The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-02-08

go on. It's our O1llU chance"
Beaten, bruised, blackened and smoke
grimed, looking less human than the
animals who had long since deserted
the crest, they at last limped into
wind opening" in the woods that the
fire had skirted. The major sank ex-
haustedly to the ground. The sheriff
threw himself beside him. Their strange
relations to each other seemed to have
been forgotten. They looked and acted
as If they no Longer thought Of anything
beyond the present. And vixen the sher-
if finally arose, and, disappearing for
several minutes, brought bis hat fall Of
water for his prisoner from distant
spring that they had passed in their
flight, he found him where he had left
him, unchanged and unmoved.
He took the water gratefully and
after a pause fixed his eyes earnestly
upon his captor. 81 want you to do a
favor to me" he said slowly. I'm not
going to offer you bride to do it either
nor ask you anything that isn't in line
with your duty. l think l understand
you now if didn't before. Do you
know Briggs restaurant in Sacrament
to?'
The sheriff nodded.
well, over the restaurant are my
private rooms-the finest in Sacrament
to- Nobody knows it but Briggs, and
he has never told. They've been locked
ever since left. I've got the key still
in my pocket. Now, when we get to
Sacramento instead of taking me straight
to Jail / want you to hold me there as
your prisoner for day and night.
don't want to get away. You can take
what precautions you like-surround
the house with policemen and sleep
yourself in the anteroom. l don't want
to destroy any papers or evidence You
can go through the rooms and examine
everything before and after / only
want to stay there day and a night
l want to be in my old rooms, have my
meals from the restaurant as / used to
and sleep in my own bed once more.
want to live for one day like gentle
man. as l used to live before came
here That's all. 1t isn't much, Tom.
You can do it and say you require to
do it to get evidence against me or that
you want to search the rooms"
The expression of wonder which had
come into the sheriff S face at the begin
ming of his speech deepened into his old
look of surly dissatisfaction. "And
that's all you want" he said gloomily.
You don't want no friends-no lawyer?
For l tell you straight out, major, there
amt no hope for ye when the law once
gets hold of you in Sacramento
'"rhat's all. Will you do it,"
The sheriff's face grew still darker
After pause he said: 81 don t say no,
and l don't say yes But, he added
grimly, lit strikes me we'd better wait
till we get clear of these woods before
you think Of your Sacramento lodgings"
The major did not reply. The day had
worn on. but the fire, now completely
encircling them, opposed any passage in
or out of that Hateful barrier. The smoke
OF the burning underbrush hung low
around them in bank equally impene-
trable to vision. They were as alone as
shipwrecked sailors ON an island girdled
by horizon Of clouds.
I'm going to try to sleep" said the
major IF your men come, you can
waken me. 4"
And if your men Gomez" said the
sheriff dryly. "Shoot me.
He lay down, closed his eyes, and to
the sheliff's astonishment pr lsent, y fell
asleep The sheriff, with his chiI. in his
grimy hands, sat and watched him as
the day slowly darkened around them
and the distant fires came out in more
lurid intensity. The face of the captive
and outlawed murderer was singularly
peaceful; that Of the captor and man Of
duty was haggard, wild and perplexed.
But even this changed soon. The
sleeping man stirred restlessly and I'M
easily, his face began to work, his lips
to move. Toni he gasped suddenly.
"Tomp'
The sheriff bent over him eagerly
The sleeping mans eyes were still |
closed. Beads of sweat stood upon his |
forehead. He was dreaming.
To be concluded.