Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-09-25
CHAPTER, Nv

anu I'uii'nS forth smoke from the short
and blackened pipe that w;ls his almos,
inselmrahlc companion. came striding M
the long and ,.rrow valley ,hat led from,
the sea cts,st to that hollow in which his
unenvable dwelling stood. He walked
more swiftly. aud more strongly. too
than could have becn ccniectur,sl of Il
man Of his hu,in.
He walked up to- IL corner Of the hut
where sundry tools were stacked. selected
acrowl'ar, small. shnrp-pointetl. and made
of as good steel as ever Sheffield sent
forth. and. armed with this instrument,
and carrying great petroleum lamp. llc
approached the now tirclcss hearth, on
which there lay. cold and dead, tho ashes
of his fire of peat and wood.
Using the strong steel crowbar with
considerable skill. Rufus Crouch man.
aged 10 lif, the heavy hearlhstone and to
sway ii to one side. giving to view be-
meath Il cavity ar,fully contrived to serve
as n place of d.post for articles too pre-
cious to be lef, i'll some cupboard or other
unprotected receptacle in II house So often
cnantless. The hole held only two oh
Jccts: tho one Il common jar of baked
clay. with II lid. such as i'm Holland is used
for the siorag" OF tobacco. the other Il
large tin box, fastened by IL paddock
Rufus lifted the lid of The Dutch tobacco
JAR and threw casua! glance at The
money god silver and copper coins n,iN-
ed together hat lay below. Then he r,.-
placed the cover. and unlocking the pad
lock with hcy' which. like that other
which sie first employed. waS attached To
his silver watch chain. he drew forth IL
nnmIN: ~ I'ap"rs and parcumcnts From
these he sei'lt.ied Il particular deed. and
began. for perhaps ti,c hunlre,lth time.
with greedy eyes to study it's contents.
"N"' doi,b, about ii. he multercd-
''all that sun Of seventy thousand pounds,
Consolidated Three per Cents. with all
unclaimed bn k dividends thcrefrom ac-
cruing belongs as certainly To Violet. only
dNuEilter-"
Here the l,ucly students interested
commentary OH the legal document in his
clutch was int, ,rruptcd by whining cry
from the dogs without. II tap at the door.
the lifting of The latch. and it WAS Oba-
diah .!cdson's towering figure that now
darkened the DOORWAY.
"Hcre. Rufus. man!' said the Deep re-
sonan, voice of the captain of the jet
hunters: YOU must he deaf or busy
Knocked before, and | gave the word lr-
fore cane. in However. nll'a well: only
time is short:
'Wha;'S mp. captain:" confuscliy de-
mnndrd the occupant of the hut, as lie
hndsle! iogcil.,r the law papers that lay
before him Oh nc unti,ly table, and looked
asS;,nce AT the newcomer. II was reading
"A thing don't often do" he continued.
with Il constrained laugh: ''poring over II
lot of old letters What stirring, Cap
tam Je,ison:'
1--WE ought 10 be-" answered old Ob;,-
diah, frow ning.: 'In digging the foun-
dations for the new pier at Danehoronyll
Jet traces hav" been found--vcry good
ones, since min. pounds weight were pick
Ell up by mere children in IL couple of
hours. l hav. seen the stuff and the
place. and have been round to summon
the lads and women to muster at Dane
borough Old Pier at five Tomorrow morn
In your turn. liufus. mate. have come
to YOU. looh To you rs my lieutenant.
in Don's place."
''Don's turned gentleman. amt hc!
sneerinsiy askC1 The confederate of Sill
Richard Mortm:ln. IA pleasanter trad,
for him than jet seeking. guess and Il
safcr.'
Don dragged you. body AID bones. o,l1
of what would else have been your grav,
in the Soldiers Slough. comrndc Rufus.
retorted old Obadiah. with such digl,ilie
sternness of rcbukr that the rullian quail
ed before the severe regard of the gauii1
captain of jet hunters. "and rs for tnkin.
a new trade. ii is held by all of lis along
this coast that my fose,-son is gentle
man born. Bat did not come here tt
talk of our Don. who will he back with IL,
one day. but nj ;he work of the morrow
nEltc. have cihcrs to call. who live f:.
away. Can | count on you. Crouch. I,
make onc:''
eyes" sullenly replied Rufus; 'yes. II
be there-nevc- fear me: Ill be there
And so they parted