The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-29

both arms around her. and held her pro-
tectingly, telider1y.
T,You are safo:.' he whispered; cry to
blot from memory the terrors Of this
day. Think OF the future
THE future She trembled vio-
'ently in his arms. Suppose they find
.me?''S
"a. will shoot tho first man who lays
his hand upon you" was the low. stern
He found fallen tree, and with his
arms stu around her. sat down.
Tell me the history OF this terrible
adventure" ha gently asked. What
drove you to take refuge in the noun
tain?" t
Leaning against his heart. she told her
tale, pathetic enough to awaken the IN
dignation OF a far less ch1Valrous man
than Gerald Huntly,
f"Afy. name,". she said, us. Celeste RI
v.ere. My father was q Creole gentle-
man, and he owned n large sugar plan
tation on tho Rcd River. fly miles
above New Orleans. He died when
was very small. and inherited his
whole estnte--heing an only child. My
mother married again" she sighed plain
lively. and then went on; my step
father became my guardian. and when !
grow to womanhood I found that he had
tShoSt y 3
through a money-broker In New Orleans
who wished to marry me. 1t was ar
ranged between them that was to be
persuaded or II need BIO forced Into a
marriage before next year. whom VIII
be twenty-one The plan was kept from
me, and was begliled into taking this
trip to the Virginia mountains alone With
my step-father, by the promise OF
| travel through Canada In the early
autumn, the prospect OF which delighted
me. The name OF sgnor Aphonse Mo-
relli (the broker). was not mentioned IN
| connection with the trip. This morn
ing. however, at the railway Junction
below here he Joined us. and to my
CONSERVATION found that tickets were
to be bought to Washington City Instead
of a mountain resort, and the nefarious
| Man of having me- married by special u
cepse In the District OF Columbia was
urfolded to mo. My Canada trip was to
be bridal tour!
,sMy mother must have suspected some
evil design, for she gave mo g liberal
sum Of money. which have In this
satchel, md she made me promise 20 re-
turn to her at Nil risks, II anything dis
t,esslng occurred,
1.-THE train rested an hour at the juno
tion., and whom the two conspirators
went out to smoke and buy tho tickets,
|
| to direct me to the nearest mountain
trail-buying ,, her secrecy as well-ana
under the cover OF the trees Mt the back
of tho depot I fed to the hills ! had
Travelled upward but a short distance
when came to tho grotto-a sleeping
place evidently built by mountain Wooo-
| cutters-nnd hid In, 1t, intending to re-
| turn to tho junction for tho southern
evening express, and hoping to reach
NV mother before tho mons search for
mo was ended. You know the rest"
] Gerald rose with an lron-like CLEAN
| In HIS blue eyes,
V''"You shall, DO saved" was his only re-
mark; r'ei'l'1
Flo uutckly mounted. leaving his rihe
| In The thick underground, pistols ne
knew, being the necessary weapons az
mrht when encounters are always set
tied at close quarters
nsten on my foot" he gently COM
nunded. throwing 1t from tho Stirrup.
The next instant--wih the grace and
sprns OF an nnteope--the Glrl was seat
Cd hcfors him. Tho helofr, who seemed
horn FOR adventure Ia foreign places, bore
| the additional weight nnfitnchlngly, az a
gentleman should IN an emergency-arcn-
ing his superb neck and stepping torth
and down over the brushy trail.
] Night in late summer comes quickly IN
tho mountains, and darkness soon envel-
! oped them-but the Joy OF celestial mid
| day illuminat ted the young mans heart,
"a the girls full, deep bosom throhhed
against It, and her perfect form nestled
i to the embrace Of his arm.
2 1--WE are near the bottom Of ths foot-