The Red Cloud chief., 1894-02-02

Gus position how many days were stiil
| 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 Ferrier could not discover whence
these daily warnings proceeded. A
| horror, which was almost supersti-
tious, came upon him at the sight of
them. lie became haggard and rest
less, and his eyes had the troubled
| look of some haunted creature. lie
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 n
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 and guarded, and
none could pass along chem without
an order from the council. Turn which
way he would, there appeared to be no
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.
la 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 3 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-
ton. And his daughter-what was to
become Of her after he was gone?
Was there no escape from the invisi-
BILE network which vas drawn all
round them? lie 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 s~ound-low,
but very distinct, in the quiet of the
night. II came from the door of tho
house. Terrier crept into the hall and
listened intently. There was a pause
5 for a few moments, and then the low,
" insidious sound was repeated. Some
! one was evidently tapping very gently
u upon one of the panels Of the door
Was it some midnight assassin who
y had come to carry out the murderou'
. order of the secret tribunal? Or wa.
it some agent who was marking NJ
x that the last day of grace had arrived
q John Ferrier felt that instant dcatl
u would be better than the suspense
~ which shook his nerves and chilled hi
"a heart. Springing forward, he drew thu
: bolt and threw the door open.
10 Outside all was calm and quiet. Thu
night was fine, and the stars wer,
Y twinkling brightly overhead. Th'
IN little front garden lay before tn
'u farmers eyes, bounded by the fcnc,
Vi and gate; but neither there nor on tn
road was any human being to be seen
II With u sigh of relief Ferricr looked t.
III right and to left, until happening t.
glance straight down ut his own fee
nc he saw to his establishment u man lyin,
We fiat upon his face upon the ground
We with arms and legs all asprawl.
SO unnerved was he at the sigh
~ that he leaned up against the wall wit
~ his hand to his throat to stife his in
:! clination to call out. His first though
"a was that the PROSTATE figure was tina
of some wounded or dying man, but a
", he watched it he saw it writhe alonI
the ground aud into the hall with tn
=, rapidity and noiselessness of a serpen,
." Once within the house the man spran,
y, to his feet, closed the door and RI
~ vealed to the astonished farmer tn
fierce and resolute expression Of Jeffel
,;r son Hope.
10 Good Godv' gasped John Ferrier
~, "How you scared me! Whatever mad
oh you come in like that?"
,n 'Give me food" the other sale
~. hoarsely. 81 have had no time for bit
"a or sup for eight-and-forty hours" II
~. flung himself upon the cold meat an
10 bread which were still lying upon tn
table from his hosts supper, and d,
voured it voraciously. docs Luc
" bear up wcll?" he asked, when he ha
ve satisfied his hunger.
am ayes. She does not know the dar
.oe ger" her father answered.
In THAT is well. The house Is watche
no on every side. That is why I crawle
mr. my way up to it. They may be darne
ed sharp, but they're not quite shar
,or enough to catch a Washoe hunter"
Id. John Ferrier felt n different ma
now that he realized that he had n d,
OH voted ally. lie seized the young man
leathery hand and wrung it cordial.
no you're n man to be proud of" he sal
an. "There are O many who would con
,m to share danger and cur troubles
his you've hit it there, pard," the youn
he hunter answered. II have q respe,
So. for you, but If you were alone in tn
nd business I'd think twice before / pu
he my head into such q hornets mes
rt IFS Lucv that brings me here. and n