The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-06-25

0E-A ~
Tom took q peep as the men FOLLOWED
ule black CONAN into the hoUel.
and get me my fifty for yon screw
hammer? Man. but he'll be squeakin
fine the uoo"' ~.
you've only to say Erickson brought
EN-" added Brummy. and you were
too drunk to see what they were Of
gou'd never have taken them in"
He'll know different"
AYE, but he's going to pretend" ex,
planned the Scot. 40 you've just to do
the same"
Then In to lug then back myself.
am II"
FIRST thing In the morning. and the
cove" tip you the stumpy himself"
THE young corer'
YES"
"Dlnna We keep tellln' We it's Mats
ideef He thalrsts for that mans
blood as much az do myser An Id
slits tuggler II 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 II was NOT theft. but q con
spiracy. and the arch conspirator was
the beast that Tom had cared for In
his cups. tile petty tyrant whose prop
erty be was even now risking bis life
TO rescue from his own confederates
Tom ground his teeth. He would res
cue II 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 She two convicts staggered
or. Jarman at once put out his light.
and In little NIL was still but the
leaves, the locusts and the tiny tribu
tary or the Hunter in which Tom had
laved his feet.
He came from behind his tree. The
saddles were still outside.
He stole near: nearer yet: neat
enough to hear Jarman and his Sin
slready breathing heavily N Their
sleep
But they might not be sleeping heav'
ily. and what II they awoke? The stir
rup irons might ring together. Tou
knclt down and crossed the feathers
over the top Of each saddle. The new
pIgskln might creak. for all the oil II
had absorbed: In fact. II did as Ton
lifted the saddles. and he stood there
with one on each arm ready 10 ding
them down aud 20 fight for them still
But nothing happened. So lie crept
away.
This time he crossed the creek with
out dalIying and only halted within
a few hundred yards Of the farm buid
lngs. Here he sat on stump. mopped
his forehead aud wondered whether HI
should take the trouble 20 elude tie
night Waterman a second time. aud 1
he sat the moon twinkled In the foui
stirrup irons. which shone like silver
they were SO beautifully clean. and a.
he was admiring them Il suddenly
came home TO Tom the groom that III
had cleaned those stlrrup irons him
self. 1871 @*'.
Yes, In spite OF all, he had taken q
sort Of Involuntary pride IN his work
And that was another thing for which
his fellow conyicts had cursed aud
hated him. But tonight he scorned aud
cursed himself for II. with twice their
bitterness. and an oath broke Into a sol
rs he caught up the saddles and start
ed 70 his feet.
In word. the sight Of his own hon
est handiwogk so cruelty thrown away
drew blood from a heart that had re-
mained niamant under studied prov,
ocatiun aud cool but a minute since III
the face Of monstrUus trcachcry. To
have done q hands turn for surl
wrctchcsl That was the iutolerant
thought. II awoke the restless rebcI
that had slept so long IN this tortured
bosUln. Not another stroke Of willing
work would he do. lie would be- as
his fellows from that moment. only
beginning there and then, he would
condcsctud TO hide aud dodge no more
So the groom marched boldly upon tho
cate across which SIR. Nat had pointed
with his whip 70 the lights Of Castle
Sullivan and would have slammed the
gate behind him bat for one eircum,
stance. Mr. Nat was leaning against
It now. #..~
Nor was he alone. The girl O'Brien
vas at bis side. Tom was upon them
before be could check his steps, but b,