The Winslow mail., 1900-08-23

stoves here and there. He was passing
close behind one of these when sudden.
ly his heart seemed to leap into his
| throat, for voice he could not mistake
sounded clearly:
Hello, Green! You'reup early! Ny!
Amt sleepy!"
1t was Tom SCOTS voice, and the
mate stopped as though he had been
shot. Glancing furtively over his shouI-
der he saw the second mate in the act
of kindling fire.
Even as the guilty man looked his
shipmate turned suddenly toward him
and started toward the entrance of the
tent, while Rider turned his head away,
but could not lift his feet from the spot.
"Hold on!" said Green.
Rider dared not look up. He had been
taken so completely by surprise that he
could do nothing but stand still. Each
second he expected to feel Green's hand
on his shoulder, and he was too con-
fused to think of any plausible story.
'Do they suspect me?"
This was the one thought that flashed
through his brain as he waited.
"Hold on!" repeated Green, thrusting
his head into the tent. ''Take it easy
till get the fire going. Doesn't need
but one of u.s."
With a gasp of relief the mate
slouched his hat over his eyes and hur-
ried away from the spot as though a
ghost were pursuing him. He did not
stop until he had joined Bowers, who at
once noticed his disordered appearance,
and exclaimed:
whats up, pard? You look like yer
was scared ter death"
"He's here! saw them just now"
"What's that? Saw who?"
"Scott! And Green is with him!"
"And who the devil is Scott and
Green? Can't yer talk plain an not
STAN thar splutterin' like yer was goin'
ter flop? What's the row, that's what ]
want ter know?"
By this time the mate had found his
tongue, and he said hurriedly:
"Scott is the young chap 1 got the
papers from, and the other was second
mate of the vessel with me. We must
get out of this quickI'
fright ye are. They must hev come
over from Skaguay on the boat yester
day. Twouldn't do fer them ter see
yer 'roun here. They'd be on ter yer
racket. Chuck them clothes on that
boss, an let's light out. We've got ter
git big start on 'em, anyhow. 'Tain't
likely they'll start to-day
81 don't see how they got here" said
Rider, as they started off through the
tents, leading their horses. 81 took
every cent he had, and 1 don't believe
the second mate had much.'
"Wall, they're here" replied his com.
panion, philosophically, "an' of course
they're bound for that mine. He's
raised the stuff somehow. We've got
ter git thar first"
Half an hour later they had left Pyra-
mid harbor behind them, and were rid
ing along the trail as fast as they could
urge the pack horses, while Tom and
Green were discussing their rude break
fast, in blissful ignorance of how mar
rowly they had missed the man who
they fully believed to have already
reached the writer of the lost letter.
Although they were eager to be off at
once, it was impossible to start till the
horses had fully recovered from the sea
voyage. They were too valuable to take
any chances with and one of them. was
slightly lame from fall in his cramped
quarters on the steamer. To replace an
animal was also impossible, for fabu-
lous prices were being offered for any
thing that could by any possibility bear
burden.
Then again, it was necessary to make
careful search about the camp to see
if the man Tarbox, mentioned in the
letter, had arrived yet. If they could
find him all would be plain sailing, and
he could pilot them back. There was
also a chance that the dead miners
brother might be even then on the spot.
But they found it difficult task to
get any information. The population
Of the camp was changing daily. No
one paused longer than was absolute
ly necessary, and each was too busy
with his own affairs to take notice of
others.
Besides this, they were obliged to
avoid giving many details which might
perhaps have helped them, and at the
close of the second day Tom said, as
they sat in front of their tent, smok-
ing:
:.'It's no use, Green. We might as well
be off and trust to luck We can't ask
what we want to know without arous-
ing suspicion and we'd better give it up.
The horses seem to be in pretty good
shape now and I move we start off in
the morning"
Before his friend had time to reply
a woman's voice sounded clear and dis
tinct through the darkness:
"Helf! Help!"
The two men sprang to their feet
Tom was little in advance as they
dashed off in the direction of the cries
and was first to arrive at a little, open
ing, where a red-shirted figure was
holding q struggling form in his arms.
As he was nearly within striking dis
tance the female managed to free her
self, but instead of running away she
dealt the man a resounding slap on the
cheek and painted:
''You big brute! You-you-"
What she would have added was lost.
for the ruffian, maddened by the sting
ing blow, raised his hand to strike her
He was too late, however, for lust as
his fist was raised Tom dealt him a