Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-04-07

was to ma ke his last visit to the city.
Thankful, indeed, for his past good
fortune and happy in the thought OF
the nearby termination of his labor,
he bade the dear ones at home fare
well, and gail7 mounted to his place
on the load.
Justly proud was he of the team of
beautiful praucing colts which, heavy
as proved their burden, pulled so
strongly on the bride reins in the en-
deavor to cover the ground at faster
gait, that it had made their youthful
masters arms ache to hold them down
to steady pace.
Robert was far on his way when day
lights rosy hues began 10 tinge the
eastern horizon. The weather was
sharp and frosty, ard the roads like
pavement, so hard wera they frozen,
md tha -nity-~aa safoly .oaohod-onrly
in the afternoon.
Before nightfall he hal succeeded
in disposing of the ms or portion Of
his load, ,and whatremaile was parted
with the following morniug
Quite handsome sum vas gained
Iifrom the sole. The coin he carried in
leatlern pouch in his breeches
pocket, while the bills were carefully
rolled up in bunch and slowed away
in an inside pocket Of his vest.
When his team had finished their
feed of grain he started out on the
'homeward journey. His heart was as
light as the feecy clouds that foated
lazily about on the western margin OF
the sky, and he hummed lively tune
as the wagon ratified along over the
smooth road.
1t was still early in the day and few
Econveyances were abroad and these
were headed toward the city. For the
first ten of the thirty-four miles farm
houses were numerous, but after that
the country grew gradually wilder,
with settlers homes less in number
and located farther apart.
Arriving within mile of the forest,
Robert perceived tall figure rise
suddenly from the ditch at the road
side and walk ahead with slow, halting
mover ents. AS he drew nearer he
could see woman. She was attired
in dress of coarse, dark material and
q thick wooden shawl hung in loose
folds around her shoulders. Her head
gear consisted OF small felt hat, over
which was drawn a close, brown veil
that completely concealed her fea-
lures. Her hands were enveloped Ia
mittens and in one of them she carried
little wicker basket, whose contents
were hidden from view by strip Of
paper tucked about it.
AS Robert drove up the woman
paused and turned around. She didn't
raise her veil when she spoke, and her
voice was low and hoarse.
"Would you give m old woman
ride?" she asked, and then went off
into paroxysm OF coughing.
"Certainly, ma'am!" said Robert,
cheeriully, at the same time bringing
his team to stop.
"What o terrible cold the poor
things got, was his mental comment,
as he looked down pityingly.
When the fit of coughing had
subsided she clambered slowly into
the wagon and took place beside the
young teamster, who drew up the
heavy robe and kindly assisted in
arranging and tucking it around his
passenger.
"Qulte chilly" he remarked, bet.
tling himself again on his seat.
But his companion made no reply,
and he concluded that she did not de-
sire to enter into conversation. So
they drove along in silence broken
only by the noise of the vehicle and
the clatter of the horses hoofs on the
frozen road.bed.
Bat il Roberts tongue was silent,
his thinking powers were by no means
dormant, and over him there crept q
vague, uncertain feeling that every
thing was not just as it should be.
Now and ther he stole glance at the
woman, who sat as motionless as o
marble image.
During one of these glances the
stiff breeze that WAS blowing caught
corner of the veil and flung it back,
exposing for On instant stubby
growth of b1a,k chin whiskers!
Immediately tho stranger pulled
down the unruly covering and in
dulged in another dry, racking cough.
"A woman with beard!" thought
Robert in dismay, and then in flash
he realized that seated beside him was
q man in disguise, man belonging to
gang of highwaymen.
1t was a startling discovery, but
evidently his unwelcome passenger