The Washington times., 1905-04-09

|
had spoken Of
After vain search l concluded tha
Rawlin must have seen the wallet an(
taken 1t in, but to make sure, struck &
match and held 1t steady until the blue
noniueent birthstone burst into yellow
flame
Then I saw what I was after. The
"aiet lay nearer the cabin wall than
hao thought. / reached for it at once
| blowing out the match at the same time
ana next minute was on my way back to
my own quarters
Find it?' asked Hugo, sleepily. as
l went in.
Yes l said. its all right. appar.
entity" pfe--
"of course. Probably nothing would
nave happened to it If had left it there
an hlsht, but l was afraid some straw
dlngo might chew it up
quite agreed with him. The dingo
is semi-wfld dog, native of Australia
a useful animal in hunting if one has
'he patience to domesticate him and nut
uF with his eccentricities, but of insatj-
ate appetite. Hugo's leather wallet
| would have been a dainty morsel for
| one
Put 1t on my coat" said Hugo. and
with a yawn he turned over.
HIS breathing indicated that he was
| sound asleep before l was ready to lie
down. 'ie
Oouotiess the unusually late hour had
lis erect on me, for l oversight. 1t was
bright day when I walked and 7 arose
hurriedly
Hugo was not In the cabin His coat
iay on the rude bench we had contrived.
ana MS wallet lay or the coat, Just as I
mad placed it before retiring.
ne out getting breakfast I
.nought, and presently, while l was
dressing, l called to him.
Ihere was no answer, and when. a
httie later, went out. he was NOT in
sight. -
mere was nothing extraordinary in
lhis' and was not inclined to give the
ihatter any anxious thought If | had
oeen; should not have been able tn IL,
so, kor my attention was immediately
taken by the approach of a number of
the miners.
ha"hn was AT their head, and close
beside him were Reagan and Harvey
1hese two and those who struggled he
mind looked serious, not TO say decidedly
ugly The Yankees face was as placid
AZ usual
"Mornin, smitty." said he, as he
came UP.
Good morning. Rawlin." 1 responded:
what's amiss?''
What indooces you to persoom tbet
anything's amiss?" he retorted with
strange ring in his voice that startled
Ine little
The way you and the rest come
here, answered. instead of going to
work. Has anything happened to Hugo?
nave not seen him this morning"
-'Nothin' hes happened to your pard
ner thet know of, Smitty,'' said Raw
iih, but suthin mes happened to me-"
lie looked at me searchingly as he
spoke. | could make nothing of his
words or his looks, and was a little ,,
exasperated that he should behave in
such an outiandishly mysterious man
Irer.
4 hope it's nothing serious" 1 said, |
What is It
My dust" he replied slowly. hes
disappeared
L exclaimed aloud. what | know not |
some inarticulate cry, suppose, for tn.
information shocked me. and my mind
reverted instantly TO the dfsouieting /!
words Of my cousin the evening before |
The information" continued Rawlin. !
as slowly as before, while he eyed me
the information ART caclSu- !
lated to make a man easy in his mind. i
IS 1t? Don't it worrit you abou, you-
own drst?'
Ne l answered. and my voice chok- |
ed, for was terribly alarmed for Hugo. /
wished that ne would return. for I |
knew that these men would construe
his absence as suspicious II haven't |
enough dust to make theft an object
and what little 1 have is here" and /
tapped my belt (
'"Fhet's the safest place to keep it
when thar's low down srjecks in camp,
Rawiin remarked impassively. which
the same l thought thar want any ex-
cept Gingocs and ntggers Now a dinso
xUul1nt chaw up my dust ard a Niger
wouldn steal gold
/ knew not what TO say. That his /
dust had been stolen by q white man
vas as certain TO me as TO him. for |
knew well that the Australian savage
has no conception of the value of god I
and has not the capacity to learn it.
- 'N'-ii NiIS titiIiS tiSt, PROVISIONS.
Tools, tobacco. particularly tobacco, YOU.
OLD nat or a cast-off shirt. but gold he
never dreams OF touching.
While l was suffering IN silence. and
the seconds seemed minutes long, Har-
Vey made some remark in an undertone
TO Rawlins. to witch the latter re-
sponded with a graft "shct up" Then
he turned to me again.
I understand" said he. ''as how you
paid visit to my place last night"
Il did" L answered promptly. "and
you were sound asleep all the tine I
was near your cabin. How did Won
learn | was there Asking this l looked
sharply at Harvey ard Reagan
That's right. Dutchy. exclaimed
Reagan, contemptuously, glare at me
as if your eyes was daggers all you
hike, I seen you. I seen the Light of n
match near Rawlin's shebeen. an when
you come by I took n good look at YOU
seen you.
Il am glad you did said l. with, I
hope. equal contempt In m. tone: Il
went up 10 get my cousins wallet that
ne had left on the ground near Rawlin's
cabin. | lit the match to look for it.
found 1t. brought 1t back. laid it on my
cousins coat, and that's all there is TO
t. There's the wallet now. just where
put it,