The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-21
CHAPTER II.


Mrs. McLanc," Merriam was saying
II the moment, interrupting the plead
ng, weeping woman who was clinging
10 his arm, lit is useless to talk of il.
lad you let me know why you wished 10
see me. all the pain of this meeting
.culd have been avoided. Every paper
| had was given to MIR. Parry, your law
ger, months ago. | know less about the
matter, probably, than you do; and
now. forgive me, but must go AT once"
Almost forcibly he drew her claspine
hands from his arm and turning sharp
~ and Without another word to the
cringiny woman, hasteued ON through
the narrow pathway that led hetweei
Graftou's cottage and that to the east
ward. aud presently emerged ngain into
the moonlight at the back cf the house
going straight to the captains stable
For moment his late companion stood
there at the trellis, staring after him II
hinged misery ard incredulity. She
had planned it well. She had marked
his coming just MS Grafton had said, had
hurried down to the shady aisle be
tween the qaaiters and ehaltod him
ihere--astoairhed al her daring. He
would have walked dozen miles that
night rather thar see her at all. but TO
meet her this way, to feel that he WAS
trapped. made Merriam's blood boil
with wrath. His voice. though, was
stern and cold as he bade her say why
she " ishcd to see him. But her aim WAS
to Geiain. to soften, to charm and then
10 plead. aud she had dreadful. dread
ful story to tell and none 10 tell it to
but him. Even then she was baked, for
Merriam balniiy bade her omit the
story, as he knew al! he needed to know.
nnd come to the point at once. What
could she want Of him? Advicc-sym-
raIhy. she cried; and for advice he re-
ferrcd her to her luwyer-for sympathy
she must not conc TO him. Sac must
have soIne purpose in calling on him
wiint WAS II? And then ii proved 10 be
the packet with certain papers. given
him by the young miner in the Mes
,n,ero. at was turned over to your
lawyer long ago" said Randy; and then
she burst into tears and said she was
undone, and walled: "Oh. Randy, Ran
dy. what can l-what am / to do?" And
he suggested gravely, courteously, but
positively, that she should at once go
indoors, while he went on his way
His heart was bitter against her as he
st-ode out beyond the fence line. and, aft
ercarefu!ly inspecting the doors of Graf
tons stable. lie closed and locked the
gate. He wished now more than ever
to hurry on westward and enter his own
little home and surprise Florence.
With grateful eyes he had noted the
parior lights and interpreted them as
indicating that she must be well over
the unreasoning stage of this her first,
and, he prayed God. her last, jealous
gate. intending only to glance at the
other stables on the way and give the
sentry additional orders; but when he
got so far toward the western end of the
row as to enable him to distinguish any
object as big as a man he found TO his
Nexation that there was no sentry there
AT all, ard that he must retrace his
steps and look for him toward the. other
nd 1t was backward tramp of over
go yards, and he was irritated enough
to feel like scoring the sentry when
fi;iaily he came upon him.
''You shouldn't be here, SIR he be-
gan. afto.r The customary challenge and
rep,y. where you are most needed is
: ong toward the other end, where there
are private horses in flimsy stables"
'1know, SIR" said the soldier. prompt
ly. but there's something amiss out
there on The road toward town. heard
a seul1le and cries for help, and then
running down into the creek bottom.
The cnrroIa!'s gone out to see. I'm
afraid there's been blood split, sir"
And even as they stood and listened.
iie still night air was split by the loud
report of a carbine, echoed back from
the opposite wall of the shallow, mar
row calyen. 1t was followed almost
instantly by cry for aid.
Come right along" shouted Merriam
to the sentry. and he sprang away in
the direction of the alarm. "Never mind
your post
A run of nearly 400 yards, crossing
diagona,ly the Junction road as they