Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-04-11
HOLLOW;
Or, The Peril Of the Penruys.

OF, The Peril OF Inc PenfoyS.
A Thrilling and Romantic Story
OF Love and Adventure
BY JAMES NJ MERRILL. AUTHOR OF "Boou.
BILL" "F1sH1R JOE" AID
OTHER SroRIEa
fCopyrigAt, 1889. By tho L. ~ K1uog0 Tsss'
Paper Conpdny1
CHAPTER xvu-Corr1susD.
eft was cruel in him to remain away
when he must have known that you were
suffering. It's always 80, however, IN love
affairs. OF course Austin did not get tne
letter undertook to convey that aw1ui
night on which I came near bidding final
adieu to this mundane world. Had he
received that letter all would have been
well between YOU can tell you for GER
tainty, however, that you nave SUFFERED
even less than Austin, who, not receiving
a reply to his forgiving note, deemed you
unyielding, and that RECOMMENDATION was
now out of the question"
"How could he think so when"
"Of course it was strange" interrupted
ynra. with covert smile, ''but 1t will all
come right in the end if you just refuse to
.countenance that villain, Clinton Starbright.
Ishall see Mr.. Wentword and tell him all
about it, and then the crooked paths will all
be made straight"
"You are very kind"
"No, Pm not. I am utterly selfish" as
serted Lura; ~ do ali this to crafty my
own heart I've set my mind on outwitting
villain, and mean to do it or die trying.
I came near it, too, that night. / will tell
you about it, for know you arc anxious to
hear the wonderful story.
81 am deeply anxious" assured Grace.
You all thought me dead?'
"Ihad come to believe SO. Romeo came
home riderless, and a search failed to reveal
know what had become of you if Romeo had
flung you from his back. Either living or
dead you ought to have been found, that
was the puzzling part Of the whole analr ~
Exactly, aud Captain Starbright was as
deeply puzzled as tho rest"
"Certainly.''
A low laugh fell from the lips Of Lura.
The red curls danced on her forehead, and a
fierce light burned in her eyes. ''The con-
eummate hypocrite % she cried, in wither-
ing way that thrilled Grace to the quick.
''But won't indulge in invective against
that creature now mean to hunt him to
his hole and then see that he meets with
q 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 Devil
dered and turned about to retrace her steps,
and then of her meeting the two ruffians in
the immediate vicinity of Mother Cabera's
cabin; of her being jerked from the saddle
and lifted high above the precipice.
"Dld you ever go up high, way up to the
tree-tops in q swing, Gracea You know, if
you have, what scary feeling shoots all
over you; that was just how I felt when
those ruffans lifted me over that abyss. I
0as too frightened to utter a word-it was
she first instance in my life that got SO far
used up as that. Presently I felt myself
going down, down, shooting like a rocket
. through the air; then q bush switched
against my face, a terrible scratching on
hands and limbs, then q crash and uttec
bIaclxness."
Lura paused in her narration.
Grace Penroy was breathing deeply, her
face pale, her great, honest gray eyes
.dllating with the intensity of feeling aroused
by the words of her cousin.
$50 on, Lura, am listening" aspirated
the heiress after brief moment of silence.
"You wish to hear all about it now-you
are not too tireda'
"No, no, go on; am dying to hear the
whole story OF your adventures, dear
cousin"
at seems wonderful, something like a
3hiry story to me now," proceeded Lura,
"but have evidence Of its utter truthful
ness. / might have been dead, but was
not. In descending the sixty feet to the
hard ground below, 7 had passed throu oh
the bushy top OF tree which, it seems, had
the effect to break my fall and land me
stunned and bruised, yet alive, on the stones
end leaves at the foot of the declivity.
Il must have lain there several hours ere
Q strange creature came by, saw me ap-
parently dead on the ground. and in the
kindness OF his heart lifted and carried me
nearly a mile in his strong arms. When I
opened my eyes the glow of fame filled
them and was nearly blinded. was very
weak and could not sit up Soon, as spoke
and called for water, for I was very
lhirsey, face bent above me, a kindly old
face, framed in with white hair and beard.
the face it seemed to me Of one of the an
cient patriarchs.
"Rest quietly, pretty dove he said. Il
wiz 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 Won ~
I thought the mans language was strange
in the extreme He was kind and atten
tive, however, mnistcring to my every
want, but had been so rudely shaken up,
Il was more than. a week before was able
to be on my feet and move about. Then
made an examination of my quarters, to
find quite an extensive cave. To me it
seemed TO have been fashioned by the hand
OF man. nquiring Of the old man, he as
sured me that his name was Don Benito,
9nce subject of the Doge of Venice, but
now an exile, and that the cave had been
excavated by men many years before for q
hiding place from the wrath of the Doge.
OF course, knew that this was but the
wild talk Of a madman, in whose power
had fallen after escaping from death ut the
hands OF tramps, as I then supposed my late
assailants to be.
OF. course felt uneasy, and was aux-
tous to make my escape, but this I could
not do, since Don Benito kept a close watch
upon my movements. In my 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 q member Of the band. Imade no
such suggestion to him, however. He was
constantly harping about his wrongs. and
assuring me that the Doge had attempted
to murder him with his own hand. To
prove his assertion he showed me a scar
oyer his right ear, where the assassin,s
blow had been delivered.
Of ~or,reo I huu,oro6 hia boI