Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-01-29
COPYRIGHT, 1897 BY THE AUTHOR,

PoAioI uUOut LIS UcLlpleS UudI uluu I
look healthy" all of which might be
laid to the account Of overstudy, but
those hard, bitter curves about his
mouth were new and puzzling. Across
the flames of the beacon fire Strong flung
a glance that was pathetic in its per-
plexity. "Sethv"
"Yes, Strong"
Give a great notion to tell you my
trouble, only / don't see what good it
will do"
"Just as you please, lad. Don't speak
just to crafty me. Only-if it's any
thing about money. don't be feared to
speak out. I've been Iayln O little by
from my wages as fathers helper, to
stock Little Neck, but l amt quite
ready to stock it yet, and if the money'n
be any service to YOU
"It is not about money, Seth. At
least, not the way you think. Does Lit
tie Neck really belong to you now?"
"Cleanl Not q dollar of debt on it."
II am glad-yery glad. You are
worth q dozen Of me, old fellow. Shake
hands"
"Pshawi Givin your old buddy
taffy." But Seth's laugh was a pleased
laugh and his hand grip was hearty.
"You amt begun yet. We're goin to
make a doctor Of you. We're bound to
have one gentleman in the Martin fam
lily"
Strong made a gesture Of impotence
and emitted a cultural sound that might
mean anything or nothing. They smoked
in silence for a few moments, and then,
with violent suddenness, Strong's heart
committed it's indiscretion.
Buddy Seth, if any one were to tell
you that I had left college under suspi-
cion of being a thief, what would you
say or do?"
"A thief" Seth roared, sending the
word far into the still night air.
"a poor, petty thief Of gold trinkets
and opera glasses and IS billsl"
"Iwould say that the s~uspicioner was
a burned fool, and if you hadn't done
it for yourself I'd whale the life out'n
him"
Strong laughed unpleasantly.
"Then you would have had to whale
the entire faculty and every boy in col
lege except two. The suspicion seemed
we'll founded"
"Seemedr Seth sprang to his feet ex-
citedly. "You don't mean to tell me,
Strong, that you've come away from
Singleton without tu1nin things upside
down and inside out to show 'em who
the true thief was? Surely You sifted it
to the bottomp"
II did not need to sift I knew"
"And didn't tell? Then you're ready
to stand with the angels. Let me see if
your wings amt sproutin?"
"No, I'm not angelic in this matter.
It never nee occurred to me that I could
be suspected. Even now it has eve
been put into shape SO that ! could take
hold Of il. That is the internal side Of
the mess"
"But if you knowed who the thief
was, why didn't you hand him over?
Why didn't you tell the truth and
shame the devil?"
II could not"
could not? I amt never yet seen the
time when I wanted to tell the truth
and could not"
Dared not, then"
Explain yourself, Strong Martin,
and, by Moses beard, if you've showed
the white feather you amt no brother
Of mine and I won't own you"
"Adrien Strong was the thief, Seth
Adrien Strong, whose grandfather was
my fathers best friend, whose name I
bear, whose mother is my mothers
only woman friend, whose exposure
would have involved two families
whom I love and reverence in bottom
less wretchedness.
"Adrien Strong q thief? Strong Mar
tin, you are plum crazy-jest clean
gone distracted.
"Therel You were mistaken about
the boat. She is turning the bend now.
Both men were on their feet and hur-
rying the mules into the traces in an
other second. The hoarse throated whis-
tie announced that their beacon fire had
not been lighted in vain. Liza was
aboard. In rafting haste they descend
ed the steep bluff road. The steamer
had made better speed. She was fiinging
her staging far out over the tawny food
to be in readiness to drop it upon the
bank at the earliest possible moment.
Resinous torches were flaring in their
iron pans at the boats gunwales and at
the foot Of the broad steps that led to
the upper deck. The lower deck was a
brilliantly lighted scene Of bustling ac-
tivity, the mate expanding q superdu-
ity of exhortation, reprobation and COM
mand upon the ebony r~oustabouts who
stood in double file on either side Of the
clumsy stage plank.
Seth and Strong stood in utter dark
ness. Their hearts were beating furious
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