Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1902-06-24

Ringwood's bitter revenge for the
singing brand put on him. The for
mer checked Stanley when he would
have addressed Ringwood, and pres
emily father and son swung into their
saddles and galloped Down the road.
As they vanished in the faint light
Ringwood rushed for the barn, loosen
ing his pistols in his belt as he ran.
The two servants watched him scorn-
fully as he saddled his gray with in
credible swiftness
s'Marse Ringwood scared de fight run
down dis way" muttered Sam. HE
des nuttin' but trash. TO all he so good
lookin' Cord Almighty. wish all de
boys wasn't gone. Whar ehberybody.
| Lee?"
"Allee samee time off cept hunt
hills was the brief return. which
meant that some of the men had an
afternoon and the rest were after some
refractory cattle In the hills.
"Marse Ringwood gone like de deb
Bile after him. growled Sam And in
deed the gray was flying at terrible
speed.
The far. dim starlight sifted reluc-
family down, and the horses feet
reached the ground more by instinct
than sight. Ringwood bent over his
neck. jockey fashion. For scant two
miles they kept to badly marked
road, then before them yawned the
mouth OF Sewer canyon. the broken
trail merely gray pencil mark among
jagged powders and treacherous wave
washed stones. rounded by old world
floods
A second the gray hesitated and in
that second Ringwood distinctly heard
again Morris voice:
ITO ride through that trail ait speed
means almost certain DEATH" And he
exulted that the words flowed in his
soul like wine. Then he drove the
rowels in his horses TANKS. and the
gray in generous anger plunged down
the canyon way at top speed, every
heat Of his steel shod hoofs striking
fire from the rocks. Now they crossed
a bed of clay worn slimily smooth by |
the. soft tapping OF the Downstream. and |
here a goat might have fallen and TAX |
Ell no shame to himself but the gray |
had that superb and rare quality which /
carries through everything; he believed /
in himself. Presently nine-tenths OF |
the canyon were behind them, though !
the frowning walls yet hung above.
Once panther Kissed like an infuri-
ated cat in their way. but the oncom-
ing might of the two daunted her, and
she fed ANONYMOUSLY to the recesses
of the cliff sides and mouthed resent
fully after them, dragging behind her
n tail twice its natural size.
But now open woods the canyon was
tiny fire, with crude half tent hug
ging it, and in its shelter four men.
Thanks to the half mile of soft earth /
between them and the canyon, thanks
to quarrel already bred among them,
they did not hear Ringwood uatil he
was bearing down upon them, not fifty /
yards away.
Then they acted in unison -Four
rifles were cooked, challenge rang
out:
stop Or
1t might he a harmless passing stran-
ger. and they did rot care for the noise
of Il fusillade just now.
The answer came clearly on the
wind: On you. Throw up your
hands" q command they thought IN
as their hands were up and
their rifles in them They answered
with a fourfold yolley of shots. In the
next instant the gray was on them, and
in the chaos that ensued Ringwood was
only conscious that lie got in several
shots. that the butt of his pistol had
proved quite useful, that two forms
had chung to his knees and had gone
down, that the badly scattered fire was
catching the edge of the tent, and then
he and the gray went down. in their
turn together, Ringwood oddly thank
full, in spite of the fact that sparks
perhaps from the tent fire. swan be-
fore his eyes, that the nearest robber
made soft cushion. Then fire and
sparks went out blackly
When light came again, the moon
was pouring down her full splendor
Over him bent two anxious faces, while
bis own reeked Of the whisky used 70
battle his forehead and temples. A
sigh of relief hailed his open eyes.
Thank Godr' sobbed Stanley. 81
thought he was gone. And after set
ling the four Of themv'
No. only stunned" returned their
patient, rising obstinately TO his feet,