Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-08-31
across hill and hollow-"why have

"On, not III Tue ledSI : Sdlu boi
la, cheerfully. "And I'll go right
to work and arrange the things
that that cross old Zeruiah has
flung about so recklessly. Oh, by
the.way, uncle, there was no letters
for me, supposel" as she glanced
at the weekly paper lying unfold
ed on the table. "For | see they've
brought the mail"
"No, my dear, said Mr.. Brown,
no letters"
And the COWS came, with tink.
ling bells, home from the fern scent
ed pastures, and the sun sank be-
hind the maple swamps, and the
purple dimness of twilight began
to brood over all things, and still
Hubert Wynton, prisoned up
among the tossing plum boughs,
waited in vain for some prospect
of bis release.
"Oonfound these good people"
said he to himself. "What on
earth have they chained that saw
age beast here for just no,o And
/ helieve | must have made q mis-
take-that is not Bella's room at
all. A stout old man has sat there,
reading the paper, all the after
noon, and haven't dared to stir,
for fear of being shot for a burg
lar. I've seen the darling once or
twice picking flowers in the gar
den, and bringing water from the
spring, but l haven't ventured to
call to her, for tear of betraying
my hiding place. Shades of Epi-
Gurus how good that frying chick
en- smells-Coffee, too I'd give a
| kings ransom for cup OF it ~
Poor Hubert He could not stir
for fear OF rousing Ceasar's deep,
low pitched bark and compromis-
ing himself and Bella, but he grew
sitter and more cramped with
every second of his enforced vigil.
"They must take the dog to his
kennel before long," he thought, as
the dew suffused the air with moist
ure and the night-birds began to
wheel about the luxuriant branch
es OF the old tree.
But presently Zeruiah came out
with a tin pan Of water and a plat
ter of bones to break Caesars fast.
ais it ell right, Ruey 2" said Mr..
Brown, In a sort of stage-whisper,
from the kitchen door.
GAIL right, sir ~ Zeruiah answer
ed.
And then, IN a lightning.flash,
as it were, Hubert comprehended
it all.
He was entrapped. That weazen'
faced old woman aud the malicious
elderly uncle of his beloved were
in league to be his jailers. He
whistled softly to himself.
Ceasar, from below, left of
crunching his bones, and uttered
deep, thunderous growl at the
sound. From the distance, the echo
of voices reached him-careless
laughter and stray sentences here
and there.
"Its Bolton and Ralph Weir
coming back to the inn after their
days shooting" he thought. "If ]
could only get word to them !"
He tore leaf from his pocket
book, scrlbbled line or two on ii
as we'll as he could in the uncer'
tain dusk, and wrapping it around
his watch, flung it as far as his aim
could reach toward the swamp.
"Matters are getting Serious" he
said to himself.
But the missive had not been
without it's use.
"Hello " said Weir; ga shooting
star"
ga white bird?" exclaimed Bel
ton, checking his long, swinging
stride. "No it isn't, either-its a
watch with a letter wrapped around
it,"
And then, in the swampy fast
nesses, by the light of few match
es, they deciphered the cry for aiC
which had come from the plum
tree.
"Whew.w-w ~ said Weir. "Le'l
go and shoot the dog"
"Let's do nothing of the sort,
said Bolton. "What would We
or poor old Wynton, either-gaiI
by declaring direct war in that sOr
OF wayi Let's be polite, or moth
ing"
And he fired his rifle three time
IN the air, a sort OF signal recOgni
ton of his prisoned friend.
"What's that" said Mr.. Brown
who was computing the interest oil
a promisory note at the sitting
room table by the light of q kerO
sene lamp.
W Dunno" said Rue, "unless it'
Deacon Hall shootln' weasels in hi
hen-rOOst.D
"Oh, Uncle BrowD," cried Bella
with clasped hands. 81 hope Their
. are no burglars around"
"Never heard of such thing II
all Bean Hollow, my DEAR" sail
the old man. a--
} la the dead Of that same night
however, two masked men appear
/ ed mYatnrionAlY in Mr.. Brown,