The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-08

1t had been scratched hastily with two
| strokes of some Gypsy heel. The head of
the cross-the immemorial Gipsy pattern
pointed silently but surely in the di-
rection the Gipsies had taken. Others
were discovered further along the road.
This was enough for the two who
FASTENED across the fields to the edge of
the nearest lake. They eagerly scanned
its shores. On the opposite bank, mere
! specks, it was so far away. men and boys
were seen leading horses to the shOre-edge
! to drink. Night coming down, these OBJ
| lects We're shut from view; but soon, like
far, faint, yellow stars, lights broke
through the darkening film. Then the
watchers knew they were Looking upon
| the night-tires of Gypsy camp and that
Lucetta was still near them among the
| brown and hooded tents behind the dis
tant shore.
That night Bob Stanley, with consum-
mate Gypsy cunning, crept like fox into
| the lakeside camp crouched and listened
and learned until all was still; crawled TO
! Lucetta's tent, whispering in her startled
ear the plan of rescue for the succeeding
| night, when she was simply to leave her
tent for the lake side at his signal, the
| cry of a hooting howl; and made his es-
! cape without awakening the vigilant Mrs
| Fall or disturbing those matchlessly
alert Romany sentinels, the voiceless
| Gypsy campside dogs.
\ rescue by the lake was chosen, as
they discovered there was but one craft
upon its entire shores which would float,
huge, "dugout' canoe which they Sc
| cured; thus providing against pursuit by
water and still more dangerous pursuit
upon their feet Gypsy horses and their
| riders by land; and it was early in the
| evening of the next day when their canoe
! bumped softly against huge tree which
lay PROSTATE at the lake edge a short dis
| lance from the Gypsy camp.
Northup had the craft in readiness
| while the tinker disappeared in the dark
ness beyond. The camp was so near the
watcher could hear its laughter, chatter
! and song and now and then he caught
! gllmpses of the old Gypsy by the light of
campfres, as he crept stealthily from
hiding place to hiding place.
! 1t seemed an age to wait before the
/ moment Of ominOus silence, when a rust
| ling and rush were heard alongshore
| above the waiting craft.
Like a whirlwind Bob and Lucetta
swept down the bank over the fallen
| tree, and plunged into the canoe beside
! him.
Fur tn Lords sake, Master Northupp
! the sottom. Lay We fiat aside her Give
me tn paddle. They're arter us!''
And surely enough they were! They
| steadied the craft for an instant, and
Bob, springing from the log, gave the ca
noe push which shot it far out into the
lake, Just as Jem Boswell clambered upon
| the fallen tree and shrieked in the Ro-
many tongue for their return. He saw it
| was too late He bounded back to the
camp, which was now in wild confusion.
Men, women and children rushed frantic
ally along the shore, and a whinnying and
scattering, mingled with oaths and loud
halloas, were heard among the tethered
animals behind the camp.
Then came a loud splash as Jem Bos-
well, astride horse without halter or
brldle plunged into the lake in
! fierce pursuit; and soon other horses
and riders followed him. The lovers
lay motionless in the canoe. They
could hear the snorting of the swimming
horses, the calls of their riders and the
encouraging shouts from the fast receding
shore. They knew, too, that the heroic
efforts of the old tinker were fast ex-
hausting his splendid strength. They
realized with horror that the craft was
now violently lacking, as if to avoid the
| plunglngs of the nearest horse. One of
its hoofs struck the bottom of the canoe,
nearly upsetting it,
Stop, Bob Stanley! Stop, or Hill
kill ye!''
! The words had scarcely left Jim Bos-
wells lips when the old Gypsy stood upon
his feet in the canoe. The two beneath
him heard the whistling whirl of q pad
die above his head; the crashing sound
which followed; and the splashing about
OF an ungulded and rider-less horse
IN the dark waters behind as
the poor animal gave piteous and almost
| human trumpetings 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'tinally sent the canoe with a
quivering bound up on the southern bank
OF the lake, the shore-edge of safety and
success.
Here horses had been tethered. They
We're mounted with all speed, but not be-
fore 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
tance and silence They gained the Ray
mona road in a few moments. Under
| meath the pines, this is for miles a rib
bony reach of sand. In half an hours
time the three horses and their riders
swept up to the old tavern stable whose
huge door was swiftly opened, disclosing
the grlnning face of the stable boy, Le-
roy.
RulCh Gut with thaJ lantern Close
and bar the door," whispered Northup
as each horse trotted TO its stall and each
rider slipped from its back into a man
ger and crouched breathless in the hay.
IN moment more all was still and dark
IN the little hamlet. save where a white
and night-capped head protruded from an
upper window of the Raymond inn. 1t
was outside, attentive and voluble, when
half dozen Gipsy horsemen Numbered
up to the tavern doors and begged to
know If three riders had passed that way
You Gipsies is too slowl" said bland
female voice from the night-cap in the