Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-12-16

ruled, and Mr.. Client, feeling al
SO that there was no actual dan.
ger, at last fully consented.
"Why not send for assistance
Charles" suggested the not We,
ry perspicacious Mrs. Client.
"That would never do in sucl
a region and sunder SUCH cir,
cumstances, unless We intend to
keep an armed force about ue,' ,
Bessie answered promptly. Mr.
Client echcing her opinion most
emphatiealiy.
Owing to various trying de-
lays, nearly Two hours passed
before Bessie could start. AS
she left. the sitting room for he
light wagon at the door, a small
Ratchet which Oscar had thai
morning carelessly thrown on q
chair attracted her eye. She
picked it up half absently, and
with a GLANCE at the keen edge,
the handle under her belt.
"What are you going to do
with that?" Mr.. Client asked, as
sbe. concealed it beneath her
sacque.
80 81 don't know" she laughed.
"It had a friendly look, and /
wos seized with an irresistible
impulse TO lake possession it,
without any actual reason for
doing so. Somehow it is in
high favor with me-"
"You are brave girl, Bess. "
"And I / have a rightVto be, y
was the proud rejoindci-. a"My
grandfather was a brave soldier,
and you are a brave civilian, or
you would never be here"
The morning was delicious
ly balmy one, and Bessie drove
tcarlcssiy OH, enjoying the wild
scenery about her, though eye
and ear were ever ON the alert
for possible dangers. The quick
rot, which had SCARCELY been
broken from. the memept of
starting, soon brought her 10
he widest part of her journey,
NJ ilway between Wil.llands and
Bolton. NE
Immense forest trees ON Ell
her side the narrow road, With
regular massive piles or frown-
ing rocks, gave a tsomber look
70 the spot, which rendered it
jeculiaily adopted to the ma
-auding Williams purpose. She
rad just penetrated its deepest
y hen her quick, watch
'ul eye caught sight, for mo-
ment, OF some s;ealtIlily moving
,i ject II short distance ahead,
\ neither man ur beast She could
rot decide 8ass
"No," l will not fire even if
should be assaulted," she has
lily thought, Withdrawing her
land from the pistol She had in
voluntarily grapsed. a'It might
nyite worse. 5t sv ls
And with beating heart she
slipped he hatchct to her Knee.
She was none too quick. The.
next instant a masked man dar-'
ed omabehind therocks and
seized the horses head. dUnus-
ID to suchrough treatment, the
nigh spirited brute plunged so
Violently as to shake off the Wiz.
aims grasp.gBut he caught the
shaft, and in spite of The speed
1t which the animal started for
ward, he succeeded with the
ease and dexterity of one skill.
ID in fcats Of chat kind, in selz-I
ng the dashboard with one hand
md the body OF the wagon just
below With the other hand. But
It the very moment he was in
he act of spipnging upi the lit
le hatchet smote, just at the
wrist, the hand near her foot;
md with a groan, he sprang or
ell backward, leaving OH the
wagon floor a CHASTITY proof Of
he attack i'm q bleeding hand.
1t all passed off like a dream;
lalfuncohscious of the shocking
'eality, Bessie drove for the
imc wildly and unthinkingly
IN. But before Bolton was en-
cred her mind had rcgained its
usual activity. Checking the
mad career, she sudden
y bent down and wrapped the
CHASTITY object in a couple of
newspapers, fortunately found
cushions. Then efas-
ng, as we'll Las she could, all
of her adventure, she
proceeded to Bolton, and in a
hort time, was quietly, though
With pallid cheek, transacting
he BUSINESS calling her there. !
Fhatdone, she asked for one of |
be gentlemen to whom she was
veil known and related her sto-1
=. 81 firmly believe the letter
Fas a decoy," she concluded,
and was all the work of one
adividuaI." u, " s ~sg
"Undoubtcdly, and the indi-
idual was no rough, you may |
est assured" " returned the gen-l
lemali. MLM 4