The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-06-05
Suddenly, with an oath, Sam cried: !:


"I have it l have itw
''Are you shouting for the police,
even before they have light to find
anything in the river ?" whispered Jim.
81 have it, 1 tell you," cried Sam,
in triumph. "What fell in the river
was carried TO the sea in the dark,
when there was no light.
whats your opinion, then?"
"Old Billy often slept here. There's
the straw to show he did"
81 heard the straw move as il he was
on it now," said Jim, in whisper of
horror.
"Blaok Billy is in the channel long
ago, you fooll"
Jim moaned. ''Either the straw
moved or I'm mad"
You're crazy with fear. You
haven't the heart of hare Listen.
Tonight old Billy slept on the
straw"
"Don'tl Don't, Sam Let the straw
alone. It hears you He has come TO
it up out of the water. I'm nearer
the straw than you. l can hear him
breathing"
"Hold your pirate, or I'll put
charge into you. To night he set fire
to the straw aud was burned to dust
What do you think of that, my white
livered Jim9" cried Sam, exultantly.
'I-I-I think it might do if he
was in the river or the sea. But he's
here. He's lying on the straw, listen
ing to us, and whatever you do or say
he'll hang us. / can feel the straw
stirring against me now. For Gods
sake strike a light My hands are
shaking so can't"
SAY, I'll strike light fast enough.
The action followed the words, and
Sam thrust the flaming match into the
straw.
A cone of fire shot up.
Langley, pale and resolute, determ-
ined to make one desperate plunge for
the door, leaped from the blazing
straw and, dashing the smoke from
his eyes, staggered, paused motionless,
and stood staring with distended and
open mouth at the door.
''It's Black Billy himself" !" shrieked
Jim, covering against the wall and
pointing to the ghastly face of Lang
ley.
Quick as lightning Sam covered
Langley. 'lf you move you are a
dead man. Who are you?"
"It's Black Billy himself" whimp-
cred Jim. "Black Billy himself, come
out of the river to hang usl"
"He's the makings of another mur-
der. It's spy. His hair is light, not
dark, you fooll"
Langley did not move. He glanced
from the mnzzle of the gun to the
doorway. He spoke:
81 am not Black Billy. There would
be no good in my saying I did not
hear your conversation"
"Then it was q bad hour for you
when you did hear it, said Sam, with
the gun still pointing at Langley.
"I'm not SO sure of that, and / think
it very good thing for you'll did over
hear it,"
81 don't want to take you too sud-
den, for you may not have been here
as a spy; but you know too much for
ever going out of the door of this
place alive. "
"I know more than you think. and
therefore ] will go out of that door
alive"
"Come; the house is filling with
smoke. You can have ten minutes"
Cant l have till day?'
"No. In three minutes this place
will be too hot and too full of smoke
to stay in it.
''Not till day. not to sec the sun
once more, and it is already dawn.
Look |"
The poachers already turned their
eyes towards the door.
With a groan Jim fell forward in
sensible.
With an oath Sam dropped his gun
to the ground.
The figure of Black Billy, the
gamekeeper, stood on the threshold.
Jim was dragged out of the burn.
ing building and Sans hands were
bound.
"When l was just exhausted in the
water, after that rullian had knocked
me in, said the gamekeeper later, 81
gripped the gunwale of half-swamped
punt, and with the other half of her
kept afoat until / scrambled ashore" "
"'That must have been my boat,
said Langly, $50 that my punt saved
your life, aud then you saved mine.
Well, 'one good turn deserves an
other, l dare say" st Paul's.