4 ACORN "Tis now the sacred Easter tide, And life is all our theme. 'Tis now that Christ, the crucified, Made craving souls to dream Of life eternal, after death Shall close the lips that pray For endless joy when flesh shall leave Its cold abode of clay. A God was born to curb the power Of Satan's gripping hand, And in a dark and dreadful hour Of pain, in Judah's land, He died. Eternal life for all Was made a fact. The day Of science holds it true. The pall Of death has lost its sway. All these are the joys of the hoping heart When Easter and Spring are here; All these are the thoughts that bound and start When summer days are near. 'Tis the dream of life, of light and love That Eostre ushers in. As her magic wand emotions move In the spirit that lives within. L. L., '15. ACORN 5 As the Twig is Bent (Continued from last Issue) "He's a curious fellow, this desperado," said Tom, as they rode along. I've never seen him, but it's evident that he isn't what he seems, and at one time has been a man used to culture and refinement; a social outcast, I might say, for at times when the boys have got close to him, he's been heard to sing snatches of songs from some of the Grand Operas. He's a remarkably poor shot, a slow hand with a gun, and his methods are more bold than skillful. He's an absolute tenderfoot at the game, and it's only his daredevil nerve and a fool's luck-that has kept him from being caught before this." "What name does he go by?" asked Mack. "The boys around here call him "the Mysterious Rustler," answered Tom. "Over in Bear Creek valley they say he resembles a College Sport that blew into town one day about two years ago, and soon after disappeared, and they call him 'The College Outlaw.' But here we are at Pine Gulch," he added, as they turned up a sharp ravine, "and sure enough there's Ellis and the boys on the job. From the way they are keeping to cover I suppose they've been using their guns. We'd better dismount here." Keeping carefully in the shadow, Tom and his party went cautiously up the gulch. Over rocks and through the bushes and trees they went until they joined Ellis and his three cowboys, who from points of vantage were keeping close guard over a large boulder about fifty yards in front, back of which the outlaw was supposed to be. "Are you sure he's there, Ellis?" asked Tom, as they came up. "Yes, he's thar' all right," answered the ranch foreman. "He's been pumpin' lead like the Old Harry from his Winchester every time one of us showed ourselves. No one's hit, though, 'cept Davis there got a hole through his hat." "Well, we must form a plan of action and dislodge him," said Tom. "We've got to act quickly, too, for the moon will soon be out, and this place will be as light as day. Is there any way he can get down the cliff behind him?" "Thar's a path down to the bottom, over here," answered Ellis, pointing to the right, "but he'll have to crawl some to get to it without us seeing him." Tom stood in deep thought for several moments, looking the situation over carefully. The cowboys gathered round their young leader, expressing their willingness to follow him to close quarters with the desperado, or to carry out any plan of action he might suggest. But a daring plan had come to his mind, and, waving them aside, he turned again to Ellis.