The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-22

in which the opening o the cave was revealed said
nothing about the tree and grieve to added the
"open sesame" as the important factor to the
operation. Neither did he mention the of Span
ish Pete For all of which he afterwards duly
meet at the burnt pine the cross roads
at o'clock" he said in conclusion and I'll ye''
Couldn't. Much my life worth! Must keep
watching out! You at A."
And with an assuring nod he released the fence.
and trotted off, He turned cautiously in the direction OF
the cave; he by that the robbers
might not return that day. and his mysterious rendez
vous with Meeley yelled certain prudence. And it
we For he stealthiy crept around the face Of
the oucrop hidden in the ferns he from the altered
angle of the tree that the cavern opened. He
remained montionless with baed breath Then he heard
the sound of subdued voices the cavern,
figure emerged from the opening Johnny grasped the
ferns rigidly cry
lips at it's sight. For that figure his brother
There was no installing that weak wicked face,
then liquor! Johnny had seen it too often
thus. But before thiefs gave a it
tie and fell back that strange of apathy
and recence in which children apt to hide their
emotions from at such a moment. He watched m
out to give him small bag and instructions, and
then returned within their cave, while his brother
walkedquickly He watched his disappear; he did
not move for even If he had followed him he could
not bear to face him in his shame.
sullen despair came boyish idea of revenge It
those two men who had made his brother thief!
He was the tree. He crept stealthiy his
hands and knees thru the bracken and stealthily
climbed the wedge of outcrop and then eaped
cat on the tree. With incredible activity he lifted
balancing stone, and the tree began to move, in
flash of perception transferred
ais and felt the roots Debris
weight, descend quickly with something like crash
the opening. Then he took his heels He ran so
swiftly that all unl<nowingy figure who
turning glanced at him, and then disappeared in
wood. It his second and last o brother
as he never him again!
But now, strange to say, the crucial and most
pairing moment of his days experience had He
had to face Nicely Stryker under the pine,
promise he could not keep, and to tell her that
lied to her. 1t the only way now
His small wits; and alas! his smaller methods were
equal to the desparing task AS
ing under the tree he fell to
in
sold! Sold Sold again and got money!"
laughed, shrly. =
changed gradually to and then anger Johnnys
heart sank, but he redoubled antics
who's sold?' she said disdainfuly.
"You be. You swallered all that Ali Baba
You wanted to be Morgy Anna! Ho! Ho! And I've
you play hookey-from home!"
"You hateful, horrid, little
Johnny accepted his punishment meekly-in heart
gratefully. II reckoned you'd laugh, get mad"
he said, submissively The girl turned, tears
and Vexation eyes, walked away. Johnny
followed at humble distance. Perhaps was
thing instinctively touching the boys remorse,
they made it up before they reached her fence.
Nevertheless Johnny went home miserable. Luckily
for him, his father absent vigilance
called to take cognzance sluice robberes
and altho this temporarily his
ancy, the of the vigilance meeting determined
to keep his lips sealed He lay all night wondering
long would take the robbers
the and whether they suspected imprson-
was the work of an enemy or only an accident
For several days he avoided the locality
vengeful appearance of Spanish Pete some night at
his fathers house. 1t not until the fort
night that he had the to revisit the
tree was in it's normal position but movable and
great quantity Of fresh debris
convinced him the robbers, escaping had aban-
doned it unsafe. His brother did return and
either activity vigilance committee or the
lack of place of rendezvous have dis
persed robbers locality they were not
heard of gain.
The next ten years brought improvement Mr.
Starleghs fortunes Johnny Starlight then at
San JOSE one morning found newspaper clipping
letter from Miss Amelia Stryker It as follows:
SThe excavators in the Ridge
lately discovered the skeletons of unknown men,
had evidently been crushed entombed some years
previously by the falling of large tree
of their temporary refuge From river gold found
with them, they to of gang
sluce robbers infested locality years ago.
and hiding from the vigilants."
For few days thereafter Johnny Starlight was
thoughtful and reserved, but he did the
paragraph in answering the letter. decided keep It
for later condolences when Miss stryker
Mrs. Starlight.