Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-03-01
THE OLD MILL MYSTERY.
By ARTHUR w. MARcHMoNT, B. A.
Power" I3
Hand" he, SO.
CHAPTER VII
VIOLENCE

d Inc bnhuOW.
"They are In search OF you" she
said to her companion, land think you
have gone TO our cottage. You must
go back now. Good night"
"And leave you TO face them by
YOURSELF Yes, that's very likely" Tom
Roylance answered. II shall see you
10 the door OF your cottage"
"Well, there, the sooner we go the
safer"
They walked on then without II
reference 10 the passionate emotions
that had moved them both so strongly
They scarcely spoke until they reached
the point where the pathway came ont
again on 10 the village street
"You will remember what said
about silence" said Savannah.
81 remember" said Tom. at shall
rest with you TO speak, or TO say when
/ may do So"
Good" said the girl, impetuously.
81 trust you, Tom" and she took his
hand and pressed II In her warm strong
clasp. Now we must be careful; we
may come on those wretches at any mo-
ment. wish you would 60 back now
by the way we have come. They won't
look for you that way"
II shall not leave you till you are
safe indoors" he answered.
They went on somewhat more eau
tiously, looking about them and keep
ing their footsteps as quiet as possible.
After they had gone some distance
in this cautious way, Savannah stopped
suddenly and, placing one hand upon
her companions arm, drew him under
the shadow OF theu fence by which they
were passing.
Look. There they are" she whis-
pered, pointing ahead.
81 can see nothing" whispered Tom
In reply, craning his neck and strain
ing his eyes In the direction in which
the girl pointed.
my eyes are good in the dark" she
said. 81 can see them plainly. There
are Ave men, or six. What had we
better do2"
~ will go forward and clear the
road. They'll soon go, whoever they
are, when they know l have seen
them"
"They are moving off," she said.
"Do you see2 Some one has come up
10 them"
"Yes can mako them out now.
Let us 60"
The pair walked quickly away and
gained the cottage without further in
terruption.
As he left the cottage and walked
quickly along the village street, Tom
Roylance was soon deep in thought.
He was alternately deliriously happy
and abjeotly miserable. AS he felt the
girls kisses still lingering on his face
and the impress of her arms still cling
ing round his neck, he was mad for
love Of her. But when he thought Of
having TO meet Mary, TO keep up the
old pretense of affection, and TO allow
no sign Of the change In him to appear
In his manner, he was wretched, and
hated himself.
He made no pretense now at self
delusion or self-excuses. II he had
never seen Savannah, aye, II he could
have got away before the scene Of that
night, II might have been all right
But II was too late now. Whatever
the cause might be, Mary had never
reused in him such tumult OF passion
as this other.
His thoughts and emotions'fllled him,
and he had forgotten all that had
passed, all he had heard and seen OF
the men, and walked quickly along
plunged In deep thought. Suddenly
with cry he sprang forward.
Just as he was passing a somewhat
narrow entrance TO q shed u heavy
cart was run out by n number of men
across the footway, without word OF
warning, and had he mot sprung for
ward with almost desperate agility he
would have been knocked down. He
turned quickly and recognized the mer
as several Of the strikers.
''Now, then, clumsy" cried one o.
them, with coarse laugh, what dc
you want TO get In our way for? Cam
we even run out trap TO wash 4
without n cursed knobstick spying
round TO see what we're doing2 Serve,
you right II II had knocked you over,
"That's what you meant TO do, 20,
cowards," said Tom, who recognized
instantly that no had only just es
capped a serious danger. The though
Look here, don't you stand Their,
pouring out your drunken abuse at us
You're drunk, that's what you are
and you'd better look TO II that w
don't have 10 defend ourselves agains
your violence. Don't you run NJ
against me like that, cried the speaker
stumbling Intentionally against Tom
you saw that, lads, didn't ye? Yol
saw him try 10 shove me down. Why
he can't stand" and with this he trie,
20 catch Tom of his guard and TO pusI
him down.
But Tom was too quick for him, an,
when the others approached he raise
the stick he was carrying and plsnte
his back against the wall
''Stand back therep he cried. In
threatening tone. "If you try 10 a
tack me I'll raise every soul In the VII
lage. know your game, Jack Di
worth; but II won't do with me-"
''Come on, Jack" cried another {
the men. Leave the scallywag alon,
We shall have a chance yet Of squarin
things up with him"
81 shan't," replied the man. dogget
~. He had been drinking. II mea
10 have a 60 at him now. Look OF
for yourself, you young devil" h
called 10 Tom, and as he spoke /
made a savage run 70 the latter, struc
furiously at him, and tried TO wreI
away his stick
But he reckoned without his hos
Tom brought down the stick with
heavy blow on his assailants arm. an
parrying the blows aimed at hin