Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-30

kept for YOU Now hurry back to school and
say you met me, bu. that 1 was in a great
hurry. l reckon may have been rather
rough to the priests"
They had reached the lower road again,
and Steptoe silently unhitched his horse.
"Goodby,' he said, as he laid his hand on
the boys arm.
"Goodby dad"
He mounted his horse slowly. WELL" he
said, smilingly, looking down the road, "you
amt got anything more to say to me, have
your"
"Nothin' you want?"
"Nothin', dad
"All right. Goodby.
He put spurs to his horse and cantered
down the road without looking back. The
boy watched him until out of sight with idle
curiosity and then went on his way
whistling and striking off the wayside weeds
with his walking stick.
CHAPTER VII.
The sun rose so brightly over Hymettus on
the morning after the meeting of the three
partners that it was small wonder that
Barkers impressionable nature quickly re-
sponded to it, and, without wakening the
still sleeping child, he dressed hurriedIy and
was the first to greet it in the keen air of the
slope beh nd the hotel. To his pantheistic
spirit 1t had always seemed as natural for
him to early welcome his returning brothers
OF the woods and hills as to say good morn
Ing to his fellow mortals. And in the Joy
OF seeing Black Spur rising again to his level
in the distance before him, he doffed hie
hat to 1t with return Of his old boylsh
habit, laid his arm caressingly around the
great girth of the nearest pine, clapped his
hands to the scampering squirrels in his
path, and whistled to the dipping jays In
this way he quite forgot the more serious
affairs of the preceding night, or, rather
saw them only in the gliding of the morning
until, looking up. he perceived the tall figure
OF Demorest approaching him; and then it
struck him, with his fret glance at his old
partners face, that his usual suave gentle
melancholy had been succeeded by critical
cynlcism OF look and restrained bitterness
of accent. Barker's loyal heart smote him
for his own selishness; Demorest had been
hard hit by the discovery of the forgery and
Stacy's concern in it, and had doubtless
passed a restless night, while he (Barker) hae
forgotten all about it. 81 thought OF knock
ing at your door as l passed." he said with
sympathetic apology, "but l was afraid I
might disturb you. Isn't 1t glorious here? I?
Quite like the old hill. Look at that lizard
he hasn't moved once since he first saw me.
Do you remember the one who used to steal
our sugar. and then stlffen himself into
stone on the edge of the bowl, until he
looked like an ornamental handle to it?" he
continued. rebounding again into spirits.
Barker" said Demorest abruptly, what
eort oi woman is this MIS- van Loo whcse
roc,ns occupy
v, said barker with optimistic inno-
cehce, most proper woman, old chap,
Mnite-hairea, wen,dressed, with little
foreign accent, and a still more foreign
courtesy. why. you don't suppose we'd
But what is she like!' said Demorest,
impatiently
well said Barker, thoughtfully, she Is
the kind of woman who might be Van
Loo's mother, / suppose"
you mean the mother Of forger and a
swindler?" asked Demorest, sharply.
There are no mothers OF swindlers and
forgers." said Barker. gravely, "in the way
you mean. It's only those poor DEVILS" he
said. pointing, nevertheless. with certain