The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1889-01-16

For Sl0f1u, ! am p40US0u W uO O1O OuO
yourself, Mr.. Strong, and at the proper time
you shall receive my hearty support" SAID
Allen, rising to his feet, his face flushed
with excitement. SHOW, pay no attention
to the stories you hear, and keep your in
tentions to yourself, until the time has come
for you to make your announcement"
II understand. Well, eff yer gwine to
stand true to me, it's all right, but of ye do
go back on me, I'm Agwne to knock the
props right out from under ye, an let ye
fall hard enough to break yer own neck;
now we understand one another, don't Wes'
81 think we do"
"Very well, good-dayH
"Good morning, sir"
Although pledges had been renewed, and
the ambitious candidate for sheriff had been
treasured, it was evident that he was not
fully satisfied. Both himself and Tom Sim
mons were suspicious; unconsciously judg-
ing all men by their own standard, they
were suspicious of every body. Each feared
that some powerful influence, that great
unknown pressure which politicians early
come to dread, would be brought to bear
upon the editor to ALLEVIATE him.
They watched each other with hawk-like
eyes, and one never went to the printing
Office that tn other did not notice him, and
at once surmise that he had come to buy off
the editor. Each had vague belief that
the other wa to be an opponent for the
Office to which he himself aspired. That
they should be candidates for different
Offices never entered into the mind Of
either. -
Allen Gray was not one to give up mys-
terry unsolved. Having fallen in love with
the young lady at the mysterious house, he
was fully determined on solution to the
mystery which seemed clouding her life
and crushing all her hopes. Notwithstand-
ing she had urged him for his sake and her
own to keep away from the stone man
sion, on the evening after his interview
with Mr.. Strong he found himself on his
way toward the house on the hill. 1t was
dusk before he started, and the moon,
which had grown 80 old 1t would not shine
until late in the night, would give him no
aid.
The front part of the house was dark and
silent as if it had been deserted for years
This time he ventured up to the great stone
steps and gazed through the iron wicket
gate. He could see the broad path leading
up to the house, which was composed of fiat,
dressed stones. A fountain was on each
side of the path, but both were idle now
No sign Of living creature could be dis
covered. nor from any of those great, deep
windows was there TO be seen single ray
of light.
81 will go completely around the house,"
thought Allen, " and more critically exam
inc it than ] have ever DONE"
On the east, west and north sides Of the
house the walls were of oak boards stand
ing upright. On his tour around the grounds
Allen frequently halted to peep through
crack IN the wall, but could make no new
discovery
Slight clouds almost completely obscurinq
the starlight, the night had already grow.
very dark. In places where the tall
oaks grew close to the wall it had already
become so dark tllat Allen was forced to
grope his way.
At last he reached the rear gate, which
was made of thick oak boards, so close to-
gether as to be moro Of a door than gate
He tried it and found il locked. There was
crack at one side of it, through which he
had good view Of the garden and rear of
the building. It looked like some gigantic
fortress rising up in the darkness before
him, with only a solitary light dimly shining
from one of the windows
Was it q spirit of reckless adventure or
some unknown impulse which prompted
him to scale the wall9 He was active,
strong and bold, and the feat required but
moments time
When he touched the ground he half be-
ieved that he was ON enchanted ground
He never stopped to think that he was an
intruder who was endangering his life by
coming here; though feeling of supersti-
tious awe, which he fought manfully to re-
Si9f Kent nrnenino over, him