Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-08-20

"Ycs."
81 knowcd hit, the minute sot eyes
on We" she hesitatcd, aud seemed Ia
be weighing her words "Inin't got nO
call Ia he helpin' you all. hut don't he.
lieve we're in with the rest OF 'cm; We
don't look like hit. hut that tharwon't
help You none, leSs'n We stay at home
an min yer own business. | low We
done heard the story bout the dog I
got hisself killed cause he didn't have
no better sense than To run with the
| wolves"
YES. I've heard IT,"
well, | hain't got nothin' more L.
SAY, 'ccptin' that hits gcttin' late an
ye'd better be trampin'. Jest wait q
minute"
She disappeared in the house and
came out again il. a moment with a
sunhonnct drawn over her head.
| "Thar's a short cut over the shoulder a.
the mounting, an | low yc'd better
| take hit; ven he a heap less lil,er To
meet up with the folks that Il ask We n
sight more questions N what have.
Come on"
She entered the forest at the rear of
the house, and Ringbrand followed her
in silence. Half way up the mountain
! they came To AN indistinct trail which
! led them by many devious windings Ia
! the base of the cliffs. and, skirting these,
| Einghrand found himself, for the see
end time that day, standing on the
7 N
! Nabb tunnel.
That's yer way" said julie, indicat-
! ing the road leading To the valley. jest
| keep straight ON till We get down the
mounting; We cayn't miss hit, nohow."
Ringbrand lifted his hat again: I'm
| sure | thank you very much; it's good
of YOU 20 take so much trouble on my
| account"
"Nev' mind bout that; but you all
/ take my advice an don't come prowlin'
round this yere cove no more. Yer
p'liteness moughtn't get We out ag'in,
| next time"
She turned abruptly and left him TO
make his way back to Tregarthen, and
neither of them saw the parting of the
| bushes at the top of the cliff through
| which n pair of malevolent eyes
watched their movements. Before
starting on his homeward walk, a sud
den impulse prompted Ringbrand to
! climb once more into the abandoned
coal working. The place was darker,
now that the sun had gone behind the
mountain, and il was some time before
he could see well enough to make out
the dim outlines of the interior; when
he was able Ia do so. he saw that the
hole in the roof had disappeared. He
lighted a match, and, on finding the
place, discovered that the aperture had
been plugged from above with a frag-
ment of stone which fitted accurately
enough TO make it appear to he only one
OF the rough inequalities of the tunnel
roof. When he realized that this had
been done since his visit of few hours
before-that those who did il might
even now be in the upper gallery, or
hidden in the dusky shadows near at
hand-a very panic of terror seized him,
and he thought he should suffocate be-
fore he could struggle out into the open
air again. Once outside of the tunnel,
he fed down the rough mountain road,
never looking behind him or stopping
to take breath until he was halfway
TO the valley: then the stimulus of fear
suddenly left him, and he sat down
upon a fallen tree, covering his face
with his hands, and wishing, in his
shame and humiliation, that he had
never been born. lie stayed there until
the lengthening shadows warned him
that evening was approaching, and
then, pulling himself together, he rose,
and went slowly back TO Tregarthen.
Il was nearly dark when he reached the
village, and he found Mrs. Ludlow sit
ting on the veranda.
I'm proud of you, Mr.. Ringbrand,"
she said, as he came up the steps; you
don't deserve to be helped. Ipersuaded
Hester TO stay TO tea and had it all ar
ranged that you were to see her safely
home; and you had TO go and spoil Is
all by staying away! Where in the
world have you been?"
81 am very sorry to have failed you.
/ took a long walk and went farther
than i intended to. l hope Miss Lati-
mer did not have to go back alone?"
Ringbrand's voice was grave, and his
tone was submissively apologize.
"No; Tom went up with her" replied
Mrs. Ludlow, going before him into the
dining-room and lighting the lamp.
I'm afraid you won't get much for sup
per-" she added, sitting down TO pour
his tea.
"More than / need-or deserve" he
said, making a brave effort to simulate
an appetite for the belated meal.
Mrs. Ludlow. sitting opposite, no.
ticed that he ate next TO nothing; and
she saw that something was troubling
him. They were old friends, and had
been well acquainted in the days when
Ringbrand was a struggling apprentice
in the literary workshop and Ludlow a
small-snlaried clerk in an engineering
Office. "What is it, Hugh" she asked,
with kindly sympathy; sis it anything
about Hester?"
"No; that is, it is nothing that she
has said or DONE"
won't you tell me about IT? FER
haps could help you"
81 can't tell you now," he replied,
pushing his chair back at the sound of
Ludlow's step on the veranda. "Idon't
feel equal to talking tonight, and 1
hope you will excuse me il go to my
room; know it's ungracious, but I'm
in deeper trouble than you imagine.
Perhaps can tell you oil about it. some
day"
She gave him permission, and stepped
before him with delicate tact to enable
him to go upstairs without meeting her
husband. When he reached his room
he dropped wearily into a chair and
lighted cigar; when it was burned out
he went metbodically to work packing
his yalises. Its the only thing there is
to do" he unused, land it's q proper
sequel to the thing, anyhow. / don't
see why l couldn't have been born with
little blood in my veins, instead OF
weak tea or ditch water; but wasn't
apd ! suppose that's the end of it. By
/ I~ol.o,o ia L., ,.,.lIf,, 4, n, ., rx.,