Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-04-10


''Well. Z must own up I'm up a stump
now" exclaimed Dick as he regarded
she inscription blaukly Two, three,
four and one. cross, with a dot in one
of its angles. This IS u vast improve
ment on the other. so far as being mys-
terious goes"
He struck another match and examined
It stiA more closely. But the scrutiny
gave him 40 key to the strange riddle.
The pitch that | left in little patches
has been well smeared over the bark,
ne said lowering the pickering match
from the writing to the rough surface of
thc bark. Immediately below it. 1T is as
j thought, Mr.. Wayne; you rested the
arm on which that coat sleeve was
against the tree while you made your
puzzle for me 10 rack my brains over"
lie turned away from the tree and be-
gan his homeward journey, passing with
in foot OF where Bill Green was hid
den. Bill held his breath, fearful that
his hiding place would be discovered, and
ne waited for sometime after Dick had
passed him before he dared stir. He want.
ed to feel perfectly sure that the man
he had watched was Il safe distance
sway before he made any Investigations.
III Dick were TO retrace his steps and
come upoa Bill suddenly, while he was
examining The tree where he had seen
Dick at work, it would be awkward for
him to explain matters.
When he had waited FOR perhaps a
quarter Of an hour, he concluded that it
was safe for him to venture out He did
so, cautiously.
He made his way to the tree. When
ne reached it he stopped and listened
Nothing was to be heard save the moan
sng of the wind in the treetops and the
rGstling of the grass growing among the
anderbrush.
With hand that tremhled like the ira
iitiOnal aspen leaf, he struck match
and took his turn mt examining the cot
tonwood
What he saw there was as puzzling to
him as il had been to Dick.
wall. / snum," exclaimed Bill, with
wide-open mouth aud eyes full of won
der. ''Ehs beats me- / s'pose he knows
what it meant, cause he made it, but
/ couldn't make out head nor tail ont
ef was TO 80 TO thunder"
From which the reader will perceive
that Bill believed that Dick had placed
the mysterious aud bnftling marks there.
From his hiding place he had not been
able to see distinctly what was done,
and il was quite natural for him TO be
Iieve that Dick had written on the tree
while he was standing by it, and that be
had seen him do it.
Il tell you" exclaimed Bill, to some
unseen companion, .that air Dick Bray.
tons deep one. an no mistake. That
81 "a 4
ldee OF. III bet a dollar. Fggers an
spots au' crosses. 1t means suthin, but
Sol darn my pictar Of can tell what
/ snum. Ia be willin' tu give the brindlt
steer 10 kaow jest what the plaguy thing
staa's fer | would SO | know what
I'm a-goin' 20 du, fuSt thing in the morn
in I'm a-goin' 20 so an see the singin
teacher about it. l will, vum. He's sharp
an mcbbc be can see thru IT, Dick Bray
ton, gol durn We, you think yer mighty
smart. an too good 10 'sociate with me
but L kin o reckon III sit even with We
keme way. III | ever sit chance tC
pay ye of I'm a-goin' TO du il. You don
dream that we've got Bill Green on yer
track. but he's there. an he'll foller VI
like houu' He will So
Bill Green, as | have said. could re
member an old grudge like an Indian
He was not the person TO forget or for
give In reality Dick had never inter
fered with him in any way. but be tool
pleasure in making himself think that
IL BraytoR had not come upon the scene
Mamie might have accepted his atten
tions. While the truth was, Mamie haC
always had a cordial dislike for him. bu
out of pure mischief she had encouraged
him To think the time might come wher
she would iNcl more friendly toward him
But after Dick came she had not even
smile t,g poor Bill He was forlori
aud deSpoadent for a tine, and then wax
Ell wrathy aud vindictiye. he had Ion,
been OF the lookout Tor an opportunit!
80 get even" with his rival.
Il hain't much on the fight. IL al
low. Bils admitted 10 himself. He's
Hck the socks off'n me in jifty, but
can cit even with him some other way
I reckon
At last he began TO think, the looked
for opportunity vas at hand.
He slept hut little that night. Tn
events of the last few hours made hin
restless. aud visions of horse thieves
strange h;erogtyphics and Dick Braytol
aitted before his minds eye. in the silenc
and darkness Of his room in the loft 0
his fathers little log house.