Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-12-10


nastened down stairs and stole to-
wards the coach house.
AladeeE, still sharpening his
5 knife and chuckling to himself,
| stopped as he heard light step on
D the stones. lie ran to the window
: and peered out, grinning with de-
light when he saw Miss Gray.
"The bird comes to the net, I" he
: laughed to himself 'tFOol that I
: was to let it out once.v
He drew back and waited for the
door to open, dropping the knife on
to me chest that held the carriage
rugs.
Nellie entered quickly; and then
Aladeen leaped forward, with his
arms open ana an exulting grin on
his dark face. 1t was only to meet
small glittering barrel held un-
fiinchingly to his face. His jaw
dropped and with it his arms.
"Aladeen, the gig is not ready"
The words came slowly great
beads. of sweat stood upon the mans
face. ssBy the Heaven above us, I
will shoot you dead if you do not
do what I tell you, and at once !"
He dropped his eyes and glanced
toward his knife. She saw the
look.
"Now go before me to the stable
mo closer-not an inch closer, if
you value your life Keep in front
so !? If you move quicker will
shoot you through the back ~
They reached the stable door, and
she made him open it and go in.
| The place was dark save for the
moon, but there was enough to lead
out Bess. Nellie stood with the re-
volver raised, feeling no weariness
in her excitement. She made the
man harness the horse to the gig
and lead both around to the front |
door, and walking behind him all |
the way with the little barrel of the |
revolver glancing- in the soft moon |
rays. She made him fasten the |
reius to the tree by the door, and |
then marched him back and COM |
PEELED him to saddle BluebelI and |
lead her round also. Then she or
dered him back once more-he was
cursing under his breath, but shak-
ing with fear, and made him lock I
the stable door and place the key on
the ground and then told him to
put the coach house key down, too.
She watched him go into the house
as she directed, and then cautiously
advanced and locked it. She peep
ed in and saw him stamping on the
ground with fury, and ran for dear
life up to Mrs. Gray's bedroom, and
hurried her and her companion
down to the gig. She saw them
drive off, and told them to goby the
cutting; and then she mounted
Bluebell and rode away slowly, as
if to cover their retreat.
Presently two shots rang out up
on the night air, one after the other,
and her heart seemed to leap up in
to her throat. Was Jack in danger
oh, heaven, was Jack in danger
Then she heard a crash, as if from
the coach house, and she knew that
Aladeen was free. She gave the
bride to Bluebell, and cantered
down the curve into the road. AS
she approached the cutting, how
road, and stopped irreSolute. Were |
they friends or foes?
The men had seen her, too, as
they marched down; she prayed
that they had missed the gig. They
had not quite reached the cutting
yet, but had broken into run.
She wheeled the mare round and
turned back. If they would only
follow her, the others might be
saved, she thought.
The sharp report of muskets rang
out upon the night air. Bluebell
leaped forward madIy. Was she
struck! No, surely not--she was
dashing on again her eyes glancing !
with fire. They were past the spot
where the curve entered the road, !
and had almost reached the second !
place, where they leSt it, when Nellie
heard faint yell. 1t proceeded
from Aladeen. who stood cursing !
her as she galIoped by. She was
sweeping on now to the dark figure I
of MammO.
She saw him in the dull, gray t
light; but wild fury seized her =
she would ride on needless of every
thing. She aimed the revolver at ?
him, pulling the trigger again and n
again at him and those who were Y
with him. They dashed wildly at =
ler, and Bluebell was not to he i
held back. On, on straight down u
5he Bandermunda Road she dash
ed.
Amt thus it happened that the
irst man who saw Nellie Gray after
he had passed Mammo was Cecil.
She had passed Ben's Brake, and ;,
idden on wildly until she reached u
he fort. Then the good horse =
topped, and, as some of the sol u
liers ran down to meet this strange p
ider, Miss Gray dropped from her II
addle and fell into the road mo- y
ionless, while Bluebell bent over io
Ter, touching her cheek softly with ~
Ter quivering nostril. y
x X m
The detachment reached the Fort ~
ONE hours afterward. The rising Ia
vas quelled and Jack and Cecil be-
anne the heroes of the hour. 1t got "
hem both their promotion. After a u
title while Jacks heroine became "a
ack's wife, and the love that had u
cen proved in time of bitter sor- pe
ow and trial, and amid death and e
met its fitting reward. ps