Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1869-12-18

WHOM bnox uehuG 70 FOU Huu, |
perhaps, murder, was no other than
RhOderick Orvis!
He had lately purchased an ex-
tensive tract Of land adjoining his
and the money was to pay the
person from whom be bought.
II was an awful moment for the
young grill For an instant she
about to lose her aeneea
the next she grew calm, and her
heart rose up proud, defiant, cOur-
ageOus.
She would save himl
But she must act quickly ; not .
minute was to be lost. Carl and
her father were making ready to
start. .,a
To snatch Q heavy cloak from the
opposite wall, wrap It about her
shoulders, and move swiftly acrOss
the room TO the door, was for Lila
the work Of scarcely more than .
second. She unfastened The door,
closed IL n0iselessly, and found
herself In the little yard outside. II
was some distance from the house
10 the glen; but the Journey was
one Of rapid execution. And hard
ly had che gained the top Of the
narrow gorge, when the sound Of
wheels coming swiftly over the
rough and stOney road fell upon
her ears, and presently . buggy
containing RbOderiCk an6 Alice
Orvis came In sight. '' YdiI
With . fervent prayer on her
white lips, the young girl gIidod
forward % they drew near the spot
where she was tremblingl9 ste
toned, and the buggy halted when
the occupants observed the dark
robed figure standing In the centre
Of the road, eiipCtuallg barring
further progress, Lila addressed
them ut once: "
"BaCki baCkI !" she cried; Id
sharp, excited tones. Gifyon value
your lives, turn back, Death turks
IN the path yOu'aFo puFsulngt" g
A thrill 0fBuperstifiOus awe ran
through her listeners. Alice utter
ed q cry Of mingled terror and
alarm; but RhoderiUk rose mp, say
ing, as DO did sOi
"WhO are your
"a friendI Do as l bid You and
all will be, well,s WaB ansWered-
"RemembeF, you are warned" float
ed back to them on the still night
air, and Lila was gone. re-
There was no mistaking the SINGER
lily Of her words. RhOderick fell
this, and, acting on the impulse Of
the moment, and the wild entrea.
ties Of his sister, he sprang from
the buggy, assisted her to alight
and securing the horse TO q tree
near by, turned into 8 path that led
across the fields to their house. Il
was bis intention to return as soon
&c he had conducted bis sister home
take charge Of the horse, and, 70
possible, learn more respecting the
nights adventure. Neither recog.
nized the person who gave them the
timely warning; and Rhoderick,
had not the faintest idea that It was
gentle Lila Wynde who had ssved
bis life.
Their retreatIng footsteps had not
diedaway before Old Casper Wynde
entered the glen, glanOing about
him at every step, as though he
feared their prey had escaped. What
his coHiectuFos were on duding TIE.
horse and buggy there, We cannot
say ; but Z gllmmeEing Of the truth
must have come 10 him there, for,
after Q moments h~saltation, be
spFang into the buggy, rseizaa tho
relnS, and drove rapidly down the
glen 10 The spot where Carl Was lyo
Ing In c0nceAlmenk Attic bottom
Of the vehicle was Q large fur cloak
which Rh0derick had worn and for
gotten IN his hasty departure, and
almost unoOnscionly the old man
drew this closely about bic shoul-
ders. Attired thus, . casual obser-
yer would have easily mistaken him
for RhOderick Orvis. The height
was almost similar, and their figures
were certainly much the same.
By this time he had gained the
end Of the glen and passed out. A
moment after the report Of Q pis-
tol rang out, and q bullet whistled
along the beach. That shot was Q
fatal one.
Lila, hurrying breathlessly home
ward, heard IL aud snuddered. She
had meant TO avoid the spot where
she guessed her father and Carl laid
In wait for their victim; but now,
impelled by o stronger curiosity
than she could resist, she ran
thither.
It was an open space at the end
Of the glen, covered almost with
huge b0ulders, around which the
road wound like q great white SER
pent; and when she reachad the
place, q strange sight met her eyes.
Carl Conner was standing beside
the PROSTATE form of her father
far down the road she saw a horse
and buggy going at q fearful speed,
certes running away. Lila grew
pale as the dead. She took Q sted
nearer Carl, and this was but 70
confirm the fear that suddenly
SmOte her-her father was deal
Yes, deadl and the MOONLIGHT
streaming about him, showed 3 IA
tel wound in his breast from
which the blood Was DOSING in 9
crimson stream.
When che saw Rhoderick's cloak
lying near him-oven then che re-
! eOgnlzed it--heE MUD grasped The
H.