The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-26

mean it, any more than Stingaree had
meant to shoot the new chum who had
the temerity to put pistol to his head
after the affair Of the Glenranald bank.
The case Of lucky Fergus, justly cele-
brated thruout the colony, was a great
comfort to Vanheimert' 8 mind; he could
but little difference between the
two; but IL his treachery was the
greater, so also was the ordeal to which
he was being subjected. For in the
light Of a mere ordeal he soon regarded
what he was invited to consider as his
last days on earth, and in the convic-
tion that they were not, began sud.
denly to bear them like man. This
change Of front produced it's fellow I'M
Stingaree, who apologized to VAN
heimert for the delay, which he vowed
he could not help. Vanheimert was a
little shaken by his manner, tho he
smiled behind the bushranger's back
And he could scarcely believe his ears,
when, the very next morning, Howie /
told him that his hour was come.
'sRot!' said Vanheimert, with a con- /
fident expletive.
: ooh, all right" said Howie. "But /
if you don't believe me, I'm sorrier |
for you than / was
He slouched away, but Vanheimert
had no stomach for the tea and damper
which had been left behind. It was
unusual for him to be suffered to take
meal unwatched; something unusual
was in the air. Stingaree emerged from
the scrub leading the two horses. VAN
heimert began to figure the fate that
might be in store for him. And the
horses, saddled and bridled before his
eyes, were led over to where he sat.
Arc you going to shoot me before
you go,' he cried, cor are you going
to leave me to die alone7"
"Neither, here,'' said Stingarea.
"We re too fond Of the camp
It was his first brutal speech, but the
brutality was too subtle for Van
heimert. He was beginning to feel that
something dreadful might happen to
him after all. The pinions were re-
moved from his arms and legs, the long
rope detached from the tree and made
fast to one Of Stingaree stirrups
instead. And by it Vanheimert waa
led good mile thru the scrub, witk
Howie at his heels. b.
A red sun had risen on the camp,
but in the scrub it ceased to shine, and
the first open space was as sunless as
the dense bush. Spires Of sand kept
whirling from earth to sky, joining
other spinning spires, forming mon
ster balloon Of yellow sand, a balloon
that swelled until it burst, obscuring
, first the armament and then the earth.
But the mind Of Vanheimert was so
busy with the fate he feared that hs
did not realize he was in another duksr
storm until Stingaree, at the end OF
the rope, was swallowed like a tug in
. fog. And even then Venheimert' g
peculiar terror of duststorm did not
link itself to the fear of sudden death
II which had at last been put into him.
But the moment Of mental enlighten'
ment was at hand.
+ The rope trailed on the ground as
a Stingaree loomed large and yellow thru
a the storm. He had dropped his end.
, Venheimert glanced over his shoulder,
= and Howie doomed large and yellow be
: hind him.
t "You will now perceive the reason
o for so many days delay said stin-
Q garee. "I have been waiting for such
e a duststorm as the one from which we
g saved you, to be rewarded as you en-.
: deavored to reward me. You might
d perhaps, have preferred me to make
d shorter work Of you, but on considera.
d tion you will see that this is not only
t Just but generous. The chances are
l. perhaps against you, and somewhat in
d favor of more pleasant death; but
+ it is quite possible that the storm may
pass before it finishes you, and that
f you may then hit the fence before yor
y die Of thirst, and at the worst we leave
n you no worse off then we found you
3. And that, hold, is more than you hae
f any right to expect. So long!"
% The thickening storm had swallowed
= man and horse once more. Vanheimer1
10 looked around. The second man an6
h the second horse had also vanished
l. And his own tracks were being oblit
,r Grated as fast as footmarks in binding
% snow.