Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-07
LONE HOLLOW;
 Or, The Peril of the PenrOyS.
A Thrilling and Romantic Story
 of Lovo and Adventure.
BY JAMES NJ. MERRILL, AUTHOR OF "BoGus BIII." FISHER JOE" AND
 OTHER STORIES.
ICopyrigW, ISs9, 6y as 4 N Rellogg Nesrs
 paper CoMpGny.l
CHAPTER l. DAFFLBD TRANCPa

pltcous terror through the nlsles or the dlm old woods.
 A young girl stood with her back against the trunk of a tree, with extended hands, look of terror on her white, beautiful face. At her feet lay strewn Q mass of forest flowers, some of them partially woven into a wreath.
 The object of the girls terror was re- vealed in the form of q man, black and fierce looking, with bushy beard, uncouth dress and the swaggcr of a low-bred rufllan. Ho had pushed his way suddenly into the mar row glade occupied by tho young glrl, and 1t 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.
 Then he began to move toward her It was at this moment that she gave utter ance to the cry of alarm that opens our story.
 The man was a stranger to Grace Penroy, and his forbidoing aspect quite frightened her, even aside from his threatening words.
 "Don't touch me, sir" pleaded Grace, in a low voice. She was too deeply terrified now to speak loudly or to cry out as she had done at tho outset.
 "Go fur her, Bill I'll stand yer back Kiss her, and then we'll sec what's next to be did"
 And thou a second man, far worse-look- ing than the first, pushed into view. He was ragged, dirty and blear-eyed, his sandy hair and beard not having made the ac- quantance of comb or brush in months, ap- parently. They were certainly as il-look- ing pair of trampS as one would meet within thousand miles, journey. Grace Pcnrpy was now too frightened to utter a word Her blood seemed to freeze in her veins, and n chill stole over every ncrvp, rendering her rigid and motionless as a statue.
 A glunt of satisfaction fell from the lips of tho man addressed as Bill, and with a quick stride hc stood at the side of tho startled girl
 "Hcipw
 A cry did come to tho pallid lips, but this only scrved to enrage the vicious tramp. He grated his teeth and shook her fiercely.
 "Tn rarn yc," he hissed, at the same time drawing the paralyzcd girl toward him That moment was an awful one to poor Grace Pcnroy. A fate worse than death stared her in the face. She remembered then the prophecy of an old gipsy that the family of Penroy was destined to go down | in woe to final extinction. She could see the wrinklcd, hdcous faco of the bag proph- etCss, and it took on the outlines of the | tramps wicked countenance. "Don't yell if you don't want to dic" hissed tho rufiian, drawing her, unresist- | ing now, toward him. His hyeniCal grin was rcpulslvo. Ills breath famed her check She was ready to faint with fright l when au interruption came that was both startling and unexpected. A sulrn thitd. awful in it's distlnctness, | fell on the C2r of Grace Pcnroy. The clutch | on her arm suddenly relaxed and the giant tramp sank, limp as dishrag, at her feet Grace rrclcd and clutched a small sapling for support At her feet lay the ruffian, l with bl,>nd upon his black countcnance A | heavy object had shot from a tree-top upon his head, that object now lying beside him a short, silver mounted rife, the butt of | which had done deadly work. | The second tramp was startled. | He glanced about ln evident alarm, but, | seeing no onc made a sudden move to seize tho rifle. He was not quick enough to ac- | complish his design, however. A dark form l shot through tho leaves and stood beside the | prostratc tramp-a youth of slender form, | who snutchcd the rife from its resting | place and present cd tho muzzle at the breast | of the disCOmtitCd tramp.
 "If you don't care to die, you will movo off"
 Thcrc was n low SternncSS in the voice that was effective. Tramps are provcrbially | towards, and this ono was no exception. | He rctrcatcd suddenly, and began to beg for mercy.
 "Don't stop to beg" cried the boy, sheer. ingly. "Thc country has no use for such | vermn, and had as lief shoot you as not. Col"
 The scoundrcl waited to hear no more, but wheeled and fled at tho top of his | speed. Then the rcscuer of female inuo- cence faced Grace Penroy.
 He was a handsome youth of apparently twenty. His face was dark, his black hair hanging in lon z, wavy masses to his shoul ders. His upper lip was adorned with 6 black mustache. His dress was plain, yct of fine cloth, and his rather small feet were encascd in heavy shoes.
 One of his hands had blood-stain across 1t where it had been scratched by a twig.
 Miss Penroy, believe" sad the young man, lifting hls gray cap with q smile tha revealed rows of even whits teeth.
 "Yes, sir" she answered, opening heI honest gray eyes wide with astonishment "You are stranger to me-" she con cluded, after q moment
 "I suppose so. But few people in ant about Stonefcld, or Lone Hollow, know Louis Fingal; even you never heard tho name venture to say"
 "I never did until this moment" ad mitted Grace, blushing prettily under hi! earnest gaze.
 "You may learn moro of mo in tho
 future" he said, leaning thoughtfully or his handsome rife.
 "I hope so. owe you much. Will vol
 not come to the housei Grandfather wil
 be pleased to see one who has befriendeG his pct grandchild. It all seems strange t.
 nc. You were up in Q tree. do not fully
 understand it even now"
 She shuddcred and chung moro tightly t the sapling for support, while her homes
 gray eyes regarded his handsome fact
 qucstionlngly.
 II was in the woods gunuing, looking fo
 deer. l know that old hunters some
 times watch deer-trail from an ele
 vatcd perch-my brother always did, an,
 he was one of the most successful Nimrod
 in the West"
 "And were you perched up there watch
 ing for deerl" questioned innocent Grace
 'That's about the truth of it," he ad
 mitted.
 But there hasn't been Q deer in thes
 woods in years," and she laughed for tn