The advocate., 1895-10-09
CHAPTER XXI.


helpless, yet sitting as upright and fear
less upon his horse as though for the
chase. It had all passed like dream,
the sight Of him, the mounting behind
one Of the leaders, the tramp into the
wilderness, from which she had but just
escaped. Now the hillmen had halted in
front of the house Cleve had chosen for
her prison, had hurried the two within
it and were deep in counsel outside.
''We can die" Dare echoed, "but we
shall die innocent. We have never
harmed, but always helped as far as lay
in our power, these lawless men. What
charge can they bring against usg''
''That we are Overtons, " the old man
said bitterly. "Overtons," he repeated,
'the rightful owners of this which 9TH
er men wish to sell and buy. At sum
down as sat in my study these fellows
came upon me, demanding that give
up my rights. In their phrase, Take it
or leave it and let men who have money
set the wheels turning. They were tired
Of waiting and starving if l was not. If
dared to refuse, I must take the con-
sequences. did refuse, then and for
ever. / was alone in the house, almost
so upon the plantation. Gagged and
bound, I was sat upon my horse and
headed for this place. know it well,
the loneliest, the widest spot in all the
tract, so wild and lone murder might
be done here a hundred times with no
risk of detection. All the way was
thanking God that you were safely away.
Tell me, my child, how it happens that
you, too, are entrapped?"
Dare told him, keeping back nothing
save the scene in Jincey's cabin. The
more than midnight darkness Of their
prison house hid the old mans face as
he listened, but his hand lay ON that Of
his grandchild, and amid all her stress
of feeling she noted the surging leap Of
his pulse as she told of her peril, her es-
cape.
"Oh, for one more day of life to meet
that gentlemanP' he said through his
set teeth. my child, my child, itseems
/ let you go into the very lions den.
Forgive me, my girl I have not been
tender and thoughtful Of you. 1 shall
love you more through our little inch Of
time than in all the years Of your life" "
There is nothing to forgive" Dare
said, laying her cheek softly against his
hand A quiver Of lightning played
along the floor and showed her big tears
dropping from the brave old eyes.
ST have not shed tear before since
Margaret died, the old said, with
q gulp over the name.
You must not cry now. Weneed all
our spirit, +" Dare said, nesting closer.
''Keep good heart, grandfather. These
men surely dare not murder us outright,
and help must come before long"
"You DOM t know them as / do, daugh-
ter, Major Overton said, with sigh.
''They have gone too far to draw back
now. Our lives are the price Of their own
safety no less than their prosperity. My
wonder is that they have not given Us
shorter shrift-indeed that we came
into this room alive"
The hillmen themselves wondered not
little. In truth, there was division
of opinion among their heads.
81 tell ye, both must die, er we'll
swing for it, said the man Dare had
recognized. 'I tell ye, ye might "a
knocked me down with feather when
seen thet thar gal in ole Jincey' cabin
an she spoke up so, Why, this is Mr..
Hensleyp I'd ruther take er years
whippin AN ter fetch her rough, but
whnt's er man ter doV She knoWed ma