Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-05-26

ing observation.
Immediately acting. upon this idea,
she seized the limb, and, after Sc
we're struggle, succeeded in reaching
the body of the tree, which she as
cended until she thought she would be
safe from any scrutiny to which her
hiding place could be subjected from
below. and then, finding a cOmforta-
BILE seat in the crotch of huge limb.
she sat down. calmly to await whatev-
er fate might betide her.
She felt she had done her best to es-
cape. and she left the result of her
efforts to Providence.
The bloodhoundS had for some little
time ceased their cries altogether, and
this circumstance inspired her with
additional trustfulness and hope.
The cause of the cessation of the
bloodhounds' cries was the fact that
they had completely lost the scent by
reason of Astrea's Stratagem. On ar
irving ut the stone which she had pre-
pared for them, they ran their noses
over it after the custom of their kind.
and the powerful smell Of the fresh
blood With which she had so thickly
smeared it. rendering them utterly in
capable of following the faint scent
left by the fugitive's flying footsteps.
1t was then that the hounds uttered
those strange cries which Astrea heard
is she was entering the brook, and
which were the troubled. inarticulate
explosions of their disappointment and
wrath at being so hopelessly baffied.
After short time. and while the
hounds We're still giving vent to their
dissatisfaction, Rumford and his groom
rode up.
What, in the tiend's name. is the
matter With the dogs?" exclaimed
Rumford.
And dismounting as he spoke, the
planter threw the bride rein to his
groom. and advanced to the side of the
hounds. who We're at that moment rum
ming their noses for the tiftieth time
over the blood-smeared stones.
No sooner did Rumford's eyes fab
on the stone. than he cOmprehended
the cause of the dogs strange conduct
and OWNED the ruse that Astrea had
played him. \ burst of rage followed
this discovery: but it was soon dis
placed by a feeling of admiration at
the Wit and cleverness Of his slave, as
he verify believed .astrea to be.
Catching up the stone, he held it up
to the vision of the groom, and en-
claimed:
See here. Sam. Isn't that Il neat
trick for that quadroon witch to play
me and my dogs? Shes smart enough
to be a white girl, that's certain: and
l don't know but she may really be
Mrs. Colonel Greville. after all-only
she can't be-" he added to himself,
because that lady's appearance is too
fresh in my memory for Inc to be i'm
posed upon by Zora's mad tale"
Then, hurting the stone to one side,
and again addressing the groom, he
said:
Come along this way, Sam, with the
horses. / must get the dogs away
from here, or they'll never find the
scent again. The blood was fresh on
come from Zora's veins. Therefore,
She cannot be far from the spot
So saying, Rumford called the dogs
after him, and strobe along rapidly,
casting penetrating glances on every
side. and followed, at little distance,
by Sam with the two horses.
AS they CHANGED to take nearly the
same direction that Astrea had gone,
they soon came to the stream down
whose bed she had waded; but they
struck it much lower down than she
did, and the consequence was that
they came upon it at point almost
opposite to the tree in Which she had
taken refuge.
This is Fortunate said Rumford,
as he saw the water. Il will now wash
the dogs noses and prepare them to
take up the scent again in case we
should be so lucky as to cross Zora's
track"
He at once set about the task, and
gave the noses OF Castor and POlluX a
thorough washing, much to their dis
gust. Then, looking about him for a
short time, he said:
Now, Sam, dismount and tie the
horses to that tree yonder, where they
will have good stamping ground, and
then WEI make thorough search up
and down this brook. Come, hurry,
you rascal"' said Rumford, with a
manifest tone of Impotence. why
are you SO slow: 1t will be shutdown
before we get under way, unless you
make haste.'
DE fact am, marse, dat 1 doesn't
like de notion OBJ leaben' de bosses tied
up heah, while we goes a-rampagin'
about troo de swamp" said Sam, with
dubious shake Of the head. How do
we know what may happen to de poor,
dumb critters while we is gone? Der
bears may eat 'em up; or de boss
tieves, which you knows, marse, as
de swamp am de place where dey hide,
may come an steal um; and den what
you gwine to say when you come an
fine Saladin done gone, or see his
bones a-lyin' aroun' heah picked as
clean as a turkeys at Christmas"
There is no danger, either from
bears or horse-thieves," Rumford re-
piled, at the same time patting and
caressing his horse, which was a
handsome chestnut, and was claimed
to be regular thoroughbred. IF 1
thought" he added, that any harm
i could come to Saladin, l don't know
but would give up my plan-and the
girl, too, sooner than lose him. But
there is no danger. There are no bears
about, and no horse thief would dare
attempt to steal the horses from under
my very nOse.'
Don't be too sartain OBJ dat marse,"
I