Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-03

anger to the grave. Any fool could hood
wink him. He walks by night like an ele-
phant. There's no fun in taking Mlddsecott
pheasants. Anyway, never have an never
Will"
But the preserves at Westcombe Daniel
regarded differently. They extended under
Hammeldon on the skirt of the moor; and
this night he meant to visit them and kill
a bird or two. The moon would rise pres
emily, and he knew where the pheasants
roasted quite as well as the keeper who
had bred them.
In the one spare room of Hangman's Hut
were possessions of the young couple not
yet arranged. Here stood the two little tin
boxes that held all Minnie's possessions;
and various parcels and packages belonging
to Daniel were also piled together in the
chamber. A certain square wooden case
was locked, and now lighting candle and
pulling down the window-blind, Dan opened
it Not a few highly suspicious objects
appeared. There were nets and wires here
with night lines and a variety of mysterious
things whose uses were known to the owner
only. None other had ever set eyes upon
them. A long black weapon of heavy
metal lay at the bottom of the box, and
this the poacher drew forth Then he oiled
it, pumped it and loaded it. The thing was
an air-gun, powerful enough to destroy
ground game at fifty yards For a mo-
ment, however, Dan hesitated between this
engine and another. Among his property
was neat yellow leather case with D. S.
painted in black letters upon it. Within
reposed the gun that Henry Vivian had
given his friend wedding present
The owner hesitated between these wea-
ponS.. His inclination was toward the
fowling piece: his instinct turned him to
the silent air-gun.
Two shots at most. then bolt he re-
fiected. Anyway, there won't be soul
that side tonight, for wilkins and the
others at Westcombe will all be down on
the lower side. where they are having a
battoo' tomorrow So III chance IT.
He broke open box OF cartridges. loaded
the gun and then left Hangmans Hut. lock-
ing the door behind him.
Westcombe lay midway between Middle
colt and the Moor. OF old there had eX-
listed great rivalry between the houses OF
Vivian and Giffard to their game, but
for many years the first-named estates
produced heavier bags. and. after the death
of Sir George Giffard, Westcombe went
steadily down. for Sir Georges son and heir
had little love of sport Old Lady Gifard,
however still dwelt at Westcombe and re-
joced to entertain the decreasing numbers
of her late husbands friends. A shoot
ing party was now collected at the old
house, and a big battue had been planned
for the following day.
"'Twould keep any but Mister Henry
away from my wedding" thought Daniel.
.Of course. not one man in million
would put another chaps wedding afore
'battoo 1 wouldn't. But he will. It's
an awful fine thing never to break your
word. no doubt. You can trust that man
like you can the sum"
out incident and sank into the underwoods
of Westcombe the moon rose. He waited
an hour hidden within ten yards of the
keepers path; but silence reigned in the
forest and only the faint tinkle OF frost
under white moonlight reached his ear.
Once or twice an uneasy cry or futter
from a bird that felt the gathering cold
fell upon night; and once. far away, Dams
ears marked gun-fire. The sound interest
ed him exceedingly, for it certainly meant
that somebody else was engaged upon his
own rascally business. Long he listened,
and presently other shots in quick success
sion clearly echoed across the peace or
the hour. They were remote. but they came
from Mddlecott as Daniel well knew.
"'Tis Thorpe an my father for sartain,
he said to himself well. / hope father
haven't met with no hurt to keep him
away from my wedding"
Now Dan turned his attention to his own
affairs and was soon in the coverts. He
crept slowly through the brushwood and
lifted his head cautiously at every few
steps. Often for five minutes together
he remained motionless as the dead fern
in which he stood; often he might have
been a stock or stone. SO still was he.
ONLY the light in his eyes or the faint
puff of steam at his lips indicated that
he was alive. The pheasants slept snug
aloft and Dan heard a fox bark near him
and smiled.
hero no doubt an can't reach it. " ell
well, youth have to go content WI rib-
bit; the long-tailS be for you bettcTs.
He had crossed a drive ten minutes
later and was now in the midst OF the
preserves. Presently. at Il spinney edge
he got the moon between himself and
the fringe of the wood, and sneaked
stealthily along examining the boughs
above him as they were thrown into
inky relief against the shining sky.
Many birds he passed until at length
he came to two sitting near together.
Then. working to point from which
one bird came half into the line with the
other. he fired and dropped both Like
thunder the gun beloved in that deep
silence, and lurid flame dlmmed the
silver of the night. Then peace returned.
and long before a fiat layer of smoke
had risen above the tree tops and dis
limned under the moon; while Still
subdued flutter and cry in the woods told
of alarm and the sharp smell of burnt
powder hung in the air. Daniel Sweetand
was off to the Moor with two fine pleas
ants under his coat and his gun on his
shoulder.
A mile away three keepers, watching
round the best and richest covers of West
combe, heard the poacher's gun and used
bad language. Then two started whence the
sound had come.
"I'ye christened YOU anyway" said Dan
to his new weapon. Come to think of it,
old wilkins. the keeper at Westcombe,
never gived my Minnie a wedding present.
though a cousin by marriage. So now these
here birds will do very nice instead, an
make us quits.
Within the hour he was bacl- in the Moor
and soon returned to his cottage. But
surprise awaited him. for upon the high
road as he passed the Warren Inn and
prepared to turn off to where Hangman's
Hut lay, with it's two little windows glim-
mering like eyes under the moon Daniel
heard steady feet running slowly behind
him and saw a man approaching along the
way Dan leapt off the high road instantly
and hid himself beside the path. But the
other apparently had not seen him, for he
trotted past and went forward. Daniel left
his hiding place just in time to see man
vanishing into the night.
No little remained to be done before he
sought the little room he occupied in his
fathers house at Middlecott lodge gates.
First he returned to Hangman's Hut; then
he put up his gun and taking hammer.
a big nail and piece of string. entered his
garden and lifted the cover off little well
that stood there. He then bent over it and
drove in his nail as far down as he could
reach from the top. Next he fastened his
pheasants to the string and lowered them
twenty-five yards into the gloom beneath.
The string he fastened to the nall.
They'll do very nice an comfortable
there till us feel to want en- he thought.
Then he locked up the house once more
and started for Middlecott
Again, as he passed over the Moor to the
main road did he hear the sound of feet
not far off, and again did man take shape