Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-03-28
LONE HOLLOW:
VI, The Peril Of the PenroyS.
"A Thrilling and Romantic Story
OF Love and Adventure.
JAMES ID. MERRILL, AUTHOR OF BOGUS
BILL" FISHER JOE" AND
OTHER STORIES
aCopyr'9hf, 1883, by the f. " Kslloqo Nears
paper Company1
CHAPTER I.
BAEELED TRAnpS

II was a woman's cry, and rang out il
piteous terror through the aisles of the din
old woods.
a young girl stood with her back against
the trunk of tree, with extended hands, g
look OF terror on her white, beautiful face
AT her feet lay strewn a mass of fores,
mowers, some of them partially woven into
a wreath.
The object of the girls terror was re
Eeaied In the form of man, black and fierce
looking, with bushy beard, uncouth dress
ana the swaSger of a low bred ruffian He
had pushed his way suddenly into the mar.
TOW glade occupied by the young girl, and
ut was low chuckle from his lips that
caused her to start to her feet
Come here an let me kiss you, pretty
uttered the man.
linen he began to move toward her. 1t
was at this moment that she gave utter
ance to the cry of alarm that opens our
story.
The man was q stranger to Grace Penroy,
and his forbidding aspect quite frightened
her, even aside from his threatening words.
Don't touch me, SIR" pleaded Grace, in
low voice. She was too deeply terrified
now to speak loudly or to cry out as she had
done at the outset.
$50 fur her, Bill. I'll stand oyer back.
Kiss her, and then We'll see whats next to
De did"
And then a second man, far worse-look-
ing than the frs, pushed into view. He
was ragged, dirty and blear-eyed, his sandy
hair and beard not having made the ac-
quaintance of comb or brush l.. months, ap-
parently. They were certainly as ill-look-
ing pair of trampS as one would meet
within thousand miles journey.
Grace Penroy was now too frightened to
utter u word. Her blood seemed TO freeze
in her veins, and a chill stole over every
nerve, rendering her rigid and motionless
as q statue.
y grunt of satisfaction fell from the lips
of the man addressed as Bill, and with a
quick stride he stood ut the side of the
startled girl.
"Helpr
A cry did come to the pallid lips, but this
only served to enrage the vicious tramp.
He grated his teeth and shook her fiercely.
''Tn Farm ye,' he Kissed, at the same time
drawing the paralyzed girl toward hun.
That moment was an awful one to poor
Grace Penroy. A fate worse than death
stared her in the face. She remembered
then the prophesy of an old gypsy that the
family of Penroy was destined TO go down
in woe to final extinction. She could see
the wrinkled, hideous face of the bag proph-
etess. and it took on the outlines of the
tramp's wicked countenance.
sDon't yell if you don't want to dier'
Kissed the ruffian, drawing her, unresist-
ing now, toward him. His hyenical grin
was repulsive. His breath famed her
check. She was ready to faint with fright
when an interruption came that was both
startling and unexpected.
A sullen Etud. awful in it's distinctness,
fell on the car of Grace Penroy. The clutch
on her arm suddenly relaxed and the giant
tramp sank, limp as dishrag, at her feet
Grace reeled and clutched small saplng
for support. At her feet lay the ruffian,
with blood upon his black countenance. A
heavy object had shot from tree-top upon
his head, that object now lying beside him
"a short, silver-mounted rifle, the butt of
which had done deadly work.
The second tramp was startled.
He glanced about in evident alarm, but,
seeing no one, made sudden move to seize
the rifle. He was not quick enough to &C
complish his design, however. A dark form
shot through the leaves and stood beside the
PROSTATE tramp-a youth of slender form,
who snatched the rifle from its resting
place and presented the muzzle at the breast
Of the discounted tramp.
eff you don't care to die, you will move
off"
There was a low sternness in the voice
towards, and this one was no exception.
He retreated suddenly, and began to beg
for mercy.
Don't stop to beg" cried the boy, sneer-
ingly. "Thc country has no use for such
vermin, and had as lief shoot you as not.
Co..
The scoundrel waited to hear no more,
but wheeled and fed at the top of his
speed. Then the rescuer of female inno-
cence faced Grace Pcuroy.
He was handsome youth OF apparently
twenty His ace was dark, his black hair
hanging in Ion z, wavy masses to his shout
ders. His upper lip was adorned with 4
black mustache. His dress was plain, yet
of fine cloth, and his rather small feet were
encased in heavy shoes.
Ono of his hands had a blood-stain across
it where it had been scratched by twig.
ssMiss Penroy, believe SAID the young
man, lifting his gray cap with smile that
revealed rows of even white teeth.
eyes, SIR" she answered, opening her
honest gray eyes wide with establishment.
You are stranger 10 me, she con-
-cluded, after 4 moment.
"Isuppose so. But few people in and
about Stonefield, or Lone Hollow, know
Louis Fingal; even you never heard the
name 1 venture to say"
81 never did until this moment ad-
mitted Grace, blushing prettily under his
earnest gaze.
ssYou may learn more of me in the
FUTURE he said, leaning thoughtfully On
his handsome rifle.
Il hope SC. l owe you much. VIII you
not come to the house! Grandfather Will
b, pleased to sec one who has befriended
his pet grandchild. 1t all seems strange to
me. You were up in a tree. do not July
understand it even now"
She shuddered and chung more tightly to
the sapling for support, while her honest
gray ewes regarded his handsome face
.questionlngly.
ST was in the woods cunning, looking for
deer. l know that old hunters some
tunes watch q deer-trail from an ele-
waited pcrch-my brother always did, and
no was one of the most successful Nimr0ds
in the West"
"And were you perched up there watch
;no for n deer!' questioned innocent Grace.
ssThat,s about the truth of it," he ad-
mitted.
woods in years." and she laughed for the
first time.
Miss Penroy."
! :. Rnt know" affirmed the girl 81
have hved H Lone Hollow for years and
years -" s,o.m
" Never"
ssyet I have been here but one day, and
have seen as pretty one as could WISH 70
LINK ON. I sat entranced watching the
beautiful creature, consequently forgot all
about my rife"
i There was ~ NulzzscA Smile On nus iace'