Evening star., 1912-01-07


swung violently yet noselessly inward and masked
with gun in his hand eaped in out of the night.
Another man was at his heels. and they covered her
simultaneously Then most amazing thing occurred.
Junes mysterious lodgers pounced upon them from
behind, there brief breathess struggle and the
next instant all four swept out into the amid a
tangle of and legs Followed the sounds of furi-
scufie of heavy blows, curses and groans then
voice:
BEAT it now or we'll croak the two of YOU! And
pedde the word that rough stuff goes here. Do you
get that! / here was the impact of a boot planted
against flesh and the next instant Junes dcverers had
reentered and closed the door.
One OF them was sucking wound in the feslly part
OF his hand where falling revolver hammer had pnched
him; but he inquired In thoroughly busnesslke tone,
Got little hot water, June?'
June emerged weakly from behind her desk "W-What
does it a-mean?
"Oh it's all right They won't trouble you no more y
"They came to-rob me and you knew it
"Sure! Harry Hope got full and told about leaving
eight thousand dollars with you beat EN- to it
But why didn't you say soo You frightened me"
1--WE wasn't sure they'd try it. and didn't like to
work you up"
"Us? Why we're Wag boys! Llewelyn's our pal.
I'm Charley Fitzhugh they call me the Dummy And
this is Thomasville.7
Thomasvile nodded and mumbled greetings without
removing his thumb from his mouth, whereupon June
began to express her gratitude But thanks threw the
Wagboys into confusion, it seemed, and they quickly
bade her embarrassed goodnight.
NOV that they had removed the weight of obligation
that had rested upon them, the Wags became more
neghborly Lewelyn and the Scrap Iron Kid called
to explain that the Dummy and Thomasvile had broken
all rules of friendship, by "hogging the spotlight" and
to express their regret at having been absent during
the attempted holdup
June eating her midnight lunch when they came,
and after they had left Llewellyn said:
"She didn't have any butter Kid Notice it,"
"Sure Buffers belnk. Rothstein cornered the
supply, and he's holding it for raise
where does he keep t?'
an that big tent back of his store along with his
other stuff
Now, the Wag-boys did nothing bv halves. About
dusk the following day the Rothstein watchman was
accosted by stranger who had just mushed in from the
creek The two gossiped for a moment; then as the
stranger made off, he slipped and fell injuring himself
painfully that the watchman was forced to help him
down Kelly's drugstore. Upon returning from this
labor of charity the wachman discovered to his
ment and horror that during his absence two had
entered the tent by means of sx-foo slit in the
wall. They had brought sled with them, moreover,
and had made off with about five hundred dollars worth
of Rothstein's hearts blood labeled "Cold Brook
Creamery, Extra Fine
The next morning when Iune returned to her cabin
she found of butter.
A few days later the Dummy discovered string of
ptarmgan hanging beside the door of restaurant,
and desiring offer une delicate little attention.
he returned after dark and removed them. Ptarngan
selling at five dollars brace; in order to protect
the girl he sat the back steps of the restaurant and
picked the birds thoroughly scattering the feathers with
a careless hand
Scarcely day passed that June did not receive
thing from the Wags; but of she dreamed
that her gifts had been stolen AS for her admirers
the highest mark of their esteem thus to lay her
feet the choicest fruits of their precaous abors and
although they were common theve.-na worse than
that-they stole rather from love of excitement than
for hope of gain and the fantastic the adventure
the more it tickled their distorted fances.
They most amusing, and June grew to like them
Immensely. She began to mother them in the way that
peases all women She ruled them like family of way
ward children she settled their disputes and they sub
ntted with subdued though extravagant, joy. She
asked Llewellyn about that wound in his but
he lied huenty; and she believed him. for she not
the kind to credit evil of her friends