The National tribune., 1901-12-05

I in the wall, and STOPPING down he applied
his eye to it, and glancing through saw
| four or five dark forms SteaithIly ap-
preaching the Schooi-huuse. Could 1t be
the Sheriff or La Boone with 4 posse
trying to capture him!
A hickory tree stood a few rods from
the door of the house. The children had
made swing of green bark to swing be-
meath it, and the ground was bare and
worn smooth where the little folks had
NrUn and swung each other.
He saw no less than three men stand
ing near the swing, and though the hum
of voices fell on the air, he could not dis
tingaiSh their words. They stood close
together and talked in a low tone.
For awhile they were silent and mo-
tionless as statues set against the dark
background. AT last one moved ot to the
right, and passed beyond his range of WIS.,
ion.
George McNair, fully impressed with a
sense of the danger that menaced him,
CROPPED about in the darkness and laid his
hand On his rife. Clutching it as his only
friend and protector, he crept back to the
hole through the wall, where he stopped
and looked again at the men.
Two of them still stood under the shad-
ow of the tree, silent and motionless. Then
third came from the left within the mar
row range of his ision, and halted within
Silently and carefully George cooked his
rife, placed the deadly muzzle close to the
small aperture and drew bead on the
heart of the intruder. His finger was
on the hair-trigger, and a single ounce of
pressure would have sent the man into
eternity; but George did not fire. Though
he believed the men had come TO capture
him, yet he did not know they had really
located him.
1t was SO dark he could not make out
their features, and to shoot even on so
strong suspicion as he entertained was
little short of murder. He removed his
finger from the trigger, and voice from
under the hickory tree called,
Come herer'
The man who had been close to the
school-house rejoined his companions, and
after a few moments consultation they
all moved away into the woods.
George uncocked his rife, and setting
it in a corner of the room, looked after
them in astOnishment. What was the
meaning of their strange conduct?
He turned TO the window and swept
the forest as far as his eyes could reach,
but saw no one.
Have they all gomez
For fully half an hour he stood trem-
bling in the center of the room, and then
sank down upon bench and heaved
sigh of relief They had gone, and he was
once more alone to think, doze and dream.
He was sitting on a hard bench with
his back braced against the wall, when
he was suddenly aroused by the sound of
footsteps approaching the door.
He sprang to his feet and seized his
rife.
There came low rap, and a familiar
voice called:
George"
''Fatherw he answered, and next mo-
ment had thrown the door open. His
father was standing before him, and in a
moment had him clasped in his strong
arms.
My son, am happy, now that l have
seen you once more.
Father, we are in danger here"
What do you fear, GEORGE"
Some men have been about the school
house. No doubt they are a part of Dhe
Sheriff's posse searching for me-"
''No, no, my son; they were only a party
of coon-hunte1s. There, you can hear their
horn" The echoes of horn winding
through the forest fell on their ears.
Then George shuddc9ed to think how
nearly he came to having the blood of an
innocent man on his hands.
You have lived q hard, rough life"
said the father, leading his son out into
the starlight that he might gaze upon his
face.
''It has been hard, father, but 1 went
through it all with a clear conscience, and
hands free from the blood of my fellow
man."
God be praisedr' CALCULATED the father
"And mother-does she mourn for me?"
"Yes. She knows now you are alive,
and is happy"