,
and, though it was growing more dusky
all the time, he became certain that the
two dark objects were indeed men. They
appeared TO be i'm consultation.
Hurrying down stairs he made tour OF
| tho house, and secured all the windows,
their blinds, and the doors; but then
! their locks and hooks could make but a
short resistance against a determined as
sault.
Barricading them with furniture as best
he could, Ned FASTENED upstairs for an
other look at the two figures down the
road. They had disappeared.
"Good riddancc TO bad rubbish!" he
exclaimed in relief.
And he returned to the dining-room.
taking up q book to read for little while.
But scarcely had he got well started
when the handle OF tho side door was
tried, and then it's panel sharply raped.
"Who's there?" he demanded.
His question was ignored.
"Open this door, or well bust IL in,"
came in a grun, harsh voice from with
out.
Ned recognized it the moment he heard
Il. Il was that of the big tramp TO whom
he had given the lunch.
"Lively, sonny" the fellows companion
put i'm. Then the door knob was given
another impatient wrench.
Ned was at loss just what 10 do. Drop
ping his book he crossed over 10 the door,
u,,a. I'm as firm tone as he could com
mand, exclaimed:
"I will shoot through the door NJ you,
N YOU do not leave"
He's bright" Ned heard tho smaller
OF the two tramps say, and hundred
60 one he's bluEin', farmers don't have
/ shoptorsu