The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-19

not why. In the little pause the fire burned
low between Us. and h shadows depeened
in the burrow cavern until they ~strangled
the eye as mephltic vapors scant a man
There was 10 sound TO breach Il. save the
EurglIng murmur Of the river, and this
was subdued and intermittent ike the death
rattle In the throat OF the dying.
I've always made q SCOT OF superstition.
and yet. my deArs. a thousand questions in
this life OF ours must hang answerless TO
the crack Of doom II you deny Il standing
room. 1 knew no more than I have set down
here OF Margery's besetment: nay, I had
every reason Richard Jennifer had to be-
lieve that she was yell and well content.
lacking nothing. save, mayhap. the freedom
to marry where she chose.
And yet. out of the sitting silence, there
came a sudden cry for help; a cry voiceless
TO the outward ear, but sharp Ind pierre
ing TO that finer inward sense; a cry so real
that / would start and listen. marveing
that J~ennifer made no sign Of having
heard IT.
In the hardening instant there was a
faint twang like the drumming Of a distant
harp string. and then the. eraveike silence
was rent smartiy by the whistling hiss Of
an arrow, the shaft passing evenly between
US and scattering the handful Of fire where
II struck.
JennIfer came alive with q start, leaping
up with a maledicton between his teeth
upon or dellying.
FOO late. by GodI- he cried. -rheyvs
trapped us Ike q pair of blind r~doles!' And
with that he caught up the ancient broad
sword. only 20 swear again when he found
no room TO swing II In.
Having the handler weapon. I slipped out
before him. creeping on hands ana knees till
/ could see the leafy screen az the denis
mouth. and the shimmerine reflection OF
the stars upon the water beyond #. There
was no sight nor sound Of any enemy. and
the canoe lay safe as Jsnnifer had left IL.
To make assurance sure. I would have
scrambled to the bank above: but at the
Jennlfer hallooed softly 10 me. and
so l crept back Into the burr1w.
See here" he said. excitedly. What a
devil will you make of this7"
He had drawn the scattered embers to-
geiher. flaming them ablazs again, and had
sought and found the arrow. Il was n blunt.
head reed and no war shaft. And around
the middle of It. tightly wrapped and tied
with siiken threads. was a little scroll Of
parchment
"'Tis the Catawba's arroS.. said IennI.
fer. though how he knew I could not guess;
and then he cut the threads to free the
scroll.
Unrelled and spread at large, the parch-
ment proved to be that mar bf Captaln
stuart's that I had found and lost again
And on the margin OF il was my note 10
when the br!bed sentry waited al the door
and my sweet lady stood trembling besids
me. murmurins her Holy Marys"
Read g." said L at explains itself. Tar
Teton had laid me by the heels to wait for
the hangman. and I would ave passed the
word about the -IDdiah-Htming on to you
But my messenger was overhauled and
Yes yes" he broke in: I've spelled il
out. But this line added at tho bottom
surely. that 10 never your Grabbed fist. b
h.sseni Ills IN Mauge manu-.
He knelt to hold II closer to the hickerins
freiiEht. and We d~eciphered IL together. II
was but q line. e. he had said. with neither