The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-05-17

II would be dark night"
Shutting the window as softly as he
had opened 1t, Jim and his friend, each
taking short, well-worn pipe from his
pocket, sat down to gmoke. From an
other pocket came flask. They made
themselves comfortable, and seemed to
forget all about bed
At any rate neither of them attempt
ed to go to it. They sat on and smoked
and drank occasionally, aad whispered
together in hushed tones At last the
clock struck two. One of them rose.
drew aside the window curtain and
looked out.
A suppressed shout of exultation
broke from him. "Wadei Wade, the
night has changed. It's raining and
the moon is gone. knew rain was
coming"
Man alive. don't make that row.
retorted the other. ''ye don't want the
house woke up
Putting away their pipes and TASKS
they opened the window with crafty
gentleuess and dropped down on the
ground outside ii, one after the other.
The night was very dark; no light, nor
giimmer of it, was to be seen anywhere.
Making their way round cautiously
to the coach house and stables, Jim pro-
duced master key which undid the
locks The stable door he undid was the
one that had the valuable horse in IL.
and he was surprised to find out what
an easy lock it was. Then. while the
other man kept watch he hastily and
noiselessly attached the horse to their
own gig, using the harness he had adj
mired so greatly The rain was dash
ing down smartly, which tended to
deaden other sounds. When al was
ready they cautiously led the horse
and gig out of the yard and to a dis
lance beyond it, and drove away at a
spanking pace.
So far they were well satisfied with
their nights work, and congratulated
themselves on the valuable prize they
had captured in the horse ard harness.
It's true the horse appeared to require
the whip pretty frequently. and Jim.
who was driving, did not fail to admin
lister it.
Lazy beggar, He has stuffed him
self out with corn" cried he "You
shall fast all this day. my gentleman.
and that viii bring you into working
order What pelt it isl Cooking up
at the pouring rain-l Should say this
was the clearing shower"
''What'n the job bring MS in. Jim2''
Twenty pounds clear. I reckon And
an old hack thrown in to complete the
bargain"
On the heath row, they began laugh
-1g over the past nights adventure
there, as related to them by the land
lord. They had no fear of the high
waymen themselves-not they; such
gentry do not prey upon one another
Hang it. Jim. can't you drive
faster?" cried Wade, suddenly.
Jim made no answer He was begin
ming to feel somewhat puzzled; for. I'M
less he was greatly mistaken the beautf-
full horse betrayed unmistakable signs
of giving in Their own wretehed ami
NAL could do as well as this Presently
it stopped stopped dead from exhaus-
ton
what the devils the matter with
him?'' demanded Wade
BE shot if l know. He seems dead
beat. It's so dark one can see nothing.
rain has ceased"
well. this is a pretty go.- exclaimed
the other. as the horse, in spite of whip
and word. refused TO move. brought
up. before ones half beyond danger.
with a stolen horse. You must have
been mistaken in the worth of the ami
NAL. Jim; never knew ycu mistake one
before"
He jumped out of the gig and began
feeling the animal with his hands. At
the same moment the coy moon burst
out from behind the clouds and shoue
down in all her splendor. Jim felt the
horse. stared at it and stared again.
The other one in the gig was also gazing
curiously. Simultaneously a shout of
dismay, followed by an imprecation.
burst from both of them They had
stolen their own horsel
Some mutual recriminatiou ensued,
Wade accusing Jim of having made a
mistake and opened the wrong stable,
Jim vowing by all that's blue that he
had opened the right one.
ANY way we've got the harness,
pleaded Jim.
The remark caused Wade to turn his
eyes on it; it's silver points were glitter
ing in the moonlight. y closer glance.
and then another angry shout broke
from Kim.
'Lcok here. YOU fool. here's crest
''Eey-what?" cried Jim, turning
round.
Sure enough; the silver-mounted har-
ness bore family crest with its Latin
motto, and could no doubt be identified
anywhere. Certainly this nights an
ticiPated spoil was not lucky in any
wav.
Next morning the landlord Of the inn
was intensely surprised at the disap-
pearanee of the travellers and at the
spiritiEg away of some harness that be
longed to the young Viscount Dare He
stood in the stable yard talking with his
hostler.
ssTl,,& To- - III rorsrsI,sr,sr I 49, ,,-,.1I