Evening star., 1899-04-01

suspicious-and there was me; 'ad to ex-
plaln I'd come down to the pump for a
drink, because my water bottle was bad
/ f didn't let off a snack or two over
| that bit, you lay bob"
And you mean to say I began.
Wait a bit" said Mr.. Brisher. Il say.
I'd made my plan. That put the kybosh
or one bit, but it didn't 'urt the general
scheme. | went and | finished that rock
cry next day, though there wasn't
snack in the world; cemented over the
stones, | did, dabbed it green, and every
thing. / put a dab Of green just to show
| where the box was. They all came and
| looked at it, and said 'ow nice it was-even
| 'e was a bit softer like to see it, and all
e said was It's pity you can't always
work like that, then you might get some
thing definite to do he says. Yes l
saysI couldn't 'elp it-I put a lot in that
rockery,' I says-like that. See? I put a
| lot into that rockery'-meanin'-"
| Il see said for Mr.. Brisher is ant
| to overelaborate his jokes.
60 e didn't" said Mr.. Brisher. Not then
| anyhow:
owever-after all that was over I.
Off I set for London.
"On'y I wasn't going to no London" said
Mr. Brisher with sudden animation, and
| thrusting his face into mine. NO fear,
| What do you think?
Il didn't go no further than CoIchester-
not a yard.
I'D left the spade just where I could
find it. I'd got everything planned and
right, 'ired a little trap in Colchester,
| and pretended | wanted to go to Ipswich
and stop the night, and come back next
| day, and the chap 1 'ired 1t from made me
leave two sovrings on it right away and
| on set didn't go to no Ipswich neither.
Midnight, the 'orSe and trap was itched
| by the little road that ran by the cottage
! where e Hved-not sixty yards off it
WASH t-and l was at 1t like q good un 1t
was jest the night for such games-over-
! cast-but trifle too 'ot, and all around the
| sky there was summer lightning and pres
! entity thunderstorm. Down 1t came
+ Tst Dig drops IN a sort of fizzle, then aiI.
KEEP on L whacked at it, didn't dream
| the old man would ear I didn't even
Trouble TO go quiet with the spade and the
| thunder and lightning and all seemed to
| excite me like. l shouldn't wonder If I was
Singing. got so ard at it l clean forgot
| the thunder and the 'orse and trap I prec-
| ious soon got the box showing, and started
to lift it . ~
Heavy" said.
ual u e;o;L couldn,t no more lift it than fly I
was SICK Ia never expected that, / got
regular wild-I tell you, l cursed. I got
sort of outrageous. 1 didn't think Of di-
viding it like for the minute, and even
i ,nen l. couldn't ave took money about
| loose In a trap. I hoisted one end sort of
WIG hike, and over the whole show went.
with tremendous noise. Perfeck smash
| OF silver And then right on the heels of
that, Hash! Lightning like the day! and
| there was the back door open and the old
| man coming down the garden, with is
blooming old gun. He wasn't not 'undred
lyards away!
Il tell you I was that upset I didn't
| think what l was doing. 1 never stopped.
not even to fill my pockets. I went over
the fence like shot. and ran like / O'Clock
| Tor the trap. cussing and swearing as I
| went. l was in state
And will you believe me. when I got to
the place where I'd left the 'orse and trap,
| they'd gone. Orf! When / saw that I
| adn't a cuss left for 1t. 1 jest danced on
the grass: and when I'd danced enough 1
started off to London. l was done"
Mr. Brisher was pensive for an interval
i was done he repeated, very bitterly.
| "Well? ! said.
! That's all,' said Mr.. Brisher
| You didn't go back?'
No fear, I'd 'ad enough of that bloom
| ing treasure, any'ow, for bit Besides I
| didn't know what was done to chaps who
tried to collar treasure trove. 1 started
| OFF for London, there and then
] And you never went back?'
| Never"
But about Jane? Did you write?"
Three times-fishing. like. And no an
| swer. We'd parted in a bit of 'ufr. on
| account of 'er being jealous So that I
couldn't make out for certain what it
| meant
Il didn't know what to do. didn't even
/ know whether the old man knew If was
me. sort Of KEEP an eye open on papers,
| to see when he'd give up that treasure to
| the crown. as I hadn't a doubt e would
considering 'ow respectable ed always
been"
| And did he?"
Mr.. Brisber pursed his mouth and
| moved his head slowly from side to side.
| Not 'im." he said.
Jane was nice girl he said, "a thor
| there's no knowing l mdghtn't ave gone
back to 'er after bit I thought IL e
didn't give up the treasure. I might ave
sort OF old on i'm. We'll, one day