The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-09-14
Of
Sand....

We'll. what them" and his grasp on
her arm frightened.
Il know nothing OF him who caused
a."
No; II was none of our work"
You are sure OF that"
DO you suppose I would keep Il
from you II I knew"
NO and. dropping her arm. with
out another word. walked over again
to the way he mad come. II 70 on
business OF my own. n while I am
In the ncighborhood ! am TO be left
alone. No following. remember" n
with this parting warning. which his
ann implied more than his word.
he passed out into the passage. and so
on up into the outer air.
A he stood for a moment a little
da.zled by the sunlight. two men en-
tered the glade. In deep talk they did
not notice him at first. but. when their
eyes fell on him. n uttered an excla-
nation and seized hls companion by the
arm and dragged him into the bushes.
The object OF their alarm. noticing
the action. simply laughed, and. turn
ing on his heel. vent down n path 10
the right. with a ood-humored smile
OF his face.
As he made his way along. he paused
once and again To listen. lie held the
pick he had borrowed with both hands.
as N preparing to use IL In N OF n
necessity.
To MAKE sure that 20 one was follow
Ing. he withdrew into the bushes at one
side OF tho road and waited. He was In
a position to command the path. n
see any one coming or going.
II was not long before "A cracking
OF dried branches warned him that his
suspicious were correct. Presently n
tall young man. with dark. unshaven
face. and very ragged clothes. skunk
into view. He drew nearer. looking
about with frightened eyes. As he
came abreast OF where the other was
hidden. he paused 10 listen. IL was
only for a moment that he stood there.
for the man with the pick leaped out
IN the road. with the weapon uplifted
n such a~~icrce Dol on his face that
the other. With n howl. turned and ran
up the path. his grotesque tatters nut
tering In the wind. and disappeared In n
twinkling nj n turn In the way.
"a nne new recruit that muttered
the man with the pick. looking after
him. But what OF IT. The most Of
the breed are towards"
Then he shouldcred his implement
and went OF down the path until he
came TO n small ravine. through which
a brook wa flowing. Swinging himself
down over the bank he dropped on the
edge Of the stream, and. for a moment.
stood looking around him carefully at
the rocks on either hand. Then one
particular shaped stone seemed To at
tract mis- attention. and he nodded. and
at once began To throw up the earth
at II foot OF the rock. His n wore
an anxious expression now. and was
full OF icrse emotion. He worked fu-
riously. rs II his very life depended OF
his energy. Not once did he pause. ex-
cept TO Straightcn his back. wipe the
sweat frnm his forehead or cast n look
around the little ravine TO see II any
prying ewes were ~ on him.
IL was half an our before the pick
struck something that gave out n me-
tallic sound. He was trembling with
eaRcrness now. rs he dropped down.
stretched himself At full length over the
edge of the hole and felt among the
loose dirt At the bottom with his fingers.
hen n deep sigh OF relief escaped him.
as he drew out a long metal cylinder
hat seemed TO be made OF copper. now
d~iscolored with contact with the earth.
He arose TO his feet. and. taking the
pick In hand, with n blow smote ms
end OF the cylinder and the top few
OF like the cover To n box.
Safe enough. after ALL" he NUT
tered. In N delighted voice. an he drew
out OF the tube "A roll OF yellow parch-
ment. and. unrolling IL. glanced e
the close-written and faded writing.
Folding the scroll. he placed Il carefully
away In an inner pocket. and then.
picking up the copper cylinder. sent IL
flying into the bushes 1T the foot OF the
ravinc.
"a good days work." he said. rub-
bling his hands together softly.
blessed old nature In n better
/ awsaa W1Na .. shna -. L. $1,000 .I.
I should never have found IL again IN
this wicked world"
He stood and washed his hands I'm
the feebly-iowing brook and bathed
his heated face. Whatever the paper
contained, IL must have been OF great
n lasting Importance 20 him. For.
when he was sure II was unframed and
In his possession. his face seemed to
lose It's anxious lines. and he became,
as II by some subtle metamorphosis. a
much younger man.
He rose from his ablutions. and.
with surprising agility for a man OF
his years. too the bank with a flying
leap and clambered up onto the path
above.
One he cast a look back at
the hole from which he had cxtricated
the precious paper.
The curious will find little there TO
satisfy them" he said TO himself.
with a smile. And now I am prepared
to visit Ellison and ind out what can
be done for the young man. He shall
do his part Or" He drew his lips
tightly together. and his great. knotted
hands cllnched. "Oh, there Is no fear
but he win do all. and even more. than
I want him to-" And. q order TO avoid
passing the strange habitation and Its
inmates. he plunged into he thicket
and so made his way safely TO the high
uray That Lad IN the totvn