TTTE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: MAY 14, 1911.
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"Eh? Oh. I didn't Ht at table long after
you Uft. I finished up In my room
wort luck Joshua put mt to bed, I'm
afraid."
"A bad habit," 1 remarked with due
gravity.
you went the grand tour. Nohodv ever
thought to show you the old family skrle
ton, or, may ba, everybody thought It best
to keep the duply bones locked up In tha
eloaet."
"But I never even knew there was a
1
CHAPTER IV Coatlnaed.
"May be you have, mv dear."
"Tea, I hive. And whnt do you thnk?
to1ay Mr. Arnold aske1 trie to marry
him? Do you wonder I'm rather tick of
all thla?" ,
"Squire Arnold!" crltd the old woman.
"Tou don't aay! What did you tell him?"
"I told him 'no,' of course."
"Tea, yea to be aure, you did."
"Tea. But he was quite quite bullying
ever It."
"He'd better leave you be" said the other
menacingly. "More than one of the boys
with a feeling of disgust. On la not uid
to aranrlatlng white hair with ribald songs,
nor kind-Iaeed old women with treacheroua
serpents.
Had It not been for the girl aleeplng In
the next room. I would have left the cabin,
with Its peculiar occurants, to the dark
ness and the plnea. I had learned nothing,
yet there muit be aomelhing to learn. Two
hours or so before, driven to distraction by
Bramfleld Morvan'a company, I had gone
for a ride, only to have my horse bolt and
brush me off against a drooping bough.
Thin, by sheer good luck, I had obtained
the thing which, Insecure In my new posl-
He hesitated a moment, then lifted his
eup with Jovial sentimentality. "I meant
th Flower of Mnran township the
Flower of the Pines the Wlldflower of the
Swamp, by gad! Mary Prdersen of Lost
Hollow, and 'Wriggles' of of tha devil, I
give you a toast, Here's to the hrowneat
beauty that ever showed a nent bare ankle!
here' to pretty Sue Buckaloo!"
"Sue Buckaloo!" cried the Swede. "Are
you after her, Squire?"
"After her thafa the very word." re
sponded the careless fellow. "I'm after
riding glove lay half hidden by the tea
rot. He grinned at Bram.
"Side Issue of your own. Squire, so to
apeak." he said coolly. ' I reckon you know
what you're about. Well, I'm ready for
business."
The two other men leaned their weapona
In a corner, then, paying no heed to the
hissing proteata of tha great pine anaka,
placed themselves before the fire In an
attitude of attention. The crone took her
seat upon the chimney bench, my redoubt
able "cousin" beside her. "Brownie"
her o hard that I've already had a good lolled carelessly against the table, hl"i back
alap or two from Sue. Her blackfnced old toward the window where I waa listening
In the awamp would see Squire Arnold had tlon, I had not yet dared to seek another father has threatened to blow my head off and looking with all my soul.
an acoldent, If I say the word. Only one glimpse of the Lady of the Spur who had with hla ahotgun, too. I'm after her, hut I
man'a goln' to marry you, and wc know warned me from Morvan. Trudging home- don't mind telling you, Mary, that I
who h la eh?" ward cn foot after my fall, I had caught doubt If I'll ever get her." ,
"Pahaw, Mary! you talk nontenas. I've sight of a girl, mounted on a grev geld- "I'm glad of It," retorted the old Woman
told you a doaen tlmerua I'd never marry Ing, stealing cautiously through the wooda. with spirit. She snatched the eup and
htm.
"Oh, we'll are. It'a natural for a young
girl to be a little ahy at flrat. We'll se-
my dear."
I waa rather sickened by the frequency
of the woman's "my dear!" There was a
touch of aycophancy about It that I did
Hot fancy, However, her face and laugh
were genuine In splt of her ugly pet.
I had at last, found one point In the con
versation to cling to. I remembered the
Mr. Lawrence Arnold who had been In at
tendance at Morvan, the day I had taken
possession of tho eatate.
He had atood beside Bram Morvan when
tha latter had welcomed ma, heartily
enough, at tha door of the manor house.
Arnold was much the aame sort aa Bram
a oountry gentlemnn. although neither ao
riotous nor ao frank In manner as my
"ooualn." I had guessed they were Damon
and Pythias to each other.
My act of uaurpatlon had been mado
A strange fancy for late riding!
Myself unseen. I had followed her
bottle from hla hands.
"Why, Squire!
"Go ahead. Squire," said '.'Brownie.
In my casernes to miss nothing, I for
got that I stod on an ascending slope, and
that I leaned agalnat a half ruined shut
ter. "Boya," began Bram, raising hla hand
to would you chase after a charcoal burner's to emphasize his words, "here's the way
this lonely cabin. Now the 'nitwit was daughter, when tha other' Just waltln'
cold, and the treee whispered mournfully for you?"
overhead. Deep In the forest a screech owl
Bounded Its weird note.
I reflected that thla part of the country
waa none too safe, and I had not thought
to bring my pletols. If any of tho char-
Bram's eyes followed the liquor long
ingly. II broke Into a rueful laugh.
"There you go! You always spoil my
best dreams, Mary. I wasn't talking about
marrying Sue, was I? Besides,
matters stand now. My cousin"
I fell headlong Into the room!
There waa a hubbub of atartled cries and
oaths. In the midat of which, and the
furious hissing of the great snake, I
scrambled to my feet and hurled myself sounded decidedly aheeplsh.
"By gad. boya," declared Bram. "I waa
o mixed up with that cursed snake I only
saw the scoundrel's boots they looked too
good for a plner's." He laughed ruefully.
"Yes, or for me, for that matter. Well, I
give It up. I'm only wondering how much
he heard "
"How much?" repeated Davie. "Not a
thing. Nothln' had been said, I reckon
nothln" to hurt. Don't you remember,
Squire, you waa Just goln' to begin?"
"That's all right for you boys," re
turned Bram. "But I'd been talking before
you came In."
"About tbla business, Squire?"
"Yes no-o, not exactly. It waa hum-m
" Ha paused In embarrassment.
His follower broke Into a knowing laugh.
"Ha, ha! Squire! You'd been talkln' about
your aide Issue, I reckon. Wasn't that It?
Bide Issue and side saddle, ao to speak.
Well, I guess that ain't agoin' to hang no
bodynot even you. Ha, ha! What'e a
little love ma kin'! I reckon you can trust
the side saddle, eh?" I
"Oh, of couree. But I'd like to know
what he heard. He might make things
pretty awkward for me." Bram's tone
"Damnable! Downright damnable! I'd Ferris Dayton."
reform., but what else la there for me to "No. Why should you? It's been F.uropa
do In this aeeureed holer or the west for you, ever Bine you grew
"Tome, come! I won't join you In cure- up. Gad! Hal, I envy you your roughing
Ing Morvan, until I know a little more It on th Missouri. "
about It. Besides, man, you aren't forced "If there waiting for you," I said,
to tay here. You've Income enough f He growled out an oath. "Morvan -for
your own to do a you pleaae." me I mean West Jersey, of course. Your
"Income to do as I pleaae? No, not a mother until she died, and you since, have
tenth of It." He broke an egg with a let me live here ao long, I can't get out
vindictive gesture. "D'ye see, Hal, I can't of the way of thinking I own It." H
live quiet anywhere It Isn't In me. I'm brought himself up with a Jerk, and heaved
no parson I've got to have my Ping. I a great algh that seemed to come from the
can't do It In the world on my money, but toe of hie boots. "By gad, Hal, mornings
ooal burners I had heard mentioned wero girl Isn't waiting for me. By gad! no.
I'm beginning to think that's only another
to stumble upon me lurking here, I waa
Ukaly to be bludgeoned out of hand per- one of our dreama."
haps deserved to be for spying In such The Swede knelt beside him and placed
fashion. Yea, the library at Morvan wa a her hand affectionately on hla knee,
eater place for me but the girl! "Oh, yea, my dear," aha said softly.
As I stood debating, a Bharp whistle "She' waltln' for you. To be sure, she
ounded from the opposite aide of the don't know aha la; but she's waltln" for
cabin. you here now."'
The Swede started up. heedless of her "Here? What do you mean?"
pet s head, whloh slipped smartly to the "Why what I aay, my dear, to be sure."
the other cut of the window as abruptly a I had
come. "Brownie's" pistol cracked futllcly
behind me as I landed on the pln needles.
I gained my hands and knees, and began
to crawl along close to the wall oT th
cabin. I must reach tha path by which I
had coma or I waa loat.
I could hear the men within
madly to the door. It was loctTed,
layed them a precious half
Bram's voice rang out furiously.
"Curse the thing! Damnation!
rushing
and de-mlnute.
Who
floor. The anake hissed angrily.
He stared down at her. "She'e here? could It have bean!"
"Never mind, Wriggles,"" said the old In thla ahanty? at this tlmo of nigHt?"
woman. "It'B the handsome gentleman, "Yes, yes. I sent her a letter. I said I
absurdly easy. It had occurred to no one don't you hear? Yea, yes. It'a my hand- wanted to talk over thing with her. I
that I wa other than I seemed Harry
Morvan returned to hi ancestral home for
the first time since his earliest boyhood.
I had hardly played a part I had had only
to accept one to fall Into the duties that
were awaiting me. My twenty year.' ab
sence from West Jeraey as wa believed
by all excused me for whnt slips I made,
and they were not many.
some young man."
to the outer door.
She hobbled eagerly told her not to come till late I'd be away
"He'll find something with a sick woman. Yea. yes, nursln' a
here for him something soft and dainty,
eh?"
There wa a sharp knocking, and tho
whistle wa Impatiently repeated,
"I'm comln", " called the woman. "I'm"
comin". Squire! ' Who'd let you In, If It
lck woman In the swamp."
"Well! vou are, a"
"She came, but she wouldn't touch food
nor drink.. But, by and by, little 'Wrig
gles' scared her, so she took some tea for
her nerves. After that she went to sleep,
Apparently the door yielded, and they
sprang Into the open.
"Push straight for the 'neck,' " roared
"Brownie." "He'i bound to go that way.
Nothln' but marsh everywhere else.
It waa prloeless information for me. I
must act upon it without an Instant' de
lay. I leaped to my feet and recoiled.
"Mebbe he didn't hear nothln'. Squire,"
suggested Lens. "Morc'n likely he' some
oysterman who lost hla way, and flrat
thing he knew, he rolled slap down th
hollow Into the cabin. It'd be easy to
come plumb through th window that way,
once he got started. O' course, he'd light
out, hotfoot, when a room full o' people
begun shoot In' at him. I never did see
anybody move so quick In my life."
"By gad. man! I believe you're right,"
declared Bram. "It certainly sound rea
sonable enough. What d'ye think about it,
Brownie?'"
"Like a not, Squire. Anyway, he's clear
off, and he didn't hear nothln' to hurt I
ain't worryln' over It.
I can here. In a beggarly way. It's a God
forsaken spot, but after all. I'm used to it.
I'd never feel at home anywhere else. No.
no! Here I am, and hero I II stay I mean,
until you evict me."
"Oh, only at your leisure," I said with
secret relish.
"Well. well. Bat Merry will take me In
when the time comes. But this neighbor
hood Isn't the place for a quiet life, d'ye
understand? To tell the truth, Hal. you
aren't tha sort of man I guessed you'd be.
The way you've been knocking about all
your life things we heard now and then
even down In this neck of the woods well,
hang It! I thought you'd have more dash
about you more spice and go. d'ye see?
I wa counting on your hunting the tavern
fox along with th beat of u.
"But you ay you want to be quiet her small consideration
you've town your wild oats, and want to .
settle down. All proper enough, of course,
but, a I was telling you the other day,
there have been a good many threats
agalnat us gentlemen lately It' a wild
country down here, take my word for It. I
don't like the look of things there's a
ruck of rascals from tho three state In
th Barren. Footpad have been pretty
lively the last few months, too, and you
know Tom Bell robbed Mr. Hancock over
toward Clayvllle only th night before you
came. These plners and runaway I
houldn't wonder but what they raided
some of our houses any night this house
may be. Lawrence Arnold thinks the same
thing."
"Pshaw, man!" I returned. "You talk, as
If we were In the midst of the briganda
of Sardinia. If we liv until we're at
tacked by the yokel from the woods, we'll
reach a green old age."
"At any rate, I'v warned you."
"So you have. But if you think there'
after I've had a bottle ton much, I wish
I wasn't auch a rip. Well. I'm off a tlff
ride will take this bad tnste out of my
mouth."
He stamped from the rqpm. Long after
the coffee had grown cold, I snt pondering
what he had said.
Perhapa no man, even In a plain way of
life, may clearly Bet down all that h
thinks or the reasons that lead him to ac
tion. And my way was by no means plain.
ThlB thing I resolved upon at last to
hold myself only as a Morvan to do what
Henry Morvan might do were he present
In the flesh. Yet every moment I so bora
myself. I waa keeping a lovely girl from
her heritage. So be It! Judging from what
I had aecn the night before at the cabin In
Loat Hollow, Ferries Dayton deserved
CHAPTRR VIII.
A Moralna; Ride.
When at length I roused myself, I called
for a horse and, following Bram' example,
went for a tide. A yet I had hardly had
time to go over "my" land.
It was a charming day In th early fall,
and I felt a pleasant, hut. under the cir
cumstance, a deluding sen of power, to
see the etate, stretching a good two mile
In every direction from the house-crowned
hill. To the eyes of one of Henry Mor
van'a English friends the property might
have looked wild enough, for full half of It
waa clothed In shaggy forest, and about
the reat well kept roads and trim lawn
were none too plentiful. But the Bob Whit
was calling In the buckwheat, and down
by the lake where the upland melted
Into the pines, some wild ducks were preen
ing themselves In the sun.
At wide Intervale In the great forest.
No better explanation offered, so after &nB'T ot m about here, what about your- coiumn. 0l ,moke went straight up In tha
some little grumbling and swearing, they
moved off toward the cabin
The Bound of their voices and footstep
wasnt your old Mary? But her bones are and very pretty she must look, aleepln"
there so sweet.
III eye sought the inner room.
In
But, upon the other hand, my fear of stiff yea, yea, her bones are old and stiff.'
making a fatal misstep had kept me from She unlocked the door with trembling fin
learning many thlnga during my two days ger. "Come In! Come In, lr! Ah, there there?"
at home thing thct now, lurking m the you are handsomer than ever. Maybe you "Yea.' She was looking up at htm, her
darkness outside tn cabin window, , I won't look fin when you're squire of white hair beautiful In tha firelight,
longed very heartily to know. Morvan in earnest. You'll have a bite and "She ll atay asleep for an hour yet, Squire
Exasperated at my ignorance, I ground sup for your old nurse, then, won't you?"
my heel Into tha earth. I wa soil coy A man pushed her rather roughly aside,
red with pine media and fallen bough and stamped into the room. I was harTTIy
a twig cracked under my boot. able to repreaa an exclamation. It waa
Th Lady of the Spur wa Instantly upon Bram Morvan!
CHAPTER V.
The Candle's Glfvam.
I had eeen my "coualn" two hour before
at Morvan. lingering over hi third bottle.
Ha had refused to Join me in tha moon-
I made the tea. Yea, yea, I made tha
tea." 6h gave her little, silvery laugh.
Bram' face turned a ehade redder than
ordinary. He sprang -to hi feet. "By
God! you are a devil!"
"Eh, Squire?" She (canned hi glower
ing face. "Didn't you Just tell me you
were after Sue Buckaloo? I this
different, eh?"
He sat down heavily.
I wa in front of an open window. Tha died away through th pine, but for a
Lady of the Spur, a flickering candle in long time I did not care to stir. Not three
her hand, waa atarlng out. Our faces were yards from my ear, a screech owl bgan to
not a yard apart. Her eyea were luminous hoot most lamentably. The weird cry made
beneath the level brows. Her Hps were me Bhlver.
half parted. I waited a full twenty minutes, then
Though a man may run ten yards In a lowered myself to the ground. My rib
second, and ten yards might mean life, Btlll ached from their collision with the
yet for a full second I gaaed at her. Then
cha caught a sobbing breath th candle
wa extinguished.
I bounded into the thicket.
CHAPTER VI.
only a plner's daughter," he growled. "I
may be damned already, but I won't have
her feet, her eye luminous beneath her
dark brow.
"What wa thatr
"That snappin' sound?" asked tha old
woman.
"Ye. ' There' , somebody thr!"
"Oh, no. It'a only th cold makln' th
tree crack. If all th time doln' It, cold
night Ilk this It's gettln' on to winter.
You're nervous, my dear."
Th girl's eye wer ami luminou. Sh borne, and well nlgn as soDer a myseir. ""'" vi purjww.
gased so Intently that I began to fear she He was clad somewhat after my own "Well, well, my dear! Don't you ever
had indeed mad out my fac through th fashion, in hort blue riding Jacket, buff y I didn't do my best for you. You
opening In the shutter. I pulled my hat trousers, and Wellington half-boots. Some know you'r the only thing I care about
The Forest Path.
By bard running I reached th wooded
any ridge well ahead of my pursuers. Obedient
to "Brownie" Davis' commands, they wer
Sue Buckaloo' pushing straight through briar and under-
self? Wouldn't a tar-and-feather coat be
come you as well as me?"
"Eh! Me? Oh, these people are used
to me, Besides, I'm not th squire any
longer none of them 1 likely to envy me
anything."
"I understand," I said. "However, I
think I'll chance it."
He glanced at me rather sourly. "Stay,
if you" must then."
"I Intend to," I responded easily. "By
stump, but I consoled myself with the m-wno i in iay or in
thought of Bram' similar mishap. I atole SDurT"
along the andy path. The. ridge hortly' mit "own nls cun " harply that th
fell away to th slough bordered bottom ucer leaped on the table,
land. I. was doubtless out of all danger, "What that! What did you ayl"
but I traversed this, too, with silent speed. "What's the matter?" I rejoined.
Mechanically I avoided th pools in my "Nothing. My confounded nerves-after
path, but my thoughts wer busied with that third bottle last night Who was that
the girl I had seen by th candle's gleam, you aaked about?"
" Th Lady or th ppurv l ceuea ner.
light rid I had proposed, and had even this on my soul"
flung a half drunken Jeer at m as I left Bh regarded hi
growth, whereas, had they kept to the
path up which I was running, they might
have overtaken me almost at ono.
Her eye seemed to shine luminously upon
me her mouth -dropped pitifully.
Her faoe had shown golden pal. Was
It fear, or weariness, or only the candle
light that bad wrought her pallor? Th was painful,
curvos of her boeom and throat lingered J put my fancy briskly to work
air. "Charcoal burners," I refleotod.
Bram's toaat occurred to me: "Here's
to tho brownest beauty that ever showed a
neat bare ankle here's to Sue Buckaloo!"
Impelled by a vague curiosity, I marked
the location of the nearest column of
smoke, and picked my way toward It
through the pines. I Judged that th
charcoal kiln, If It were really such, was
within my bound I might a well ride In
that direction as any other.
80 shortly I cams upon a little cottage
a home of th poorest sort, but astonish
ingly neat and well kept. There was even
a split rail fence, serving to mark off a
email flower garden-w-a thing beyond th
ordinary tn a plner's homestead. ,
No on seemed to have noticed my ap
proach. While I sat my horse rather at a
loss, I heard voloea on the other side of
th cottage. I dismounted and sauntered
I mean a tall, graceful girl, with straight ground th corner.
ybrow. and a .hort upper Hp." A man whom I recognised a Bram's
wnera urn you see ner. au.-v, ,,,, M, Uvrmei Arnold, waa talking
earnestly to a girl. The girl's faoe, eyes,
"On
and hair, were brown as a berry. A calico
m wtlh that placid gaxe a It waa. In three minute I waa half ,n my memory-and the roundn ot he th poet road, thra or four mil abov th frock( eut rather ghortt aincloecd a neat
him. Tet her he was, plainly quit at that I now understood served to mask a way across th "neck." I was beginning lltteJ rro
village th day I cain. Her horse had
to laugh to myelf over th plnera" certain Hsd recognised me? If so. what wild one lame, and sh was leading Jilm. I
chagrin, when. In th darkness. I ran conjecture sne must nave or my presence:
headlong again th tump of a tre. Th 1 WM deeP ,n the 'Wt when at last I
shock was so severe that I turned qulta camo t0 hu" nd Bt001 tenlng. The
dismounted and took the atone out of hla
hoof."
"Oh, I know now." HI, heavy neck re
pair of anklea. It waa Sua Buckaloo, be
yond a doubt.
At th moment I appeared their conver
sation wa brought to a peculiar close. A
Arnold leaned eagerly over her. sh struck
well over my browg that my eyea might one had already aired an opinion that we n thla world. But my! my! when I .was falnt-for a moment I thought I had been wI" hooted from the rldga, and a fox laxed, and th blood returned to his florid ntm ,maPtiy on the cheek with her open
iramcu iu ins instance, i ne pinaa signea - Jnjlu
not reflect tha light.
Presently har body relaxed. Her mouth
drooped, and a tired s'gh escaped her.
"Yes, S am nervous," eh said, "and.
resembled eaoh other, but I flatterd myself nurin' you, if I'd' known how obstinate struck from ambush.
th resemblance was on of , haltfnt only.
Pram's florid .feature were a different
aa possible from my own brown face, and
I clung, gasping, to the pine trunk until on very hnd- Nothing else tlrred
Mary I feol sleepy. Perhaps It waa th I wi certainly five inchea leas about the
tea. I'd feel better If I could sleep. But waist
He entered the cabin with hla usual
swaggering stride, and flung himself on the
the first giddiness passed off. Then
started on, but. one stride proved I
too much shaken to keep up th pace. I
staggered and nearly fell.
"Brownie's" voloe rang out a few rod
down the ridge. "Keep to the bottom,
you'd be when you grew up, I wouldn't
have let myself get so fond of you. Don't
you see, It would put a stop to all her
shllly-shallyln' over marryln' you? It's
only for your own sake old Mary wants
tht Isn't th place for a nap." Sh He entered the cabin with hi usual i" you a ntn man oeiore ane niea.
vlanred about with a barely repressed swaggering stride, and flung himself on the "Yes, I know," said Bram tolerantly,
shudder. "Besides It's time to start home chimney bench. "but droP ll. will you? Look here! Where's Bill-he might take to the reeds!"
I mustn't stay any longer." "Confound it. Maryl" he aald. . "Don't Brownie' Davis, and the reat of the boye7 The sound of men forcing their way
"No, no, my dear," protested the Swede, make such a row. I've as good an opinion 1 haven't Been anything of 'em since Henry through the woods drew nearer every In-
"Sleep a little why not? Nobody's here of myself as any man, but I'm not a hero Morvan came. They're coming tonight, atant. I would be caught like a crippled
but your old Mary he'll wake you In half to bow down to. No, by gad! not even an eren't they?" . cat without the power of resistance,
an hour. You've plenty of time. No use Immaculate gentleman like my honorable "To be sure, my dear." Summoning all my resolution, I stumbled
in hurryln' off. You don't suppose your cousin." ' "They ought to bo here now. As laxy a few pacea, gained a dense thicket of
father's' sittln up for you, eh? Not "Ah, but you soon will be, my deal1, Iot of rips as I ever saw! They hang scrub plras, and wa dragging myself Into
hardly!". and" around Bat Merry' all day, rolling bullet their oover, when I realliod that It wa
"Suppose he ehould miss m some night, "Immaculate?" he laughed In hi bols- and Pitching quolts-rnd at night, God one of th very place my pursuers would
Mary? If he ehould ever find out what his terou manner. "Gad! you don't know only know what they're up to!"
daughter la doing while he sleep " what the word mean, do you? No. no, "Out they've been watchln' him, Squire
"Oh. yes, while he's asleep!" Interrupted I'm hardly immaculate. Brrhl" he went flndln' out his little ways. They're pretty
n. holding his hand toward the fire. " ooin anyining, tnougn, mar a
It' getting cold. Where' th apple fact."
ton.'
I Although I had left the Lady of the 8pur "Ferris Dayton? Very good. But who
In what was veritably a den of , thieves, v Is she? Ought I to know the name?"
yet I had small fear for her safety. In "You. certainly ought the Dayton part,
some way that I did not understand It was at any rate."
to Bram's interest to protect her even "I've been from home ao long I hardly
from himself. remember my own name."
After an hour or more's toilsome walk, I "Just so. Well, she's the same relation
emerged Into the oountry road. It was to you I am flrat coualn three times ra
the very spot where the girl had turned her moved, and of the half-blood. Ha, ha!"
horse Into the plnea and so drawn me In He planted both elbows on the table. "No
pursuit
Notwithstanding my assurance of her
wonder you're at sea. It's this way. You
remember our great-grandfather had three
safety, , I felt some qualms at deserting wives a regular Turk! Well, three wives
her to 'be sure, I had not been allowed
much choice In the matter. I sat down on
three families three lines of descendants."
He held up one finger oomlcally. "Number
a fallen tree where I could wtoh th path three, Bram Morvan God help him!" The
the other. "No need te worry about that.
Come, tie down, dearie. The bed in there's
mighty comfortable."
The girl's head drooped in spite of her
evident effort to keep awake.
mustn't"
The older woman glanced at her sharply,
then took her by the arm. "Poor Iambi
You'r 'most aaleep already. Come, lie
down a little while." She led her, drowsily
resisting, to a door at one side. "There!
sleep In old Mary's bed. Oo In, and rest
yourself anyway, my dear lie down, and
reat yourself a minute or two
Jack, Mary" The pine snake, disturbed
by his motion, suddenly slipped a heavy
"No. no, I coll across his booted foot. "Good God!
what's that!"
"Only 'Wriggles,' Squire."
" 'Wriggles!' " He kicked the reptile
from him.
The snake reared Its head almost to
Bram's waist and hissed furiously. My
cousin sprang to his feet.
"What! By gad! I'll make short work
of you, you yellow worm,
Three men stepped abruptly into the In the moon.
be likely to search most thoroughly.
My motions had dissipated my giddiness.
I gripped the bough of a ten-foot scrub,
and swung myself into Its top. I sank into
ine ousny aome, as Hidden as it 1 were
She pushed her gently Into the next dead long ago!"
cabin the door had been left ajar by the
careless Bram.
"Don't you bojleve It granny!"
"Slow nothln', old woman1."
Bram leaped to his feet "By gad,
'Brownie!' Hello, boya! Where' did you
come from?"
The newcomer's nickname fitted him ex
ceedingly well. He was a powerful fel
low, with a queer. Impish face, at present
Time you were smutted with streaks of charcoal. His
head, aa he threw hla cap on the table,
I waa barely tn time. Three or four dark
figures burst Into th path I had Just
quitted.
"Forward!" it was Bram's voice "He
can't be far."
"Look out for the blasted pine, Squire!'
called one of the men.
His warning came too late, for my wor
unobaerved.
It was not more than an hour before
the dawn. The trees looked grim and
threatening, and a damp mist clung about
their boles. X oould not resist a shudder
aa I thought of the adventures of the
night Suppose, after all, Bram should
three fingers gave place to two. "But
number two, Ferris Dayton God God "
"God bless her. Amen!" I said.
"Sh need it," he agreed. "I doubt If
she'd return the blessing, though."
"Why not?"
"You sea, she's John Dayton's daughter.
Chang his mind about th girl! Perhaps You remember?"
ha had already repented hi chivalrous
impulse or was It merely fear of the pos
sible consequences that had restrained
him? Perhaps he would yet yield to the
sneers of the malevolent crone.
I shook my head. He went on.
"It wa he had that law suit over the
Inheritance, with your grandfather. John
Dayton fought the will to the last, fought
and lost, by gad! Of course, th con
founded lawyers used up th share of the
"There!" sh cried. "Go, talk to on of
your own people, who can't help herself.
You ain't my landlord. You can't turn my
dad out to starve. Uk you did Letty
Miller's."
Arnold was by no means abashed. "Come,
come, girl! Know your place," he re
turned, rubbing his cheek angrily. "Is this
the way you treat a gentleman? Your
pretty face has spoiled you, Sue."
"You better get out o' here before dad
gets back," said the girl, frowning. "He's
mighty quick with his scatter gun."
"He'll repent it if he takes a high hand
with me." said Arnold. "Now, Sue, be
reasonable. You'd a deal better agree"
"Good morning," I Interrupted, advanc
ing. "May I venture to ask what's the
matter in dispute? I hope my tenant
hasn't been dlareepectful to you, Mr. Arn
old." The girl fell back with a muttered cry:
"The new squire!" and atood watching me
curiously. Arnold's face grew red, but he
lost nothing of his self-possession.
"Oh! Good morning, Mr. Morvan. No,
no! It's all right I'm willing to make al
lowance for the whlma of a spoiled beauty.
I know a little about women. Sue, here,
la pretty and she knows It. Too much at
tention has about turned her little head,
by ged!"
"Very likely," I rejoined pleasantly. "The
room, and shut the door. Then ehe stood
listening a moment, nodded her head with
satisfaction, and limped to the table.
"Yes, yes," she said aloud. "Time you
should fee asleep. He'll be here any min
ute." She took the teapot to the fireplace, and
poured the content carefully Into the fire.
She gave her little, tinkling laugh
He graaped the Iron poker a If to make showed oddly high and pointed. The two in two!'
good his threat, but th old woman Inter- n,en who followed him were aa rough look- The Incident served to bring the Whole
fered. Ing aa himself. Each carried a fowling party to a standstill. They halted in front
But I had not long to wait. There was
thy "cousin," although checking himself n JUIC tramp or a horse s hoors-the girl property he did get. When It was over,
with vigor, came amartly In contact with rotla out of tne fret- Cousin John had hardly a cent left In the
the etump. She passed within two yards of me. and world. He and Ferris, live over In th. bMt remeav t0 Ieave ner Blone ,n.t ltT
uamn&uoni ne yeuea. -it s broken me - " " nexi lownswp nirw-.nesinui rarms, xnmy you remember the old song? 'If she be
..uw r jv nm'u vmy uibks oui mat can their place. They aren't quite pau- not jar to meT
she sat erect In her saddle, at 00 who pers. but they're the next thing to It-poor w v i m.nn, I,.
"There, there. qulrel Don't hurt my Piece,
little one. He' a better mouser than any "Where did we come from?" responded
cat Why, you gave him to me yourself." "Brownie." "We've been on a little side
"Yea, but he waa two yards shorter Issue, ao to speak." He flung a heavy
then. I ought to have broken his back horse pistol on his cap. "A side Issue
when I found him. I tell you a rod ot that's about It Catch the idea. Squire?
"Ye, perhaps It was th tea, my dear. nako Isn't fit to have about a hovel like But no luck!"
Perhapa It was the tea." She replaced thla. only an old witch Uk you would toniouna you.
of the ecrub pine. I gripped my leaded
riding whip firmly, and held my breath,
fearful lest they should hear the thumping
of my heart.
feel neither fear nor distress. I noticed,
too for the tenth time her graceful length
of limb, and the sway of her slim waist.
She passed, unconscious of my scrutiny.
Gaining the road, she Instasjtly put spurs
"Where the devil has he got to?" de- t0 ner hor"' nd vanlahed at a gallop.
'Brownie!' exclaimed
hard ground a minute ago. The spong
begins the other side of the stump If he's
the pot on the table, then hobbled to a seat keep such a pet Laurie Arnold was say- Bram with some heat "Your side Issues leggln' it there now, we're beat
on the bench.
ing, the other day, a look tn her wa will get us all haiigud om fin day. I
Swaying her body back and forth, ehe worse on his nerves than a bottl of rum. edvlsa you to drop them. And you, too,
Ha, ha! on mine .too. by gad! Where's the uarrison lens cl ye hear?"
brandy, Mary? Here's the
have the cure handy. Ha, ha
snake let's
began to sing tn a low tone. It waa a
pretty scene enough the old woman, her
hands crossed tn her lap, her white hair
shining In the firelight crooning to her-
elf. Yet I did not find the picture alto- lnt0 good humor the Swede had quieted
aether pleasing to my taste, for the words her pet. The reptile colled himself on
of her song sounded
wrinkled ltpa
A girl, a bottle, and a gun.
To make the seasons flit
And of the three, when all Is done,
Tha girl's the beat of It.
"That's worthy of one of Bram's bal
lad." I thought. "The old dame muat
have had hr fling in her time."
A faithful hound, a gallant horse
That strains against the bit
A girl to hold them to the course.
For she's the bat of it.
"Ain't any danger," returned "Brownie"
coolly. "Everybody thinks it's Tom Bell
While Bram was thus talking himself loose again. Ha, ha! Besides, there can't
be any trouble, can there? not while
Squire Arnold rules the roost In Falrvlew
township, and you In this one, so to
speak."
"Yes, but how long will we rule the
rooat, if It's discovered we're In league
with footpads? Our rooat will be the loose
end of a rope, that's the sort! And If
atrange from her the opposite side of the chimney, his cold
eyes reflecting the firelight. Now and
then he lifted hla head with an uncanny
air of attention.
Mary hobbled about "Hare's the apple
Jack, my dear and here's a cup for you.
Don't drink too much, though. We must anything happens to us, worse will happen
my ancestors did?"
"The old man does yes, there's no doubt
he bears a grudge. And Ferries has been
brouarht ud with that sort of thlnsy that
manded Davis. "I heard his boots on the A" 1 " ,lrt6nlns: to the drumming hoofs, sort of father. She can't help feeling
some of It."
"I'm sorry."
"But that Isn't all,' went on Bram. It
was plain he relished my discomfiture not
a little. "You know that law suit was ths
bitterest kind of a fight. After the last
trial there were a doxen, at leaat the
court gave its final decision In your grand
n"r favor, he came out of the court
fairly swelling with the triumph of
If . I
j n fancy turned a neat phrase for
inu. "I've heard the old gentleman wasn't
very kindly."
"No he had a temper Ilka a crab apple.
Well, John Dayton met him outside the
court house and told him what he thought
cnougn 10 mae 11 gnna, a ye soot celved the man. He fumbled In hla Docket.
"Do they bear me a grudge for what an(j producing a clay pipe, began to fill It
ta'.k business tonight, remember."
He took the bottl eagerly. "Business?
Yes, I'll remember. What else brought
me out her at thla time of night! It It
wasn't for you, Mary, I'd be In snug quar
to you, count on that. Now 7 want It
atopped. dye hear? We've bigger busi
ness on hand business that'll make all
your fortunes, as well as my own.'
"All right all right" grumbled the other.
I vow ther was something uncanny teri tonight snug qufrters snd pleasant "I said It was on'y a side Issue, didn't IT
about this venerable erone, crooning a song company.
mat mignt oetter nave in tea tne campnrec
of my western hunters. She sang on, her
face turned toward the crackling lots.
A spicy tale, a reckles lay.
To speed ua toward the pit
And If you will. u lead the wax.
A giri'e the "
"Fleaaent company, my dear
mean him, surely."
"No, no, certainly not although I'm free
to admit he can talk well enough. He's
He turned to the Swede. "Now, then,
You don't old woman, haven't you got anything to
drink '."
"You won't get a drop In this bouae.
Brownie' Davis,' she anapped, , "no. none
been everywhere, and can tell about It Hke of you, until you've talked thing, over with
Daniel Webster himself. But what doea
There was a heavy rustling In the corner a man mean when he says 'pleasant com
et tha room the great pine anake waa panyT He means fair company fair coin
again crawling from Its hiding place. Th psny. klary d'ye understand?"
beldame had evidently been expecting 'It "A girl, eh?"
for, without pause, her song fell to a low "Yea of course a girl. Eut not every
bumming. girl, mind! The Flower of Falrvlew, now.
Her pet wound across the slabs and, she"
reaching her side, laid bis evil looking The crone's eyes lighted. "The Flower
head on her knee. Humming quietly, she of Falrvlew township!" Her eyea reated
me and the Squire. The business I. movlti'
too .low to suit us. Something's got to t
done."
"I'm willln'." said the fellow. "Close
the door. Bill. Yea, snd lock It. I'm for
teln' careful, flrat. last, and all the time.
Humph! I nearly forgot! Granny whose
horse waa that I saw outside?"
"Mine," said Bram.
"1 mean the horse with the aide saddle."
began to stroll htm aa she might have on the door of the Inner room. "That's responded the Other dryly.
stroked a rat. He willed his body leisurely Just the reason I wanted to s you here
In front of the fire snd his bead still rest- tonight."
Ing on bis mistress' knee, seemed to bask He lowered his cup and stared at her.
equally In her careesea and In the pleasant "What's that you say?"
warmth from the embers. "Why, my dear, you mean Miss"
Bo they remained, while I watched them "Hit Nobody," be interrupted Mufhly.
"That's mine, too," asserted Bram. "I'm
In charge of It at any rate. Don't bother
your head about that."
The fellow gave him a keen glanee, then
stared deliberately about the room. ls
eyes lingered oa the table a pair of small
Feel In the sand," ordered Bram
astutely. "May be you can find his tracks.
Ugh! I'm near crucified, by gad!"
Straining my eyes, I presently made out
a form crawling sig-zag across the path,
a yard or two beyond the riven pine.
"No," growled "Brownie." after a mo
mentthe fellow's conversation was always
larded with oaths which I shall not trouble
to repeat "No, there ain't any tracks.
He must ha' stopped before glttin' this
far." He rose to hla feet. "Where's the
most likely placer"
"In the cripple there." said Bram. "So
ho! Hark 10 him! Search hlra out, boys!"
The boisterous fellow, unrestrained even
In the gravest momenta, cried his men on
as he would have urged hi round after
a fox. They soon beat th thicket from
end to and, while I crouched securely
above their head.
Cursing their 111 luck, they again gath
ered In the path.
"Gone clean away," declared Bram. "I
dare swear he had a boat, and took to
th marsh, after all d'ye see?"
Davis swore fiercely. "That's It, Squire.
If Bill didn't get into the bottom first it'l
be easy enough for the hellion to git his
punt and sneak down a branch to the bay.
That's what'a he's done, sure."
"Didn't anybody aee what he looked
like?" demanded my "cousin."
"Lord! I didn't,' replied the fellow
called Lenx. "Ha tumbled through the
window both waya, like the devil himself.
I alnt aure I saw anybody."
"Well. I saw him." said Davta "if he
hadn"t been so almighty quick, we'd be
buryln' him now. But I don't know what
he looked like. I couldn't tell you If he
was ten feet high, or white or black."
"Was he a plner, d'ye think r
"Xm, I reckon so, Squire. I dotj't know."
sounding fainter and fainter, I suddenly
remembered that I had not eves learned
her name.
It was almost daylight when I let my
self In the side door at Morvan. No one
was stirring In the house, and I dragged
myself wearily to bed. I was too tired
to He awake an Instant after J touched my
pillow, but I dreamed very gruesomely.
Through my heavy slumbers, I though'
my grandmother In heaven these man
years sat on a throne of yellow-anr.
brown serpents, and sang a roaring song.
A spicy tale, a reckless lay.
To speed us toward the pit
And If you will to lead the way
A glrfs the best ot It.
while a tall girl, her eyes luminous be
neath level brows, ran through endless of him, in the plainest Anglo-Saxon."
swamps of teaj and sobbed my nam aa sh
ran.
CHAPTER VII.
"That didn't help matters. I suppo."
"No. The old hot-head used his can
am Cousin John end, by gad! John's man
spirit was so broken for th time that he "What do you mean'
with canaster.
"No doubt that would serve her right to
leave her In th sulks, but, d'ye ee, Mr.
Morveo. she's too pretty to let alone. It
would be a crime, no less, to let a figure
and fac like aWs go to wast. She'
worth om troubleyou understand, eh?"
'Tin not sure I do.'
He gave a careless laugh. "I mean I've
Just been telling Sue she's wasting herself
down here tn the Barrens. I've offered to
take her to tho city for a month or so
let her see the world and live like a lady.
I'll look out for her afterward, too. That's
fair enough, I take It. As a man of the
world, Mr. Morvan, You'll understand a
gentleman doesn't expect a girls' . temper
over such a chance will lsat. Eh? what
do you think V
I saw the girl's eyes flash. She opened
her lips as if to apeak, but at a sign from
me, closed them again.
"Sir." I aald deliberately, "I think such
an action aa you propose, more suited to a
Don Juan than to an American gentle-
Late Breakfast,
My "coualn" and I met over a late
breakfast. The eyes of both were heavy,
but. In addition, hi had th yellow hue
that betray over Indulgence. The cup, too,
rattled agalnat his teeth aa he sipped his
strong coffee. I guessed that be and hi.
followers had consoled themselves for their
failure to overtake me by finishing the
Swedish crone's apple brandy,
After Joshua had poured my coffee and
taken himself off, I opened my batteries.
"What ho. my lad!" I challenged "Art
downcast this morning. 'Look not upon hadn't turned up should die,
never called him out for It. No wonder
John Dayton and Ferris, too hate th
very nam of you, eh?"
"No 00 wonder," I admitted sadly. A
eudden thought made me stir uneasily.
'"You called yourself number three, Juat
now, and Ferries Dayton number two you
meant vice versa, I suppose."
"Not at all. John Dayton's grandmother
was th Grand' Turk's second wife my
grandfather was the son of the third
wife."
"What! Do I understand that Ferris
Dayton ta the next heir to Morvan? If I
I mean
the win when It la red!" You must have
made a night of it, Bram."
He tried to assume hi ordinary cock-a-hoop
manner. "I did, by gad! Hang it!
I ought to have taken your advice, and
topped at the second bottl. I kept at It
three-part th night."
"I didn't see anything of you when I
came in." I returned carelessly. "J looked
Into th dlnmg room, too." ,
Miss Dayton would have all this?"
"Of course."
I stared at him. I had taken a atep I
had not dreamed of a move agalnat a
woman. I wa silent bo long that he re
peated again.
"Of course, man. Who else?"
"It's strange I never heard ot all this
before, Bram."
"Oh, you were away at soheoL Thea
"I mean you are playing the part of a
scoundrel, Blr."
"Be careful what you say, Mr. Morvan.
I'm not a patient man."
"As Impatient as you choose, Blr. X
mean what I say."
He gave me a very ugly look. The pipe
snapped between hla fingers. "There's a
way for satisfaction between gentlemen,
Mr. Morvan. You understand me?"
"Certainly. I'm at your disposal any
hour of the day. No not earlier than
o'clock. I never could endure a meeting
at dawn."
My coolness my contemptuous attempt
at humor nonplussed him. Perhapa had I
bluatered more, he would have known bet
ter how to deal with me. As It waa. his
faoe turned purple. He gulped down his
wrsth.
"You're a newcomer In the county, Mr.
Morvan you don't understand our ways.
I'm willing to overlook your words."
O'e Be Continued ,
