Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-10-31

CONTINUED


"You savvy" said the Scotchman's
mate, a 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 richt!" 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 Erickson brought
EN-" added Brummy, "and you were
too drunk to see what they were or
you'd never have taken them in"
HELL know different"
FAYE, but he's going to pretend" ex-
planned the Scot, Fan you've just to do
the same"
"Then I'm to lug them back myself,
am II"
"First thing in the morning, and the
covell tip you the stumpy himself"
"The young cove"
eyes"
"Dinna we keep tellin' We it's Mats
1dee? He thairsts for that mans
blood as much as 1 do myself. An I'd
Sits juggler If 1 got the chance"
The villains went on talking for an
other hour. But the foul truth clogged
Toms mind, and he took in but little
more of what he heard.
So it vas not a theft, but a con-
spiracy, and the arch conspirator was
the beast that Tom had cared for in
his cups, the petty tyrant whose prop
erty he was ven now risking his life
to rescue from his own confederates!
Tom ground his teeth. He would res
cue it still. And 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, yet the
moon was still high in the lucid heav-
ems when the two convicts staggered
off. Jarman at once put out his light,
and in a little all was still but the
leaves, the locusts and the tiny tribu-
tary of the Hunter in which Tom had
laved his feet.
L I'LL IlO1A pC4ilo 1llto LIN
saddles we're still outside.
He stole near; nearer yet; neat
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 awoke? The stir
rup irons might ring together. Tom
Ir,,1J+ Io-,,, o,,I .oooo t1,1 loo +1,,,,
over the top of each saddle. The new
pigskin 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 dallying and only halted within
a few hundred yards of the farm build
ings. Here he sat on a stump. mopped
his forehead and wondered whether he
should take the trouble to elude the
night Waterman a second time, and as
he sat the moon twinkled in the four
stirrup irons, which shone like silver,
they We're so beautifully clean, and as
he was admiring them it suddenly
came home to Tom the groom that he
had cleaned those stirrup irons him
self.
Yes, in spite Of all, he had taken a
sort Of involuntary pride in his work.
And that vas another thing for which
his fellow convicts had cursed and
hated him. But tonight he scorned and
cursed himself for it, with twice their
bitterness, and an oath broke into a sol
as he caught up the saddles and start
ed to his feet.
In a word, the sight of his own hon.
est handiwork SO cruelty thrown away
drew blood from a heart that had re
NAMED adamant under studied prov
ocation and cool but q minute since in
the face Of monstrous treachery. Tt
have done a hands turn for suct
wretches! That was the intoleran1
thought. 1t awoke the restless rebe
that had slept so long in this tortured
bosom. Not another stroke of willing
work would he do. He would be as
his fellows from that moment, only
beginning there and then, he would
condescend to hide and dodge no more
So the groom marched boldly upon the
gate across which Mr.. Nat had pointed
with his whip to the lights Of Castle
Sullivan and would have slammed the
gate behind him but for one circum
stance. Mr.. Nat was leaning agains1
it now.
Nor was he alone. The girl O'Brie1
was at his side. Tom was upon then
before he could check his steps, but he
did not try. He strobe up to his enemy
and stood before him without a word
but with a saddle speaking for Itself
ON either arm.
"Well-wellY' cried Mr.. Nat. "Whal
are you doing out Of your room? AnG
what what what have you go1
-thereY
1.-THE new saddles"
$50 I see My saddles. What have
you been doing with them? Where die
you find them, eh?"
The tone was loud and clustering
A .E,- ~ ....-- - aF - = NJ