The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-01-29


his fears from his daughter, however,
and affected TO make light OF the whole
matter, though she, with the keen eye
of love, saw plainly that he was i'll at
ease.
He expected that he would receive
some message or remonstrance from
Young as to his conduct, and he was
not mistaken, though it came in
an unlooked.for manner, Upon rising
next morning he found, to his sur
prise, small square of paper pinned
on tS the coyerlet of his bed, just oven
his chest, On it was printed in bold,
struggling letters;
"TWENrY-SINE DAYS ARE GIVEN YOU
FOR AMENDMENT, AND Then"
The dash was more fear-inspiring
than any threat could have been.
How this warning came into his room
puzzled John Ferrier sorely, for his
servants slept in an outhouSe, and the
doors and windows had all been Sc.
cured. lie crumpled the paper up and
said nothing to his daughter, but the
incident struel; Il chill into his heart
The tweuty.nine days We're evidently
the balance Of the month which Young
had promised What strength or cour
aye could avail against an enemy
armed with such mysterious powersI
The hand which fastened that pin
might have struck him to the heart,
| and he could never have known who
had slain him.
Still more shaken was he next morn.
ing. They had sat down to their
breakfast when Lucy, with a cry of
surprise, pointed upward. In the cen.
ter of the ceiling was scrawled, with a
burned stick, apparently, the number
%. 70 his daughter it was uniu'
telligible, and he did not enlighten
her. That night he sat up with his
gun and kept watch and ward. He
saw and heard nothing, and yet in the
morning great y had been painted
upon the outside Of his door.
Thus day followed day; and as sure
as morning came he found that his un.
seen enemies had kept their register,
and had marked up in some conspicu-
ous position how many days were still
| left to him out of the month Of grace.
Sometimes the fatal numbers appeared
/ upon the walls. sometimes upon the
] floors; occasionally they were on small
| placards stuck upon the garden-gate
OF the ratings. With all his vigilance
John Ferrier could not discover whence
these daily warnings proceeded. A
horror, which was almost supersti-
tious, came upon him at the sight of
them. He became haggard and rest
less, and his eyes had the troubled
look OF some haunted creature. He
had but one hope in life now, and that
was for the arrival of the young hunter
from Nevada.
Twenty had changed to fifteen, and
fifteen to ten; but there was no news
Of the absentee. One by one the mum
bers dwindled down, and still there
came no sign of him. Whenever q
horseman clattered down the road or a
driver shouted at his team, the old
farmer hurried to the gate, thinking
that help had arrived at last. At last,
when he saw five give way to four and
that again to three, he lost heart, and
abandoned all hope of escape. Single
handed, and with his limited knowledge
of the mountains which surrounded the
settlement, he knew that he was pow.
less. The more frequented roads were
strictly watched aad guarded, and
none could pass along them without
an order from the council. Turn which
way he would, there appeared to be nc
avoiding the blow which hung over
him. Yet the old man never wavered
in his resolution to part with life itself
before he consented to what he re-
garded as his daughters dishonor.
He was sitting alone one evening
pondering deeply over his troubles
and searching vainly for some way out
Of them. That morning had shown
the figure upon the wall of his
house, and the next day would be the
last of the allotted time. What was
to happen then? All manner of vague
and terrible fancies filed his imagina.
tion. And his daughter-what was to
become Of her after he was gone?
Was there no escape from the invisi
BILE network which was drawn all
round them? He sank his head upon
the table and sobbed at the thought OF
his own impotence.
What was that? In the silence he
heard a gentle scratching sound--low,
but very distinct in the quiet OF the
night. 1t came from the door OF the
house. Ferricr crept into the hall and
listened intentlY. There was pause
tGc few moments, and then the low,
insidious sound was repeated. Some
one was evidently tapping very gently
I upon one Of the panels of the door.
Was it some midnight assassin who
had come to carry out the murderOus
order of the secret tribunal? Or was
it some agent who was marking up
that the last day of grace had arrivedF
John Ferrier felt that instant death
would be better than the suspense
which shook his nerves and chilled his
heart. Springing forward, he drew the
bolt and threw the door open
Outside all was calm and quiet. The
night was fine, and the stars were
twinkling brightly overhead. The
little front garden lay before the
farmers eyes, bounded by the fence
and gate; but neither there nor on the
road was any human being to be seen
With sigh Of relief Ferrier looked To
right and to left, until happening to
glance straight down at his own feet
he saw'to his astonishment man lying
} fiat upon his face upon the ground,
} with arms and legs all asprawl
So unnerved was he at the sight
that he leanedup against the wall with
his hand to his throat to stiHe his in.
clination to call out. His first thought
was that the prostrate figure was that
of some wounded or dying man, but as
, he watched it he saw it writhe along
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