Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-04

| Repeating II at intervals, ne was presently
relieved by observing the approach of 8
nankeen sunbonnet within the Enclosure
above the line Of fence. Stopping before
| MIN, the sunbonnet revealed rosy little
race more than usually plump on one side
| and neck enormously wrapped in g
| scarf 1t was Nicely (Amelia) Stryker, q
schoolmate, detained at home by humps, "
| as Johnny was previously aware. For
| great heroes, he was about to tntrust his
| secret and his destiny to one of the weaker
| sex And what were the minor possibilities
| of contagion to this7
'Playin' hockey agin?" said the young
| lady, with a cordial and even expansive
smile. exclusively confined to one side of
| her face.
| I'm! Sod you be eff you'd bin whar
| hev,'' he said, with narrowing mystery.
| ''No-say!' said Nicely, eagerly.
At which Johnny, clutching at the top OF
| the fence, with hurried breath told his
| story. But not all. With the instinct of a
true artist he withheld the manner in which
| the opening of the cave was revealed. said
nothing about the tree, and, grieve to say,
added the words open sesame as the inn
portant factor to the operation. Neither did
| he mention the name of Spanish Pete. For
| all of which he was afterward duly CRATE
| full
Meet me at the burnt pine down the
cross roads at o'clock he said, in con-
| cluson, 'and I'll show ye."
"Why not now?" said Nicely, fmpatiently.
| Couldn't. Much as my life is worth!
Must keep watching out! You come at f."
| And with an assuring nod he released the
| fence and trotted Off He returned eau
| tiouSly in the direction of the cave; he was
| by no means sure that the robbers might
| not return that day, and his mysterious rem
devious with Nicely yelled a certain pru-
dence. And it was WE'LL For as he stealth
lily crept around the face of the outcrop,
hidden in the ferns, he saw from the alter
ed angle of the tree that the cavern was
opened. He remained motionless with bated
breath. Then he heard the sound of sub
dued voices from the cavern, and a figure
emerged from the opening. Johnny grasped
the ferns rigidly to check the dreadful cry
that rose to his lips at its sight. For that
figure was his own brother!
There was no installing that weak, wicked
face, even then flushed with liquor! Johnny
had seen it too often thus. But never be-
fore as a thiefs face! He gave little gasp
and fell back upon that strange reserve of
apathy and reticence in which children are
apt to hide their emotions from at such
a moment. He watched impassively the
two other men who followed his brother
out to give him small bag and some in
structions, and then returned within their
cave, while his brother walked quickly
away. He watched him disappear; he did
not move, for even if he had followed him
he could not bear to face him in his shame.
And then out of his sullen despair came
boyish idea of revenge 1t was those s, two
men who had made his brother a thief!
He was very near the tree. He crept
stealthily his hands and knees through
the bracken; and as stealthily climbed the
wedge of outcrop, and then leaped ike
wildcat on the tree. With incredible actlV-
ity he lifted the balancing stone, and as the
tree began to move, in flash Of perception
transferred 1T to the other side OF its axis,
and felt the roots and debris, under that ad-
ditonal weight. descend quickly with some
thing like a crash, over the opening. Then
he took to his heels. He ran so swiftly that
all unknowingly he overlook figure, VINO,
turning, glanced at him, and then disap-
peared in the wood. 1t was his second and
last view of his brother-aS he never saw
him again!
But now, strange to say, the crucial and
most despairing moment OF his days ex-
perience had come. He had to race Nicely
Stryker under the burnt pine, and the prom>
Use he could not keep and to tell her that
he had lied to her. 1t was the only way to
save his brother now! His small wits, ana
alas! his smaller methods, were equal to the
desparing task AS soon as he saw her
waiting under the tree he fell to capering
and dancing with an extravaganza in which
hysteria had no small part. Sold! Sold:
Sold again and got the money! he laughed
shrlly.
The girl looked at him with establishment.
which changed gradually to scorn. and then
to anger. Johnny's heart sank, but he re-
doubled his antics.
"Who's soId?" she said, disdainfully.
You be. You swallowed all that stun
about Ali Bahia. You wanted to be Morgy
Anna! Ho! Ho, And I've made you play
hookey-from homer
You hateful, horrid little liar!
Johnny accepted his punishment meekly-
in his heart gratefully. Il reckoned you'd
laugh, and not get mad he said, submits
sively. The girl turned, with tears of rage
and veXation in her eyes, and walked away.
Johnny followed at humble distance. Per-
haps there was some thing instinctively
touching in the boys remorse, for they
made it up before they reached her fence.
Nevertheless Johnny went home misera-
BILE. Luckily for him, his father was alb
sent at a vigilance committee called to take
cognizance of the late sluice robberies and
although this temporarily concealed his Of
Tense of truancy, the news of the vigilance
meeting determined him to keep his lips
sealed. He lay all night wondering how
long it would take the robbers to dig them
selves out of the cave. and whether they
suspected their Imprisonment was the work
Of enemy or only an accident. For sew
eral days he avoided the locality, and even
feared the vengeful appearance of Spanish
Pete some night at his fathers house 1t
was not until the end of a fortnight that he
had the courage to revisit the spot. The
tree was in it's normal position, but i'm
movable, and great quantity of fresh de-
bris at the mouth of the cave convinced
him the robbers. after escaping, had aban-
doned 1t as unsafe. His brother did not re-
turn, and either the activity of the vigil
lance committee or the lack of a new place
Of rendezvous seemed to have dispersed the
ROBBERS from the locality for they were not
heard Of again.
The next ten years brought an improve
ment of Mr.. Starleigh's fortunes. Johnny
Starlight then a student at San Jose, one
morning found newspaper clipping in a
letter from Miss Amelia Stryker. 1t read
as follows: THE excavators In the new
tunnel in Heavystone Ridge lately discov-
cred the skeletons of two unknown men,
| who had evidently been crushed and en-
| tombed some years previously by the fall
Ing of large tree over the mouth of their
| temporary refuge. From some river gold
| found with them they were supposed to
| be part of the gang of sluice robbers who
| infested the locality some years ago. and
were hiding from the vigiants.
| For a few days thereafter Johnny Star
| leigh was thoughtful and reserved, but he
! did not refer to the paragraph in answer
| Ing the letter He decided to keep it for
| later condolences. when Miss Stryker should
| become Mrs. Starieigh.
CThe End)