The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-02-02

tHio tiiHc lie Splcleu no Splcl, Only
skunk off down the drive. For the
dark horseman was gone, the younger
lady was in tears and the elder lady
in rage. "Oh, can'tl / can't" he
heard Marcella sob and her mother
replied: You must, and that's all
about it,"
Yorkey walked little distance down
the road and sat down to rest upon
messy bank. A short rest and per-
haps forty winks is always in order
after a gorge.
The hobo's eyelids were gently
dropping when suddenly one Of those
pigeonholes of memory flew open.
Vividly into Yorkey's mind came
day, three years away in time and
a thousand miles away in distance, in
which he saw again the dark horseman
of the morning. AS he unused, Mar
celia came out of her gate and walked
where she stood as if waiting for some
one
Presently runabout, driven by a
stalwart young man of honest face,
came up the road and stopped under
the trysting tree. The young man
jumped out, caught Marcella in his
arms and kissed her.
Yorkey walked toward the lovers,
who were now engaged In earnest
conversation. Excuse me, ladies and
gents" said Yorkey, as he came up;
'p'raps l amt right to butt in, but
bein' as I'm as horstile to this here
Shiny Dick as yous be, / cOirtainly
tink it's up to me to wise yOuse re-
gardin' that same gay cat. Am I
on? Marcella and Adrian gazed at
Yorkey In amazement. His intentions
were evidently friendly, but what was
he trying to say?
'Shiny Dick?" said Adrian; "who Is
Shiny Dick?''
'Yous calls him Rivers, or sut'in'
like dat" replied Yorkel.
"Oh!" They became interested at
once and listened eagerly to the hobo's
tale, making him repeat it several
tongue, in the language Of Hoboland.
1t appeared that about three years
before bank employee in a western
city, guilty Of forgery and embezzle-
ment, had joined for purposes of con-
cealment band Of hoboes Of whom
Yorkey was one. Many criminals seek
asylum in Hoboland, some make their
homes there. But there is line Of
demarkation between the criminal and
the genuine hobo, though the hobo as
a rule never betrays them. The anna
teur tramp who comes and goes, who
inhabits Hoboland only at intervals,
is called gay-cat and is looked down
upon by the real hobo. The "shove"
joined by the thief established
"hangout" near Missouri town and
sent the criminal, who had acquired
the 'moniker" of Shiny Dick, with
their begged and boarded money to
gather material for a "slop-up," or
general drunk. The town being a
"horstile" one, where they "timbered"
tramps, 1t was considered that Shiny
Dick, with his good clothes and win
ming ways, might gather supplies with
safety not possible to regular"
But Shiny Dick walked off with the
hobo treasure chest and never came
back; the slop-up had to be indefinite
ly postponed. Yorkey was able to
name the city in which this gay cat
had committed his embezzlements and
70 hut
the rape Of the hobo treasure chest,
and slOp-up that never was, was he
seeking revenge. Having fulfilled his
mission Yorkey resisted. all brides,
commands, entreaties to stay and see
the thing through, and slouched away. /
royal progress again.
ooh, Adrian! we are saved" cried
Marcella.
"Saved." returned Adrian. "You
don't suppose I'd have let you be sac
rificed to the Rivers person, do you?
1 came here today prepared to rush
you away to the nearest parson and
marry you out. Of hand. But out of
regard to the cOnventionalities We'll
postpone the wedding a few days
while I investigate the affairs of Shiny
Dick"
And did Adrian investigate those
same affairs? He did not. When the
next morning broke the Crawford place
was deserted; it's inhabitant had van
ished, whittier, no one knew. For in
the casual glance which Rivers had
bestowed on the passing hobo he had
recognized Yorkey. Craftily screening
himself behind trees and bushes after
tying his horse in q thicket, he had |
trailed the tramp and had seen and |
partially heard the interview between
the hobo and the lovers. His hasty
hegira followed. The whole adven-
turous story Of Shiny Dick from the |
time he left the tramp's hangout with |
the treasure chest did not come out |
until years after, when he was arrested |
in Canada for his part in a gigantic |
swindle. 1t was wonder story of the
and Mr.. and Mrs. Adrian,
Collins read it in the papers. "They |
can say what they please about Mr.. /
Rivers" remarked Mrs. Chaplin; ''but |
1 always found him a perfect gentle
man."