The Winslow mail., 1900-10-25
CHAPTER XVII.
CONCLUSION.

Il IL DOSS1UIt " htcD dW dhG
in this position, he arose and paced
slowly up and down in front of the hut,
as he had been accustomed to do on
shipboard.
He did not see a dark form which
drew nearer each time his back was
turned.
Closer and closer it crept until it
reached tree at the end of his route.
The next time he turned his back to it
ne was seized by the throat from be-
hind with grip which completely shut
eff his breath while a stern whisper
sounded in bis ear:
make a sound and I'll kill you like a
dog!'
Obed Rider made no attempt to strug-
gle after the first involuntary start of
surprise. The cold rim of steel pressed
against his ear was too strong an argu-
ment in addition to the viselike grip on
his windpipe.
The latter was loosened when he
ceased struggling and the voice whis-
pered:
"Come with me quietly, or it'll be the
worse for you!"
1uG speaker puSueQ Hill u IGW
yards until he reached spot where bn
could readily distinguish the outlines
of several men under tree. AS they
approached the group, his captor said:
Here he is. Now, what shall we do
with him?"
1t was Tarbox who stood behind the.
prisoner, and he added:
ssO1o f y-rS1I 10 xynu h tyconOnS -
Tom Scott sprang to the side Of his
old enemy, and to his delight found
two loaded revolvers in his belt, which
he secured, giving one to Taylor.
Avery had taken the one from his
daughter, and Tom found that the ear
tridges in the weapon just secured fit
ted the empty revolver he had found in
the hut.
To slip three, of them into it was the
work of moment. Then-our friends
found they had four weapons ready for
use, and determined to lose no time in
recovering their golden treasure.
Lets surround the hut" said Tom,
eagerly, "and call them out. They'll
surrender when they find they have no
show with us"
But Avery advised caution. They're
desperate men," he said, ''and they will
fight when cornsred. We don't want
any bloodshed over this affair if we can
help it. When daylight comes they
may be glad to give us the gold to save
their skins, but if we surprise them in
the dark somebody is likely to get
killed.
"See here" said TarboX, suddenly,
still gripping Riders collar with his
sinewy hand, "why can't this rascal
help us2 Send him back, and let him
get hold of the guns in the hut and
bring them out. If he tries any crook
ed business I'll put bullet through him
myself at the first sign"
''You hear?" said Taylor. "Now be
off, and remember we are six to your
three. We already have the horses
safe, and if you serve US well you shall
go free, although you ought to be. hung
for what you have done. Go back and
get all the weapons you can out of the
hut. Hurry up!"
But Bowers will shoot me in a min
ute if he wakes" whispered Rider, fear
fully.
''Shoot him first, then," was the
prompt response. ''I'll shoot you if you
act the least bit suspicious. No more
talk now. Start!"
The muzZle of a revolver poked
smartly into the small of his back left
the wretched man no alternative and
he stole away toward the hut, where his
two confederates were sleeping, his
heart beating so loudly that it seemed
to him it must arouse them the instant
he reached the threshold. He dared not
pause, however, and as no picked his
way along through tie trees he began
TO realize that the way Of the trans
gressor is sometimes not so rosy as it
is painted.
When he reached the door he could
plainly hear the deep snoring of both
men, and, musteringsall his courage, he
stepped lightly inside.
In order to reach the rifles in the COR
ner he was forced to step over the body
of Turner, and it seemed to the mate
that he lived an hour in the few. SEQ
onds so employed.
His hand trembled so that it was with
the utmost difficulty he managed to Sc
cure the three weapons noiselessly, but
fortune favored him. With batod
breath he stole out of the hut with thom
in his arms, and when he reached the
edge of the clearing he was met by
TarboX, who said, grimly:
"Good! You make a capital bur
glar! Now, how many revolvers have
they got in there?"
They've got two apiece replied Ri
der, but you might as well shoot me
as to ask me to try to get them off the
men. Bowers sleeps with one eye open
and he"
The rest of the sentence was lost by
a startling interruption.
While he was speaking he had unwit-
tingly raised his voice above whisper
and aroused, the very man of whom he
was speaking, and who now stood in the
doorway saying:
What the -, Rider! Who's that
you're talking to?"
Even as he spoke tie moons edCe ap-
peared over the tops of the trees - :
hind the hut and bright shaft of light
Illuminated the spot with startling
distinctness.
At the sound of his voice the entire
party sprang from the dark shadows,
and Tarbox shouted, as he leveled his