The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-04-05
LONE HOLLOW;
Or, The Peril Of the PenroyS.
A Thrilling and Romantic Story
OF Love and Adventure.
BIZ JAMES n. MERRILL, AUTHOR OF BOGUS
BILL FISHER JOE" AND
OTHER STORIES
(Copyrioh, 1850. BY TIE 4 " Kellogg Yeas.
pIp<r ConsPdns.l
CHAPTER Xyu-coSrrSrxn-

"It was cruel in him to remain away
when he must have known that you were
suffering. It's always so, however, in love
affairs. OF course Austin did not get the
letter undertook to convey that awful
night on which came near bidding final
adieu to this mundane world. Had he
received that letter all would have been
well between you. I can tell you for GER
tainty, however, that you have suffered
even less than Austin, who, not receiving
q reply to his forgivinS note. deemed you
unyielding, and that a. reconciliation was
now out of the question:
"How could he think so when"
"Of course it was strange" interrupted
Lura, with a covert smile, "but it will all
come right in the end if you just refuse to
countenance that villain, Clinton Starbright.
shall see Mr.. Wentword and tell him all
about il, and then the crooked paths will all
be made straight
"you are very kind"
"No, I'm not. I am utterly selfish" as
serted Lura; Il do all this to crafty my
own heart I've set my mind on outwittiug
villain, and mean to do it or die trying.
came near it, too, that night l will tell
you about it, for know you are anxious to
hear the wonderful story.
~ am deeply anxious" assured Grace.
"You all thought me deadln
:" had come to believe so. Romeo came
home riGerIess, and search failed to reveal
any thing. OF course we were puzzled to
know what had become Of you if Romeo had
flung YOU from his back. Either living or
dead you ought to have been found, dsdt
was the pulling part of the whole affair -
Exactly, and Captain Starbright was as
deeply puzzled as the rest"
Certainly
A low laugh fell from the lips of Lura.
The rcd curls danced on her forehead, and a
fierce light burned in her eyes. The Con-
summate hypocriter' she cried, in wither-
ing way that thrilled Grace to the quick.
''But won't indulge in iuvective against
that creature now. mean to hunt him to
his hole and then see that he meets with
just punishment"
Lura then proceeded to relate how she had
taken the path leading along the edge of
Hangman's Gulch, past the cabin of the
witch, Mother CABRERA whose name she had
since learned: how she had. become bewll-
dered and turned about to retrace her steps,
and then of her meeting the two ruffans in
the immediate vicinity of Mother Csbers's
cabin; of her being ierked from the saddle
and lifted high above the precipice.
did you ever go up high, way up to the
tree-tops in swing. Gracel You know, il
you have, what scary feeling shoots all
over you; that was Just how felt when
those rufians lifted me over that abyss. /
was too frightened to utter a word-it was
the first instance in my life that 1 got so far
used up as that Presently I felt myself
gong down, down, shooting like rocket
through the air; then bush switched
against my face, a terrible scratching on
hands and limbs, then a crash and utter
bIackness."
Lura paused in her narration.
Grace Penroy was breathing deeply, her
face pale, her great, honest gray eyes
dIlating with the intensity of feeling aroused
by the words of her cousin.
go on. Lura, 1 am listening" aspirated
the heiress after brief moment Of silence.
"You wish to hear all about 1t now-you
are not too tiredl''
"No, no, go on; l am dying to hear the
whole story of your adventures, dear
cousin
1T seems wonderful, something like
fairy story to me uow," proceeded Lura,
"but have evidence Of its utter truthful
ness. l might have been dead, but was
not. In descending the sixty feet to the
hard ground below, / had passed through
the bushy top OF tree which. it seems, had
the effect to break nv fall aud land me
stunned and bruised, yet alive, on the stones
and leaves at the foot of the declivity.
Il must have lain there several hours ere
strange creature came by, saw me ap-
parently dead on the ground. and in the
kindness Of his neart lifted and carried me
nearly a nile in his strong arms. When l
opened my eyes the glow of fame filed
them and was nearly blinded. was very
weak and could not sit up Soon, as spoke
and called for water, for l was very
Thirsty, q face bent above me, a kindly old
face, framed in with white hair and beard,
the face 1t seemed TO me of one of the an
Gent patriarchs.
Rest quietly, pretty dove he said. I
viii bring you water and food, but you must
not stir for the present You are one of the
victims Of the Doge, and / will save you"
thought the mans language was strange
in the extreme. He Vas kind and atten-
tive, however. miuistering 70 my every
want. but had been so rudely shaken I'D,
it was more than week before was able
to be on my feet and move ABOUT. Then j
made an examination Of nv quarters, to
find quite an extensive cave. To me it
seemed 70 have been fashioned by the hand
of man nQuIring Of the old man, he as
sured me that his name was Don Benito.
once a subject of the Dose OF Venice, but
now an exile, and that the cave had been
excsvated by men many years before for
hiding place from the wrath of the Doge.
OF course. / knew that this was but the
wild talk of mailman, in whose power
had fallen after escaping from death at the
hands Of tramps, as then supposed my late
assailants to be.
sOf course felt uneasy, and was anx-
ious TO make my escape, but this / could
not do, since Don Benito kept close watch
upon nv movements In nv opinion the
cave was xcavated by horse-thieves or
counterfeiters: and am Of the opinion that
the present dweller may have been at one
time member Of the band. made no
such suggestion TO him, however. He was
harping about his wrongs, and
me that the Doge had attempted
to murder him with his own hand. To
prove his assertion he showed me scar
over his right ear, where the sssassin's
blow had been delivered
.Of course humored his Authorization,
and 50 we got on swimmingiy together. OF
course he left the cave occasionally, and
went in guest Of provisions for his larder.
On these occasions he locked me in room
opening from the main cave, the door Of
which was made Of heavy oak / presume
il had been used as the prison-room Of the
outlaws who once inhabited the place
1t was not until very recently that /
persuaded nv keeper to permit me 70 &C
company him on visit TO Stonefeld. made
in the night and on foot Il Was then that
gave him the slip and managed to keep
safely out Of his clutches. / have met
Austin Wentword since, and learned from !