Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-12-06


heart leaped as he had never thought
to feel 1t leap again. Here was the
man for whipped dog to follow! He
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, WELL" said he, Il
was thinking it would never do to
leave you here"
"yyhy not?"
"You were probably heading for the
sea-
II was"
swell. the ensign and his men are,
without doubt, between the sea ana
ourselves. You might have fallen In
with them"
.aThat would have been my lookout"
"Mlne, too, perhaps"
"What do you meanT
"You might have put them on my
scent"
| 1OQl udQ seen IL SOLuih6t ~ 80 49,
his temper when it came.
$50 you think that of meY' no cried
"You see how I've been treated, ana
yet yon think that?
81 did think it," was the reply. Il
{ don't say do now. No; 1t never oc-
Cured to me to trust you on the
grounds you suggest"
"Then what did 1t occur to you
to do?"
Hockey Simpson shrugged his shout
ders as one who would rather not say.
'To tie me to q 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 OIL
| 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.
81 seer said Tom in low voice.
eyes, now | see"
eve never do things by halves" OBJ
served Hockey, sucking bead or
blood, not without Ostentation, from
the end of his thumb. eve do them
with all our might"
$50 see,7 repeated Tom. well,
and SO do 1. You stick at nothing.
ri stick at less. I'll be with you In
| 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
nv life except to sell it as dear as pos
sible and be done with it as quick?
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 IL turn out worse than
my word!'
| His sudden vehemence, his impas-
stoned manner, his feyered and infuri-
ated eyes oil had their effect upon the
bushramgers, who now, with the ex-
ception of Peter Pindar and De Cru
chy. got up aud held 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 sullen face, and
| at such times their whispers fell lower
still, so that Tom was at once startled
and interested when new voice COB
bled In his ear:
"Yabber-yabber Tonga him-him bael
budgerie-him no use!"
1t was Peter Plndar, whose oily
locks and curling beard nodded dis
gustedly in De Gruchy's direction.
"Why not?" said Tom. what has
he doneT
"Him good fellow belonging friend
of Francisco" replied the black me
leave IN alonga Francisco, me Hockey
Simp'on. Bael budgerie; me leave IN
alonga good fellow, my world"
And the simian face grinned from
ear to ear, In each of which Tom now
beheld q gold earring smeared 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 of stiff wounds which now Inn
prisoned him.
"Well," began the little gray man.
"we're going to give you trial."
Tom broke out with impious thanks
which the other instantly cut short
"Stop till you hear what that means, u
said Hockey. 1T means that we sad
die up straight away and stick up
means that you've got to make your
self extra useful there, since you know
the place. So what do you say to II
nowY
For the moment Tom could say
nothing at all. He was too surprised
| and In his surprise he was thinking OF
the Sullivans and sweet revenge. OF
the detested spot he meant never to
see again and of Peggy who must be
protected all at once.
"Well?" said Hockey. "You know
the place. What do you sayT
"I'm known there too"
"What Of thatp'
"They'd make mark Of me. The
Sulivans would have me back alive OF
dead. Then l have enemies among
the men. They'd side against me on
Of Spite"
| "Well we shall all wear masks"