The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-08-07

ancient one In his chair"
Paul could not move, for the mans
root was at his neck, but he could look,
and his quick eye at once noticed that
the boots OF the men and their trousers
were the same as those of the soldiers
who h"d bought the cattle but their
faces were bacl a.! Paul was aston.
ished more than at first frightened.
because the klndliness of the officer
and some others of the soldiers who
had spoken to him had made him feel
almost grateful to them. Grandfather
Reuter- sat In his chair glaring. and the
other man stepped up to him, drew
pistol, presented It full at the old Beers
face and said harshly:
IF you want to see tomorrow morn
Ing, old cock, tell me and my mate
where that wealth Of yours is slowed
and tell 1t quick"
Dom IIendrick gaspcd and chokcd,
and his eyes burned, but he said moth
ing.
Bring the nipper here, Jack" said
the man, and his mate" pulled Paul
to his feet, placed him beside his grand
father and pointed another pistol at the
boys head. Now indeed the old Bocr
shook, and he turned sorrowful look
Oh Paul, for, If he were sometimes
harsh still Paul was the hope OF his
old age.
"What wealth." he forced himself to
ask
mo CANNON, now. cause we're
pressed for timer said one of the Eng
hsh soldiers. 1--WE know all about it.
How do you suppose that Kallir es-
capped today? Cause me and my mate
had him between us, and he promised
II we gave him chance to run he'd
put us In the way Of good thing. lie
told us that you stow your gold cause
you're afraid of banks these rougl,
times. We're men OF honor and let
him run for 1t. Now, dyou see. the
niger couldn't tell us just where, but
It's here. Spit it out, hand over or &c
to glory. you and the boy! That's the
long of it and the short Of It, What
d'you say?
The old man looked dcfiantly at them
"The money Is here, If you can fine
It," he said. at Is not mine; 1t Is not
the boys. If its owner, my son, wcr,
here, he'd dash your brains out against
the wall, as I would do or this boy
would If he were older or youn, ;cr
Verdamter Englander! DO you think {
Boer can be afraid of thrcats?"
"Crimes" said the soldier coolly
You're n bully old swaggercr, aim
your But we've no time to waste
Come, I'll give you one. two. thre,
, and fire. Will you telIT
"No" cried the old man. Paul, +
you are not n coward, say mop
And Paul said, "Now
Zone. two cried the soldier, nov
growing angry.
| "No! said the old man grimly. go,
will deal with you for this murder!"
| mo" said Paul. white, but with
sudden brightness In his eyes.
: Last chance, old pighead! Th"-
"Yes. I'll tell!' cried poor Paul, un
, able to stand the strain. Dom Hen
! drick turned on him reproachful eye
J and with pale face and trembling leg
the Boer boy was led out and took hi
guards straight to the old well.
1T Is hidden in the stonework dow
the side. Two men can reach ton
standing In the water and the othe
on the tirst's shoulders. The water
only foot deep"
"Chaw" cried the soldier. This Is
deuce Of place. How much is there ?
about $500" said Paul, shaking
And late duck on the pond suddcnl
cackled, Coward, coward, cowardw
Get lantern" said one of the mer
and Paul got lantern, and then a
their command he showed them no,
TO go down, by inches nnd cracks |
the old stone walls. He showed thcl
q stone which could swing in its plac,
leaving crcvice big enough for n bi
bag Vi 4. "nc!. He went down himscl
and explained that he was not tn
enough to reach the stone. He hchu\
ed like an nrrant sneak and coward i!
deed, but what could be expected froi
q little boy of 13 with IL pistol ut hi
head? Then the men whi>pcrcd (,
gcther, apparently satisfied with paul'
story, and one Of them said: You ar
rank, blooming sneak to give AVA
your own father, but believe your
telling the truth, you're so scared
Anyhow, as we've both got to 70 down
LII have to bind you. There's to
many guns about the house" SO the
bound him. arms and legs. with
belt, ana thcn Paul shed tears and i'm
plored tfem to let him run back to tl
house t. his grandfather, but the,
bound him with their belts and hi,
him down by the well. which they a
once began to descend
All alone In the dark, never did q bo
wrigglc so liercely to get free. nevc
sweat more with terror lest he shoul,
be unable to. for he had not though
after telling them the secret that IA.
soldiers would be mean enough to bin,
MIN. At last, at last, he got one hnnt
loose and then another, and he did no
rulnd his legs. He crawled to the cdg,
and by the faint light could lust max,
J out one soldier standing I'm the wotc
ana the other on his shoulders. strup
: gling with the stone Paul gasped ant
struggled and pushed and heaycd n
the coping of tho we'll until he had =
great loose rock poised over the rob
Ders' heads, and then he cheered onf
laughed and yelled until Dom uendrick
wondered what on earth had happened
at the well, and the ducks woke up and
quacked, "Bravo, bravo, bravow
Wow" cried Paul. "You fools, the
real stone Is still far above your heads,
and If you try to climb up I'll drop this
stone, heavy enough to crush you both
To n,