The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-08-26

Bynums, and leaving her to suppose
that he had simply met with an acci-'
dent.
81 should think you would have been
starved almost to DEATH" she said, pity
ingly. "How was it that some of the
men didn't find your"
Ringbrand had heard nothing of the
search party, and she told him of the
efforts that had been made to find out
what had become of him. When she
told how the men had secured the
plateau, shouting, he remembered the
cry that had reached him just as he had
placed the first round of the ladder, and
he held her attention with graphic de-
scription of the sudden hope and its
disappointment, while Ludlow took the
colonel aside and told him of the in
tended attack. Ringbrand saw the look
of grim determination come into the
eyes of the elder Latimer, and a mo-
ment later Ludlow came over and began
to talk to Hester, while the colonel and
hack the conversation became general,
, and Ringbrnnd was glad of this, for he
felt that the one thing impossible under
the circumstances was a tete-a-tete
with Hester.
After little, the colonel suggested
to his daughter that she retire, adding
that they had little matter of business
to talk about that would keep them
up awhile longer. She went willingly
enough, being in q beatific frame Of
mind which would have made her
obedient to much more unreasonable
request, and when they heard the door
of her room close behind her they drew
their chairs together, and Ringbrand
gave rapid outline of his plan for the
capture of the marauders.
Upon hearing it, Col. Latimer de-
rnurred at once because of the danger
attending Ringbrand's part in the un-
dcrtalling; but he acquiesced finally
when Ludlow added the weight of his
advice, and the young man glanced
gratefully at his friend for the timely
assistance. When the details were az
ranged, and Ringbrand had appealed to
Henry not to fire unless it became plain
ly necessary, the colonel spoke again:
I'm that conve'sation in the cave, Mr.
Ringbrand, did you happen to heah any
thing that might th'ow any light OF
this ?"-handing soiled and greasy
note to the young man.
Ringbrand unfolded it and spelled
out the contents penciled in grabbed
characters scrawled irregularly across
the sheet.
"dere Mis- estcr," it ran, "hit mout b.
hecp better eff you loud not to stay OIL
the mounting two mite spose you g'
down T ludlos fer spell yure friend"
"Where did this come from?" h
asked.
"That's what's a-puzzlin' us. Heste
found it wrapped round piece of fin
rock lyin' on the floor of her room thi
afternoon, and she recl;oncd some
I body'd th'own it in at the window"
, II think know who wrote it." sal
, Ringbrand, refectively, recalling tn
5 words of the conspirators. "One c
I them asked: How about the girl
I and the other replied: Needn't min
: about her; she'll look out for herself
: and then he added: 4 Tshouldn'twonde
- if Jed would be glad enough to tax
v care of her if she'd allow it, Jed is til
t one who will hold the horses, believe
O Blame his cussed impudence!" e,
y claimed the colonel, blazing up wratl
e fully. What right has he got to
thinkin' about my Hestcr?
n Not the least bit in the worl
n colonel" replied Ludlow, good-nature'
f. ly; "but don't let us forget that he ht