The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-04-30

kind enough TO bring II, ,bnt dsdoubt
If I'd ha~ts. dcxtsrityfto make use
,pf it; howSesxr. II imagine there's not
likely to he arg occasion. lPlease.hank
soIr father for ine."
HE dropped the pistol into his packet
and stood looking after Henry DC the
LATTER cantered back toward '"The dau-
reis;" then he resumed his walk andlhis
gIoAny meditatiens.
Thinking about it afteward, he
never knew just how far he had gone.
He had an indistinct recollection .of
coming out upon the cliff once, .oppO-
site the furnace, andof stopping to look
down iEto the fiery throat of the cupok,
lighted by the intermittent Hare of
the BURNING gas. Altar that he renem-
bered that the road made detours inis
the forest and came oIt upon the cliff
alternately for what seemed distance
of several miles. His last clear inn
preston was the picture of a deep rent
in the mountain lying before him in
the obscurity of fathomless darkness:
he felt rather than saw that he was
locking into its depths from the verge
of precipice; and he noticed that the
shadow of great tree came between
him and the stars. 1t was here that the
mysterious warning of the underlined
sense which tells of approaching dan
ger began to make itself felt; and
whenNhe recognized its admonition he
realized that it had been pressing upon
him all along. and that he had been
too preoccrpied to heed it. Now, how
ever, it refused to be longer ignored,
and he felt cold little chilIsof applehen-
sion creeping over him as he peered
around into the shadows of the forest.
What contemplate coward l ami
he muttered, struggling to brace hint
self against the unnerving attack,
"standing here shivering like o child
in dark room! ] don't deserve 10
be called MANI
Then he turned to retrace his steps
toward Tregar'hen; but he had not
left the. shadow u the tree when two
men appeared befof, him as suddenly
and az silently Nv If Trey Ind dropped
from the branches over Ills head.
"rh'ow up yer hans, d.ln vel" COM
manded the one nearest him advancing
with rifle half raised,. M
Ringbrand saw his opportunity as
distinctly as if its details had been writ
ten in letters of fire on the murky back
ground. Though both of the men had
guns, neither of them covered him;
he had only to draw his revolver and
step behind the tree, fighting or parley-
ing from that stronghold as the ur-
gency of the case demanded. 1t was
all simple enough, and his mind was
clear to direct; but alas! his palsied
limbs refused to obey, and almost be-
fore he knew what he was doing he
was standing with uplifted hands, his
teeth chattering and his knees shaking
in pitiabls agony of fear.
He captors gave him no time to pro-
test. .You go on ahead" said the one
who had spoken, addressing his COM
panion. "Now, then, fall in, Mr.. Spy.
jest thar behind him, an don't you new
look cross-eyed, les ye're hankerin' to
get bullet th'oo yer haid. march,"
Ringbrand did as he was told, follow
ing the shadowy outline of his guide.
who turned to the left into the forest.
AS they stumbled along in the dark
ness. he knew that brave man would
have yet turned defeat into victory;
they had not yet disarmed him, and he
saw how easy it would be to make the
chances Of q struggle at least equal
by shooting the man in front. Tht
thought returned again and again with
urgent insistence, but he could moi
bring himself to the point Of action;
and the opportunity vanished when the
file-ieader stopped at the bottom of
small sink-hole in the plateau and
turning upon him suddenly, pinionet
his arms TO biz ide with few turns o.
q rope.
"What are you trying to do with me
anyway" he demanded, while the,
were pushing him forward to a spot
Of blackness appearing like the mouth
Of well between two powders. 4
''Jest you wait minute, an you'll
see; we don't low to have no revenuer'
/ a-spyin' round this we're mounting
"But I'm no revenue officer; yo'
should know that if you know anything
ut all about me-"
That's as how it may be; we dom
low to take no chances, nohow. Now
then, down you 60"
Ringbrnnd bit his tongue to keel
from crying out as they thrust him for
as
49,