Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-25


ute: in less than ten he must hear ev-
cry syllable whether he would or no.
But he would, for his own name was
on their lips. coupled with hideous i'm
precautions and the name of Mr.. Nat.
you savvy?" said the Scotchman's
mate. Il young convict known as Brum-
my. HE wants to get the bloke his |
fifty If not his spell in the crawlers
too
AN sairves him rcht!" cried Mac |
beth with an oath. "Didna he squeak |
and get me my fifty for yon screw |
hammer? Man, but he'll be squeakin' |
fine the noo"'
you've only to say Erichsen brought |
en- added Brummy, land you We're |
too drunk to see what they We're or
you'd never have taken them in" |
He'll know different"
cave. but he's going to pretend" eX-
planned the Scot, AN you've just to do
the same"
Then I'm to lug them back myself,
am L"
First thing in the morning, and the
coye'll tip you the stumpy himself"
"rhe young cove"
"Yes."
"Dinna we keep tellin' We it's Mats
| idee? He thairsts for that mans
| blood as much as | do myself. An I'd
| Sits juggler if | got the chance
| The villains went on talking for an
other hour. But the foul truth cloggcd
Toms mind. and he took in but little
| more of what he heard.
| So it was not n theft, but a con
| Spiracy, and the arch cOnSpiratOr was
the beast that Tom had cared for in
! his cups. the petty tyraut whose prop
erty he was even now riSling his life
to rescue from his own confederate!
Tom ground his teeth. He would res
cue it still. Ard not only Macbeth and
| Brummy. but Mr.. Nat himself should
see the saddles on their pegs in the
morning.
The villains went on drinking as they
talked. Another cork popped. vet the
moon was still high in the lucid hcGv-
ems when the two cOnvictS staggered
off. Jarman at once put out his light,
and in little all was still but tie
leaves, the locusts and the tiny tribu-
|
laved his feet.
He came from behind his tree. Tie
saddles We're still outside
He stole near; nearer yet; near
enough to hear Jarman and his gin
already breathing heavily in their
sleep.
But they might not be sleeping heav-
lily, and what if they awokc? The stir
rup irons might ring together Tom
! knclt down aud crossed the feathers
over the top of each saddle. The new
pi"skin might creak. for all the oil it
had absorbed; in fact it did as Tom
lifted the saddles. and he stood there
with one on each arm ready to fling
them down and to fight for them still.
But nothing happened. so he Crept
away.
This time he crossed the creek with
out dal!ying and only halted within
Il few hundred yards of the farm build
ingS. Here be sat on q stump. mOpped
his forehead and wondered whether lie
should take the trouble to elude the
night Waterman second time. and MS
he sat the moon twinkled in the foU
they were so beautifully clean. and -
he was adniring them it suddenly
came home TO Tom the groom that l.,
had cleaned those stirrup irons him
self
Yes. i'll spite of all, he had taken 6
sort of involuntary pride in his worl;
And that was another thing for which
his fellow convicts had cursed ana
hated him. But tonight he scorned ans
bitterness. and an oath broke into u sol
as he caught up the saddles and start
ed to his feet
In word, the sight of his own hon
I est handiwOrk so cruelty thrown ava,
drew blood from n heart that had re
manned adamant under studied prov
Il ocation and cool but minute since il
Il the face Of mOnStrous treachery. T,
> have done hands turn for sucl
D wretches! That was the intoleran
I thought. 1t awOke the restless rebe
that had slept SO long in this torture
y bosom. Not another stroke of wilin
work would he do. He would be n
$ his fellows from that moment. only
DeSihHl.lS IucTe anu lItu, lie WOul
; condescend TO hide and dodge no more
. So the groom marched boldly upon tn
, gate across which Mr.. Nat had pointe
with his whip to the lights of Cast
at Sullivan and would have slammed tn
gate behind him but for one circuu
stance. Mr.. Nat was leaning agains
it now.
~ Nor was he alone. The girl O'Brie
ct was at his side. Tom was upon thel
IL before he could check his steps, but h
IL did not try. He strobe up to his cnem
to and stood before him without a wor,
w but with saddle speaking for itse
W on either arm.
nd "Well-wellT cried Mr. Nat. "Whs
er are you doing out of your room? An
what - what - what have you &,
liz therc?'
by 1.-The new saddles"
~ $50 / see. My saddles. What hay