Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-11-15

Slipper sat barring his finger nails. the
wall eyes hard. dead stare: the knot
ted hands that hid De Gruchy'S face
and the blue black hair In turn hiding
hnlf his fingers, the harmless playing
cards upon the ground. the ruddy. gen
lal fire and the white, the watchful
moon pccrIng through screen of tren-
bling leaves-nll these were as pieces
of n mosaic inlaid at this instant in
Tom E,3chscn's brain, for him to carry
there to bis grave.
$50 you killed him yourself:' he
found himself saying at last In n stout
er voice.
Il did," said Hockey. II was under
that painful necessity this very after
noon. 1t wasn't done for the fun Of
the thing, you understand, but only
when it became evident that one of us
must go. naturally preferred to stay.
At the same time, l must admit l was
wearying of being hect0red and bulued
by COMPOUNDED foreigner, and there
We're three of us Englishmen of the
same mind. So you perceive how 1t
oil fitted In. Last night We had words
Now, n house divided against itself
cannot stand. Neither can band Of
bushrangers. much less when the
mounted police are on their track"
Are they?" cried Tom.
maybe within fifteen miles," replied
Hockey Simpson. Maybe within five.
An ensign, two sergeants and eighteen
troopers, as l understand. But never
mind them. We two had words. They
had been coming on for weeks. Well,
there were three on my side and only
two on his. So we made 1t up. but lay
and watched each other with one eye
open all night. This afternoon at his
suggestion we rode behind together to
come to some understanding. but saw
him looking ut me qucerly." said the
little gray man. 'and that was enough
for me. When gallOped after these
good fellows our number was reduced
by one, but the little question Of lead
ership was Mt an end"
"a good job too" cried Slipper. and
WalI-eye nodded n grave assent.
you see, the change is not unpopu-
lar" continued Hockey mOdestly,
though I'm bound to add that don't
see how 1t could be-among English
men. What was he before they kicked
him out Of his own country? The word
that described our friend Barabbas
was already applicable to the late
lamented. But whit was l before cir
cumstances compelled me to leave
mine? What do you suppose7 Come.
give guess" said Hockey Simpson.
"You talk like parson," suggested
Tom to compliment the wretch.
"And was next door to onew cried
the little man, beaming DenevOiently.
"A schoolmaster! A pedagogue! A
pattern to the village and Its model
church warden until IN accursed organ
fund brought trouble In its train! So
here l am, and here was while our
late friend was cutting throats in It.
aly, yet he thinks I'm going to knuckle
under to him forever. Likely, wasn't
It? No, no; he was a bold enough
man, but he'd met another, and ven
ture to say that tonight-my first In
command-we're on a bigger job than
we ever should have tackled under
friend Francisco"
"Hear. hear" cried Slipper. while
Wall-eye nodded again. and Tom
caught an evil CLEAN between De
Gruchy's fingers. There followed q
pause. for the mellifiuous gray, man
had taken of his spectacles and was
breathing on the lenses with as tran
quill q elaboration 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 oil 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. so
wicked and strong and sly, and his
heart leaped as he had never thought
to feel 1t leap again. Here was the
man for a whipped dog,to follow! He
leaned eagerly forward and begged
and craved admission to the band as
another might have spleaded for his
life.
Hockey Simpson surveyed him
strangely. well. well.". said he. II
was thinking 1t would never do to
leave you here"
"Why notY'
"You were probably heading for the
sea-" /
Il was" I
"Well. the ensign aud his men are.
without doubt. between the sea and
ourselves. You might have fallen in
THAT would5have been my. lookout
mime, too perhaps" !
'What dotyou meanwi
You might have put them on my
Tom hadtseen 1t coming, yet he lost
his temper<when it;came.
$50 you, think that of meT' he cried.
wv wv INV w tOCCA tlCoSCOSl 0A0
yet you think thatv'
II did think it," was the reply II
don't say do tnow. No; 1t never ;oc-
CURED to me to trust you on the
grounds'you suggest"
. Then T re. what did it occur to you
Hockey Simpson shrugged his Shout
ders as one who would rather not say.
ITO tie me to n tree perhaps and
leave me there to starve."
Hockey Simpson bit his thin lips to
avoid smiling, but bent his gray head
when that was impossible. and Tom.
bending his, saw that the cork was of
the polished steel hook and Its point as
sharp as a needle. The little gray man
was feeling 1t with his thumb as he
still tried to- swallow his smiles.
Il see" said Tom in q low voice.
eyes. nowsI seev"
I'VE never do things by halves" OBJ.
served Hockey, sucking q bead of
blood. not without ostentation, from
the end Of his thumb. I'VE do them
with all o,Yr p,ipb<s