The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-03-19
CHAPTER III

The fiery iinger-marks ~ autumn no
longer ~ up the faded foliage Of iic
little wood; only a few brown lcgVrs
chung 10 the skeleton branches OF TIE
tree, the rest lay In rottinl hUafs
around the roots. fitting grave clothes
for the dying ferns until the emu
hiHsis should arise again aud seat 'Vr
them abroad.
Approaching the same spot along
wldely-dlverglng paths came two o.
urcs. the one tripping lightly and The
other slouchlug ulcug with slow linir
ing strides Though the method ~
their advance WINS different. The rfip
| NJ their progress was about equal. aLd
they met just at point where the two
paths formed a junction with the main
rad.
Daisy. who had an along had Scr
/ eyes fixed upon tie last visible point
N the stecply.sloping main ruad looked
up when she heard the shunlinr foi.
steps. aud. with start. recognized
Dumb Dick.
Dumb Dick. who had seen and
] known the first nutter 90 Daisy's
dress In the distance. now halted: nrd
hls red eyes peercd ont strangely from
the tangled masses Of hair which hung
over his face.
Daisy knew that Dumb Dick was
fcaiVd aud summed by everybody: she
had heard evil things reported of his
doing aud she was not liitlp startled
M finding herself alone with him. She
wished he would pass her; hut De-
stond quite slill and seemed tn wait
Tor her 90 speak.
"ii your hand better. Dick" she
asked. ioughlae her own wrist
lie seemed 10 understand for he
thrust his hand clumsily forward. An
I hand Il was: hut. % her sarp. Use.
Daisy noted that u was now quite
clean. and lia great claw like nails Ind
been closely cut. Dumb Dick pointed
to a purple scar on bis wrist with o
finger OF he ether haud. aud Daisy
saw that ,his ether finger was both
dirty and clavca,
she looked back gt Dumb Dicks
blinking red eyes and smiled. \ sim
gle glanc,, at that one clean hand. mis-
shapen ana ugly though % was had
driven an fear from her heart % was
as n The wing Of Aricl had suddenly
sprouicd from the shoulder of Calihlu.
ard Mirantl felt q strange throh of
iny. tor hrr womun's instinct told hcr
that ahc hai SOME mysterious part a.
bringing ilr i.tsi sign or order into
this human chaos.
rui hcrl.' tho sound Of q wlldly-gll-
lorlug horse and the swift roll OF
wheels.
Daisy Looked up the siccp incline Of
the mad. and saw that Frank aud his
dog cart wcN Ia sight nui 40 smile
~ loyful welcome Appeared ON her
ncc: she turned as pale as death,
plnsprd her hands in an Involuntary
attitude Of prayer nud cried out sharp
~ in her deadly fear For her hrst
glimpse of Frank had showed her that
Do was standing up IN bis cart sway
luz to and mo, aud that although De-
still held the iightly -gathCVd rr'us ho
hnd lost an control Of the hay, which
seemcd 10 hc rushing TO inevitable DC.
slruciion.
Dumb Dick saw Franks peril. AMI
understood IN an instant the caicslrl-
phc which must occur at The bottom or
tho Hill: and. finging his long arms
Wildly above his head. he broke forth
into hidcous cacklcs of laughter.
4 new terror SEIZED upon naisy's
heart nj the sound; hut. with II. new
thought entered her mind aud, with
out hesitation she laid her hand upon
Dumb Dicks arm aud shook 1t fierce
~.
save him. Dick Save hlmr she
cried
No sooner dld her hand touch bis