Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-10
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING INsTALLMENTs.

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING INSTAILMENTS.
Daniel only sou of Matthew Sweetland head
gamekeeper Of Sir Reginald vivian's estate in
Mddlecott, refuses to follow his fathers trade
passion for stealing game from the neighboring
preserves and wins reputation as daring and
lucky poacher. IIe however. promises Matthew,
on oath never to modest the Middlecott preserves.
Minnie Marshall, pretty housemaid Is loved by
footman at Middecott Hall. She becomes engaged
TO Dan. and Titus outwardly submits. A burglary
tate, aud suspicion at first points to Dan. He and
Minnie rent house ON the moors bearing the
gruesome name OF Hangman's Hut. Dan furnishes
his lonely abode for his future wife and stocks its
larder. On the eve OF the wedding he decides that
a brace of pheassnts will be pleasant addition
woods. where he shoots the two birds, using a
handsome gun given him as wedding present by
SIR Reginaid's son. Henry a boyhood playmate of
Dan and Titus. While in Westcombe woods he
hears gunshots in Mlddlecott preserve. On his
way to aud from Hangmans Hut (whiher he goes
TO leave his gun and hide the bir,lsJ he twice
road. On reaching his fathers cottage Dan finds
that Matthew and the latters assistant. Adam
Thorpe has been shot. Directly after the wedding
next day. Dan Is arrested, charged with Thorpe's
Of the crime He leaves his wife in charge of the
wife Of Johnny Beer; an innkeeper and starts of
toward Plymouth Jail with the local policeman.
Inspector and Cordcr a plain-clothes man. While
crossing the moor he tells the trio that he knows
where the yauables stolen from Westcombe are
hidden and says he will show them the spot If
they VIII share the reward with his wife. They
consent and he leads them to lonely spot. where
be sets them TO digging. Dan knows his gun
placed near Thovpes body by enemy. and
wants to be free in order to track down that un-
known enemy, whom he believes to be the real
murderer flis-stery of the hidden treasure is only
y ruSe to throw his captors off their guard While
they are digging he oyerpoYers two of them eludes
the third and escapes ON the horse that had drawn
the official cart.
Meantime Daniel Sweetland was riding
barebacFed over Dartmoor to his new home.
He knew the way very WELL and threaded
many bog and leapt stream or two: then
breasted a hill and looked down where, like
a glow-worm. one little warm light gIim-
mered in the silver and ebony of the noe
turnal desert.
For the first time that day his heart grew
soft. "Her-alI alone.'' he thought IT
might have knowed she'd come That's her
place now; an mine be alongside herr
He formed the resolution to see Minnie at
any cost.
though the devil gets the reckoning" he
said, II lay my pretty have had no stom-
ach for vlctuals this night"
Five minutes later horse stopped at
Hangman's Hut. and Minnie, unlocking
the door, found herself in her husbands
arms.
"Ban't much of wedding night he
said: but such as It's usll make the most
of 1t. I've foxed EN- very nice with yarn
about that burglary, of which l know no
more than the dead really. But you'll hear
tell about that presently. An tonight
they'll have pretty walk to Princetown,
for the only horse. except this one within
five miles. belongs to johnny Beer; an tits
tired out after the journey to Moreton."
Minnie was far less calm than when she
left him in the morning. Even her steady
nerve failed her now, and for the only time
IN his life Daniel saw her weep.
Don't you do that he said. "Bant no
hour for tears. Fetch in all the food in the
house, an that bottle of wine l got for e.
Can't stop long. worse luck
II know right Well you'm an Innocent
man. Daniel: an I'll never be happy again
until We done my share to prove it." she
said.
IT'S just that will be so awful hard.
Anyway, / felt that the risk of trial was
too great to stand. if there was a chance
10 escape. And the chance offered. The
lies I've told! But | needn't waste time
with THAI. Keep quiet about my visit to-
night. Ban't nobodys business but ours A
purity honeymoon, by God, All the same,
It's better than none"
Minnie FASTENED to get the food: then,
when she had brought it, he put out the
light and flung the window open.
us mus. heed what may hap. They
might come this way by chance though
there's little likelihood o IL"
He listened, but there was no sound save