Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-08-13
rContinued from FIRST paee.l

was creeping fast upon him, he would not
now have stopped TO examine that fern
peeping from out a niche in the rock, nor
plucked the prettiest frond for some one
he was SO soon to leave. Look how he
loiters will he see his imminent danger
in time to avoid ftp No; needless, and
with thoughts fixed far away, and mlna
intent upon the future, he saw not, nearo
not.
CHAPTER II.
Scarce had he set his foot upon the fell; |
than, issuing like shadows from the "ooo
he had so lately left, there came ior'n wv
men. speedily Joined by third.
..Well. Bill" muttered one oil the TWO
to the last conner, "this is rum 90; our
Games gone to earth somewhere.
"Av. curse him the birds flown" re-
sponied Bill who was none other than our
former acquaintance. the master of the de-
ceased Sandy. II tould thee we sud be
DER late but I'll be even wi EN- yet"
"Histr' whispered the third man,
clutching Bill by the sleeve, and pointing
towards the fell.
bly,, there he goes" uttered Bill
in great excitement. moo, my lads, let's
all slip ava to tn ould wall. We maun
keep togither; he's devil to deal WI"
Without more ado, they soon gained the
wall and had Harry gazed more earnest
~, on looking round, he would have seen
them half-concealed, just about to slip over
1t. On they went; they reached the fell
step by step, each choosing his own path,
up the side they crawl, carefully picking
their way, and pausing to rest only behind
the boulders of rock here and there jutting
out. They are desperate men, bent upon
q desperate task. Revenge pure and SIM
pie actuates one mamie is Billy. He had
easily induced his companions-his COM
panions in more than one outrage which
might have sent them all swinging-to
join him in his plan, plan which promised
them some fun and which, at any rate,
promised one of the three the possession
of a good breech loader. And now they
are but short way below him. y warn
ing instinct, warn him again But instinct
now is quiet. All, nothing now can save
him On they stealthily creep, those law
less men. Harry is climbing unconscious
ly but pretty vigorously now but the men
are gaining fast upon him. Already they
are pausing for supreme effort. before
they make their rush, when in the provi-
dence Of God. Harry, in scrambling along,
loosens large stone he nearly slips. but
recovering himself. turns to see how soon
in its n ed car er it may reach the bottom.
An instant more, and he had been too late
With a startled shClt of alarm. he sees
two men only q couple Of yards below
him, and and had he not by some half
dozen springs, light and rapid. rapid as
the channels, leaped into comparative safe
ty, they would have had him in their
grasp. In that one glance he had seen
enough, and more than enough, to con-
vince him Of his dangerous position. In
the upturned face and vindictive eyes of
the man Just below him, he recognized
clearly enough the villainous features OF
his old antagonist; and now, as he rested
for an instant to get his wind, he saw not
only one but three men strainmg every
nerve to come with him. and heard their
eager shouts as they followed in pursuit.
Suddenly his foremost pnrsuer halts, APP
parently almost beaten. Now Is Harry's
chance once more to collect himself. He
Immediately sits down, facing the man be-
low him. and pulls out his fask-empty-
every precious drop gone! Billy eyes him
without speaking. but wisely does not
waste his breath in talking. Billy is the
first to move, followed by his companions /;
he does not plunge away now as he did at
the beginning of the chase, but quietly
and yet with speed works his way
up. Harry too sets himself deliberately to
work he knows that his only chance now
is to gain the top at least minute before
the men come up, for he has already had
experience of the way in which hill-men
can in an incredibly short time make their
way to the bottom again. A very awk-
ward and abrupt piece Of climbing comes
now, which Harry at any other time would
have gladly shirked; but the difficulty is
past, and he turns with degree Of assur-
ance he has not felt before to see if it will
in any way damp or hinder his pursuers'
ardor, while he gains once more his breath.
His breath is nearly all knocked out of
him again, though by seeing his pursuers
strike off 10 the left, and climb with re-
doubled vigor and seeming ease a path
circling round the projecting rock, and
which he wonders that he missed seeing.
1t was evident that the men knew their
ground. and poor Harry shuddered to
think OF the consequences, if, by unfore-
seen difficulties. he is at length brought to
bay.
The weary chase once more proceeds.
Harry rather sickens at the thought of be-
ing hunted in this way. and am proud to
believe his statement at that awful hour he
thought of and wished for me. He could
hardly credit his senses-Londoner as he
was-that all this was taking place in Eng
land. Once more he halts, and planting
himself firmly on the ledge, formed by a
sheep-run. be awaits the human hounds
running steadily on the trail. For the first
time he challenges Billy as he draws near
and aiming his gun. cries: stop! If you
come on one of you must die
Billy's comrades pull up, but only for
an instant. "Gun amt loaded" he sput-
tered out, knowing that Harry would have
used the same persuasion long since had
the piece really been charged. Harry
seized the gun by the muzzle, and whirl-
ing it over his head, threatens smashed
brain-pan to the first who comes within
his reach; his higher ground makes him
look formidable. But the undaunted Bill
~, signing to the two ruffians beside him
to climb up right and left creeps little
closer, but quite out of Harry's reach This
was too mnch for Harry; that three men
should make q simultaneous attack upon
him on all sides. in such place must be
fatal to him, he knew, should he manage
To dispOse of even one or two Of his an