The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-30
or sympathy. Two talked mostly about

interest or sympathy. Two talked mostly about
sToii mo about those old times. Eddy. You
never told me anything about them"
The boy, momentarily arrested moro by some.
ness he had i newer = notice S~sitoreothan By, any
suggestion OF his words. said with a laugh, oh,
f,,o H snS s %SS e w SS, qs @a. sS d sI. when l1isli ! S STotS SSTy
on Heavy Tree. Gay times wc had then,
other peoples handwriting !" said stePtoe,,
What made y9n think Of that, pop.!!,w sSid
tSSst''S The very, thing we did talk about
But you didn't do 1t again; you amt dono 1t
sinGc;" said st.ep too Quickly mic Sov o,r,omr,nou,,v.
be any fun in 1t. II Isn't like tho old times when
t Boys round sG Heavy TToo and Ss%pf the S'G Bar, and Sc some:
things, and they'd think the letters were real
and they'd do EN-. And. thcro'd be the biggest
kind Of a row, and nobody .S know " who did ia so.,
sitting aStrido the log, his elbows on his knees
Cheeks h 81 the boys handsome nT'ff face became iiiG.
minated with an impish doyiltry, which tho
fSther hs had Ma never Gn seen sof %Ss o %dth Of dat sSose
no wanted to SOC mo about and wanted
around here now. 1t was "A game we got of on
S Snf OF Fri tsslfi s sdn. dad gnrf foT yO lSnf kS SS1SE what hat
happened aftcrward, and you'll be glad. Well,
1 .sas Rass.ner 4 p ssFa cf MISS Mss kina IF silly fsilSS Sn
always gloomy and loyesick after his girl in the
States; Well. we'd written lots Of letters TO girls
from their chaps before, and got lots OF fun out
il, but. we had even . better show for a game
here. for II happened that Van Loo knew all
pdrtner didn't, for Van Loo's mother was a sort
Of a friend of the girls family, and travelled
spoohy w oter h thlls f bem s@ew s ana t ihS f fhoy S Sor.
responded. So, knowing that Van Loo was en-.
ployed at Heavy. Tree, she wrote to him to find
want her to marry a broken-down miner like
and write "a letter to her as IL it was from him,
don't you seei wanted to make him call her
awful names and say that he hated her, that he
had killed a policeman, and that he was think.
Ing of becoming a Digger Indian and q having
what stun / made e. npi" The boy burst into G'a a
fhFill ih s"l infe % ia ln y a ioad Si,eP in lis sH dan
For SOM moments they. sat there looking in
emotion, the father forgetting the purpose OF his
coming there, his rage over Van Loo's visit, and
road below was waiting to bring him. the son
and his shameful vagabond wanderings with
sinking sun stared blankly in their faces; tho
protecting pines above them, moved by a stronger
NOUS crow mockinRly repeated the fathers
coarse laugh, and a squirrel scampcrcd away
from the strangely, assorted pair as stepioc,
handkerchief. said:
And did you send II 7"
those sort of lovesick fools made more fuss over
little things than they did over big things, and
he sort Of toned 1t down and fixed IL p himself.
Hut IL fold. For there were never Rny more let
tiers in the Post Office in her handwriting. and
there 9EHsv wasn't isn't any Posted dt to o her ina in hi ,Isn s,entoo
o o1si; looking tinst at tie boyes .TSsc. got It to e"' Catch a
train at Three powders station"
Three Bowlders r. repeated the boy: I'm go,
ing there, too. on Friday to meet Fl; Cipriano.y
reckon my work will be done ,h by Efr Ida 4
his boys hand. he Was thinking that the real
fight at Marshall's would not take place at once.
for II might take a day or two for Marshall to
gather forces. But he only pressed his sons
II wish you would sometimes take me with
you as you used to-" said the boy curiously.
steptoe looked at the boy with a choking
No" and then suddenly, with simulated humor.
"Don't you be taken in by letters from me such
as you and Van Loo used to write. You hear =
And" continued steptoe. III anybody says I
sent n teT y ssidi a aSe bG ycg sS GsiisSe 'he"'
see me so. You understand. BY the way, FIR.
but that I was in a great hurry. 1 reckon 1 may
have been rather rough to the priests" 49,,
Steptoe silently unhitched his horse. Good
by" he said, ssh laid his hand on the boys arm.
He mounted his horse slowly. We'll" he said
smilingly. looking down the road. you amt got
anything more to say to me- have your
"Nothin. you wantr
"All right. Good-by."
the road without looking back. The boy watched
him until out Of sight with idle curiosity and
the heads Of weeds With bis Walking stick.
CHAPTER VIII.
The sun arose so brightly over Hymettus on
the morning after the meeting Of the three part
ners that It was small wonder that Barker's i'm
and, without awakening the still Sleeping child.
he dressed hurriedly and was the first to greet It
in the keen air of the slope behind the hotel. To
natural for him to early welcome his returning
brothers Of the woods and hills as to say good
morning to his fellow mortals. And In the joy
with a return Of his old boyish habit, laid his
nearest ne% q sar eisea feiEap asSpR Ris S f@s Esf 10 the fist sea on sne
ing squirrels in his path. and whistled to the
dipping jays. In this way he quite for
in the gliding of the morning until. looking up.
he perceived the tall figure of pemorest APP
preaching him; and then 1t struck him, with his
first glance at his old partners face. that his
usual snaye. gentle melancholy had been sue
ceeded BY e critical cynicism Of Look and 2 re;
heart smote hin for his own selfshness; Demo
rest had been hard hit BY the discovery
and had dnnbfIess nassed n restless n;abt'