The record-union., 1894-04-07

followed him. The lovers lay motionless
in the canoe. They could hear the snort
ing of the swimming horses, the calls OF
their riders and the encouraging shouts
from along the fast recedlng shore. They
knew too that the heroic efforts of the
old tinker were fast eXhausting his splen-
did strength. They realized, with hor-
ror, that the craft was now violently
lacking, as if to avoid the plungings of
the nearest horse. One of its boots
struck the bottom of the canoe nearly up
| setting it.
stop, Bob Stanley! Stop, or Hill kill
ye!"
The words had scarcely left Jem Bos-
| wells lips when the old gypsy stood upon
| his feet in the canoe. The two beneath
| him heard the whistling whirl of pad
die above his head, the crashing sound
| which followed, and the splashing about
| of an unguided and riderless horse in the
dark waters behind as the poor animal
gave piteous and almost human trump
etings of disaster to its following mates.
THANK God! They's picked Jem hup
an gone back" were the only words
| Bob Stanley uttered, as he redOubled his
efforts and finally sent the canoe with
quivering bound upon the southern bank
| of the lake, the shore-edge of safety and
success.
Here horses had been tethered. They
were mounted with all speed, but not
| before Bob's sharp ears had detected the
sound of Gathering hoofs from the noun
tain road around the northern circling OF
the lake.
But theirs was the advantage Of dis
lance and of silence. They gained the
RAYMOND road in a few moments. I'm
derneath the pines, this is for miles rib
bony reach OF sand. In half an hours
time the three horse and their riders
swept up to the old tavern stable whose
huge door was swiftly opened, disclos-
ing the grinning face of the stabie-boy
Leroy.
"Quick! Out with that lantern! Close
and bar the door," whispered Northup as
each horse trotted to its stall and each
rider slipped from its back into manger
and crouched breathless in the hay. In
a moment more all was still and dark in
the little hamlet, save where white and
night-capped head protruded from an
upper window of the Raymond Inn. 1t
was outside, attentive and voluble. when
| halt-dozen gypsy horsemen Numbered
up to the tavern doors and begged to
Know if three riders had passed that
way.
"You gypsies is too slow" said bland
| female voice from the nightcap in the
| window. Thought you was up an
comm sort of folk. Been told so. The M
you re drteI-tu0 Sdi. tD6 eIHhSN du1 VIC
writer feller you'll never git. My !!
They're half way to Portland by this
time. Had plenty time to stop here and
git married, too-the gal and the writer
teller, L mean"
"Marriedn' chorussed all the discom-
| flied gypsies from below.
Eyes. married. Now, if you'll take
my advice-and me and my man has
| been keepin' tavern nigh forty year
| you'll go right hum and git good nights
sleep!'
"Thank ee maml' and THANK ee
kindlyn came from the swarthy forms
| beneath. Then they whispered together
| for moment, and, after doleful good
nights" to the nightcap and voice in the
window of the inn, they set out defect
/ eddy, but at lively gallop, toward the dis
| tant camp.
| Perhaps half hour later a white figure
crossed the road to the old inn stable. It's
knuckles raped sharply at the closed
and barred door.
"Its me, Leroy, Jest tell Mister
| Northup and the gal and the old un they
better scratch right out of the hay and
come right long over to the tavern. Pm
| losin' sleep. The parsons waitin' up in
the dancin' room Iayin' on the sofy.
Well have 'em jined in a minute er two.
au' you can drive lem over to Sebago sta
ton afore aybreak in the mornin'. My!
Who'd ever thought Mary Emily Smith
and Margaret Ann Nason'd ever be
dragged inter seech doin's as this?''
When gypsy is fairly beaten by gypsy
all feud and bitterness are at an end.
And for this reason, now when the sum-
mer days come and the longing steals
| into Lucetta Northup's heart and into