The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-14

TORS ruined hut-toWardS Wllcn Ihe lnSS-
Senger was making, made him forget all
else The distance was lessenlng between
them; he could see the long pigtall OF the
fugitive standing out from his bent head,
when suddenly his horse plunged forward
and downward. In an awful instant OF
suspense and twilight--sllch as he might
nave seem in a dream-he felt himself
pitched headlong into suffocating depths,
| followed by a shock, the crushing weight
and steaming flank of his horse across
his shoulder, utter darkness, and-inerci
I ful Inconsistencies
How long he lay there thus he never
knew. With his returning consciousness
came this strange twilight again--the
twilight of Dream He was sitting in
the new church Mt Canada City as he
had sat the first Sunday of his arrival
there, gazing at the pretty face of Cissv
/ TriXit in the pew opposite him and worr
deIing who she was. Again he saw tho
startled, awakened light that came into
/ her adorable eyes, the faint blush that
! suf1used her cheek as She met his inQa1lr-
ing gaze, and the conscious half-con-
! cSlted, half-girlish toss of her little head
as she turned her eyes away, and then
IRE OF DROWN Cinnamon. mlFtterlng some
harsh, uncouth gibberish, interposed be-
tween them. This was followed by what
! seened to be the crashing in of the
| church roof, a sitting heat succeeded by
a long, deadly chill. But he knew that
! this last was all Dream and he tried
! to struggle to his feet to see Cissy's face
| again--a reality that he felt would take
him out of this horrible trance-and he
called to her across the pew, and heard
her sweet voice again in answer And
! then a wave of unconsciousiless once
more submerged him.
| He came back to life with q sharp
tingling OF his whole frame as if pierced
with thousand needles. He knew he
was being rubbed, and in his attempts
to throw his torturers aside he saw
family by the light of Pickering fire
that they were Cinnamon, and he was
| lying ON the floor of a rude hut. With
his first movements they ceased, and
wrapping him like mummy in warm
blankets. dragged him out of the heap
of loose snow with which they had been
rubbing him, towards the fire that
| glowed upon the large adobe hearth.
| The singing pain was succeeded by II
warm glow. a pleasant languor, which
made even thought a burden, came over
him, and yet his perceptions were keen
| ly alive to his surroundings. He heard
the Chinamen mutter something, and
then derart, leaving him alone. But
| presently he was aware of another fig
ure that had entered, and was now
| sitting with its back to him at rude
| table-roughly eNtemporized from Il
| packing box-apparemtly engaged in
writing. 1t was a small Chmaman, evil
| IDENTIFY the one he had chased! The
events of the past few hours-his mas
sion, his intentions, and every incident
| of the pursuit flashed back upon him.
| Where was he? What was he doing
here? Had Trixit escaped him?
In his exhausted state he was unable
| to formulate question:, which even
| then he doubted if the Chinaman could
understand So he simply watched him
| lazily, and with a certain kind of fasci-
nation, until he should finish his writing
and turn round His long pigtail, which
seemed rdiculously disproportioned to
his size-the pigtail which he remember
ed had streamed into the air in his flight
had partly escaped from the dish
covered hat under which it had been
coiled But what was singular. it was
not the wiry black pigtail of his Mon
golian fellows but soft and silky, and as
the freight played upon it it seemed of
shining chestnut brown 1t WAS like
| like-he stopped-waS he dreaming
| again. A long sigh escaped him.
| The figure instantly turned. He start
ed 1t was Cisy Trixit! There was no
| installing that charming, sensitive facc.
glowing with health and excitement al
belt showing here and there the mark
of the pigment with which it had been
stained, now hurriedly washed eff A
little of it had run down the corners OF
her eyelids and enhanced the. br1llian.y
of lfer eyes.
He found his tongue with an effort.
What are you doing here?" he said
with a faint voice, and a fainter aitsmpt
to smile
That's what might ask about YOU
she said, pertly but with a slight touch
of scorn, 'but / guess ! know, as well
as | do about the others. / came here
to see my father" she added. d,.iantIy.
And you are the-tle--one-I chas-
ed?" he said, desperately.
Yes, and I'd have outr,m you easily,
even with your horse to help you,' she
said, proudly, "only turned oack hen
you went down into that lrospcctor's
hole with your horse and lis broken
| neck atop of YOU"
He groaned slightly, but more from
shame than pain. The young girl t. ok
up glass of whiskey ready on the table
and brought it to him. take that! it
will fetch you all right in a moment
| Pepper says no bones are broken"
Masterton waved aside the proffered
glass. Your father! Is he here?" he
said, hurriedly, recalling his mission.
Not now; he's gone to the station Ito
-fetch-my Clothes" she said, with a
little laugh.
ITO the statiom?' repeated Masterton,
bewildered.
Yes" she replied, "to the station. or
course you don't know the news" she
added, with AN air of girlish impor-
lance. They've stopped all proceed
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