Show 4 SAVING THE RAJAH by AUGUSTUS GOODRICH SHERWIN agreed twelve men clamped down twelve ugly looking loaded revolvers on a great flat rock at the word gib dor kell bully and former leader of the group spoke tho the word end bad gib as he was familiarly known looked wickeder wic keder than ever as he aspirated gutturally culturally his eye shielding a hidden fire of hatred his teeth gritting britting grit ting his sinewy throat muscles convulsing dont get riled ailed gib spoke bol boffl dan perkins ns youve had the run of the camp while we were working now that we disband fairness and equity Is the rule The majority says equal division on the crumbs of splints As to the rajah that goes by lot that in on the deal too I 1 suppose growled gib the find it challenged dan coolly bad gib was silent but he be darted a harming glanco glance of enmity at the lithe shrinking native who was the cook of 0 the camp see here proceeded dau dan you bossed us into cutting away from a find where later comers found ten fortunes then you got your dander up and nigh well killed old dinah the mother of ramon here the as you call him clyde burridge defended her arld and well you found your place bad gib winced A flashing quiver crossed the face of the native but instantly repressed it showed however a lurking blaze in that dusky frame you drove the woman into the wilderness to die and sent bent burridge Burrid ga on the same route it please us but you was sworn boss you aint now the pact is broken when we stop work that was the bargain so the majority rules and the majority piped in big den ben boulder the giant of the camp 1 1 the glittering eyes of bad gib followed him votes for an even division on the chicken feed and draw lots on oil the rajah As ben bea spoke he threw across the rock a chamois bag and lifting one end tipped out into the sunlight a thousand prismatic sparkles of radiance then he selected a dull yellowed lump from the mass two hundred carats barats it if anything he gloated gloatingly twisting the big diabo diamond d beaw between e forefinger and thumb so BO all could catch the prismatic glow shining past the interstices dinits overcoat of native soil mark some chips one to twelve some of you leave one blank throw them in the bag and heres to the lucky man line up men ordered dan jangling the gambling ivories bad gib drew 13 and cursed viciously five others followed it came the turn of ramon with his usual deference and timidity he approached the bag put in his hand band and drew out blank there was a dead silence except tor for a low murderous hiss from the lips of 0 bad gib then tho the bluff hearty dan grasped one hand of the astonished but delighted ramon in honest congratulation and placed the wonderful gem in the palm of the other it was only tor for a very few hours that ramon enjoyed his bis opulent possession the glittering eyes of dad gib followed him every move he made ile he shuddered when he met that metallic gleam probing menacing still more distraught the poor native became when it was announced that they would trek in a body to the nearest river settlement then they would break up each man going his own way ramon realized that it was not within the range of possibility that he would reach capo cape wold weld the first metropolitan ro safety point in the district sure was ho he that it had become the one motive of 0 life with tho the sanguinary scoundrel eco undrel bad gib to trail him step by step bocatch to catch atch the critical moment and despoil him ot of his lawful posses sion flon the rajah there were others other in the group who coveted the jire precious clous gem but border koctor aa w sacra with them aula they were heedless as to the of 0 ramon they would not deliberate set a plot to rob him ife he must how ever protect himself they ignored and forgot him and his princely neely pos poa session ramon sought big den ben at dusk ile he led him aside bad gib watching his every movement was glowering at him darkly from a icar distance you are my mv friend spoke the native to ben listen it Is late fate the man dan who drove my mother to starvation death and my only friend burridge after her will never allow me to get to cape wold with my treas ure give him the slip dairou Rai rou advised ben bluffly 1 I cannot hope it asserted ramon hamon dole dolefully fulli my friend see 1 I must carry it about with me I 1 dare not hide it for he la Is watching rae me I 1 ramon drew out a chamois bag and r shook hook it As he restored it to his bosom the eyes of the observing gib shone like two living coals of fire it you would do something tor for me suggested ramon ramoa plaintively see friend and he held up a knobbed club it was of some hard forest wood hacked backed by usage and blackened by time all of the camp knew of this souvenir of the father ot of ramon who had bad been a native chief it was a war club sacredly treasured hy by the son you will reach cape capa wold in safe ty ramon resumed it if perchance burridge has reached there or my mother or you find only those of my kin give them this family memento sure I 1 will acquiesced den ben willingly but casually dont give up ramon light out you know all thel tha trails you ought to be able to slip bad gib that night ramon stole away fro from in the camp within an hour bad gib was also missing big den ben shook his head gravely A month later to a flay day den ben arrived at cape wold weld A sur arise greeted him tor for ho he found burridge Burrl dge there and in the same little hotel being nursed under his direction the mother of ramon burridge told a vivid story of how he had bad come across the outcast woman in the wilderness nearly starved and in delirium he took the war club the next morning he gave it to the sick woman A week later worn to a skeleton with wild eyes v wd ad mixed emotions of 0 excitement arac ani delight ramon arrived on the scene when he learned of all that burridge had done for his mother he fairly groveled at his feet in a paroxysm of extravagant gratitude the war club it Is sate safe he inquired in a quiver of suspense and expectancy pec tancy your mother has it explained burridge Burrl dge and then when ramon returned with the ancient relic to burridge it was tc tr disclose a hidden cavity in the knob end of the club within which snug and secure reposed the rajah they sold the splendid gem for a small fortune the share forced upon burridge took him back post haste to a certain loving little lady in a distant land waiting to become his bride Copy copyright richt 1914 by W ft a chapman |