Evening star., 1897-04-10

DaCk
mules and packer" This was quite enough
to divert the irnpressfonable young man,
who speedily finished his dressing, as q
mule, bearing large pack saddle and two
up before the door. led by a muleteer on
small horse. The transfer Of the treas
ure to the saddle bags was quickly MADE
by their united efforts as the first rays of
the sun were beginning to paint the hill
side. Shading his keen eyes with his hand
Stacy stood in the doorway and handed
Demorest the two rifles. Demorest hesi-
tated. Hadn't you better keep one?" he
said, looking in his partners eyes with his
first challenge of curiosity. The sun
seemed to put a humorous twinkle into
Stacys glance as he returned, Not much /!
And you'd better take my revolver with
you, too. I'm feeling a little better now. )"
ne said. looking at the saddle bags but
I'm not fit to be trusted yet with carnal
weapons. When the other mule comes and
Is sacked III overtake you on the horse -
A little more satisfied, although still
wondering and perplexed, Demorest shoul-
dered one rifle, and, with Barker, who was
carrying the other, followed the muleteer
and his equipage down the trail For a
while he was little ashamed of his part
in this unusual spectacle of two armed
men conveying a laden mule in broad day
nSht, but, luckily, it was too early for
the Bar miners to be going to work and
as the tunnel men were now at breakfast.
the trail was free of wayfarers At the
point where 1t crossed the main road Dem
CREST however saw Steptoe and Whiskey
DICK emerge from the thicket, apparently
Ill earnest conversation. Demorest felt his
repugnance and haIf-restrained suspicious
suddenly return. Yet he did not wish to
betray them before Barker, nor was he
wiling, In case of an emergency, to allow
the yourg man to be entirely unprepared
Calling him to follow he ran quickly ahead
OF the laden mule, and was relieved to find
that, looking back, his companion had
brought his rifle to a ready through
net fipot tir-A -
Steptoe and Whiskey Dick, moment later
discovering them, We're evidently surprised
there seemed, however, to be no reason for
fearing an outbreak. Suddenly, at a whis-
per from steptoe he and Whiskey Dick
both threw up their hands and stood still
on the trail few yards from them in
burlesGue OF the usual recognized atti-
tude of helplessness, while a hoarse laugh
broke from Steptoe.
'D--d if we didn't think you were road
agents! But We see you're only guardin'
your treasure Rather fancy style for
Heavy Tree Hill, amt it. Things must be
gettn' rough up thar to hey to take ont
your guns like thatr'
Demorest had looked keenIy at the four
hands thus exhibited. and was more concern
ed that they bore no trace of wounds or
mutilation than at the insult of the
speech-particularly as he had a distinct
impression that the action was intended
to show MIN the futility of his suspicions
Il am glad to see that if you haven't
any arms in your hands you're not incap-
able of handling them," said Demorest
coolly, as he passed by them and again
feil into the rear of the muleteer.. But
Barker had thought the incident very fun
ny and laughed effusively at Whisky Dick
Il didn't know that Steptoe was up to that
kind OF fun, he said, ''and / suppose we
did look rather rough with those guns as
we ran on ahead of the mules. But then
you know that when you called to me 1
really thought you were In for a shindy.
a ftn CO ,fcIy1, n,alr
up to perfection; how he managed it 1
don't know, but his knees seemed to knock
together as il he was In a real funk"
Demorest had thought SO. too, but he
made no reply. How far that miserable
drunkard was forced or willing accom-
plice of the events Of last night was part
OF question that had become more and
more repugnant to him he was leaving
the scene of it forever. 1t had come upon
him, desecrating the dream he had
dreampt that last night and turning its
hopeful climax to bitterness. Small wonder
that Barker, walking by his side, had his
quick sympathies aroused, and he saw
that shadow, which they were all familiar
with, but had never sought to penetrate
fall upon his companion's handsome face,
even his youthful spirits yielded to it.
They were both relieved when the clatter
of hoofs behind them, as they rea ched the
valley announced the approach of Stacy.
Il started with the second mule and the
last load soon after you left he explained,
and have just passed them. l thought
1t better to join you and let the other
that"
Then you are satisfed?' said Demorest,
regarding HIM steadfastly.
You bet! Lookr'
He turned in his saddle and pointed to
the crest of the hill they had Just de-
scended Above the pines circling the low
er slope above the bare ledges of rock and
outcrop, column Of thick black smoke
was rising straight as spire in the wind
less air.
That's the old shanty passing away"
said Stacy complacently. Il reckon there
won't be much of it left before we get to
Boomviile'
Demorest and Barker stared. "You fired
it?" said Barker. trembling with excite
ment.
YES" said Stacy. "I couldn't bear to
leave the old rookery for coyotes and wild
cats to gather in. so 1 touched her OFF be-
fore 1 left
"Rut-,'' said Barker.
But" repeated Stacy, compo sedly. Hal
10! What's the matter with that new plan
of The Rest that you're going to build, eh?
You don't want 'em BOTH
And you did this rather than leave the
dear old cabin to strangers?" said Barker,
with kindling eyes. STACY. 1 didn't think
you had that poetry in you
There's heaps in me- Barker boy, that
you don't know. and 1 don't exactly sabe
myself"
only, continued the young fellow,
eagerly. I'VE ought to have all been there.
We ought to have made solemn rite of it,
you know-a kind of sacrifice. We ought
to have poured kind Of litation on the
ground"
II did sprinkle q little kerosene over it.
think" returned Stacy, Just to help
things along. But If you want to see her
fla ming, Barker you just run back to that
last corner on the road beyond the big red
wood. That's the spot for view"
AS Barker-always devoted to q spectacle
swiftly disappeared, the two men faced
each other. "Well, what does it all mean?'
said Demorest, f-ravey.
1T means, old man." said Stacy, sudden
ly, that If We hadn't had nigger luck, the
same blind luck that sent us that strike,
you and 1 and that Barker over there
would have been swirling in that smoke up
to the sky about two hours agow He stop
ped, and added in lower, but earnest
voice, Look here. Phil. When / went out to
fetch water this morning l smelt something
queer. l went round to the back of the
cabin and found a hole dug under the floor
ard piled against the corner wall a lot of
brushwood and can of kerosene. Some of
the kerosene had been already poured on
the brush. Everything was ready to light.
and only my coming out hour earlier
had frightened the devils away. The idea
was to set the place on fire, sufocate lis in
the smoke of the kerosene poured into the
treasure. 1t was a systematic planr'