The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-12-22
Copyright by Robert Bonner's Sons.
CHAPTER XIV.

~ M
Copyright by Robert Bonner's Sons.
CHAPTER XIV.
CONTINUED.
IT sw'ar to man, T don't b'leeve it.!
cried Bill. 1T can't be that the sing
in'-teacher's hoss-thief."
"He is," cried Rhoda. "I heart
what Mamie has told you. May
never speak another word If we haven
told you the truth"
"Wayne's a hoss-thiefl" repeated
Bill, incredulously. 1T can't ber'
'I dunno but he's as likely to be a.
anybody else," said Perkins. '1'l
tell you what my plan is: Let's hum
up the other party. Then le' g take
Brayton with US and go into the Big
Swamp. Ef we find the thieves well
fix 'em, an that'll let him off. Eff we
find we've ben fooled"
The unfinished sentence had a grea'
deal of stern meaning in it.
The plan was agreed to.
>>"An' after we've ben there, well
come out an call on Mr.. Wayne, sale
Bill, who, much against his will, was
convinced of the truth Of Rhoda't
story. He began to feel vindictive
against Wayne for having duped him,
as he must have done If he was a
horse-thief.
"See here" he said, turning sud
denly and facing Dick, "didn't I see
you maxim marks on that Of cotton
wood?" -.
"No, Bill Green, you did not" an
swered Dick. 'I don't say that you
didn't see me there. I was there.
went to see what. I could find on the
tree. 7 had been there before, and
found something that I didn't under.
stand. But I, wrote nothing there.
That's the truth, Bill Green, whether
you believe it or not"
IT mought ha' ben mistaken, but
don't see how could ha' b'en," said
Bill. "..Anyhow, I tho't you did. Hope
to die # didn't"
Considering Bills proverbial stub
bornness, this was a surprising admis-
sion for him to make.
Dick" said Mamie, coming up to
him, with fearful eyes, ''you haven't
told me whether you're glad to see me
or not"
''You know I sm," said Dick, and
the look which accompanied the words
was eloquent enough to satisfy Mamie
that she had very warm corner in his
heart yet. eff you hadn't come just
as you did,I'd have been a dead man
by this time" -.
"Don't!' cried Mamie, turningpale
Then Rhoda came to shake hands
with Dick, and though little was said
In words, great deal was expressed
in looks; and looks are often far more
expressive of our deepestfeelings than
any words can be.
Perkins came back presently with
the other party, of whom he had been
in search. ..l....
"We mustn't be losin' time" he
said. 'We've got tn build a raft tn
git intu the swamp on, an there's no
tellin' how much we'll be rendered.
So le' IS git down tn bisness."
Luck go with you," cried Mamie,
as the party set off. ...
Dicks kiss was warm upon her
cheek, he had kissed Rhoda, too,
and she was so happy that she never
thought of being jealous over it. But
as the men passed out of sight among
the alders fringing the creeks banks,
fear of what might take place in the
Big Swamp, if they failed to find the
real thieves, came over her, and made
her faint and dizzy. The danger was
not over.
'sI shall not breathe one easy breath
till they're all back home," she said to
Rhoda. "Isn't it awful? And to hap
pen in camp-meeting time, tool" .
II think I've got even with Mr..
Wayne now," said Rhoda, as they
turned to retrace their steps home
ward. ''T've spoiled his plans COM
pletely, and I've done good turn for
Dick. never heard of such a thing,
outside Of story. Iwonder if it tis all
80? Pinch me, Mamie, 80 that I'll
know I'm awake"
eyes, you're awake" answered
Mamie, "snd 80 am I, and 30 hungry,
and tired almost to death. I didn't
realize it till we'd got started for
home. "Oh, dear! It's long way
there yet. If we only had Doll and
Nell to ride!"