The Bourbon news., 1897-08-24
A CASE IN EQUITY.
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
copyright. 1895. by J. B. Lippincott Col
XVII.
XVII.
IN A STRAIT BETWIXT TWO.


For two whole days, shame kept the
young engineer from returning to the
farmhouse on the Little Chiwassee, but
the urging of the same wholesome
emotion made him tireless in his efforts
to find Thorndyke. He accepted his
own theory of kidnapping, and, after
learning from the hotel-keeper at
Glenco that Philip had set out to ride
to Allacoochee, and that the horse had
returned riderless the following day,
he was confirmed in the belief that the
young attorney had been waylaid and
carried off to some isolated cabin on
the plateau. Acting upon this conclu-
sion, he began systematic search on
the mountain; and since his occupation
had made him familiar with every spur
and ravine within ten miles of Allacoo-
chez, it would have been singular if he
had failed to discover Thorndyke'S
asylum. 1t was late in the afternoon of
the second day, however, when Philip
heard the welcome sound of approach
ing hoof-beats, and his satisfaction was
not lessened when he found that the
rider was Protheroe. He laughed when
he hobbled to the door and saw the
engineer coming up with a Winchester
held at the ready.
''You needn't be alarmed" ne called
out; 81 don't want to fight, and can't
run"
Protheroe was mystifed, but the
bandaged ankle was held up in evil
dence. 'Then you're not a prisoner,
after ALP" he said.
"Oh. yes, am-very much 50; but
not by the i'll will of my good friends
here. All need is an ambulance, or the
loan of a gentle horse"
I'VE were afraid you'd been kid
naped.'' said Protheroe, and, seeing
Philips look of inquiry, he added: ''I'm
in the secret; Duncan has told me all
about it,
But don't understand yet. wrote
Duncan two days ago and sent the let
ter in your care. Didn't he get it?"
A sudden light broke in upon Pro-
theroe. 1.-Two days ago? that was
Wednesday. How did you send ito"
BY messenger to you at Allacoo-
Chez"
Duncan didn't get it, and I never
heard of it. 1t probably fell into the
hands of the enemy. Sharpless went to
Duncan Wednesday afternoon with a
story about your having gone to New
York; and ever since, he's been turning
heaven and earth over TO find Kilgrow."
'Unsuccessfully, hope?"
up to date, yes; and I think there's
no chance for him. Duncan warned
the old man at once"
Good! then everything's all right
yet By Jove! old man, I've been having
a horrible time cooped up here when
there's so much at stake and every day
is precious"
Protheroe smiled ''I can imagine;
but you needn't worry. Allacoochee
hasn't run away yet, and, so far as I
know, the company is still solvent. Are
you ready to go back to civilization?"
Indeed I am, if you'll tell me how
TO do it.''
Nothing easier; you can ride my
horse, and I'll walk"
When Philip had taken leave of his
entertainers, and had narrowly missed
a quarrel with the Bedouin in the effort
20 make him take payment for his hos
D:tality, he was helped into the saddle.
''You want to go to Allacoochee, I
suppose" Protheroe said.
I'D rather 60 to Duncan's, if we can
get there"
Protheroe's heart misgave him, but
he answered unhesitatingly: 1T can
be done," and they were soon out of
sight of the cabin in the windings of a
trail leading diagonally across the
plateau.
For some miles they pushed on in
UGH silence as the narrowness of the
path made compulsory, but when the
trail broadened into a wood road, Pro-
theroe dropped back beside the horse
and they began to speak of the missing
letter. The talk reminded the engineer
that he still had Thorndyke's mail in
his pocket,and he passed it up and con-
siderately went on ahead again while
Philip read the letters. There was one
from Helen, and, yielding to something
like a suggestion of moral cowardice,
Philip left It until the last. When he
opened it, he saw that it had been writ
ten on the same day as that about the
marriage portion. and the first words
proved that it was an after-thought.
81 have just mailed one letter to you,'
she wrote, land it was hardly out of my
hands before began to be sorry that
lad sent it. AS remember it now, II