Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-13

on the giant Of battles, nor on the maid
ems pride by the gate, the same being the
property Of Miss Joselnda Wells, and plant
ed by her. under penalty of the law. And If
you. or any Of your gang of ruffians, touch
es 1t or them. or any thereof. or don't de-
liver 1t up when called for in good order,
you will be prosecuted by them ,m>
1t is to be feared that Jackson would
have suppressed this also. but the keen
eyes of his partners. excited by the abrupt
ness OF the messenger, were upon him. He
smiled feebly. and laid the letter before
them. But he was unprepared for their ex-
aggerated indignation. and with difficulty
restrained them from dashing off in the
direction of the vanished herald. "And
what could you do?" he said. THE boys
only messenger"
I'll get at that skunk. Brown, who's
back of him." said Dexter Rice.
And what them" persisted Jackson, with
certain show of independence. "If this
stun belongs to the girl. I'm not certain l
shan't give them up without any fuss.
Lord! want nothing but what the old man
left me-and certainly nothing of hers
Here Ned Wyngate was heard to muir
muir that Jackson was one Of those men
VINO would lie down and let c-yotes crawl
over him II they first presented a girls WIS.,
1ting card; but he was stopped by Rice de-
handing paper and pencil. The former. be-
stub of the latter, produced from another
pocket. he wrote as follows:
Sir: In reply to the hogwash you have
kindly exuded in your letter of today. |
have to inform you that you can have what
you ask for Miss Wells, and perhaps a
trine on your own account, by calling this
afternoon on. Yours truly"
Now sign it, continued Rice, handing
him the pencil.
But this will look as If we were angry
Wells
Never you mind, sonny, but sign! Leave
the rest to your partners and when you Law
your head on your pillow tonight return
providing you with the right gang of ruff
fans to look after your
" ellis signed reluctantly and Wyngate
onered to find Chinaman in the ellch
who would take the mlssive. "And, being
Chinaman, Brown can do any cussin' or
buck talk through him! he added.
me afternoon wore on: the tall Douglas
pines near the water pools wheeled their
long shadows round and half way up
the slope. and the sun began to peer into
the faces OF the reclining men. Subtle
doors OF mint and southernwood, stray
glers from the garden. bruised by their
LrnDs, replaced the fumes of their smoked
out pipes, and the hammers Of the wood
peckers We're busy in the grove as they lay
laziiy nibbling the fragrant leaves like
peaceful ruminants. Then came the sound
Of approaching wheels along the Invisible
highway beyond the buckeyes, and then a
malt and silence. Rice rose slowly bright
pin points In the pupils Of his gray eyes.
Bringin' wagon with him to tote the
hull shanty away" suggested Wyngate.
Ut fetched his own ambulance" said
Briggs Nevertheless. after a pause, the
wheels presently rolled away again
wed better go and meet him at the
gate, said Rice. hitching his revolver hol-
ster nearer his hip. That wagon stopped
men," ava,
They walked leihureiy but silently to the
gate. 1t Is DrObahle that none NJ fba,,, -
lieved In a serious collision. but now the
prospect had enough. possibility in it to
quicken their pulses. They reached the
gate, but 1t was still closed. the road be-
yond 1t empty.
Mebbe they've sneaked round to the
inside s Thav Briggs rn;na are holdin' it
direction when wyngate said: Hush!
some ones there in the brush under the
buckeyes They listened; there was a
1aint rustling in the shadows.
Come out O. that. Brown-into the omen.
Don't be shy" called out Rice In cheerful
irony. We're waitin' for ye.'
But Briggs. who was nearest the wood,
gosh! and fell back open-mouthed upon
MS companions. They, too. in another mo-
ment, broke into feeble laugh. and lapsed
against each other in sheepish silence For
very pretty girl. handsomely dressed.
swept out OF the wood and advanced to-
ward them.
Even at any time she would have been
an enchanting vision to these men, but
In the glow of exercise and sparkle OF
anger she was bewildering. Her wonderful
nair, the color of freshly hewn redwood,
mad escaped from her hat in her passage
through the underbrush, and even as she
swept down upon them IN her majesty