The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1889-01-23
pump a child to find this QUIT

village. Even Aliens daring was defied
by it, until he had become desperate.
1t was one of those calm, quiet starlight
summer nights, and had it not been for the
constant strain upon his nerves, Allen
would have found the riding pleasant. The
moon did not rise until well on towards
morning, and the fore part of the night was
quite dark, especially when passing through
the forests.
While galloping along a wooded ridge
Allen heard the sounds of horses hoofs in
the rear.
"Are we pursued?n he asked himself.
He soon became certain that tho horse
man was gaining on them. The fierce ring
of hoofs became louder every moment.
6 might outrun him. said Allen, -" but
with this child to look after it would be
best to play game of hide and seek.''
On his left was a narrow, dark path lead
ing down into tho woods, and he turned his
horse into it. Here he waited until his pur-
suer had passed along the road. The ring
of iron hoofs upon the stony road could be
heard long before the horseman reached the
point opposite where Allen had reined In his
horse When tho sound Of hoofs had died
away in the distance, the editor again re-
turned to the road and continued his jour
ney. The little boy became sleepy, yawned,
and was soon buried in slumber.
'"Poor little fellow" said Allen, gazing
into that young face, disfgured with care
and weariness. His being part of that
terrible mystery has had fearful effect on
him"
The child had wonderful resemblance to
Bertha. The fair, beautiful face and gold
en- curly hair was similar to hers. Undis-
turbed by the easy motion of the horse, his
slumbers were not disturbed.
Allen WAS kept awake by the responsible,
ity that was on him. Sometimes he blamed
himself for having undertaken this journey
at the request of one whom he really did
not know. Was ever man engaged in a
moro madcap enterprise? 1t might be, aft
or I'LL, that it was only o shrewd scheme to
make him tool in an abduction.
g Heaven knows it is no wrong on my
part sighed Allen. ''But l know that l
am committing no wrong. She who babe
mo do this GRAND is too good, too pure to
mediate wrong. I will not for moment
doubt her r.o...,.-cs BY whomsoovcr she
may be surrounded by whatever mystery
she may be engulfcd, her goodness and the
purity of her motives can not be QueS-
tioned.n
He reached q long bridge which SPAWNED
small stream Before he reached tho up
proach he discovered horscman descend
ing the opposite hill and, fearing that it
was returning pursuer, Allen rode down
tho creek bank under the approach to the
bridge, where he remained until the horse
man had come over and had gone out Of
hearing up the very road be himself had
como.
:" If that was pursuer, he is now on tho
back track" thought Allen.
Our hero was really in 81 poor condition
for either flight or defense The sleeping
Child lay heavily on him, and he was totally
unar1ncd. When tho horscman was out of
car-shot Allen returned to the road,
crossed the bridge and galloped over tho
opposite hill and along the hard-beaten
road.
Night was Well-nigh spent and he was
several miles yet from his journeys end.
''This is certainly q remarkably patient
child,'' said the horscman, gazing into the
face of the sleeping boy, as his horse can
tered along the road. "Hc has not, bya
gesture or movement, indicated either
WEAKNESS or impatience. Poor little fcl-
low, this journey, hope, will result in great
good to YOU"
The moon, well on toward morning, came
struggling above the eastern horizon, but in
its old age its light was but little The
silver ray thrown upon the earth was very
pale indeed.
Darkness, slowly but surely, began to
fade. The child slept on. The eastern hor,
lion grew to bright vermillion, and stars
in the far cast began to slowly pale and go
out before tho approach of moro powerful