Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-16


ure for an explanation. The stirrups were
too short, but at the pace we were going
there was no opportunity to change them.
How far Is 1t, my dear?" I inquired at
man of the world whose composure is not
to be RULED by such bagatelle as being
snatched off on a mission Of life and death
between two whifrs of a cigar.
My words did not seem to reach her at
first. She did not turn her face to me when
she finally answered, with a shake of the
head: "Oh. miles and miles; don't know
how far; was never there before"
1 tried to digest this reply, but could
make nothing of it. Presently I ventured
again: We are taking the best route,
suppose? l am familiar with some short
cuts through these woods, and If knew
our destination
II know the way" she interrupted me;
Il can't tell how 1 know 1t; 1t is in my
mind; 1 saw 1t all--in that instant-and 1
can make no mistake. oh, Tom!Tom!'
"Oh. it's Tom-Tom, Is it?" said to my
self. We'll, 1 might have OWNED that be-
fore. OF course, 1t could only be Tom. But
what can be the trouble with Tom? And
how can she know of his being In any
trouble? She couldn't have seen him or
heard from him between the time she
passed me first and her return. Then why
-and-what-and where? There is some
thing peculiar in this affair. The little girl
can't suddenly have gone crazy; she isn't
that sort Of girl. No-but there is some
thing peculiar Well. it will come out In
due time. Tom, eh?"
Imogene, meanwhile, riding at my left
hand, had been going at sharp canter; she
now suddenly pulled up. and, as rode past
her, turned to the right, and went straight
into the forest. So, at least, at first
thought; but when / followed her / found
there were traces of path, but it had been
so little used as to be well-night invisible.
l knew the woods hereabouts pretty well,
for l am fond of exploration; but l knew
rothing of this, and l was sure Imogen did
not, for she hated anything that interfered
with rapid progress, and uniformly kept
to the highroads. Yet here she was forcing
her way through the underbrush and over
the uneven ground as If she were familiar
witt; the route from her infancy upward.
Peculiar, decidedly!
The nature of the footing. not to men,
ton the branches and vines that often
barred our way, made a slower pace neces-
sary, and seized the opportunity. first to
lengthen my stirrups and next for an ex-
PLANTATION.
Let us understand each other, Imogen,"
1 said. with an authoritative seriousness
such as l Judged best adapted to the ext
gencies of the occasion. If We are to
achieve our mission, you must tell me
otherwise be impossible. Where are We
bound, and what IS it We have 70 do? Let
me know all you know yourself
Conversation on horseback in a thick
tropic forest is difficult art. Unimportant
| words are jolted out of you as If they were
the elimination of your theme. and the re-
ally important phrases are apt to be i'm
paired in their effect by the sfapping of a
| bunch of leaves over the mouth of the
speaker, or the banging of a branch on the
listeners ear. In the present case, too,
Imogen herself was far from being logical
ly coherent in her statements; and upon
the whole 1 shall not attempt to reproduce
our diologue precisely as it occurred. But
the gist Of it shall be given faithfully.
You know that place just beyond your
gate" said she, where you get the view
of the Blue mountains? Well, l stopped to
look at that for moment, for 1T was IN
usually clear today, and l was a little ahead
of time anyway, and l was Just thinking
how beautiful it was, when all at once, l
was not seeing that view at all, but place
| in the heart of the woods. and man riding
along narrow path, down steep slope.
1t was Tom. This was not a vision, you
| know; 1 really there and saw him.
And down at the foot of the slope. l saw
| some dark creatures lying in wait: l could
| not see them distinctly, for they kept hid
den all they could; but l knew they were
going to rob him. and perhaps kill him. l
| called out to tell him, but my voice went
into nothing-it Was less than whisper;
and he did not hear. l could not move for
ward, either. In that way, 1t was like some
kind of dream: but 1t was Lot a dream; it
was a real thing. What is strange, was
that the creatures lying in wait were talk
ing together quite loud, in a confused Ian
guage l could not understand. and Ton
must have heard them, but he paid no at
tention: he didn't know they meant 20 Kill
| him. as l did. He might easily have seen
| them, too. and perhaps he did, but he went
right on just the same; he never thinks CT
being afraid of thing, you know"
"Of course l know" said l.
He rode right down among them" 1mo-
gen continued. land they leaped up all
around him, pulling at his horses legs and
pushing and hauling and snarling in a hor-
rible way, more like beasts than men. At
first Tom didn't seem to think much of it, but
by and by his horse began to stagger, and
then saw his face grow grave. and he knew
his danger. He tried to make his horse go
on, but they caught 1t by the feet and threw
it down, and then in a moment they had
leaped all over 1T and Tom and were drag
ging them down toward cave that was
little way below-a terrible great black pit
1t was, where they lived; there were scores
of them. and l saw them leaping down be-
fore. and pushing along behind. and dancing
about on each side. making that strange
noiSe-OhH'
Come now none of thatr' exclaimed l.
sternly, knowing the Importance of check
ing any signs of breaking down at the start
Tell me what happened next"
CHAPTER II.
'"They pulled him off his saddle" said she,
"but he still kept hold of the bride, and there
was struggle and the headstall came off
the horses head and Tom was carried off
with the bride in his hand and the head
stall attached to it. Oh. how Tom did fight
them! 1t was magnificent. He is as strong
but 1t was no use, there We're too many
Of them. They all went fighting down to-
ward the pit. A sort of roaring noise came
from it. AT the brink of it there was a
final struggle; they pushed him over, but
the headstall caught on a point of rock
that stuck up at the mouth of the pit
like great black tooth, and Tom still held
to the bride, so that when he went over
he did not fall to the bottom. but hung
there by the bride, dangling over the pit.
They cannot reach him where he is, and as
long as he can hold on he is safe. But If
the headstall breaks or he gets tired and
let's go, he is lost"
Here was queer state of things, indeed
Was it fancy or fact? The details were
grotesque and fantastic-one might say i'm
possible; but the conviction of Imogene'S
manner and the vivdness with which she
described the episode We're too intense and
EAM NJ