Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-30

p""hV iipihb hiVaully ukulnht lno now
cloudless aliy.
"Northmour," said 1--WE still contln-
ued TO talk In whlspers), 1T Is not pos
slble to endure this suspense. prefer
death flfty times over, Stay you here
to watch the pavilion; will 80 for
ward and make sure, II have to walk
right into their camp"
He looked once again all around him
with puckered eyes and then nodded
assentingly to my proposal,
My heart beat like a sledge-hammer
as | set out walking rapidly In tho d.
rectlon OF the smoke; and though up
to that moment | had felt chill and
shlverlng, was suddenly conscious Of
a glow OF heat over all my body. The
ground In this direction was very I'M
even; hundred men might have lain
hidden In az many square yards about
my path, But / had not practiced the
business In vain; chose such routes as
cut at the very root OF concealment,
and, by keeping along the most con-
venient ridges, commanded several
hollows at time.
II was not long before was reward
cd for my caution, Coming suddenly
on to mount somewhat more elevated
than the surrounding hummocks saw,
not thirty yards away, man bent al
most double and running as fast as
his attitude permitted along the bot
tom Of gully had dlslodged one OF
the spies from his ambush Az soon as
I sighted him called loudly In Eng
lish and Italian, and he, seeing conceal
ment was no longer possible straight
ened himself out, leapod from the gully
and made off as straight as an arrow
for the borders OF the wood.
II was none OF my business to pursue;
I had learned what wanted--that we
were beleaguered and watched In the
pavilion and returned at once, and
walking as nearly as possible in my old
footsteps, to where Northmour await
ed me beside the dispatch He
was even paler than when I had left
him and his voice shook a little.
Gould you see what he was llke?"
he asked,
HE kept his back turned" I replied.
Let us go into the house, Frank. /
don't think I'm coward but l can
stand no more of this he whispered.
All was still and sunshiny about the
pavilion as we turned to re-enter II,
even the gulls had flown In a wider
circuit, and were seen pickering along
the beach and sandhills, and this lone
Illness terrified me more than regi-
ment under arms. It was not until the
door was barrlcaded that could draw
full inspiration and relieve the
weight that lay upon my BOSOM North
mour and exchanged steady glance,
and suppose each made his own re-
Elections on the white and startled as
pect of the other.
"You were right" I said. "All Is
over Shake hands, old man, for the
last time" H
Eyes, replied he, II will shake hands
for as sure as am here | bear no
malice But, remember, II by some
impossible accident we should give the
slip to these blackguards I'll take the
upper hand Of you by fair or foul"
"0!" said l. you weary me-"
He seemed hurt, and walked away in
silence to the foot Of the stairs.
The remainder OF the day was passed
In the same dreadful tedum and sus-
pense. | laid the table for dinner,
while Northmour and Clara prepared
the meal together in the kitchen.
could hear their talk as | went to and
fro, and was surprised to find 1t ran
all the time upon myself. Northmour
again bracketed us together, and raj
lied Clara on choice of husbands, but
he continued to speak Of me with some
feeling, and uttered nothing to my
prejudice unless he included himself
In the condemnation. This awakened
sense Of gratitude in my heart which
combined with the immedlateness of
our peril to FIJI my eyes with tears.
After all, | thought-and perhaps the
thought was laughably valn--we were
here three very noble human beings to
perish in defense Of thlevlng banker.
Before we sat down to table, looked
forth from an upstairs window. The
day was beginning to decline; the links |
were utterly deserted; the dispatch-box |
still lay untouched where we had left |
1t hours before.
Mr.. Huddlestono, In a long yellow |
dressing-gown, took the end OF the |
table, Clara the other, while North
mour and faced each other from the |
sides. The lamp was brightly trim
med the wine was good; the viands,
although mostly cold, excellent OF their
sort
Mr.. Huddlestone was certainly no or
binary character; he had read and OBJ
served for himself his gifts were
sound, and, though l could never have
learned to love the man, began to
his success in business, and
the great respect in which he had been
held before his failure. He had, above
all, the talent Of society; and though
never heard him speak but on this one
and most unfavorable occasion, I set
him down among the most brilliant
cnnvaraatinnaliats [ ever met.