Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-09-24

ler's embarrassment was piHfuL
she made a brave effort a srap--
mot in the way that you mean,
couldn't very well, when he didn't
i've me the chance"
There were tears in her eyes, and Mrs
Ludlow crossed over 10 the sofa and put
her arms around her. Tell me about
IL, DEAR she said, stroking the bowed
head tenderly.
There isn't anything 10 tell, sobbed
the girl; hes just been good and kind
and gentle-as he is to ey-everybody;
and last night he told me good-by as If
I'd been the m-merest acquaintance"
Told you good-by? Did he say he
was going away?"
'-No; father and Henry came up Just
then, and he didn't get a chance to say
anything else"
II think he meant TO, Hester. dear"
wanted 10 tell me something about him
self; and then he said it was of no conse-
quence."
Mrs. Ludlow thought HARD for a mo-
ment and then asked: Wasn't there
the least little bit of a quarrel about
something, dear?"
Hester sat up and shook her head
vehemently. Indeed, there wasn't
not the smallest word. We had been
talking about the feud, and from that
aEe drifted into an argument about
courage; / remember we didn't quite
agree, but there wasn't anything like a
quarrel"
Mrs. Ludlow's mind reverted instant
ly TO what her husband had said about
the feud being a possible obstacle TO
Ringbrand's love-making, and before
replying TO Hester she made a mental
note pointing to further inquiries.
Then, IL you haven't quarreled, it's all
right, dear" she said. soothingly; "hell
come back; and happen to know that
he doesn't regard you as n mere &C
quaintance-not by a great deal. But
what in the world do you suppose has
become of him."
Il can't imagine, only I'm just
weighed down by dreadful fear that
something awful has happened. ]
know it's foolish. but can't help IT,"
"Hare you said anything to your fla
Their about it?"
Not yet. but I'm going back right
now to ask him to go to Squire Cra-
ven's; his is the first house beyond ours,
you know. Then I'll get Henry TO ride
down to Dunbar to ask there"
That's sensible. IL you'll do that,
I'll stir Tom up when he comes TO din
ner, and if we can't find out anything
to-day, We'll just make them get up a
search party tomorrow"
When Hester had ridden away on her
errand, Mrs. Ludlow began to watch
for the home coming of her husband,
and that much-tired individual saw the
light of inquiry in her eyes before she
had said a word upon the subject of
Ringbrand's disappearance. While
Ludlow was quite sure that he held the
key 10 the mystery, he could not rid
himself of certain indefinite response
bility for his friends safety. During
the preceding day he had found COM
fort in the belief that he would soon
get a telegram from the missing man,
directing the disposition of bis effects,
end when the second morning did not
bring this ffe-had quietly telegraphed
10 Dunbar and McNsairville TO ascertain
II Ringbrand had taken the train at
either Of these places. The negative
answers came promptly, and on his way
home from the furnace Ludlow met the
down train for the purpose of asking
the same question of the conductor.
The man remembered Ringbrand per-
fectly. and was quite sure that he had