Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1894-05-09
Yes. She doss nosknow t,s dan
ger" her father answered..

| ~ "ciA- ne ItOuS6 u WhCCneu
on every side. That Is why 1 crawled
my way up to IL. They may be darned
sharp' but they're not quite sharp
enough TO catch a Washoc hunter"
John Ferrier felt different man
now that he realized that he had "a de-
voice aSt Tie seized the young mans
ieathery hand and wfgPg it cordially.
cure n man To be proud Of" ne aid.
lherc are not many who would come
To share our danger and our troubles. -
You've hit 1T there, pard :" the young
hunter answered. Il have n resnect
for you, but if you were alone In this
business I'd think twice before | put
my head into such n hornets nest
It's Lucy that brings me here, and be-
fore harm comes on her guess there
will be one less o the Hope family in
Utah"
What are we to do?"
Tomorrow Is your last day, and un-
less You act tonight you are lost.
have u mule and two horses waiting in
the Eagle ravine. How much money
have you?"
Two thousand dollars in gold, and
five in notes"
THAT will do. Ihave as much more TO
through the mountains. You had best
wake Lucy. 1t is as well that the serv-
ants do not sleep in the house"
While Ferricr was absent preparing
his daughter for the approaching jour
ncy, jefferson Hope packed all the eat
ablcs that he could find into a small
| parcel, and filled n stoneware lar with
water, for he knew by experience that
/ the mountain wells were few and far
between. He had hardly completed
his arrangements before the farmer re-
turned with his daughter all dressed
and ready for start. The greeting
between the lovers was warm but brief.
for minutes We're precious, and there
was much to be done
| I'VE must make our start at once"
said Jefferson Hope, speaking in n low
| but resolutc voice, like one who
realizes the greatness of the peril, but
has stccled his heart to meet it, The
front and back entrances are watched,
but with caution we may get away
through the side window and across
the fields. Once on the road, we are
only two miles from the ravine where
the horses are waiting. by daybreak
we should be half way through the
mountains"
What if we are stopped?" asked
Ferrier.
Hope slapped the revolver butt which
protruded from the front of his tunic.
IF they are too many for US we shall
take two or three of them with u.s." he
said with sinister smile.
The lights inside the house had all
been cXtinguished, and from the dark
ened window Ferrier pecrcd over the
fields which had been his own, and
which he was now about to aban-
don forever. He had long nerved him
self To the sacrifice, however, and the
thought of the honor and happiness
of his daughter outwcighed any regret
at hls ruined fortunes All looked so
peaceful and happy, the rustling trees
! and the broad, silent stretch of grain
land, that it was difficult to realize
that the spirit of murder lurlSed
/ through it all Yet the white face and
set expression of the young hunter
showed that in his approach TO the
house he had seen enough To satisfy
him upon that head.
Ferrier carried the bag of gold and
notes, jefferson Hope had the scanty
/ provisions and water, while Lucy had
the small bundle containing n few of
| her more valued possessions. Opening
the window very slowly and carefully.
| they waited until n dark cloud had
somewhat obscured the night, and
| then one by one passed through into
aao little garden. With bated breath
and crccnhing figures they stumbled
across it and gained the shelter of the
hP6nR IL ~ oil
came to the gap which opened into the
cornfeld. They had just reached this
point when the young man seized his
two companions and dragged them
down into the shadow, where they lay
silent and trembling.
II was as well that his prairie train
ing had given Jefferson Hope the ears
of lynx. He and his friends had
hardly crouched down before the mel
ancholy hooting of n mountain owl
was heard within few yards of them.
which was Immediately answered by
another boot at a small distance At
the same moment vague, shadowy
figure emerged from the gap for which
they had been making, and uttered the
plaintive signal cry again, on which
second man appeared out of the OBJ
security
Tomorrow at midnight" said the
first, who appeared to be in authority.
When the whippoorwill calls three
times"
1T Is we'll" returned the other.
shall | tell Brother Drebber?"
Pass it on TO him, and from him TO
the others. Nine 20 scven"'
Seven 70 five" repeated the other.
and the. two figures fitted away in
different directions. Their concluding
words had evidently been some form of
sign and countcrsign. The instant
that their footsteps had died away in
the distance, Jefferson Hope sprang to
his feet, and, helping his companions
through the gap, led the way across
the fields at full speed, supporting and
half-carrying the girl when her
strength appeared 10 father.
Hurry on. hurry on" he gaspcd
from time 90 time. 1--WE are through
the line Of scntincls. Everything de.
ponds on speed. Hurry on
Once ON the high-rOad they made
rapid progress. Only once did they
meet anyone. and then they managed 10
slip into field and 50 avoid rccovni.
ton. Before reaching the town the
hunter hranchcd away into a rugged
and narrow foo'pnth which led 90 Ga.
mountains. Two dark. Jagged peaks