Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-01-21

low. Jimmie McNab, seeing his mis-
tress draw rein on the outside, put
down the milking pals he was loaded
with and went to her assistance. Har-
riet made no motion to pass through
the gate he held open, although Madgs
tugged at the bride persuasively, and
whinned c~oaxingly. Instead, abruptly
and without preface, she asked:
Where is Maltby and Mr.. Fielding,
Jimmie?"
THE last I seen of one and t'other
they was goin' through this same gate
at a pretty pace. headed for Ten
bridge"
Hog long SINGER"
Maybe an hour, maybe two Of them;
dinged If I know exactly"
Harriet glanced toward the house.
If Milly were to hear she had been
home and gone away again it might
set her to wondering" Fielding had
said he would wait for her to return
before starting for Tenbridge. He had
not done so. There would be a full
moon to return by, and he always en-
joyed the solemn grandeur of the coun-
try in the cold, calm majesty Of q
moonlit night. It was her knowledge
of his preference in this direction that
had sent her homeward in such ner-
vous haste. Her hope had been TO
reach home before he started, and
either to dissuade him from making
one of his moonlight excursions or else
tell him frankly what she had heard
about Doty Rogers.
She looked down at Jimmie McNab
without seeming to see him. Madge
rubbed her head again the old mans
shoulder as if requesting him tt inter-
cede for her.
"Will you be getting off her, Mum,
or at the yard block?"
This brought her out of her anx-
ious reverie.
Il am not going to get off at all just
yet, Jimmie. | have forgotten some
thing very important l wanted Mr..
Fielding to attend to in Tenbridge;
I'm going to try to catch him."
"And that's what you couldn't do,
Mum, if your mare went on wings,
stidder hoofs. He's got too long a
start of you"
"Then I'll find him at Tenbridge."
Jimmie stood holding the gate open
stolidly Indifferent to her movements.
She might ride through it and dis
mount or she might turn in a wild
goose chase, for all he cared. The or
ange-tints had all faded from the west
err sky, the pallor of deepening twi-
light had usurped their place. What
little interest the old hostler experience
ed conferred upon Madge. Women were
women and the best of them were LA
Bile to make fools Of themselves about
some man or other at some time or
other.
He made no manner of doubt that oil
this palaver meant that young Mrs.
Monette was inclined for a romantic
moonlight ride home with the super
intendent. He stroked Madge's droop-
ing head and looked reproachfully at
her rider.
"The beast has done some good work
already to-day"
"She must do more before / loosen
girth. Fetch her a pail of bran water.
Jimmie"
you're not to let Miss Fielding
know that you've seen me at all, Jim
mie, and you are to ask Mrs. McNab
to stay in the house with her until /
get back. We may be late. Well have
supper after I get home"
Jimmie sent a sullen "all right,
num-" after her, as she turned Madge's
| reluctant head away from the paddock
and faced the ~darkening road not fear
lessly, but resolutely.
If Rogers really meditated harming
Fielding he would not attempt it in
the rough little town where the New
| York man had contrived to form some
staunch friendships, but would wait un-
til he started home, alone on the road
that Ted directly through the Aspen
ranch. There was a rocky ledge on
| one side of the Aspen place, especially
fitted for deeds Of violence and dark
ness. Rogers knew the exact spot
where 1t would be easiest to strike a
lonely man down from his horse and
"do him" The blood in her veins
| seemed % TURF to ice water as She re-
called the sinister topography Of that
| spot. Once upon a time Mr.. Farindale
| had beguiled a drive home by describ-
ing to her and Sadie a murderous as
sault made upon the man from whom
ne had bought the Aspen ranch, just
| eff the road at that lodge.
The old man had told the incident as
lie lad received it from the assailed.
Every detail of it came back to Har-
riet as she pounded along the hard
! beaten road in the cleaning, intent up
on one thing only. that was to teach
Tenbridge before Fielding should have
started for home. OF course, it would