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

smiled greedily. hunted furtively. and
finding the tid-blts, turned and salloped
OF amicably
"yVhy should i kill you, little brother?"
unused the young man, following It's pref
ty, slnuous motions; you are one OF the
kings of solitude The mountain Is your
throne"
Presently a lark few down to a bios
somlng vine beside the waterfall and
sang to its murmur!ng accompaniment
brilliant, impromptu. No cantatrice IN
musical Germany ever gave tho cultured
student such JOY as this little mountain
warbler, whose improvisation SCARED In
dependently above all formula of music
built upon science!
He scattered some bread crumbs around
him. The song ceased. A tiny head
cooked sideways. a pair OF, brown wings
songstcr to feast with man once, II never
again.
At this moment the sound OF human
voices broke discordanty upon his ears,
and on tho other side Of the boulder that
concealed him, tho tramp OF horses and
words from masculine tongues came dis
tinctly through the thin air to him.
IF she perishes In this wilderness 1t
will be through her own stubborn reck.
lessncss," said one In voice OF high
evaporation.
"Say rather through aversion to me-"
repeated another In a throaty Southern
drawl cad 1t takes the starch out OF
| hldeous wilds-the lair OF Wild beasts-in
| order to escape from hin!"
They passed on, and Gerald rose from
| his seat and quickly resaddled HE horse.
| The chvalry Of his nature sprang to the
front and called for action.
Some tender woman is lost in the
mountain" he murmured. his eyes glis-
| ~. kxv,r nA h0a
| run the risk of her life. One OF them
is evidently an abhorred lover, the other
perhaps an interested guardian. No faith
| er would speak thus OF his daughter"
Mounting, he pursued his way with new
interest The trail was now downward
and more circultous, carrying him into
!, many dark byways-often through 1nn.
giles. With rifles on half cock. casting
keen. fearless eyes into every recess
around each boulder the engineer search.
ed the mountain. feeling his spirits RS
! Ing to exhilarat!on as at each step he
penetrated into fresh places OF peril 8
No other human voice, however, assa1l'
ed his ears, nor could he discover the
i least sign OF footprints IN the damp SOD
F, Of the shelving trail to show that man OF
! woman had been before him. AS the at
] ternoon sun weakened, and the gloom Of
! evening. darkened tho sombre.. dense
| mountain defIle, he hurried to yedei
the base Of the eastern foothills before
nightfall
| "God help the poor creature II night
! oyertakes her in this perllous REGION" ht
exclaimed despuringly.
Coming suddenly out OF q labyrinth Of
| juniper and spreading FIR he found the
/ way obstructed by an immense grottt
| formed Of boulders. with nm opening large
enough to admit q human. but now tll!el
by n heavy rock that had fallen directly
III front OF II from above. leaving, how
eyer. narrow apertures Mt the top ane
sides for light and air.
mot bad place for sleeping. II one
could got In" solIloquzed the wear,
horseman as he dismounted to I'LL hi
camping cup from y rlll OF water tha
ran In front of the grotto, loosenng hi
horses bride retps as vol, for drinking
"You will get In; Heaven has sent W,
ia rescue me- answered n voice from
amidst tho rocks, as sweet and low AZ {
summer zephyr
! The horse sprang back upon Its haunch
ed at the strange human sound!
above It's lowered head. The euI
fell from tho young mans hand. II
an instant his face was pressed agalns
one of the assures, hut he could see onl.
the outlines of n female form.
'lIow did you get in this paca;' b