The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-03-26


The brothers talked on in low tones,
pausing only once, when shadow
passed the daor-yard and glided toward
the forest.
who's thst?" queried JEFF, peering
intently into he darkness.
Hits only Jed, reckon" was the
reply.
"Whar's lie goin' at this time O.
night?"
Il dunno; goin' to soak his haid in
the creek, maybe. more n half believe,
sometimes, that he's gettin' foolish
bout the Latimer gal; he new did have
much sense, nohow. But, as l was
a-sayln'-" And the talk dropped
back into the channel from which Jed's
appearance had diverted it.
The two men sat on n log behind the
barn, facing the cliff at the head of the
cove. Had they been gifted with the
visual powers of the owl which hooted
dismally from the top of blasted oak
standing in the adjacent corn field.
they might have dscerned half an hour
later, black spec!t zgzagging up the
bace OF the apparently inaccessible
cliff. 1t was bed, and when he reached
the summit just under the shadow OF
the tree ihat years before had borne
such CHASTITY fruit, he turned his face
southwark and walked rapidly toward
"The Laurels." q '&A k&
do you know, MIR, Ringbrand that
I've always had a persistent and haunt
ing impression that we've met some
where berorr?"
Ringbrand was spending the even
ing at the Latimers as usual, and they
were al sitting in The starlight on the
veranda Of Tine Laurels,"
"You mean before i came to Tregar-
then, Miss IIcster?'
"l'cs, it might have been ages ago"
Ringbrand smiled under cover of
the darkness. Perhaps it was. Do
you believe in transnngrution?"
II think not" she answered doubt
fully. II believe in the creed"
MAY ask what sTerd?'
I'D think you'd be ashamed to,
when there is only oue--or, at most,
two
:" stand corrected Would it be her.
esy if l asked where ] might find the
one--or two?"
"Of course not; they're in the prayer
book; supposed everyone knew that"
"Going back 10 your impression
again, do you know that have an eX-
actly similar one? | am almost posi-
tive that sou are right. Can't you help
me solve the mystcry?"
'Whats that youall are talking
about?" inquired the colonel, knocking
the ashes from his long-stemmed pipe
and crushing a dry tobacco leaf in the
palm of his hand fora fresh charge.
Miss Hester was Just saying she
thought we'd seen each other some
where before 7 came to Trcgarthen, and
I'm almost sure she's right. We were
trying 10 locate the time and place
'Oh, [ reckon it's just imagination
replied the colonel, packing the tobacco
dust into the bowl of his pipe. THAT is
without you've been vistin' the young
ladies' schools in Virginia"
''No, | haven't been doing that" said
Ringbrand, laughing, though it would
doubtless be delightful experience
''That would depend entirely upon
your errand," interrupted Hester. 81
think most of the visitors used to leave
Miss Pelton's with tingling ears; they
should have, if there's any truth in the
old saying"
As Ringbrand was about to reply, he
saw shadow moving in the bushes a
Jew yards distant. whats that down
there by the laurels?" he asked, rising
to get abetter view.
Atthequestion Harry Latimer sprang
from his chair and ran into the house
appearing moment later with his rifle
As he came out, the shadow darted from
tho bushes and glided among the tree!
on the lawn. Henry saw it, and woul;
have fired if his father had not wrestet
The gun from his hands. Seems lik,
you get less sense every day, Henry,
gasped the colonel breathlessly. ''liov
do you know who you were going Il
shoot at?"
81 know well enough, and SO doyou,
replied the young man, nonchalantly
going back to his chair and relightins
his cigar. "They-all will get you SOM
day, if you don't get them first"