Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-05-07

not notice him at first, but, VIXEN 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 hts heel. Went down path to
the right, with good-humored smile
on his face.
AS he made his way along. he paused
once and again to listen. IIe held the
pick he had borrowed with both hands,
as If preparing to use it in case of a
necessity.
To make sure that no one was follow
ing, he withdrew into the bushes at one
side of the road and waited. He was IN
position to command the path. and
see any one coming or going.
1t was not long before cracking
Of dried branches warned him that his
tall young man, with dark, unshayen
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,
for the man with the pick leaped out
In the road, with the wea pom uplifted
and such q fierce look on his face that
the other with a howl, turned and ran
up the path, his srotesque tatters fiut-
tering in the wind, and disappeared in
twinkling at a turn in the 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 cowards.'
Then he shouldered his implement
and went on down the path until he
came to small ravtne. through which
r,lr -
down over the bank he dropped on the
edge of the stream, and. for moment,
stood looking around him carefully at
the rocks on either hand. Then one
particular shaped stone seemed to at
tract mis- attention, and he nodded, and
at once began to throw up the earth
at the foot Of the rock. His face were
an anxious expression now, and was
full of tense emotion. He worked flu
rlously, rs If his Very life depended on
his enerSy. Not once did he pause, eS-
cept to straightcn his back. wipe the
sweat from his forehead or cast q look
around the little ravine to see if any
prying ewes were fixed on him
1t was half an hour before the pick
struck something that gave out 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 lirt at the bottom with his iingers.
Then deep sigh of relief escaped him,
as he drew out long metal cylinder
that seemed to be made OF copper now
aiscoiored with contact With the earth.
He arosc to his feet. and, taking the
pick In hand, with blow snlote ono
end of the cylinder and the top flew
Off like the cover to a box
Safe enough, after ALL" he mutt
tered, in delighted voice. as he drew
out of the tube a roll of yellow parch-
ment and unrolling 1T. glanced over
the close written and faded writing.
Folding the scroll. he placed 1t carefully
picking up the copper cylinder, sent 1T
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 better
guardian than man: i'm human hands
I should never have found 1t again in
this wicked world
He stood and washed his hands in
the feebly-fiowing brock 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 IL was unframed and
in his possession, his face seemed to
lose its anxious lines. and he became.
much younger man.
He rose from his ablltions. and,
with surprising agility for man or
his years, took the bank with flying
leap and clambered up onto the pa tn
above.
One moment he cast look bac,s At
the hole from which he had cxtricated
the precious pape.-.
The curious Will find little there to
satisfy Them he said Ia himself
with smile. And now j am prepared
to visit Ellison and find out Whit can
be done for the young man He shall
90 MS part Or He drew his lips
tightly together, and his great, kmotted
hands clinched. ooh, there is no fear
but he viii do all, and even moro, than
want him to-" And. in oreler To avoid
passing the strange habitation and it's
Inmates. he plunged into the thicltet
and so made his way safely to the high
way that led TO the town.