Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-09-23
TIE DIAMOND RIVER
CHAPTER xx1r.--(Continued)
OY DAVID MURRAY

natives are just blazing away from their
camp on the other side to keep their own
hearts up. I'll have look out. Stay
here, and don't expose Yourself
With that he crawled silently away to
the top Of the hillock which sheltered
them. Everything was strangely quiet
for a quarter of an hour, and at the end
Of that time he returned.
There's nothing doing" he said. 10 q
tone Of complete Indifference. "I,ut,"
he added in livelier fashion. eve are
only Just in time. These natives know
enough to tell a stone when they see one,
and 1t stands to reason that they should
like to keep what they have found to
themselves"
"But. surely" said Harvey. "it's poor
tactics to fire on everybody that happens
to pass this way without even inquiring
whether they guess or know anything"
Native tactics said Jcthroe. laugh
ing. "l'vc been thinking" he went on
suddenly. that we might do a good deal
worse than get right on at once. We
should have very little more than half a |
dozen miles before us. These natives
haven't come across the real find yet. or
they wouldn't be wasting their time dig |
ging holes up here. "A single day may do |
our business when we are once upon the |
ground. II we start now, even II we
make detour of three or four miles to
keep out Of sight of the enemy. we can
do half Of It before the moon fails Us.
What do you sny to it?'
AS you will, SIR" said Harvey; II am
In your hands,"
Come on, them" said Jethroc. "Just
tread on that fellow, will you? Twist
your toe well into his ribs, or you'll make
no impression upon him. That's right"
He addressed the half breed In his own
tongue, and the fellow got up and be-
gan to shamble slcepily about. Jcthroe
himself did most Of the simple work Of
preparation, but Harvey assisted him In
lowering the white tilt Of the cart. which
In the dazzling moonlight made an object
altogether too conspicuous for safety.
When all was ready, they set out on foot.
Jethroe leading. the half breed following
with the cart, and Harvey bringing up
the rear One Of the wheels Of the cart,
which had from time to time complained.
began now TO Shrek In a most malignant
manner. as II It were alive, and were
bent ut every revolution on proclaiming
the whereabouts of the fugitives to the
world. Harvey sweated with apprchen.
sion, but Jethroc came round In his i'm.
perturbable way. chopped open n tin Of
boiled mutton with an ax. found fat
enough for his purpose, anointed the
creaking axle. and then went back to his
post of leader.
The way he chose set his back to the
river for full mile. Then he began to
trend to the left at wide angle. and.
after another mile, he arranged his
course to keep parallel course with the
rivpr 1oI which frnV, tha Inn, - Lee
sudden dryness at the mountains edge,
ran almost In straight line for rs many
miles as 1t could be kept In sight. The
plain hereabouts was very level. and they
had easy going. No incident Of moment
disturbed the march. and not sign Of
an enemy was detected. Once In the still
night air Harvey fancied that he heard
clamOr Of far away voices. but the
sounds that dwell In silence were thick
and loud In his ears, and he could not he
sure that he was not tricked by fancy.
The sinking Of the moon put an end to
the journey, and they unhitched once
more. The half caste. II appeared. had
as purely animal.minded faculty for
forgetting fear as he had for suffering
from 1t. and his last hand stroke was
barely over before he was asleep.
Get what rest you can" said Jethroc
to his nephew. "I'll take watch till day
light"
He settled himself In his blanket
against the cart. and lounged there with
his blanket across his knees. Harvey
disposed himself close by at full length
and tried to sleep. But to he shot at for
the first time Is IN experience which
some men find exciting, and. In spite of
all he could do. his mind would insist
on reproducing for him the dash of the
first three shots and the yells of the
startled half caste, and then the STAN.
peding mules and the wild race after
them. and hundred little thoughts. sen.
sations and incidents which had passed
SO swiftly az to seem unnoticed. though
now he found them indclhly stamped mp.
on his memory.
This fdgety state Of mind fidgetcd his
body, aud, without knowing 1t. he turned
this way and that until Jethroe spoke
to him.
Cant sleep. ehY'
NO." said Harvey: II never was
wider awake In my whole life."
"What are yon thinking about?" asked
Jethroe. III you can't sleep. mustn't.
Let's have a yarn. What are you think
ing about?'
SWELL" said Harvey. cvading the cues.
ton little, ''Ive been thinking about
you, SIR"
"What about me?' asked Jethroe
"I've been wondering why man who
already does not know what to do viii,
his money should live MS you have lived
ever since l have known you for the
sake Of more"
"Well," said Jethroe, ''it's a question
have asked myself sometimes. But Is
It for the sake of more? Now, that Is
the point when you come to think 1t over
Am ! greedy for money? Not n bit of
It. Power? That's another matter. But
what's really my point here? I'm In my
right, and ! won't be beaten. I'm one
of THOSE who can't bear to be bluffed my
lad. ! wouldn't allow myself to be bull
lied by a crowd of cut-throat rutfians like
the Ezekiel gang. What dye say? Might
better pay to let 'em have their own
way? You miss the point. 1t isn't Il
question of how 1t pays when once you
get mans back up. It's question OF
the proper pride and the grit in his own
nature, Harvey. Here's certain advan
tage belongs honestly to me. Here's q
gang Of rascals claiming a share in Il
without ghost of reason. Now, there,
only one thing can make me yield I,
them, and that is--fear. WE'LL You sec