Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-07-02
touched his hat and openedthe gate. II
stopped to ask if you could give me a
drink of Wnter>" he Snil

there was something Ill the nature OF
the woman thatfcsponded unconscious
ly to the touch of kindly Difference in
his voice and manner. II reckon We
can have a drink" she said, leading the
way to the house. The water bucket
was empty, and as she took it up she
pointed to bench in the passage: "Set
down thar a minute, an I'll go fetch
some from the spring"
II wouldn't trouble you to do that.
Show me where to go, and I'll getit.'
"Oh. reckon we couldn't find hit"
she answered, IAN anyways ye'd be
plum shore to get hit riled. Jest set
down; I'll be back in a minute
She went down the path and crossed
the road. pausing moment to glance
sharply toward the valley before dis
appearing in the thicket of willows
surrounding the spring. When she re-
turned, Ringbrand drank deeply and
lifted his hat rs he thanked her.
"That amt nothin'," she said.
"Thar's q plenty O. water in the cove.
Yc didn't come plum up yere to get
drink, did yep
Ringbrand laughed easily: mo, /
can't say that did; am just tramping
around to amuse myself"
The woman looked at him suspicious
ly. "You city fellers have tolable little
sense" she said, slowly. "'Pears like
we'd know better'n to come a-pryin'
round McNabb's cove"
"Why should 1 know better?" asked
Ringbrand. II don't see how it can
hurt anyone"
"rhar's them that mought hurt you
all, if they found you yere. You're the
man that's stoppin' 1T Tom Ludlow's,
amt YEP"
EYES,"
II lnowed hit, the minute sot eyes
on ye-" she hesitated, and seemed to
he weighing her words. "Iain't got no
call to be helpin' you all, but don't be-
lieve ye'rc in with the rest of 'em; We
| don't look like hit. But that thar won't
| help you none, less'n We stay Mt home
an min yer own business. low We
| done heard the story bout the dog t
| got hisself killed cause he didn't have
i no better sense than to run with the
| wolves?"
Eyes, I've heard it."
"Well, I hain't got nothin' more to
say, 'ceptin' that hits gettin' late an
! ye'd better be trampin'. Jest wait
| minute"
She disappeared in the house and
came out again in a moment with
sunbonnet drawn over her head.
"Thar's n short cut over the shoulder o
the mounting. an l low ye'd better
take hit; yen be n heap less liker to
meet up with the folks that d ask We
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 to
the base of the cliffs, and, skirting these,
! tnrbrand found himself, for the Sec
| ond time that day, standing on the
small plateau at the mouth OF the Nc
| Nnbb tunnel.
THAT'S ser 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 to take so much trouble on my
! account"
"Nev' mind bout that; but you all
take my advice an don't come prowlln'
round this yerc cove no more. Yer
plitencss moughtn't get We out ag'in,
| next time"
She turned abruptly and left him to
make his way back to Tregarthcn, and
| neither of them saw the parting of the
bushes at the top of the cliff through
which a pair OF malevolent eyes
watched their movements. Before
starting on his homeward walk, sud
den impulse prompted Ringbrond to
climb once more into the abandoned
coal working. The place was darker.
now that the sun had gone behind the
mountain, and it was some time before
he could see we'll enough to make out
the dim outlines of the interior; when
lie was able to 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 frag-
ment of stone which fitted accurately
enough to make it appear to be only one
of the rough inequalities of the tunnel
roof. When he realized that this had
been done since his visit Of n few hours
| bcfore--that those who did it 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 fallen tree, covering his face
with his hands, and wishing, in his
shame and humiliation, that he had
never been born. He 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.
1t 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. Ipersuadcd
Hester to stay to tea and had it all ar
ranged that you were to see her safely
all by staying away! Where in the