The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-02-15
LONE HOLLOW;
Or, The Peril Of the PenfOyS.
A Thrilling and Romantic Story
Of Love and Adventure.
By JAMES NJ. MERRILL, AUTHOR OF BOGUS
BILL" FISHER JOE" AND
OTHER STORIES
Copyright, 1889, by the H. " Kellogg Meas
paper Conapdny.l
CHAPTER I.
BAFFLED TRAMPS.

CHAPTER i.
BAFFLED TRAMPs
"Help-helpr'
II was woman's cry, and rang out in
piteous terror through the aisles of the dim
old woods.
A young girl stood with her back against
the trunk of tree, with extended hands, a
look of terror on her white, beautiful face.
At her feet lay strewn mass Of forest
flowers, some of them partially woven into
a wreath.
The object of the girls terror was re-
vealed in the form of a man, black and fierce
looking, with bushy beard, uncouth dress
and the swagger of low bred ruffian. He
had pushed his way suddenly into the mar
row glade occupied by the young girl, and
it was a low chuckle from his lips that
caused her to start to her feet.
''Come here an let me kiss you, pretty"
uttered the man.
Then he began to move toward her. 1t
was at this moment that she gave utter
ance to the cry of alarm that opens our
story.
The man was a stranger to Grace Penroy,
and his forbidding aspect quite frightened
her, even aside from his threatening words.
don't touch me, SIR" pleaded Grace. in
now to speak loudly or to cry out as she had
done at the outset.
"Go fur her, Bill. Ill stand oyer back.
Kiss her, and then We'll see what's next to
De did,
And then a second man, far worse-look-
ing than the frs, pushed into view. He
was ragged, dirty and blear-eyed, his sandy
hair and beard not having made the &C
auaintance of comb or brush Il. months, ap-
parently. They were certainly as ill-look-
ing pair of tramps as one would meet
within a thousand miles journey.
Grace Penroy was now too frightened to
utter a word Her blood seemed to freeze
in her veins, and a chill stole over every
nerve, rendering her rigid and motionless
as statue.
A grunt of satisfaction fell from the lips
of the man addressed as Bill, and with a
quick stride he stood at the side of the
startled girl.
"Helpr'
A cry did come to the palIid lips, but this
only served to enrage the vicious tramp.
He grated his teeth and shook her fiercely.
"Tn l'arnye he Kissed, at the same time
drawing the paralyzed girl toward HIM.
That moment was an awful one to poor
Grace Penroy. A fate worse than death
stared her in the face. She remembered
then the prophesy of an old gypsy that the
family of Penroy was destined to go down
in woe to final extinction. She could see
the wrinkled, hideous face of the bag proph-
etess, and it took on the outlines of the
tramp's wicked countenance.
don't yell if you don't want to dier'
Kissed the ruffian, drawing her, unresist-
ing now, toward him. His hyenical grin
was repulsive His breath famed her
check She was ready to faint with fright
when an interruption came that was both
startling and unexpected.
A sullcn thud, awful in its distinctness,
fell on the ear of Grace Penroy. The clutch
on her arm suddenly relaxed and the giant
tramp sank, limp as dishrag, at her feet
Grace reeled and clutched small sapling
for support. At her feet lay the ruffian,
with blood upon his black countenance. A
heavy object had shot from tree-top upon
his head, that object now lying beside him
"a short, silver-mounted rife, the butt of
which had done deadly work.
The second tramp was startled.
He glanced about In evident alarm, but,
seeing no one, made sudden move to seize
the rife. He was not quick enough to ac-
complish his design, however. Adark form
shot through the leaves and stood beside the
PROSTATE tramp-a youth of slender form,
who snatched the rife from its resting
place and presented the muzzle at the breast
of the discounted tramp.
s'If you don't care to die, you will move
off,
There was low sternness in the voice
that was effective. Tramps are prover5ially
towards, and this one was no exception.
He retreated suddenly, and began to beg
for mercy.
"Don't stop to beg" cried the boy, sneer.
ingly. "The country has no use for such
vermin, and had as lief shoot you as not
Cor
The scoundrel waited to hear no more,
but wheeled and fed at the top Of his
speed. Then the rescuer of female inno-
cence faced Grace Penroy.
He was handsome youth Of apparently
twenty. His ace was dark, his black hair
hanging in Ion G, wavy masses to his Shout
ders. His upper lip was adorned with
black mustache. His dress was plain, yet
of fine cloth, and his rather small feet were
encascd in heavy shoes.
One of his hands had blood-stain across
it where it had been scratched by twig
Miss Penroy, believe sand the young
man, lifting his gray cap with smile that
revealed rows of even white teeth.
"Yes. sir" she answered, opening her
honest gray eyes wide with astonishment
"You are a stranger to me-" she con-
cluded, after a moment.
81 suppose so. But few people in and
about Stonefeld, or Lone Hollow, know
LOUIS Fingal; even you never heard the
name / venture to say"
Az ID
mitted Grace, blushing PRETTY under his
earnest gaze.
"You may learn more Of me in the
future" he said, leaning thoughtfully on
his handsome rifle.
81 hope so. lowe you much. Will you
not come to the house. Grandfather will
be pleased to see one who has befriended
his pet grandchild. 1t all seems strange to
me. You were up in tree. do not fully
understand it even now"
She shuddered and chung more tightly to
the sapling for support, while her honest
gray eyes regarded his handsome face
questionlngly.
Il was in the woods cunning, looking for
deer / know that old hunters some
tunes watch a deer-trail from an ele-
waited perch-my brother always did, and
he was one of the most successful Nimrods
in the Westn
land were you perched up there watch
ing for deer!" questioned innocent Grace.
ssThat's about the truth of it," he ad-
mitted.
ssBut there hasn't been a deer in these
woods in years." and she laughed for the
first time.
I'll must begleave to differ with you there,
Miss Penroy.'
"But / know" affirmed the girl 81
have lived at Lone Hollow for years and
years"