The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-08-14
running strides. and striking once
more into the road

running strides. and striking once
more into the road
And wnen tiIry passed the concealed
watcher. the mutllrd. iiugling sound
that had heretofore accompanied their
footsteps was gone.
You're fool. Bill"' suIlenly eN-
claimed one, as they stopped to rest
on the edge of the road, itnd the taller
stopped to drink from Il clear IittIe
stream, using the hollow of his naIId
us an nnFromptu goblet.
No. | ailI't Il fool. - said Biz, dash
ing the bright drops away from H.,
mustache. but | uou't se,. no use II,
running unnecessary risks. SUPPOSE.
we should meet some one? Its best
to be on the safe side, and tomorrow
night
Their voices lowered Il little now,
died away into the distance, and hit-
ty, Standing alone in the woods, tried
To collec! her scattered thoughts into
some definite point of action.
shall sun follow theiuE Or shall
90 up and SEQ if they nave not hidIen
their booty i'll that hUt:''
For oue moment She hesit;ted. then
she began To creep up the hillside witt.
weary feet and tagging limbs, for
fatigue and terror were beginning to
tell upon her slender frame.
1t WAS nearly dark when she crossed
the nolderin@ threshold and stood III
the solitary cabin. Through the
started tiuherS of the roof the steel
gray sky CLEANED with unnatural
light. wniie the haIf-de aged boards
of the floor crcakrd aud gave beneath
her weight She stole TREMENDOUSLY
forward to look into the black. yawn-
Jug chaSm of the mud chimney. And
as she picked her way Il board sprung
beneath her fect-h beard which had
been loosely laid across two beams
without any securing nail. lnstinc-
lively she Stopped-and there before
her, wedged III between the heavy
tinbers, over which had lain the
board, was the little canvas bag.
She caught it i'll both hands, hug
ging it close to her breast, and hurried
toward the door. But as she advanced
out of the closr, moldy mir of tie cabin
into the gray November twilight, the
strength seemed to die out of her
limbs, the vitality to ebb from her
heart.
Surely, surely am not going to
perish now she thought. wildly,
when the danger is all surmounted,
the peril all past. God will never let
me die in this lonely place"
The half murmured aspiration was
still on her lips when all sense and
feeling left her, and she sank utterly
unconscious on the doorstep, with the
little canvas bag still clasped to her
heart.
1t was quite dark when the old lum-
her wagon rolled up to the door, and
Mrs. Osprey came into the house
carrying the extra shawl upon her
arm.
Kitty. Kitty. Why, where is the
child"
In vain she called. The fire had
died out upon the hearth-the pan of
vegetables stood upon the table, just
as the girl had left 1.-THE doors were
open, and, altogether, there was an
air of confusion about the dreary
house.
Deacon Osprey" said the frighten-
ed matron, grasping her husbands
arm, what does this mean?'
The deacon set his teeth tightly to-
gether, but made no answer. He
walked silently up stairs into the back
room, and presently returned.
sit means wife he said i'll IL husky
voice
Hush said Mrs. Osprey, with a
start. "WhaL'S that"
Something at the door, said Silas |
rising to open it. And as he so, Il
slender figure, drenched with chill !
rain, and ROBBED in soiled, briertorn
garments. tottered forward into his |
arms, and the bag of gold fell to the |
kitchen floor with IL dull, heavy |
sound.
Kitty: ne cried; mothersit is Kitty, |
and she is dying.
But Kitty Clifford was not dying
she was only tainting from fatigue
and over eXertion, anG Mrs. Osprey's |
kindly care soon restored her to |
strength and animation. The deacon |
listened silently TO ner story, and |
when she had finished he stroKed her |
bright hair down with a gentle touch. |
My little girl, he said. you have |
been very brave"
Were you not frightened, Kitty: |
ask ed SilaS. tenderiy."
Eyes hut it was worse when came to |
myself after that fainting tit i'll the |
cabin on the hill. Oh, it, was SO dark, |
so dismal, so solitary, with owls boot
iIg in the woods, and IL bat flying |
ou,Id and round close TO the ceiling"
Wien Jim and Sandy Bill came |
alter their secreted treasures the next |
night their state of mind may easily be
faucied. But they never suspected |
who the marplot was. Least of all
would they have dreamed the pretty |
Kate Clifford, who was just engaged |
to be married to Deacon OSprey's son
SilaS