Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1894-05-09
fate of this arch rebel, F.,-,.

known and as rich as himself had been
spirited away before now, and their
goods given over TO the church. he
was brave man, but he tremblcd at
the vague, shadowy terrors which
hung over him. Any known danger he
could face with n firm lip. but this sus-
pense was uDnerving. He concealed
his fears from his daughter, however,
and affected to make light of the whole
matter, though she, with the keen eve
OF leve, saw plainly that he was Ill at
ease.
lie expected that he would receive
some message or rcmonstrance from
Young a. to his conduct, and he was
not mistaken, though it came in
an unlooled-for manner. Upon rising
next morning he found, TO his sur
prise small square of paper pinned
on to the coverlet of his bed just over
his chest On it was printed in bold,
struggling letters:
IwENrY-SINE DAYS ARE GIVEN YOU
| FOR AMENDMENT, AND THEN"
The dash was more fear-inspirinp
| than any threat could have been.
| How this warning came into his room
! puzzled John Ferricr sorely, for his
servants slept in an clubhouse, and the
doors and windows had all been Sc
cured. He crumpled the paper up and
said nothing to his daughter, but the
incident struck n chill into his heart.
The twenty-nine days were evidently
the balance of the month which Young
had promised. What strength or cour-
age could avail against an enemy
armed with such mysterious powers?
| The hand which fastened that pin
| might have struck him to- the heart,
and he could never have known who
had slain him.
sun more shaken was he next morn
ing. They had sat down To their
breakfast when Lucy, with n cry of
| surprise, pointed upward In the CEN
ter of the ceiling was scrawled. with n
burned stick, apparently, the number
IS. To his daughter il was unin-
telligible, and he did not enliphten
her. That night ne sat up with his
gun and kept watch and ward lie
saw and heard nothing, and yet in the
morning great ~ had been painted
| upon the outside of his door
Thus day followed day; and as sure
as morning came he found that his I'M
seen enemies had kept their register,
and had marked up in some conspicu-
Gus 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
or the ratings. With all his vigilance
John Terrier 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 num-
bers dwindled down. and still there
came no sign of him. Whenever u
h6rseman clattcred 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
u
handed. and with his limited knowledge
of the mountains which surrounded the
settlement, he knew that he was pow
less. The more frcQuentcd roads were
strictly watched and guarded, aud
none could pass along then vtthout
an order from the council. Turn wflidh
way he would, there appeared to be no
avoiding the blow which hung over
him. Yet the old man never wavcrcd
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
bordering 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 magma
ton. And his daughter-what was to
become of her after he was gone?
Was there no escape from the invisi-
bic 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 gentle scratching sound-low,
but very distinct, in the quiet of the
night. It came from the door of the
house. Ferricr crept into the hall and
listened intently. There was pause
for few moments, and then the low,
insidious sound was repeated. Some
one was evidently tapping very gently
upon one Of the panels of the door.
Was il some midnight assassin who
had come 90 carry out the murdcrous
order of the secret tribunal? Or was
IL some agent who was marking up
that the last day Of grace had arrived?
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
| twinklinR 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 eny human being 10 be seen.
! With a -igh Of relief Tcrricr looked %
right and 90 left. until happening 20
glance straight down at his own feet
| hc saw To his establishment man lying
/ fat upon Dis face upon the ground,