El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-24

: sis that chap who is working for Mr.
Ingram here just now?'
"We1l,' answered Magnify. looking
round the room, "he was here a few
minutes ago, sir. But l reckon he's
gone.
eHumphi" said Foster (which
way did he go?"
"I'm sure 1 can't say, sir. -
"Won't, you mean, snapped Eos
ter. 'sWell, see here, Magnify, If that
man, Pete Larkin"-the name L had
assumed-''turns up again, require
You to report the fact to me. have
reason to believe he is the very man
the Melbourne troopers are after-one
of Laurence's gang, in fact. Who are
your" he continued roughly, swinging
round to the table under which 1
groveled, clasping Frank and Jem by
the legs, as if in mute appeal, though,
after my threat, knew there was lit
tie chance of their turning ON me-
"We're shearers, sir" said Frank in
answer to Fosters query. "We're going
to try for job at Toomburra in the
, morning.
s.Shearers. are you? % said Foster in
a hectoring tone. ''Well, you may be,
though 1 have my doubts of you. I'll
ride over to Tcomb urra tomorrow, and.
if YOU are not there, the farther away
from here you are the better for you.
Now. Magnify, remember what 1 said
about Pete Larkin. And Foster, hav-
ing played his game of bluff to my en-
tire satisfaction, staggered out of the
room.
An unnatural quiet reigned for the
next ten minutes, and then Magnify
opened the door, stood by it for a mo-
ment, and, as if addressing nobody in
particular, said, ''He's gone, and
there's two or three here as had better
go after him." With which he re-
treated into another room, leaving the
outer door open.
I crawled from under the table Jem
and Frank stood up, and with one at
cord we passed out into the night.
Had Jem and Frank not been in such
hurry to leave the inn behind them
they might have observed a dark, al
most indistinguishable figure standing
stiff1y against the wall of the hut and
have noticed hand Stretched swiftly
out to grasp a scrap of paper, which
1 had scrubbed under the table, and
which bore but three words Long
mountain. Quickl' But they saw
nothing, noticed nothing, and with me
hard at their heels pushed rapidly
through the bush toward the south.
For an hour or more we hurried on
in single file, threading the long aisles
of gum trees under the silent stars. and
then at last Jem spoke. Were well
out of that, boys. he said. 'EBut we
must hurry on, for, now them hounds
of troopers has got their noses to the
ground, they won't be long picking up
the scent, and we've a good seven
hours walk before we get there .
As matter of fact it was nearer 10.
and the forenoon was well advanced
when we stood at last upon the wooded
elopes OF Long mountain. Here. to my
intense relief, lem called Il halt.
Were all right nov. be said, rub
bling his hands. They may look
long time afore they find us here. Now.
then. lets build Il fire and boil billy
Of tea. and then We'll take a snooze.
But what about the blunt?" |
asked
"Pshawl grunted Jem. ''Ye're
mighty anxious. It's over there by that
waterfall.
The two men now hustled about.
Jem gathering sticks, while Frank
Went down to the waterfall to fill the
billy. When he came back. rose to
lend a hand. when suddenly | felt
something loose on my cheek. and the
next moment my paste patch fell at
my feet. Instantly 1 flung myself face
downward on the ground-quick
enough, as l thought, to prevent the
men from catching glimpse of my
altered features.
''I'm dead beat" 1 muttereo. pillow
ing my face on my arms.
''Have pannikin of tea, mate. til
fresh yer up" suggested Jem.
Don't want none l answered
without raising my head. 81 tell yer
L must sleep"
They withdrew a few PAGES, and. as
they bent over a log to raise it. / no
ticed that their heads were very close
together for a moment. | own, how
ever. that 1 suspected nothing. for l
did not believe they could have seen
my face. Carrying the log between
them, they brought it up and cast it
on the fire. Then Jem stepped back
pace or two. stretched his arms above
his head, as if about to yawn, and be-
fore l could even realize what he was
about or roll over to get out of his way
fell with all his tremendous weight fiat
upon me. The breath went out of my
body with rush. and as lay almost
senseless Frank stopped down and
drew my arms out straight. Then. bend
ing them backward. he rummaged in
my pockets. and. producing a pair of
the very handouts l had destined for
him. clicked them on my wrists, rapid
" undid his waist strap and fastened