The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-17
CHAPTER IL

'aThe scoundrels! Dyke Despard, my
score against you-deeper than ever, for
this cowa1dly act-will be terrible one
when your day Of reckoning comes!"
The words emanated in q panied,
gasping tone Of voice from the spot
where few minutes previous they had,
to all seeming, viewed the dead form OF
Ranger Ralph, the border scout and de-
tective.
Ranger Ralph himself spoke, but his
haggard face and pain-stricken eyes told
that the blow Despard had dealt him
was terrible one in its effects.
Under it he had gone down like shot.
Utter insensibility had finally given way
to dawnlng consciousness, but 80 feeble
and confused thai he could scarcely raise
himself on one arm.
The blood from q CHASTITY wound on
the head deluged his face and showed a
deep cash that would leave scar to his
dying day.
His head was dizzy, his sight blinded,
his strength seemed leaving him. He
essayed to arise. and then, with 9
groan,, fell back exhausted
Suddenly every nerve seemed to thrill
to quickened action, and he forget his
wound and his helplessness for the mo-
ment.
aThe train!" 10 gasped, wildly. 81
had forgotten It. Oh, these villains!
They have piled an obstruction on the
track. Too plainly I see Dyke Des-
pard's plot The girl-Inez He knew
She was coming here, and with his rene
gade associates seeks to prevent her ap-
o. al tha 20
left her. I must prevent this awful
crime must save the life Of the child
of my old friend, who intrusted her to
my care What shall do? Single
handed, I cannot cope with these armed
rufians. There Is but one man at the
depot, but he may be able to telegraph
for aid or stop the train. All, 1t is use.
less. That blow has robbed me Of my
strength"
Ranger Ralph spoke these last words
IN despairing tone, fo7 second effort
to rise proved futile.
"I'll crawl to the depot, but I'll outwit
these scoundrels," he muttered grimly, a
moment later.
He was outside the range Of the vision
of the men grouped on the tracks twenty
feet away, and besides they paid no
further attention to the foe they believed
to be dead Slowly, painfully, Ranger
Ralph began to creep through the under
brush. 1t was q terrible task for his
enervated frame, but he finally saw in
the distance the single signal lamp Of the
station.
Precious moments. were slipping by;
he realized this, and the thought nerved
him to renewed effort
Ten minutes later the single occupant
OF the station, young, handsome man
Of about twenty years, started from
reading paper as q suspicious sound
echoed from the direction OF the door.
His hand sought the revolver at his
belt, as he remembered the peris Of the
times, but dropped it to his side, and he
uttered an amazed cry as his glance fell
upon the strange figure that filled the
doorway moment later.
"Great heavens, mani" he cried; "what
does this mean?"
He stood staring in blank horror at
the blood-covered form of Ranger Ralph,
who had crept over the threshold.
@Help me to a chair, quick!" gasped
tho almost exhausted scout
sYou GRO injured-you have ralleh''
mol 7 have boon the victim OF Q
cowardly md brutal assault
whereby whomP"
He had lifted the scout to chair and
was trembling with excitement as he
discerned some mystery in tho manner
Of his visitor
The latter did not answer his question
directly. Instead, his eyes, falling on
clock within o rallied inclosure OF the
depot, he asked tumultuously:
1.-THE train-when will it arrive?"
ut is due in ten minutes"
@Stop I'll"
@Stop it?" cried the other. @Why, man.
what do you mean?"
"What I say" cried Ranger Ralph,
wildly aDon't waste time with Idle
questions A hundred lives lie on the
TURF Of moment Of time Telegraph
ahead and have the train stopped!"
sImpossiblel"
@Why?"
Because It has already passed the last
station"
Ranger Ralph uttered groan Of de-
Bpair.
aThen secure aid and hasten to the
curve!" he cried.
@Explain yourself. Why are you SO
lncoherent-so excited? There Is dan
ger?"
/ j.