The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-15

1
| friend Francisco"
Hear. hearw cried Slipper. Will
| wall-eye nodded again. and Ton
| caught an evil CLEAN between De
/ Gruchy's fingers. There followed 4
/ pause. for the mellifuous gray man
| had taken off his spectacles and was
| breathing on the lenses with as tran
| Gull deliberation as though he Were
| still in the village schoolroom, ruling
| innocent children instead of grown
| men as Infamous as himself
Tom watched him still Indeed, his
eyes had scarcely left this venerable
villain from the moment it appeared
he was one, and now his fascination
was complete. He glanced at his own
legs, crossed in unconscious imitation
of the little bushranger, and his trou-
sers were all stained and his boots
still stiff from the blood that had run
down and into them, drawn by the
lash. Then he looked at Hockey, Sc
wicked and strong and sly, and hi
heart leaped as he had never though
to feel it leap again. Here was III,
man for a whipped dog to follow. H.
leaned eagerly forward and begged
and craved admission to the band as
another might have pleaded for his
life
Hockey Simpson surveyed him
strangely well, WE'LL said he, Il
was thinking it would never do to
leave you here
why notT'
"You were probably heading for the
sea-"
Il was
swell, the ensign and his men are,
without doubt, between the sea and
ourselves. You might have fallen in
with them"
THAT would have been my lookout"
''Mine, too. perhaps"
"What do you me8n|
''You might have put them on my
scent"
Tom had seen it coming, yet he lost
his temper when it came.
$50 you think that of me?' he cried.
'You see how I've been treated, and
yet you think that"
81 did think it," was the reply. Il
don't say I do now. No; it never &C.
CURED to me to trust you on the
GROUNDS you suggest
"Then what did it occur to you
to do?"
Hockey Simpson shrugged his Shout
ders as one who would rather not say.
ITO tie me TO a tree perhaps and
leave me there to starye."
Hockey Simpson bit his thin lips to
avoid smiling, but bent hissgray head
when that was impossible, and Tom,
bending his, saw that the cork was off
the polished steel hook and its point as
sharp as a needle. The little gray man
was feeling it with his thumb as he
still tried to swallow his smiles.
Il seer' said Tom in low voice.
Eyes, now l see!'
1--WE never do things by halves" OBJ
served Hockey, sucking bead of
blood, not without ostentation, from
the end of his thumb. I'VE do them
with all our might
$50 / see'' repeated Tom. well,
and SO do I. You stick at nothing.
I'll stick at less. I'll be with you i'll
what you please. from whist to whole
sale murder. only give me the chance!
Man alive, can't you see for yourself
I'm as desperate as any of you?
Haven't you told me the mounted po-
lice are between me and the sea?
Then what do you suppose l want with
my life except to sell it as dear as pos
sible and be done with it as quick?
1 tell you" cried Tom. I'm the very
man for you. See here. You're one
short. Take me in his place and serve
me the same if / turn out worse than
my word,''
His sudden vehemence, his impas-
stoned manner. his fevered and infuri-
ated eyes all had their effect upon the
bushrangers, who now, with the ex-
ception of Peter Pindar and De Cru
chy, got up aud held a whispered con-
sultation some few PAGES from the fire.
Tom watched them eagerly, and each
time the wall eyes or the fire lit spec
tacles were turned upon him he made
ready to rise. But now and then they
glanced at De Gruchy instead. who
was still nursing Il sullen face, and
at such times their whispers fell lower
still, so that Tom was at once startled
and interested when a new voice COB
bled in his ear:
''Yabber-yabber' Tonga him-him bael
no usev'
1t was Peter Pindar, whose oily
locks and curling beard nodded dis
gustedly in De Gruchy's direction.
why not?" said Tom. What has
he doneI"
Him good fellow belonging friend
of Francisco" replied the black. ME
leave IN alonga Francisco. me Hockey
Simp'on. Bael budgerie; me leave I'M
aIonga good fellow, my word
And the simian face GRAINED from
ear to ear, in each of VII rom now |
beheld gold earring S-.-.tred with |
blood. But he was determined to be |
Mortified no more. and, the trio beckon- |
ing him. he Joined them with what |
alacrity he could in the straight waist |
coat r wounds which now i'm
Drisev