The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-09

words of the dying man.
"Ahl gracious heaven, tell me where
that beautiful angel girl is. My heart
sinks within my soul, oh, God, as !
think I shall lose her."
The breaking Of slight twig near by
was heard by Johnny's quick ear. He
quickly turned his head, when to his
great surprise, a man stood at his back
with drawn dagger.
CHAPTER III.
Quick as flash, Johnny sprang for.
ward and eluded the blow that was in.
tended to make him powerless, if not
to kill him.
The slight glance that he cast at the
man was sufficient for him to recog.
nize "Swarthy Jim," the hump-backed
rag peddler, a man who was suspected
of being dishonest. Before this wiry
old Jew, for such he surely looked to
be, could recover from the surprise oi
his failure, Johnny could not be seen,
for he Immediately darted through the
thicket, crossed the creek, and sprang
upon Kim's back.
"Now, Him.. my brave pony, to
Jonesborough, as fast as you can fy!"
It seemed as if Kim understood his
masters command, for in moment
they had cleared the woods and flew
along the road to town in search of help.
The horse and rider made @. pretty
picture, dashing along urder the green
trees, over TIE hills, aid across the
brooks that lay in their way.
The pony was glossy jet-black,
and Johnny's flowing, curly hair was
no lighter.
His face was as pale as if his heart
had ceased beating, while in his lovely
dark eyes was that fierce, dark look.
"Ahl hal" thought he, "yet I did not
gain the greatest point; that beautiful
little girl, where is she? Fly, Kim,
fly! I shall be revenged, for those in
fernal rascals shall be caught and shot
down for dogs, that they are! But
who and what are they? How many
are there of them? They must be
possessed of the evil one, or are his
own brothers. I never knew such
monsters were hiding in that thicket,
or, most assuredly, I should have scat
tered them. You old rag peddler, I
see you are playing more than one
part. I surmised it before this, but,
now, you must play quit"
Almost before the anxious young
man realized it the fleet Kim had car
riei him to the center of the town.
He wheeled the pony round and in
few moments was at the Sheriff's Office.
In as few words as possible the Sheriff
was told of the horrible affair that had
just occurred, and in less than half an
hour party of five brave men had
started for the thicket in search of the
prisoners.
"Now, Kim, for home, as fast as you
can go. Fly, for It's life or death. She
must be found before night, or all is
lost. Is there no power to save that
innocent. angel-like girl? You were
too beautiful, too good, my pretty lit
tie Lima, for you stole my heart and I
have not yours in return. Oh! would
give the world, if it were mine, to
know that she loved me, or even ever
thought of me. Can you not, will you
not come back to us all who love you
so much? yes, We do, but you never
knew that I would give my life to
serve you. No, you never did; how
could you, you who are SO far above me,
even to stoop to smile upon me. T
ought not to expectm more than glance
from those beautiful eyes,"
His head had fallen upon the curved
glossy neck of his pony, while the
tears trickled down his pale cheeks as
he thought OF the girl he hal loved in
vain.
$50, Kim, go! I must know where
she is, and where the rest are!"
So swift had tie little pony travelled
that Johnny was in trout of the Rice
farm house before he knew it.
"Stay, Kim, stay!" and in tho house
he ran, to see Aunt Jane. She was not
there; the house was empty.
"Ah! she got uneasy, and has gone to
see mother about the matter. I'll catch
her."
Mother, where is Mrs. Rice?"
"Why, Johnny, my boy, I do not
know; she has not been here to-day"
Mrs. Jones was somewhat excited
and nervous over the affair that had
happened; but, as yet, she did not
know of the perilous position in which
her husband was placed. She had been
afraid that her husband would get hurt.
and now Johnny's pale, anxious face
only doubled her fears.
Mother, this is serious affair; cont
you know where Mrs. Rice is?
"No, Johnny, of course I do not;
but what makes you look so pale and
worried?"
ooh, mother, it is ell so terrible I
hate to tell you'll"
"Speak, Johnny, my boy; I must, I
will know all. Is your father hurt? Is
he kilied?"
"yes-no. no. mother: I guess not. I