The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-05

"A,nd suppose I was to knock the
gent over III broad daylight. and take
1t fronrim 2" remarked the other, show
ing that he had pretty skill in the
way Of sarcasm.
Il don't care what you might have
done. Your duty was to get the paper,
and you haven't done 1t. I declare, you
We're"
Come, guv'nor. I done the best I
could, 80 just please wait until"
Well, go on; am listening" replied
Ellison, with the bored expression Of
patient resignation.
| Ye know we wanted to find out who
this here chap really was"
Yes but what can you tell me about
MIN that don't know already, Briggs?
Don't try to make up a story so as to
cover up your own stupidity" And he
looked at the young man in such a
threatening way that the latter cast an
/ anxious look at the door, as If he would
gladly be on the other side of it,
Yer see, when I was on the trail OF
| this gent" he began, as he RECLAIMED
some confidence and found out that he
was not to be eaten, Il fell in with some
Of our folks camped in the woods. They
allus makes known Their whereabouts
by some sort of a sigma bit O. rag
fixed to tree or the like. So when I
see this signal thinks I'll go and pay
the folks a visit. I plunges inter tho
woods and hadn't gone far when a
big, rough chap comes runnin' hout
of the bushes and axed me what I
wanted. 1 explains the best way
| could. and at the same time makes
| 1t known that I was onct at Romany
myself
You are mighty long-winded with
your cursed story" exclaimed Mr.
Ellison, as he leaned back in his
chair and yawned. DO be brief"
| II amt no Geographic talker,"
grumbled the young man sullenly.
II got to tell this in my own way or
not at ALL"
"There-there, I was only trying
to hurry you up Bit" said the
other, seeing that he could gain
nothing by his irritation.
was one Of the people-though he
was nothin' but a low down sort O.
| half-breed hisself-we got to be
quite chummy, and then I axes him
II he knows anything about the
| party I was lookin' after. Bless we,
he knowed all about i'm. The Teller
had paid the camp visit the day
| before"
"And who is he?" and Ellison
drew his chair nearer, and the bored
looked disappeared from his face.
His real name they don't know,
but he goes by the nickname of Will
O. the Wisp."
"Ah!
Eyes. he's escaped convict, for
he was in for 20 years. and on'y es-
capped the other day, with lot Of
others. 'Mong them was man he'd
got to know we'll in prison; his
name" and here he paused and
rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a
moment-"well, dsremenbers what
1t Was"-stopping and shaking his
head.
Wasn't it Martin Frale?" asked
Ellison, gently.
'That was it-how'd we know?"'
his sharp face becoming overspread
with a smile.
Never mind how I came to know.
But what Of this Frale?'
| We'll the party what escaped was
once near gettin' caught, and Frale
was mortal wounded in the row.
They managed to get him away, but
he died the next day, and they
buried him. All the party was cap
tured at last but this here Will, and
he must be the man I been watchin'
That was how the story the fellow
told me run"
We'll, you have not done so badly
after all, and Ellison's face ex-
pressed deep satisfaction over what
he had just learned. He rose and
walked UP and down the room a few
PAGES, finally returning and standing
beside the chair where the young
man was seated.
well. what are you doing here :?
Why didn't you continue to keep
your eye on the fellow"
why? Cause he left his bag
and skipped. Must have got scared
suspected he was follered-'
well, you must find him again.
:Me2"
Yes; : it is more than likely that
he is in this town. He takes a deep
interest in the case of the young
man who is in prison here for what
happened at Exton."
/ 'Taint likely he'd be hanging
round where you are, guv'nor There
amt sense in that wagging his head
sagely.
II tell you he must be here, and
you are poor stick If you cannot
find him.
eff he is here, why, Of course. I ken
get i'm, and what then"
Let me know, that Is all, and now
co. and he went to the door. threw
it open and the visitor without an
other word, went out.
Ellison was watching him dis
pear down the stairs, and was about
/ to return to his room, when voice
near him said pleasantly:
Looking for me, Mr.. Ellison?
Well, I'm glad to meet you" and
turned to face Job Hendricks
n .