The Van Buren press., 1897-12-11

.
eIatching the thick stems OF the iFy, he
put forth in one last desperate effort the
I remains OF his strength. and seram-
I bling upward, forced himself through
the clustering leaves and branches into
the niche. Peering out he saw her gaz-
. ing upward with round. wondering
eyes. II the troopers found her n thai
attitude Il would mean certain discoE.
err.
sit down. he whispered. .sit down
on the stone sad play with the kitten.
Z They won't hurt sOz- You needn't Be
+ frightened But y0u mustn't look up
I here or tell them where | am. or they'll
be sure 10 XII me"
She still stood glancing mp a. him
with pale face and tear-flled eyes. and
then looked xistfally II the direction Of
her home that la q quarter of mile
away beyond the stream. Il was eEl-
dent that she was more than half in
eiined 10 run away in spite Of his ap-
peals.
sSit down. he exclaimed. almost an
gri.y. do you hear me. ehilds sit
down and do as I bid you"
Slowly and reluctantly, and with q
last lingering glance hOme1varls, she
sal down, and the kitten climbed on to
her shoulder. and played gleefully. with
her curly hair. He crouehed back with
sigh Of relief
II was a strangely peaceful scene.
The sunshine flooded the old. gray. ivy
clad ruin; rabbit popped is head ont
Of Granny. and watched the child and
her little playmate suspiciously; star
lings. gay with speekled plumage. strut
ted superciliously on the grassy plots
between the walls, or ehattered shril.y
among the Ivy.
His mind was filed with pictures Of
the past. in strange contrast with the
scene before him. He saw Prince
Charlie marching with futtering kits
ard plaid into Manchester. the white
rose in his bonnet. flush Of triumph
or his handsome face. He fought again
at Falkirk. where these same dragons
had fed ike deer: and again he seemed
10 hear the skiri Of the pipes, and see
the fash of fae Highland broadswordz
as the elansmen poured ike q torrent
against the r0ck-like lines of steel and
fame II their last wild charge al Cul-
lodeu- Since then he had lived tie life
Ct ! hunted beast, flying OVER endless
mo1rs. OF serzmbsing among mist-en-
shrouded his. secrrhed with the sun.
drsncAs6 viii rain, il. exhausted, tor
tarsd With hunger and thirst, and with
death eFer = his heels.
TO think that after all these exer-
tions. al hIs clever shifts. and happy
deFices. and : score Of hairbreadth e.
G pas. he should be run 10 szrth in sight
of his own home. the goal he had been
striving for. where he might expect
sympathy aad assistance. food and
money. and the means 10 escape 70
Enance- was enough TO break The stout
est heaFf. Glzncing through the leaves,
he c0uzd see the smoke rising from the
chzmnexs o. Moor hal. his old home.
eadezresl 10 him by g thousand kindly
memories. where loving hearts were
for him as one lost beyond
hope. He shut his lips tight TO stille .
groan Of despair. for al that moment
the rabbit disappeared in its burrow,
the stzrlings took flight. and the
troopers came gallopiug up 10 the ru-
ins confident that they had al last run
tACir quarry 70 earth
Bat instead Of playing with the kit
ten IS Walter had hoped she would do,
n order that the dragons would ride
5u without troubling 10 question her,
the child crOuehed back among the ivy. /
staring with white, frightened face
a. the bronze. Eerce-loOking men WIN
GENE bursting in among the quiet old
ruins, With q clzt1er Of steeI-shOd boots
and the loud lngling OF spurs and
seabbards. Most Of then- indeed, see
ing 10 sign Of . possible hiding place, I
passed BY with Al Indifferent side
glance al the terrified little creature.
but the last Of all big. Seshv man
with a pale, puffy face and small. cruel
eyes, asked roughly Il she had seen >
man 20 past, and receiving ID an
swer. swung OF his horss and sP-
preached her.
Did you hear ne. you brzis- Il sx-
Gained Did you see q zaa 20
by
The child rose 70 her feet. and gzzs.1
Ut AZ hiu with iezr-1llH1 eyes e1d
iH-itching lips but made 10 answer
Haven't you = tozg1s n y0ur hszd.
oE are yOu dszfs~ lie grUHlsd- AZ
grly-
Another q TIE Troopers ahd 6raVzl
rei1 and half turning IN his sz1dle Wss
c1-iogsig watching ths s1eEE
Leave TIE child a-ozs. Dz1.~ szid lie.
II shs-d sea the feligzE s.zlki1g zbout
she'd have gone sersaeAing homs 70
Lzr E1ctker-
Hold yCzr t1zEues ycu dll fool
answered Dan Do ign think ! don't
s-zc1r wEzf In z5outg he nay have
sen ~ ard thrszte1sd 70 eat her
alive 4 sLs tod us where he vas hid
irv. BIT sheu soo1 ind that's roth-
i-g q uhzt sAs-I eet from ne f she
doesn't Epezk out Cone you cursed
Iftls redzL % yD1 want ne 70 twist
Tour ears CT Have yOu seen strange
nz1 about hsrss sPe4k al once, or"
lie rzsed lis hard zs If 70 strike her.
and Sc shrznk hack IN alarm
Did y0uE-
Re took q step forward.
Isrror-stricsen AZ his grim face and
ilrszteuinE hand. she covered trem-
bllg against the wall
Did you9-