The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-04-22

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/ Full of tricks he always was NUT
/ tered Tom. and that was all he said
during the half hour he sat star
| ing wildly at the heap. occasionally
/ turning, with Il start, to hear in the
/ chirrup of a cricket the jeering cackle
/ of old John Rooney.
Presently he rose. cleared the rub
bish into the yard and went to bed
Next morning the first poignancy Of
| his disappointment was passed. In
| deed, the matter that stood most prom
| inently in his mind was the loss of the
| f200 he had paid for the field. But on
further thought he was able TO relieve
| his depression by the conclusion that
! he would have small difficulty in coax
ing the amount from easy going Frank
| and 50 restore affairs to their original
condition.
| With this purpose in view he set out
to call on Frank, quite forgetting the
warning in the will and the bamboo
| stick.
! Frank, too, appeared TO have permit
ted his testamentary duties to slip his
! memory, for he babe the old man wei
! come and hailed him TO the parlor with
| every demonstration of respect The
| object Of Toms visit filed him with
! delighted speculation. Was it some
| thing about Kitty? Had Tom repented
| of his harsh opposition?
His heart leaped wildly, but grew
calm enough again when Tom referred
| with mOurnful air to the matter of the
| purchase of the field as the reason of
| his call.
The mention of Kitty was enough
FOR Frank. Up he jumped and. going
to the press in the corner. extracted
from little box the check just as
| Tom handed it to him.
Toms eyes gittered as he crushed it
| into his pocket.
You're thoroughbred, Frank"
said he, land if can do anything for
We, my boy, command me-
Give me Kitty. then" said Frank,
promptly Selling the opportunity.
| Good humor instantly fed the old
mans face. 1t became hard, finty
| But. conscious that he owed Frank
something for the ready return of the
| check, he resorted to diplomatic eva
| sion to smooth over the incident.
Before | answer that let me ask
you question" he said.
"Wellf"
Have you ever made a search for
Rooney's money that he got by the
American uncle?"
Indeed l did. searched every
where in the house, but not thrace
of it could find"
But it must be somewhere Frank
Ould John couldn't have taken it away
with him.
That's thrue"
"Well. now, just listen to this If
you find that money I'll give you Kit
| ty.''
Franks eyes rolled wildly in the ex-
element of the prospect this remark
opened out to him. In one of these
| revolutions they encountered the BAN
boo stick. A chill struck him. for he
was at once reminded of the duty i'm
posed by the will, which left him no
| alternative but to belt out of the
house the man whom it was his best
| interest to prOpitiate But. though his
soul girded at the task, the bamboo
drew him as if the very spirit of old
John Rooney possessed it
Sorry | am, Tom Gaynor but We
must get out Of this he said. leaping
to his feet and running to the corner
Remember what the will said. man.
| You're to be belted out of this place
every time ye come into It, Be off
now. if you PLACE. Quick. man! Sure
ed anyway"
Frank purposely fumbled with the
| stick to allow Tom to collect faculties
grievously scattered by the abrupt out
| burst.
Are We gone?" cried Frank. wav-
ing the bamboo menacingly as he
| swung around, just in time to see old
Toms coattailS disappear through the
| door.
Down along the path sped Tom,
with Frank not a yard behind. i'm
proving his position gradually by way
| of demonstrating that there was no
deception in his effort To give fur
| ther evidence of his determination to
carry out his teStamentary obligations,
he made a fierce blow at Tom just as
he flew through the gate. The blow
missed Tom, as indeed it was intended
to do, but struck the gate with ter
rife force.
Now In safe territory. Tom drew up.
| gasping for breath while Frank gazed
ruefully at the bamboo broken across
the middle.
'Begor I've done for ould Rooney's
bamboo" said he. But what's this
here|' gazing closely at the slit. ITS
hollow within. and there's something
in 1t. What can it be?' he added. pull
ing out long tube Of papers.
There's more of them here up the
hollow" he said. throwing the papers
on the ground and proceeding to fur
ther investigation This is something
ould Rooney hid here. I'll hould We
| What can it name. | wondher?"
Name" cried Tom. who had picked
up the roll and opened it, What can
! II name! with a hoarse shout. at
names that these are bank notes for
! + a