Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-07-18

tNSlll. pa *. ~; s.49y
s.Y on shall never see him again.
tho ranchman repeated, WITH cold
deliberation. As soon az ] find some
one to take his place I shall dis
charge tho upstart; and tomorrow
yo,l 90 with me TO Rio Grand City,
to remain with your aunt during the
interval he stays here. Make your
preparations for the journey tonight
for we start early tomorrow morn
ing"
"Oh, papa! you surely will not be
SO oruc}," cried tho girl, tcariuiiy.
But not needing her distress, the
ranchman strobe angrily from the
room.
Arthur Forbes was remarkably
handsome fellowy-a littlo above the
medium height, broad-shouldcrcd,
deep- -chcstcd and muscular, with
curling, gold brown hair and honest
gray-blue eyes. He has been three
years in the service Of Mr.. Roberts,
and during that time had become
Il great favoritc with tho ranch
man.
But when Lucia confessed to her
father that she was engaged to his
oye,scer he was very angry viii!
them both for their deception, and
resolved to make short work of the
affair. *}
Arthur Forbes was at distant
part of the ranch with the cattle
whom al tl,is Happened, and thcrc-
fore knew nothing about it; nor did
he know Of the departure of Mr..
Roberts and his daughter for Rio
Grandc City.
The following night, MS tho over
seer was on his way to Mr.. Roberts
house, he discovered half a dozen
horses tcthcrcd in a small grove near
the dwelling. IIitching his own
animal to saplin at the other end
of the grove, he turned from the
beaten path and passed through the
trees toward the house.
The night was cloudy and quite
dark, yet he detected the forms Of
three or four men standing in the
path before him. Advancing with
more caution, aud holding his pistol
so that he could readily use it, Ar
thur still crcpt forward, carefully
scanning every object, but with his
attention centred upon them. lie
had advanced but few steps when
he saw two of them lift from the
ground what appeared to be the
form of a human being wrapped in
dark blanket. Springing forward
he lcvclcd his pistol, commanding
them to stop. The word had scarce
ly passed his lips when he received
Il blow from behind which rendered
him scnsclcss.
1t was past midnight when Forbes
rcgaincd consciousness. Making his
way to Mr.. Roberts house, he reused
the servants and told them what he
had witnessed i'll the grove. Great
was their excitement when it was
found that neither Mr.. Roberts nor
his colorcd man servant, Jim, who
had also accompanied Lucia to Rio
Grand City that morning, had re-
turned. The negro was presently
found in the grove dead, with a
deep wound in the side of his head.
"NIr. Roberts has been abducted
by bandits, and if he is not rescued
he will be held for ransom," said
Arthur. "I must go to the camp and
rouse the men ut once"
An hour later Arthur FORBES, ac-
companicd by twenty stalwart cow
boys, was riding across the prairie
on the trail of the abductors.
4
, Dragged from his horse, beaten,
bound hand and foot, blindfoldcd
and tied on horse, Mr.. Roberts was
driven all night and nearly all the
next day across the prairie, without
food or drink. At the end of that
time he was taken from the horse
and the bandage removed from his
eyes. Two Of his captors then con-
Quoted him to rude log cabin con
tanning no furniture whatever, and
lighted only by a dim, smoky lamp
that hung suspended from a beam
overhead. Then, without a word
they left him, and he heard them
tasten the door on the outside.
Exhausted by his terrible Jour
ncy, Mr.. Roberts was about to throw
himself on the hard floor when the