The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-09-07
CHATTER. Iv-(co.ti.uea.,
BY CONAN DOYLE

Il e
'sThat will do. I have az much more
to add to 1t. We must push for Carson
City through the mountains. You had
best wake Lucy. 1t Is as well that the
servants do not sleep In the house."
While Ferrier was absent, preparing
his daughter for the approaching jour
ney, Jefferson Hope packed all the
eatables that he could find into n small
arcs'l, AID filed Il stoneware jug with
water. for he know ly experience thnt
the mountain wells were few and far
between. He had hardly completed
his arrangements before the farmer re-.
turned with his daughter, all dressed
and ready for start. The greeting
between the lovers was warm, but
brief, for minutes were precious, and
here was much to be done.
I'VE must make our start at once"
said Jefferson Hope, speaking In low
ICES the greatness of the peril, but has
stcelcd his heart to meet 1t. 1.-THE
trent and back entrances are watched,
but with caution we may get away
through the side window and cross
the fields Once on the road, We ore
only two miles from the ravine where
wv AVASS0 aAS Wubkiuks by uuy UlGs1A
we should be halfway through the
mountains"
what IL We IRE stopped?" asked Fer
rier.
Hope clipped the revolver butt which
protruded from the front Of his tunic.
II they are too many for us, we shall
hc said, with sinister smile.
fTN1,., lt,y1,tu {,,ogIo %t,o t,o,,eo k,,.l ali
been cxtinguishetl, and from the dark
erred window Ferrier pecred over the
hills which had been his own. and wi ich
he was now about to abandon forever.
He had long nerved himself to the sac
rifice. however, and the thought Of the
honor and happiness Of his daughter
outweighing any regret at his ruined
fortunes. All looked SO peaceful and
silent stretch Of grain land, that 1t
was difficult to realize that the spirit Of
murder lurked through 1t all. Yet the
white face and set expression Of the
y0ung hunter showed that In his up
proach to the house he had seen enough
to satisfy him upon that head.
Ferrier carried the bag of gold and
notes, Jefferson Hope had the scanty
provisions and water, while Lucy had
a small bundle containing few of her
more valued possessions. Opening the
window very slowly and carefully they
waited until a dark cloud had some
what obscured the night and then one
by one passed through into the little
garden. With bated breath and crouch
ing figures they stumbled across 1t and
gained the shelter Of the hedge, which
they skirted until they came to the gap
which opened into the cornfield. They
had just reached this point when the
young man seized his two companions
and dragged them down into the
shadow. where they lay silent and
trembling.
1t was as we'll that his prairie train
ing had given Jefferson Hope the
ears of lynx. He and his friends
had hardly crouched down before the
melancholy hooting of a mountain owl
was heard within few yards Of them,
which was Immediately answered by
another boot at q small distance. At
the same moment a vague, shadowy
figure emerged from the gap for which
they had been making, and uttered the
plaintive signal cry again, on which
second man appeared out Of the obscur-