Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-07-06
CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER VI.
In the moonlight his mocking. dark
face had a look upon II that seemed
to Bluebell's eyes as malevolent and
wicked as that Of any aend could be.
He was looking straight up at the win
dow.
There IL no necessity for undeceiv-
Ing your daughter. Mr.. Leslie" he
said: but. you see. there's absolutely
no use In resistance-ail Is known now
II you don't surrender yourself as
prisoner It will be worse for yourself.
The commando have orders to shoot
you II you resist"
shrek broke from Miss Eliza.
beth's lips behind Bluebeil; but the
girl uttered neither word nor cry as
her Mortified eyes. looking dark and
large In the midst OF her CHASTITY white
face. strained themselves to catch a
glance from her father. He gave her
none. His own face was contorted
and convulsed with some terrible emo-
ton. the veins In his forehead were
swelling to bursting. For moment
or two he could not speak. though his
lips twitched convuisIvciy.
Then suddenly his voice broke from
him. low and hoarse-a voice that
made Blucbc!l shudder.
You traitor!" he said, and his tone
was terrible to hear. so that even the
Bocr leader shrank away u little.
siancing Mt Moore doubtinsiy. II see
your game now! You urged me to
give Information. and then you your
self turned and Informed on me. You
are . Judas iscartot! And I would
have sold my child into your hands
for gold! May God Almighty forgive
me! Ny"
Tho words were I,ransi-d In his
throat. He made a Wild movement. as
II he would have ieapcd out OF the
window upon Moore: then sudden.
strange couvuis!on shook him from
head to foot. and ho fell back asains,
Blucbcli. rolled from her grasp. and.
falling to the aoor. lay there. after
ono or two eonvuisiyc motions. per.
fcctiy still.
Mias Elizabeth gave another cry.
and moving forward. bent over him.
lie lay on his side. his face still
deep. aimos; a purple. rcd In hue. his
eyes half open but glazed and unssc-
Ing. his ja~ dropped. Dlucbcli. s;riek-
en- dumb and motionicss. stood beside
him. unable TO make any attempt TO
raise him from the ground. Meantime
a rapid consultation was going on be-
tween the leader of the commando aud
Gerald Moore.
you can sc; fir- To the house and
do as you like with the old mani" said
Moore. sasascly. Il have something
else TO do. The sirl is my property
and claim her
DO as you like" replied the young
leader eoidly. He eyed Moore with
cold contempt. Notwithstanding the
use that they had made of Moore. his
was no, character which COM
mcndcd itself to the Bocr leaders. who
knew more about him than did most
Ensiishmcn. Il have nothing TO do
with any dirty private work. Ny duty
is to take Adam Leslie. dead or alive.
and I mean to confinc myself to that"
In a few minutes the word of COM
nand had been given TO the com.
mando. who proceeded 10 break down
the door, and also to forsc their way
into the house by means Of the glass
door OF a bedroom which opened onto
the s,oop. The women upstairs heard
the noise. and Miss Elizabeth uttered
terrified exclamation. while the
frightened servants hovlcd and
shrickcd In concert.
A-t a.. ...I ID, =
their right to force themselves into
any ones house like thisi" said Blue
bell. suddenly starting as II from
horrible dream. Before Miss Eliza
beth could prevent her she had moved
from the room and out TO the heal OF
the stairs.
All was dark below. only she could
sec that the outer door had been
opened. and a food Of moonlight
streamed in upon the floor. In It's
light she saw the Beers. In their sandy
colored clothes. striding through that
beam of light
Bu. she had no time TO speak. no
time even to think. Before she knew
what was about to happen she was
seized In a strong. almost vice-like
grip, something dark. close and sitting
was fastened tightly around her face.
so that she could not utter a sounu
save a low. stified moan. and she feit
herself lifted OF her feet and carried
as easily as II she was child down
stairs. She struggled violently. max
ing wild efforts to free her hands and
arms. which were bound to her side
by a cloth: but It was useless. As well
might a ny have struggled to escape
from an imprisoning web.
She could not feel the change from
the warmth of the air inside to the
chilly atmosphere without: but she
guessed that her captor had immedi-