The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-05-08
Stairs Of
|Sand.,..

Well, what then ~ and his grasp or
her arm frightened.
II know nothing of him who caused
it,"
mo; it was none of our work"
You are sure Of that?"
d you suppose 1 would keep ii
from you If I knew"
NO" and, dropping her arm, with
out another word, walked over again
to the way he had come. IT go on
business Of my own and while I am
in h neighborllood 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 a a 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 a path to
the right, with a good-humored smile
on his face.
AS he mad his way along, he paused
once and again to listen. He neld the
PASN w ila "ilIl OoLll IlcIllISp
as if preparing to use it In case Of a
necessity.
To make sure that no n was follow
ing, he withdrew into the bushes at one
side of the road and waited. He was in
a position to command the path, and
see any n coming or going.
1t was not long before a cracking
Of dried branches warned him hat his
suspicious were correct. Presently a
toll yn1Iror mon with Il VII ,,,,c1,x yay
face. n very ragged clothes, skunk
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 vas
only for a m that he stood there,
for the man with the pick leaped out
in the road, with the weapon uplifted
and such a fierce look on his face hat
the other, with a howl, turned n ran
up the path, his grotesque tatters flut-
tering in the wind. and disappeared In a
twinkling at a turn In h way.
"a fine new recruit that" muttered
the man with the pick, looking after
him. but what Of 1t? The most Of
the breed are towards"
Then he shouldered his implement
n went on down the path until he
came to a small ravine, through which
a brook was flowing. Swinging himself
down over the ban 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
ricusly, as if his very life depended on
hin energy. Not once did he pause, ex-
cept to straighten his back, wipe the
sweat from his forehead or cast q look
around the little ravine to see If any
prying eyes were fixed on him.
1t was half an hour before the pick
struck something hat 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 dirt at the bottom with his fingers.
Then a deep sigh Of relief escaped him,
as he drew out a 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 a box.
Safe enough, after ALL" he NUT
tered, in a delegated voice, as he drew
out Of the lube 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 it
flying into the bushes at the foot Of the
ravine.
"A good days work." he said, rub-
bling his hands together softly.
BLESSED old nature is a better
guardian than man: in human hands
I should never have found it again in
this wicked world"
He stood and washed his hands in
the fee~bly-fowing brook and bathed
his heated face. Whatever the paper
contained, it 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 If 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.
the hole from which he had extricated
the precious paper. j..
1.-THE curious will find little there to
satisfy them" he said to himself,
with a 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 clinchcd. ooh, there Is no fear
but he will do all. and even more, than
T. 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 Their
stopping his work., with pen poised, tc
think, his yes fixed on the bright gar
den that spread out beyond the win.