The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-08-07

the good woman OF the cottage. gave a
piece of money to the little boy. and
my sword was buckled tightly, The hilt
handy, and the butts Of my pistol ca
silly with In reach.
I had no real evidence for distrust-
Ing my companions, but I did so heart
lily, n for that very reason was de-
felt certain that the girls In gray had
been packed of at sight Of them. and
| felt also that they were Of another
n q more dangerous class than the
Egyptian and her dirty rabble.
For a couple Of miles we moved slow
", for the road was vflainous under
foot. Indeed, my companion's nimble
little pony, bred up on these mountain
tracks. made better way han White
sock. who was quite At a loss among
the rolling pebbles and clumsy pieces OF
rock that Uttered the way. 49,
Then the path improved. running over
clean mountain. turf, and, turning a
spur Of the hill, we rode Into the light
OF the rising moon, now nearly at the
full, and swinging low against q dis
tant. slope. III u
h harper was trotting beside my
companion, and at intervals they ex-
changed a few words In q low tone.A
turn of the Dad brought the moon at
our back, and / was surprised to see
q shadow fall between Whitesock and
the n I glanced quickly round.
Immediately behind was marching a
b~are-headed, bare-footed fellow with a
pike over his shoulder, following with
noiseless tread, and his eyes bent on
the ground. The other two took no
| n0ttrn of him p hIYf annf3r,yn1 kN.k 30 IL
quietly.
Who is this nan following us?'
said r.
"Oh, said the bard, waving his hand,
ut ISIS nothing. A friend to me-" n
I slipped my hand down to the off
holster, dropped 1t on q pistol butt and
gently drew 1t to full cock. The ac-
ton was well oiled and worked smooth
~, and amid the rafting of the horses
feet the soft click a as T thought,
unheard.
So far as I could see I was the only
one In the party possessed OF firearms,
and to that extent I held them at ad-
vantage.
l glanced again, and gave an invol-
untary start. "A second ptkeman was
trotting at the side of the first. How
or from where the fellow came I could
not divine. If spirits of the dead had
been rising to join us, they could nel
tSS ~ ~ aAC&O " WI
with softer football.
He also had no other head covering
than a shock OF hair. and his feet were
bare. Both had that bounding move
ment which betokens surprising
strength and activity, and I scarcely
knew what to think Of h company
Into which I had so strangely fallen.
That they were honest I had a great
doubts, and I had a mind to give
Whitesock a hint to leave them, blu
that h o had now fallen very bad
again.
Marching with my beard upon m,
shoulder, as the saying goes, I saw the
third pikeman arrive. Just as we
passed a great boulder lying on the
edge Of the Dad he glided from Its
shadow and fell in at the rear. He was
as like his fellows as one bean resem-
bles another.
Not a word or sign was exchanged
among any Of them, and with the
queerness and odd danger Of it all E
cold sweat came out upon me. This
was another business altogether tt
keeping an eye for a few miles upor
the bard and the dwarf. Our patti
now lay along the lee Of a hill, which
cast a dark shadow over the rough
broken road.
Without looking round, the tall mar
gave a shrill whistle. ] half drew m,
pistol, u the signal was not ARMED
against me. At a flash, the three pike
men sprang forward, running swift,
and silently, and flew on ahead, thu
dwarf running with them. I urget
. Whttesock on. impelled to follow Their
and see what was their object, but
was compelled to rein in almost In
stantly. I should only have famed tn,
poor lass among the loose clutterec
rocks, and then things would have beer
at a worse pass Still.
Come, come" said my companion
who had sent his pom along with m,
, and drawn rein when I did; Indeed
|, you are not treating me fairly, ut all
To cock your pistol and hold 1t ready
, when we are riding together so friend.
} ly as possible. Is not showing al
trust at all. Do you think would Sc
t those boys against you when you ha,
|. q good chance to kill me this after.
; noon and did not do It? To be sure
would not. And, indeed, I am wanting
: no help against any maj In thi
world" he added, proudly. 1t4
j, To these remark I had no answer tt
make, and we rode for some time Ii
r silence. The warf had left his har,
! behind and my companion fingered /
+ as he rode, now and again humming O
!, trying owe an air, as If he had for
! gotten my existence.
The young lady and her attendant
!, ran strongly in my mind. How far hal
they got ahead? What was the mean
, ing of that little elf and the three MIN
; BILE fellows running forward like grey
hounds?
!, Continued Next Week.)
{ A man called Major Prentiss was on,
8 Of the wealthiest and h%aughtiest citi
I zens of a certain small eastern city