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Show - Bill Eason's Treasure By CHARLES SLOAN REID It X K X X X X X X X ( by McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) (WNU Service.) 'Tp HEY say as Bill Eason's a dyln'." Cale Hardy had stopped in front of Tom Moore's cabin, and shouted shout-ed the news through the open doorway door-way to Nancy Moore who was engaged en-gaged at churning with an old-fashioned pot churn. "Yuh don't say?" Nance arose from her work, and came to the doorway where she stood with her arms akimbo to hear what might follow concerning Bill's Illness. "He was tuk sudden, 1 reckon. He was down to Fairfield a Saturday." "My land, I wonder how anybuddy found It out, an' Bill a livin' there all by his lonesome?" "They say as Jim Joiner went to Bill's to borrow his chop ax, an' found 'Im In the bed a moanin' I" "Do tell I Did he git a doctor?" "Yes; Doc Malcclm's over thar now." "I wonder ef Bill'U loosen up 'bout the treasure afore he dies?:' "Hit 'ud be a downright shame ef he didn't, I reckon, seein' bit could do him no good to keep it; an' hit mought do a world o' good to some'un here." "I reckon." Bill Eason was peculiar. For years he had gone about the mountain range with apparently no object In life. He was in his seventieth year. He was called a miser he often spoke of a treasure mysteriously concealed somewhere; some-where; and his neighbors bad whispered whis-pered about that Bill somehow had ac. cumulated much gold, and had It hid away in the mountains in some cave or cavern. Bill had loved a girl In his youth with all the Intensity of his sturdy nature. It was thought, too. at that time, that Sue Pelfrey loved Bill in the same way ; but her dad, Lige Pelfrey, had moved away to Missouri Mis-souri and had taken Sue witb him. Sue had dragged her arms from about Bill's neck at parting, with tears streaming down her cheeks, and had promised faithfully that 3he would write to him, and sometime would come back. Some said she never wrote; and all knew that she never came back, fjr news had come less than a year later that Sue had died. Bill grieved, and few ever had seen a smile on hir face throughoul all the years thereafter. "1 opine," declared Cale Hardy, "the doctor'll quiz Bill about the treasure, Ca'se hit's little he'll git for his services, serv-ices, ef the treasure h'aln't found." "Maybe so." Nancy sighed. "Hit's a pity a man hes to live thet way." "Yeah. Well, I'll be goin'. Jes' thought I'd stop an' let yuh know." "I thank-ee. I reckon I'll be goin' over to Bill's agin I git this churnln-done." churnln-done." By the middle of the afternoon a large company of neighbors had gathered gath-ered at Bill's cabin. The doctor had said there was no hope, that Bill could last only a few hours. Numerous suggestions sug-gestions had been made about getting the story of Bill's treasure from him before he was too far gone. Doctor Malcolm had set about It with all the tact of which be was capable; but Bill for a time had resisted his efforts. ef-forts. At last, however, he seemed to realize that he was slipping, and slipping slip-ping fast "1 reckon yob're right. Doc," he said In a faint voice, rolling his eyes toward Malcolm's face. "I I won't ever git back thar no more. I I want muh treasure." The effort had cost Bill some strength. Malcolm leaned over him. "All right, Bill." he said ; "tell us how to find It, and we will have it here for you In a short time." Bill was silent for some moments. Then a sharp pain caused a convulsion of his muscles. "Top o' Sheepnose blne-senmed rock agin burnt chest nut Dig under." He paused for breath. "Teeny oak box." Rill's eyes closed, and a light oi relief passed over his features. Cale Hardy and two Oilier moun talneers set out for the hiding place. It wat a half mile tway. and the men lost no time. Returning they brought, unopened, a little squnre. home-made oak box, bound about by balf a dozen colls of old wLe. "We thought to let old Bill see the openln' hlsself." declared Hardy, placing plac-ing the box In the bands of Doctor Malcolm. There was much subdued comme- tlon, as the mountain folk gathered about the bed. Malcolm held the box over Bill's face. "This It, Bill?" he asked. There was a slight nod of acknowledgment acknowl-edgment from Bill, and something like a smile found expression about the old man's lips. Slowly his hand came up from beneath the covering of the bed. Quickly Doc Malcolm dragged the wire from about the box. and turned back the lid. A dozen pnirs of eyes were staring from ail sides. Doctor Makolrr himself stared Into the box a full mlnule. Then reverently reverent-ly be thrust In his fingers, nnd lifted out the contents with gentle care a crumpled bit of pnrer, yellow from age. Bill Enson's eyes suddenly showed new light, & his fingers closed upon the paper which Doc had pressed into them. After this there was a single gasp, and the old mountaineer was dead. At the lewer side ot the sheet of paper, which protruded from between Bill's fingers were six words: "Yore dnrlin Sue "Pike County SIlzoo." |