Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1915-01-28

ScL II AOT Iuts
"Of course ! will" said Hanson
eheerily Now. you lie Gtil, Davis.
and I'll be back as soon ~ possible"
God bless you," Davis muttered,
srasping Hanson's hands between his
own.
Hanson hurried away upon his mis-
sion. Davis shack was only short
distance, but the way to 1t was a
stiff climb among the crass and loose
boulders which strewed the slope. and
In that fog 1t would take the better
part of an hour to go &ere and return.
Hanson did not spare himself. The
fog was still dense, ana 1t was almoet
BY instinct that he picked his way
among the crevRsses until he saw the
outlines OF Davis shack loom indis-
tinctly before him. Then he entered
Upon the litae table was tho pho
tograph OF beautiful English girl
evidently Davis sweetheart The
tears rushed iato HansoD's eyes. What
a fatol What fate Better his own.
a thousand timesl
He took the photograph and start
cd back Although he had stayed
only few minutes inside the cabin.
the fog was lifting, and the stars that
appeared through the rift In the clouds
gave promise of brilliant night. The
return was therefore easier than the
start Hanson hurried through the
pines, leaping from rock to rock. all
his efforts bent upon returning TO his
shack before Davis lapsed into tho
final unconsciousness.
Already he had assembled the last
elevation and could see the cabin in
the distance when a shout beneath
him sent him upon his face In instinct
I've alarm. Then other shouts fol-
lowed. and Hanson perceived half a
dozen men spring up from the under
brush and surround the cabin.
Come out, Hart" yelled the leader.
tho sheriff. evidently, big man wear
ing q brace OF revolvers In his belt.
We've got you fair, Hart, and you'd
best come out and nos make any trou-
BILE for US
There was no sound within the
cabin.
Hanson, then. II you like that name
better" the sheriff continued. Come
along, boy, OF wen burst in the door
for you Which is 1t to be?"
There was not the slightest re-
spouse within. A moment of silence
followed. Then the sheriff applied
his shoulder to the fimsy door.
1t cracked and splintered, yielding so
suddenly that it precipitated him sud
denly upon his face inside.
Come along. boys, here he is,"
yelled the sheriff IN triumph and
sprang to his feet, followed by the
whole half dozen OF his assistants.
Hanson, covering among the rocks.
heard their shouts OF surprise. Then
followed period Of silence, intermin-
ably long to the crouching man. but
in reality OF only a fow seconds du-
ration. The men cams trooping out
again
Dead for ducat!" tho sheriff NUT
tered. Poor devil! It's q mean way
to die. amt 1t, boys!"
They came slowly toward the spot
where Hanson lay.
Wen. boys the sheriff said, there
amt nothing to be done. guess, er-
cept to bury him. We've identified
Hanson, or Hart, for sure from his
photograph. and wen get the reward
We cant keep him above ground until
The detectives come from the East to
identify him themselves"
That's right, JIM" answered ons
OF the men
Then let's finish the job" said the
sheriff, hating. II saw a spade out
side tho shack. There's no use COM
ing back again from San Antonio"
The two men went back slowly, fol-
lowed by the rest. They almost
brushed against the rock behind which
Hanson lay concealed AS the sheriff
passed, Hanson recognized him. He
was man from San Antonio, five
miles over the mountain, village into
which Hanson had sometimes gone for
provisions, taking q short cut through
the hills. San Antonio did not COM
prise part Of the sec}aded valley be-
low, Tho news OF the fugitive's death
would be flashed across the continent
long before it filtered into the isolated
community among which Myra
dwelled
1t WAS more than an hour before
the party returned. They passed ST.
lentiy and went upon their way Then
Hanson arose and nan toward the
cabin. Outside. whexo there was a
small space OF deep soil among the
rocks, WAS a newly-m&de grave. The
cabin vas empty
It seemed incredible TO Hanson that
his frisAA lay there, barred from sight
until thu Judgment day His footprints
were Etll upon the turf; there was
the chair in which he had sat, and
the impress OF his body upon the bed
And In his hand Hanson still held the
photograph
STOPPING down he threw some spade
fuls Of earth aside and placed the pho
tograph. face downward. above the
dead man. Then he threw the dirt
over tho spot once more and heaped
on boulasSs D guard against raiding