The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-08-05

planned overcame Ringbrand's desire
for vengeance, and he crouched in the
shadow while the mountaineer made
his investigation.
SIS he thar?" asked the other voice.
"Shore; he's a-layin' right plum whar
he did las night. Don't reckon he ever
moved"
Then Ringbrand understood that the
dim light had misled them, and that the
shot had been fired at the log. He had
scarcely time to be thankful that he
had not moved the latter during the
day, before the light disappeared from
the crevice and the conversation was re-
sumed.
"Now, about that thar projec' for to-
1uorrer night, Buddy, I'd figured hit jest
this-a-way. julie she'll light out in the
mornin' for McNairville on the mar,
an We'll fetch the rest o. the hosses up
on the mounting by the Dunbar road
endurin' the day. Then, long late in
the evcnn', when ever'body's gone to
bald. we-all II jest ride over to the
colonel's, leave the hosses with Jed in
that thar little patch O. trees front O.
the house, an then you'n nell so smoke
'em out. When they shows up, you take
the young un an leave the colonel to
me. reckon I'll show him that don't
miss the same man twicet."
"How bout the galP"
Needn't to mind bout her; she'll
look out for herself" and then the same
voice added: Il reckon Jed'd be glad
enough to take keer o. her, If she'd low
hit"
Even after the convincing object-les-
son of the attempt upon his own life,
Ringbrand could scarcely believe the
evidence of his senses. Could it be
possible that these two men were calm
ly discussing a plot which pointed to
a double murder as It's object? They
were speaking again, and he strained
his ears to catch every word.
"They's only one thing about hit
that looks sort O shaky, JEFF; that's
the part about the gal. Course /
knows we-all amt fghtin' weemin'
but hit II be takin' right smart mo-
chances If she gets sight O. we-all. "
"She hain't gwine to. When the fires
done started, you'n nre can hide in the
Ivy bushes"
THAT II fix hit; an afterwards ye
low to ride for McNairville?"
"Uh-huh; we can jest bout make hit
in time for the cyars, II we put out
sort O. lively"
"How about the hosses? Y'-all sold
'em with the place, didn't YEP"
II did so, an the feller can take 'em
whaI somever he's lucky enough to fin
'em, cayn't he?"
They were silent again, and Ring
brand snelled tobacco smoke. He stood
motionless in the darkness, trying K
think of some way in which the cold
blooded plot could be frustrated; there
seemed to be but one way. and his de
sire for vengeance cooled a little rs HI
thought Of it, but he crept into posi-
tion where he could command the wides
range of space in the other chamber
and watched for the men to cross thu
!. narrow field of vision on their wny bacl
to- the mine. 1t seemed hours befor
they spoke again, and then the gruffe
voice said: "I don't believe that tha
lamps gwine out, Buddy"
II reckon hit air, for Shore" was tn,
reply; "but hit don't make no diff
, ence; we-all can fin the way withou
hit"
. A little later the light faded and flick
, cred and then went out, leaving behint
. it darkness that was almost tangible
and Ringbrand's heart sank as he real
lied that one chance of saving Hester
father and brother was gone. II va!
only chance, be knew, for the noun
: tainsers were two to one, and he wa
! not enough of marksman to be sure o
disabling even one of them: neverthe
, less, he had made up his mind to fir
upon them when they came again II
view, trusting to the shortness OF th'
range to offset his lack of skill with tn,
weapon.
He thought he heard them when the.
, left the chamber, and again, after wha
, seemed an interminable interval, Their
:. was faint rustling such as might hay'
been made by the two men climbing
out of the cave. The correctness Of thi
last supposition was confirmed short
ly afterward by the drll rumble Of
distant explosion, and the listener knew
that another of the mysterious attack
| had been successfully made On tn
working in the McNabb mine.
, With the certainty that the men ha'
left the cavern, and that with their dis
appearance his only chance Of prevent
ing the terrible conclusion Of their plo
| had taken fight, Ringbrand sat up an'
1 strove fercely to concentrate his min
: upon some expedient that would fire.
+. him in time to enable him TO warn tn
, Latimers. For awhile the awful re
/, sponsibility resting upon him pushe
him so near to the edge of distraction
4 that connected thought was an impot
5 sibility, and he got up and tramped u
. and down the familiar limits Of his eel
!, in feverish agony of helplessnesi
Y Then his brain cleared again, and on
: plan after another was considered an
rejected. The sandstone was compara
D lively soft-could he not dig throug
i to the other chamber?-yes, possibly
a but It would take too much time. Tn
other end of the cavern was filled wit
e broken rock and earth which had falle