The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-05-08
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well, what them" and his grasp on
| her arm frightened.
Il know nothing of him who caused
it,"
mo; it was none of our work"
You are sure of that"
do you suppose ] would keep it
from you if l knew"
Mo- and, dropping her arm, with
out another word, walked over again
to the way he had come. II go on
business of my own and while ] am
in the neighborhood I am to be left
alone. No following, remember" and
with this parting warning, which his
manner implied more than his word
he passed out into the passage, and so
on up into the outer air.
AS he stood for moment little
dazzled by the sunlight. two men en-
tered the glade. In deep talk they did
not notice him at first, but when their
eyes fell on him, one uttered an excla-
nation and seized his companion by the
arm and dragged him into the bushes.
The object of their alarm, noticing
the action, simply laughed, and, turn
ing on his heel, went down path to
the right, With Il good humored smile
on his face.
AS he made his way along, he paused
once and again to listen. He held the
pick he had borrowed with both hands,
as If preparing to use it in case of
necessity.
TO make sure that TO one was follow
ing, he withdrew into the bushes at one
side OF the road and waited. He was in
q position to command the path, and
see any one coming or going.
1t was not long before a cracking
OF dried branches warned him that his
suspicious We're correct. Presently a
tall young man, with dark unshaven
face, and very ragged clothes. SUNK
into view He drew nearer looking
about with frightened eyes AS he
came abreast of where the other was
hidden, he paused to listen. 1t was
only for a moment that he stood there,
Tor the man with the pick leaped out
in the road, with the weapon uplifted
and such a fierce look on his face that
the other, with a howl, turned and ran
up the path, his grotesque tatters flut-
tering in the wind, and disappeared in a
| twinking at a turn in the way.
"A fine new recruit that" muttered
the man with the pick. looking after
him. But what of it? The most of
the breed are cowards.'
Then he shoudered his implement
and went on down the path until he
came to small ravine, through which
a brook was flowing. Swinging himself
down over the bank he dropped on the
edge OF the stream, and, for a moment,
stood looking around him carefully at
the rocks on either hand. Then one
particular shaped stone seemed to at
tract his attention, and he nodded, and
| at once began to throw up the earth
at the foot of the rock. His face wore
an anxious expression now, and was
full Of tense emotion. He worked flu
riously, as If his very life depended on
his energy. Not once did he pause, ex-
cept to straighten his back, wipe the
| sweat from his forehead or cast a look
around the little ravine to see if any
| prying eyes We're fixed on him.
1t was half an hour before the pick
struck something that gave out a me-
tallic sound. He was trembling with
eagerness now, as he dropped down,
stretched himself at full length over the
edge of the hole and felt among the
| loose ,7irt at the bottom with his fingers.
Then deep sigh of relief escaped him,
AS he drew out long metal cylinder
that seemed to be made of copper, now
discolored with contact with the earth.
He arose to his feet and, taking the
pick in hand, with a blow smote one
end Of the cylinder and the top flew
off like the cover to box.
Safe enough, after ALL he NUT
tered, In a delighted voice. as he drew
out Of the tube a roll of yellow parch-
| ment, and, unrolling it. glanced over
the close-written and faded writing
Folding the scroll, he placed it carefully
away in an inner pocket. and then,
picking up the copper cylinder, sent 1t
flying into the bushes at the foot of the
! raYine.
A good days work. he said rub
bling his hands together softly.
Blessed old nature Is better
guardian than man: in human hands
/ should never have found it again in
this wicked world
He stood and washed his hands in
the feebly-flowing brook and bathed
his heated face. Whatever the paper
contained, 1t must have been of great
and lasting Importance to him. For
when he was sure it was unframed and
| In his possession, his face seemed to
lose its anxious lines, and he became,
as II by some subtle metamorphosis, a
| much younger man.
He rose from his additions, and,
with surprising agility for a man Of
his years, took the bank with a flying
leap and clambered up onto the path
above.
One moment he cast look back at
the hole from which he had extricated
the precious paper.
The curious will find little there to
satisfy them" he said to himself
withsa smile. And now I am prepared
to visit Ellison and find out what can
be done for the young man. He shall
do his part Or He drew his lips
tightly together, and his great, knotted
hands clinched. ooh, there Is no fear
but he will do all. and even more, than
want him to. And, in order to avoid
passing the strange habitation and its
inmates, he plunged into the thicket
and SO made his way safely to the high
way that led to the town.
CHAPTER v.
JOB HENDRICKS MAKES a CALL.
James Ellison was seated at his desk
in the library writing, now and then
stopping his work. with pen poised. to
think, his eyes fixed on the bright gar
den that spread out beyond the win
dow. He was still a handsome man for
all his fifty years and grizzled hair and
lmustaehe. Seated there quietly at his
desk, he had not the appearance of a
man who had lost his wife in such a
tragic manner but q few short days be-
| fore. Apart from certain nervousness
(which manifested itself when he heard
uney oect ed sounds he mi erhf hi avs haan