The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1900-12-14

locked after him. with mingled nEoh1
and humiliation in her heart.
lie had not always been like tnlA
Bueboll could remember her cary
years OF childhood in far-oif scoF
land. when swcet-inced' BROW,
haired woman ruled the house, ana
Adam Leslie had been as dineren'
from what he was now as day Is IRON
night.
Then the sweet mother had died'
and Leslie had been turned out OF Wv
inheritance he had thought would "
his. by a cousin. long supposed to ~
dead. turning up: and. In sullen, De
fiant mood. the man had cot OF io'
South Africa. taking his sister WIZ
him. The passion for making monel
had entered his heart. which seemoa
to have no longer any sweet hons
affection TO soften II since his wit
died: and he had become harder ana
more sullcn and more Immersed ~
money making until this fearful enc
had come.
A day or two passed. Gerald Moor
seemed to have disappeared. and Blue
bell began to breathe more freely
Perhaps. after all. he was not 30 bad
as she had thought; perhaps her evil
dent aversion TO the idea OF marrying
him had offended him. and decidod
him to act more merclful part than
he had at FIRST Intended.
Meantime. too. they had heard no
further news OF the invading Beers.
One night Bluebell had gone to hei
own room rather earlier than usual
She had had headache-an uneomr
mon nilment with her-and, saying y
her aunt that she felt sure that thert
was a thunderstorm coming, she bad'
her goodnight and went 10 bed; bul
for a long time she could not sleep.
The night was very hot--an unusual
thing at that season. when. though
the days are swolierlnsly warm. thu
nights are corrcspondingly cold-and
there was the strange stiffness In th'
air which prccedes a Thunderstorm
Bluebell lay waiting for the first sud-
den clap OF thunder. the first dazzling
blaze OF lightning. all her nerves an
strung. not by fear. but by the over
charged electricity In the air. and hei
own throbblng temples.
At last Bluebell's ears, strained u
catch any noise. detected n strang'
throbbIng sound; but II seemed TO b
very far away. II was certainly mol
the rumbllng OF thunder. Was II 1
real sound. or did It exist only in hei
fancy. in the throbblng tympanum ol
her ear? Bluebell lay stlll and lis
tened.
No. II was no fancy. She heard II
again. and this time more distinct
II was the sound OF horses hoofs-ol
many horses hoofs-Bluobell well
knew. though the noise produced wal
not that OF several Distinct sounds
but OF one galloping along the wagon
path OF the veldt.
Bluebell started up In bed. n sudden
trembling SELLING her The Bocrsl OF
course II was the Boersl She did moi
have n doubt on the subject. But n
what direction were they going. Ar
they were coming towards New Kelsol
She could hear their horses approach
ing every moment.
Almost mechanically Bluebell threw
herself out OF bed and dressed herself
quickly. then thrust her feet into hel
slippers. All the house was silent. I
was about o'clock in the morning
and every one was in bed. Should
she 20 TO wake them? Blueboll hest
tated. Perhaps the horsemen woult
pass right on; they must be golnI
towards Ladysmlth. Was Il not bet
ter that her father should sleep on II
Ignorance that the hated Beers wer'
so near. II he knew OF their prox
unity. who could tell what bad stei
his hatred OF them might induce hin
TO take?
Bluebell determined 10 remain wher'
she was and watch She stood behlnt
the muslin curtains. which alone pro
tected the unshuttered window. watch
ing. Her heart beat fast and un
evenly. and nervous little shoots o
pain ran through the palms OF he
hands.
ITO be contlnued.)