The Irish standard., 1893-01-21

man to fire at one vii hout iIliper1 LINZ
the others life. s ~ hen half way acresssgs
the field he noticed that the shadow
seen through the OPENING ST the fence
had paused. The alnbnsh 's men mel, l haA
evidently seen the double apparition.
understood it, and, as he expected
dared not fire. He reached the other
hide with Cato in safety, but not before
he saw the fateful shadows again NOV
ing. and this time the other way.
They were evidently intending te
follow the fugitives. But Eonce Within
the woods CORTLAND knew that his
chances were equal He breathed more
freely. Cato, not less agitated, had
even regained something of his former
emotional combativeness, which Court
land had checked. Although tar from
confident of his henchman's proves = !
m emergency, the prospect Of getting
him safe L into the quarters seeme@
brighter ~.
It was necessary also to trust to bis
superior woodcraft and knowledge q
the locality, and CORTLAND, still walk
ing between him and his pursuers aaA
sovering his retreat, allowed him .
lad the way. It lay over ground taaak
was beginning to slope gently; the w
derbrush was presently exchanged 1se
snetnxy moss: the character OF tho
trees changed; the black trunks Of cy-
presses made the gloom thicker. Tran
ing vines and parasites brushed Their
faces, current of damp air seaInad TO
how lust above the soil, in which Their
lower limbs moved sluggishly as
through running water. AS yet there
was no indication of pursuit. But
CORTLAND felt that it was not aban-
doned. Indeed he had barely time to
check an exclamation from the negro
before the dull gallop of horsehoofs in
the open ahead of them was plain to
both of them. 1t was second party OF
their pursuers, mounted, who had evl-
IDENTIFY been sent to prevent their hnaA
egress from the woods, while those they
had lust evaded were no doubt slowly
and silently following them on foot.
They were to be caught between two
fres
What is there to the left of us7"
whispered CORTLAND, quickly.
''De swamp"
CORTLAND set his teeth together Els
dull-witted companion had evidently
walked them both into the trap.
Nevertheless, his resolve was quickly
made. He could already see through
the thinning fringe of timber the fig
ures of the mounted men in. the moon
light.
s'This should be the boundary line OF
the plantation9 This field beside us is
ours?'' he said, interrogatively.
YES returned the negro, "but de
quarters is mile furder."
"Good! Stay here until come back
or call you. I'm going to talk to these
fellows But if you valpe your Life
don't you speak or STIR
He strobe quickly through the inter-
vening trees and stepped out into the
moonlight. A suppressed shout greeted
him and half a dozen mounted men,
masked and carrying rifles, rode down
towards him. But he remained quietly
waiting there and as the nearest APP
preached him he made step forward
and cried: ''Halt!'' .= II r. .s5T'''
The men pulled up sharply and rae
chanical1y at that ring of military i'm
periousness.
"What are you doing here?" said
CORTLAND.
'sWe reckon that's oar business.
con'nle."
cts mine when you're on property
that control"
The man hesitated and looked inter-
negatively toward his fellows. II al
low you've got us there, con'nle,'' he
said at last with a lazy insolence Of
conscious power, ''but don't mind tell
ing you that we're wanting a Niger
about the size of your Cato. We hain't
got anything agin you, cun'nle; we
don't want to interfere with yoar prop
erty, and your ways, but we don't cal
culate to have strangers interfere with
oar ways and our customs. Trot out
your nigger-you no'th'n folks don't
call him property, you know-and
we'll clear off your land"
''And may ask what you want OF
Gator" said CORTLAND, quietly.
''To show him that all the federal
law in h-lwon't protect him when he
the masked figures, riding forward.
"Then you compel me to show yoW," y.
said CORTLAND, immovably, ''what any
federal citizen may do in defense of led.
eral law. For I'll kill the first man
that attempts to lay hands upon him on
my property Some Of you who have
already tried to assassinate him in cold
blood, in your own limits, I have met
before in less dishonorable warfare
than this, and they know I am able to
keep my word"
There was a moments silence;. tho
barrel of the revolver he was holding
MtH ~ &c
4, Nv s/H1- ~
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