Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-05-12
CHAPTER NXrIi.


here a minute while ! go down the road
just little wayY Ill be back in 10
time. Some time III tell you all about
IT,"
Yes. I'll stay" said Rhoda. rather re.
lnc,antly, and greatly wondering what
Nannic's crrand could he In that dircc-
ton. at that time of night.
'l'll be- right back said Mamie. as
she hurried away. Don't he afraid,
Khoda.''
Mo-" responded 1,hoda. feeling
more that she was afraid. in spite OF her
assurance to the contrary.
She sat down on q log behind clump
Of bushes to await Nannic's return.
The moon. which had been partially OBJ
scurcd. came out from behind q cloud.
and looking toward Mr.. Portcr's. she saw
that the window In the gable of the house
was raised and a man was leaning out.
As she saw this she became conscious
OF u sound which she vaguely remember
I'd TO have heard before. since leaving
Mr. Portcr's-thc cali of night bird.
But rs she listened To it now, there
seemed To bc something peculiar about it.
which she had never noticed in the call
before.
II was given three times. Then the
forest from which il came was silent
again.
Looking toward Mr.. Portcr's. she saw
that the man who had been looking out
of the window. apparently listening. was
now climbing out upon the roof of the
shed.
"1i must bc the singing teacher She
thought. But what can he he getting
out Of the house in that way for!"
The man she was watching dropped
lightly to the ground from the shed roof.
aud came toward the road Then he leap
ed the fence aud came directly toward
the spot where she was hidden.
What shall I do!" thought llhoda,
frightened half to death. II don't dare
run. and don't dare scream. oh, IL Nan.
| ME would only come back"
Being 50 badly frightened. she did moth
| ing but shrink back closer into the screen.
| ing shadow of tie bush behind which she
was sitting.
Then she heard steps coming from the
opposite direction. Evidently Mr.. Wayne
had come to meet some one, and his Wis
itor was approaching.
! The two men met In the shcltcring
shadow of an old cottonwood, not fifteen
feet away from where the frightened
girl was crOucbing. her heart heating
such u tattoo against her ribs that it
seemed to her they must hear il.
Els that you, Number F'ivc!' asked
Wayne.
Eyes, It's me-" was the reply. ITS
been u bad night for iis, captain"
"ics, 1t has been u bad night for u.s."
responded Wayne. "Numi,cr Six has got
through with his troubles"
"Thcy got away all right with the
horses from the other place." said the
man called Number Five. They're hot
after MS. but ] think wc'll be able TO
throw them of the scent. after all. When
10 We leave the swamp. captain It's get.
ting to be- almost too hot for us In this
vicinity. and the sooner we're out Of il
the better ! shall be- satisfied"
II will join you tomorrow night. and
We will leave at once" replied Wayne.
See that everything is in readiness for
a start rs soon M ! arrive. How many
horses are there in all!"
"Six.' was the reply. That Is. there
will he six IL they succeed In running
In thOs" they got away with tonight.
There's tho two from Deer Creek. the
two from III" crossroads. and tonight
haul"
'Onc apiece for us. since Number six
has thrown mp his hand" said Wayne.
THAT wont he 50 bad. after all. IL we
get them ont of the swamp all right. It's
a lucky thing that We hit upon the Big
Swamp for hiding place. They have an
idcn, about here, that It's impossible to
get horse into II, 50 they haven't
thought OF looking there for us. Poor
Number SiN. I'm sorry to leave him bc.
hind. Let's scc--thc plan Of taking the
horses down tho creek from the rOud ill
II got deep enough To take them into the
swamp on II raft originated with him,
didn't II! / wish he were going with us,
but l suppose 1t was his fate IN bc shot.
aud fnic's something none Of us can get
away from, take It,"
"ltll b. beginning 10 grow light soon,
said the other. II think Id hotter be
on the move. You'll b. there tomorrow
night. thcnY"
"Ill be there by midnight IL nothing
happens" said Wayne. Have every
thing packed and In readiness to leave as
soon as | join you. DO yOm know where
the settlers are making their search to-
nixh,!'
"Somc Of them have gone up the
creek" was tho reply. Our men took
the horses into the thick weeds ut the
edge of the marsh, up the road, and from
that into the creek, aud then down stream
and across the road; and IL the settlers
come on any tracks it'll puzzle them Ia
tell which way We went, for It's hard to
tell which way tracks point in II marsh
and running wafer. ] hardly think ihey'l
get on the right scent before we're safe
~ out of the country, il We leave to-
morrow night"
"Wcll, take care of Yourself" said
Wayne. "lll he on hand by midnight,
sure. Good night, Number Five"
Good night, captain" responded the
other.
Then they separated. one going back to
the house AMI the other into the woods.
RhOda wondered IL she was really
awake. She could hardly credit the cvi,
dence Of her senses.
80 Waync's the leader Of the gang OF
horse thieves" said she TO herself, In q
frightened whisper. "And I've found on,
the whole thing. Dear me. II scares
mo 10 think OF II. 1t don't seem as IL II
could be possible. must have drcame,
1t. Where can Mamie be all this time
wish she could have been here and
heard ii ALL
tro he conlinucd.)
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