The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-12-15
Copyright by Robert Bonner's Sons
CHAPTER XIII.
CONTINUED.

CONTINUED.
Zone apiece for US, since Number
six has thrown up his hand, sale
Wayne. "That won't be so bad, afte1
all, if we get them out Of the swamp
hll right. It's lucky thing that We
hit upon the Big Swamp for hiding
place. They have an idea. about here
that it's impossible to get horse intt
It, 80 they haven't thought of looking
there for MS. Poor Number Ski I'm
sorry to leave him behind Let's SEE
the plan of taking the. horses dowr
the creek from the road till it got deer
enough to take them into the swamp
On a raft originated with him, didn1
It? I wish he were going with us, but
{ suppose it was his fate to be shot
and fate's something none of US car
get away from, I take it.
'It'll be beginning to grow light
soon," said the other. II think lc
better be on the move. You'll be
there tomorrow night, then?"
J ''I'n be there by midnightif nothing
happens, said Wayne. "Have every
thing packed and in readiness to leave
hs soon as I join you. Do you know
where the settlers are making then
eearch tonight"
! ''Some of them have gone up the
ereek," was the reply. "Our mer
took the horses into the thick weeds al
The edge Of the marsh, up the road,
hnd from that into the creek, and then
down stream, and across the road, and
lf the settlers come on any tracks it'll
3 buzzle them to tell which way we went,
Tor it's hard to tell which way tracks
boint in a marsh and running water.
/ hardly think they'll get on the right
scent before we're safely out of the
country, if we leave tomorrow night. y
"Well, take care of yourself" said
Wayne. "I'll be on hand by mid
night, sure. Good night, Number
Six"
! "Good night, captain" responded
,the other. .t...
Then they separated, one going
back to the house, and the other into
the woods.
Rhoda wondered if she was really
awake. She could hardly credit the
evidence of her senses.
$50 Wayne's the leader OF the gang
of horse-thieves?" said she to herself,
in frightened whisper. "And I've
found out the whole thing! Dear me-!
It scares me to think of it! It don't
seem as if it could be possible! I
must have dreamed ifl Where can
Mamie be all this time? I wish she
could have been here and heard it
ALL"
from a fence-corner, not far off.
"Rhoda!"
els that you, Nannie?" asked Rho
da, il voice but little above a whis-
per.
eyes," was the reply. ''Have they
gomez"
.sYes," answered Rhoda. ooh,
Mamie, did you hear what they said?''
"I only heard what they said when
they were about to SEPARATE" an
swered Mamie. 81 came near run
hing right on to them, but I thought
I heard some one talking, and stopped
to make sure, just in time to keep
from being discovered by them. What
was it they talked about? Something
about stealing horses, wasn't it? Tell
me what it was, Rhoda-quick! I'm
Just dying to know"
Rhoda told what she had heard.
"Oh, RhodaI" cried Mamie, with
radiant eyes. cit was the luckiest
thing in the world that I brought you
home with me tonight! What you've
. heard will save Dick" ..s
'sThat's true; isn't it?" cried Rhoda.
ST hadn't thought of that, I was SO
excited. It seems as if the hand OF
Providence was in it, doesn't it? ]
used Dick shamefully, just because he
told me the singing-tescher was max
. ing fool of me. He talked to me like
brother, and I got mad about it.
Now I've a chance to help him out OF
his trouble, and also to get even with
Mr.. Wayne, and just tonight, at
'camp-meeting, was wishing chance
to do that would come along. Only
to think, Mamie, that I, of all per-
sons, should be the one to find out
who the horse thieves are, and how
they got away with the horses they
stole! It's just like story, isn't it?'
''Rhoda, I'll tell you what we ought
to do" said Mamie, with sudden con.
viction. ''We ought to follow the men
who're out hunting for the thieves,
and put them on the right track,
There's no man here to send but the
minister, and he wouldn't know where
to 60 if we sent him. If we can find
the men, we can tell them what we
have heard, and part of them can &c
into the Big Swamp, and some Of them
can come back and take care of Wayne.
It won't do to tell any one what we've
heard till we find the men and tell il
to them, for if an inkling of it gets
out, Wayne III be sure to hear some
thing, and before the men get back
he'll be gone. The best thing we car
do is to follow the men. It may be 6
long tramp for US, but I'm not afraid
to undertake it."
Mamie was brave now. She was
thinking how completely Dick would
be vindicated, and this thought gave
her courage for anything.
. 'sI'll CO." said Rhoda. 'I'm not
much afraid when there's some one
with me-"
''Well, then, come on, said Mamie,
eager to be off. And hand in hand
4ha 4.ua exirla startad down the rood