The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-04-30

came forth with downcast eyes and
stood beside him.
"You will let me go quite by MYSELF"
said she, slowly.
"Assuredly, since 1t is your wish"
"And not even follow me at a dis
lance, but stay here?"
IL sha not vex you by one sight of
my hated face, my only love!"
Tit is not that / hate you," she
faltered humbly, "but that Lob, If only
had not GOMEZ" she burst out with a
Sob
@Hush! Appearances" he whispered,
earnestly; @the people here know moth.
ing whatever, and think nothing"
|. This assurance went far toward calm
ing the sensitive young creature, who
had boon, as Accrington suspected,
chafng herself into fever OF wild fan
cies, among them the thought that the
inn-people were in collision with Ac-
crington to detain her there. She had
only one burning desire now, and that
was to fee to her mother for protect on
and concealment from the scoffing,
sneering world. Poor, frightened thing!
she was in no condition to plan wisely.
and was about to make journey Of
twenty miles along roads traversed ty
ell sorts of people, shaking off the pro-
tecting presence of her one friend. She
did not even ask for servant to ride
behind her, lest she might be detained
few minutes longer. And when she
thought she had got Accrington's con-
sent to her wild scheme, she was CRATE.
full to him.
Accrington retired to order her horse;
devoted friend! he even examined the
animal himself, and went over all her
shoes with his own pocket wrench-no
doubt to test their security. Ahmed
pranced as gayly up to the door as
though she had never known the an
guish Of sharp-pointed stone treach-
erously wedged between her shoe and
her hoof, and innocent Loveday caressed
her sole remaining friend and hope with
delight.
@You darling" she whispered in
| Ahmed's silken ear; "you will not fail
me in my need, will you?"
Miss Dellamere said "Good-by" to Col
onel Accrington before all the inn people
and rode away alone.
The Colonel maze NO comment but
sauntered down to the river bank.
CHAPTER XIV.
aNO ONE SHALL PART US Now.n
A low sigh went through the October
wood us Loveday rode along, leaving the
last matched roof of Silverstream far
behind her. The clouds had been
gathering all day long, and now lowered
threateningly over the quiet scene, along
which the white road wound up hill and
| 81 ryi<h ha cfr
stream running far beneath in the
ravine.
Relieved from the agitating presence
of Accrington, she began to review her
situation more nationally; hope entered
her Young breast What If she could
! get home to mamma unseen by every
one, and conidfng the whole dreadful
affair to that faithful heart, be com
forted, and hear no more Of it?
But oh. but OH there were too many
grevious Ingredients in the cup to be
| able to forget its bitter tang like that
There was Auberon's engagement t6
Merton Rae, If he was engaged; and
Col. Accringtol's strange, oppressive
| love for herself-no; there could be little
comfort for poor Loveday, even if she
was so blessed as to escape the busy
DO lies to-day
How dark it was growing! and oh
what sound was that? tho mournfu
boot of an owl in tho far rccesses of the
forest What If she were to NEE. some
rough people, gypsies, or tramps, OF
sporting cads from the town, half drunk
and disorderly as usual? hoveday's
eyes began to glance hither and thithel
in scared presentiment, and her heart t,
throb thickly, when sound more terri
BILE than any imaginary ones smote upon
her Mortified ear. 1t was the loose clinl
of her horses shoe. The road was
rough and f1inty, her barb was tender
footed as lady: what was to be done Il
it came off? And how cou this have
happened, when mine host had said tha'
| both tho horses were having their fee
examined by blacksmith
She choked down her distress sternly
and slackening her pace, patiently
ambled along mile aftor mile.
Several pcoplc had passed her, but
although everyone stared in astonish
ment at the elegantly appointed eQues
triennc ploddIng along without the usua
| apparition Of trim groom some twcnt,
! PAGES behind, nobody accosted her
And tho wind roared, and tho storm
cloud darkencd. while the clink Of tn
loose shoe grew louder and loosen. Sud
denly she caught the gallop Of horse
hoofs coming behind her; she drow III
to listen---yes, above the rear OF tn
wind it came distinctly to her cars: an,
she knew that across little rayin
which she had been rounding, some mai
was riding furiously after her, and mus
be at her side in less than five minutes
ale has followed me, thcn!" though
she, with a great plunge Of the heart
and now for the first time awollc a Wild
thrilling terror-tcrror of Col. AccrinR
| ton.
He had played her false and had 70!
lowed her, ON why, why!
She urged her horse forward, faster
faster, Needless of the final clattcr an
clang of the thrown shoe, and of her lin
animals wincings and stumblings as tn
fiints wounded hor tender foot; sh
heard the far shout Of her pursucr, VIII
had likely caught the sound OF hor ga
Looping; and now she plicd tho whip o
her horses sensitive flank, for the frs
time in her lifo forgctful of Twin
creatures pain. and Ahmed bounde
ten feet at spring, and thon few, car
laid back, eyes lamping and bulginr
and white foam floating from her re
: nostrils
Away awayl while the-trces whirle
: by, and the road swan under them. an