The Springdale news., 1888-10-12
I Ic29wisated, ISss, 5g He 4 x Ks!!o7g Eeags.
 paper CoHlpanHl
CHATTER IN.
BY JOHN R. MUs1cK,

4
 To A5len Gray it seemed as if Strong and Simmons were constantly watctHnee eth er. 10 thwart one anothor's plans However, t may only have been by accident that AIr. Strong came into the office just an hoar af- ter his political opponents visit. Having seated himself. Strong said
 "There isn't any doubt, Mr. Gray, that Simmons is onto my racket He knows I'm gHlne to run for sheriff, au he'll beat me If be kin
 "Idon,t think he knows any thing about it. Nh. Strong said the editor.
 = Yer mistaken tell ye yer mistaken. That man Is just watching me al the time Hes allers tryin' to splle my plans. l be l!eve the devil owes me a spite III is payin' mc of with bad HeishbCfs. Wasn't Le in here t0-daTz''
 :. ' =, but We were talking on 2 business matter. said Allen. with some hesitation, Il wanted Q buy that corner lot of his
 Ne did What did he aX ye:i
 s' One thousand dollars
 NJ. Strong gave q prolonged whistle. That more'u tWlce what it's Wath l wouldn't give him three hundred dollars fg~ t; far the house is no account at aIl9
 Three or fogr days later when Mf Strong had almost induced Allen to purchase some Of his property. Tom Simmons, having heard Of t, determined to .spoA the trade. if he had to iujure all the property m Turleys Pu4nt t. do so. \ large number of the citizens Of Turleys Point seemed to be watching each other, trying to prevent the.r neigA0ors' sGcecss even to their own detrimcnt. As nearly every body seemed pulling against every body else, the busi- res9 outlook of the village Was not bright
 O. sunday afternoon Allen Gray deter n4iHej t9 sat al Wd-aing5 and rHGors of danger aside and take stroll to the hill on winch the mysterious stone house stood. l. Was u delightful day, and b. found the woods pleasant The trees were clothed in thc.r richest green, and wild iloWcrs nodded tLei" sagey heads in the gentle breeze which stoc thHodg. the forest. The n5mbie squir- res r&a before him. frisled about among tGe branches or chdtted from some leafy retreat. lie followed aa old disu5ed car r.a4e road, once macadamizCd and an eX- ce.sPHt thacoGghfare. rut now in q dllapi- dated state and partially oyer9roWn with grass. Tine grim old forest ou either side of hira seemed dark and gloomy.
 The distance was much greater than Allen had supposed. Though the top of the old stone house could be seen from the village he lost sight of # tho moment he entered the wood. Having paused to rest at the foot Of q long hill. he discovered Il narrow but Wea-WuIn path leading off at right augics through thc trees. and decided t3 follow it. Through forest of grand old moss-eovered oaks, winding about among huge masses of rock which in centuries past had turtbled from the bluff above, the path took IS course until he found himself at d deii4At- ful spring of clear, cold water at the foot of the hill Here Allcn paused and cazed aboIt him.
 On his right beneath widc-spreading beech was an old rustic seat. Ii had eyi- dcntly been there great many years. Lovers may have sat there and breathed vows with only the gray old forest to hear them, long before he was born.
 At one tune the whole forest seemed to have been q grand park, but allowed to run wild, 1t had become a labyrinth of tan gled undergroWth and vines. Throwing himself on the rustic seat Allen gazed into the spring, which, gushing out from the side of the hill, formed q sparkling rivulet that giimmered over q bed of many colorcd pebbles This cool retreat was d haven of rest 10 the tired editor, and he hatfefed himsel that here he might frequently find security from the prosecutions and an- noYances of poets and politicians.
 But thcatternoon was wearing away, and as he had determined to visit that mystc- riogs old stone house, he could waste no more time at the spring.
 As lie rose to return to the main road, something bright on the side of the path caught his eye. He stopped to see what it was, and discovered golden chain partly covered with leaves and dirt. He drew 1t out and found buried beneath the leaves, but attached to the chain, golden locket. It was lady's locket, and Alien knew at glance thati did not belong to any ono at TQrley's Point.