The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-09-15

man ear. The entrance to this cave is
known only to myself. Your father
might come here, but he would find
nothing. Bat when he misses you, he
will hardly suspect me as being instru.
mental in your disappearance. He
will, most likely, suppose that you have
eloped with that fellow Caravan"
R )se started, caught her breath.
What do you know of him9" she
asked.
much more than you think, per
haps; and a great deal more than is for
his good, he answered. l also know
that he is expected at your home in a
few days-tO day or tomorrow, per-
haps."
The color faded from her face, leav-
ing it Of marble Whiteness.
How did you learn this 2" she asked.
"You do not deny the statement,
then"
mo, why should II"
For no reason that I can see, as it
would in no wise alter my plans re
garding yourself and that gentle,
ma Bat would it interest you to
know in what way I gained my infor-
mation9"
"It would"
Every much?'
Very much, indeed"
Then listen, and I will tell you. I
have a great many ways of finding out
things that interest me-. l do not de
pend IN little birds to bring me news,
but instead, I go where the little birds
are supposed to be, and learn it for my
self. l saw the meeting between your
father and yourself last night. I saw
him give you a letter-from Caravan,
I supposed. I saw him kiss you good
night and ride away. You then ran
into the house. Thinking that you
would naturally go to your oom to
read the letter, 1 went around and
crouched beneath your window, hop
ing by some means that I might learn
for certain that it came from Caravan.
Chance favored me. I had not been
there more than two minutes when
you entered the room. I stepped out
behind the bushes where I might get a
view of your face. I saw you break
the seal and read the letter through,
not once but many times. Then,
after pressing it to your lips, you put
it in your bosom and came over and
sat down in the window, so close to
me that by reaching out my hand I
could have touched you. I heard you
whisper again and again: 'H9 is com
ing, he is coming Finally you took
the letter from your bosom and in the
moonshine read it again. I no longer
doubted that the letter was from Car
avian. I was now satisfied that it was
from him and would not have remained
longer beneath your window could I
have left without detection, but such a
thing was impossible so long as you
were there. Time wore on and final
ly you fell asleep, The letter that
you still held, slipped from your
fingers and dropped at my feet. Ipicked
it up, put it in my pocket and FASTENED
away"
Rose felt in her bosom-sure enough
the letter was gone"
wretch = she cried; "where is my
Ietter9 Give it to me at onceI"
BE quiet, my dear; don't get into a
temper" he said, dra wing the letter
from his pocket and handing it to
her. Il have no further use for it."
he added, II will say, however, that
you have seen your dear Hugh for the
last time"
Her faced blanched, despite her eff
forts to appear comps ID: What do
you mean7" she asked.
Dick Redmond is not the man to do
thingsb halves, "he answered. Learn
ing from you letter that Mr.. Caravan
is expected in these parts very shortly,
| have stationed men on all the paths
leading east from Sunrise Peak, with
strict orders that they are to shoot him
on sight as a revenue spy. So, If you
ever see your Hugh again, it will be
when he is borne in this door a corpse
to be placed with many others, who
have shared a similar fate, in the cav
ern beneath the floor"
Knowing the desperate character of
the man that stood before her, and
knowing that he would hesitate at
nothing-not even murder-to accom-
plish his purpose, ose trembled and
her heart grew faint. What could she
III a. I