The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1903-11-05

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hundred weights of powder would oe
allowed a wide berth, so mueh was
clear. and | need fear NJ interference
for the present. | had been in the ioI1
several times before with Owain; but,
coming merely TO fetch powder ana
down again at once, l had given no
particular attention to the place.
[ must now take . more careful sur
vey of K lest some ether door should
lead into it and l be taken by surprise.
l let the trap down into its place ana
dragged upon 1t q great piece OF LEAD
stored there for bullet moulding. NO
one could lift 1t now without giving
me warning. n began to move ABOUT
the room scanning every corner eager
ly. The loft was built in the very ridge
of the roof, was about sixteen feet
wide, and ran the whole length of the
house. 1t was possible to stand up only
In the middle, the slant of TIE roof FOR
bidding such q position elsewhere.
There was a window In each END,
the western one, close to me. bright
with the evening light, the eastern one
looking far and eim. l made haste 10
raverse the long wedge-shaped place
while the light lasted. 1t was empty
of all ave the ammunition stored In
the western end-that was certain, put
the huge, mass cams of the roof
made the eastern half sc dusky that 1t
was impossible to search for trap-doors
or other openings. l returned to the
better lighted part and knelt down at
the window, which was near the floor.
Almost the first thing | saw was
Whitesock. She stood upon the hill
side two hundred yards from the house,
her head and tail up and an air of
curiosity and wonder distinct in ey-
cry turn OF her attitude.
Next 1 saw three men creeping to SUR
round her. They posted themselves in
a circle and moved gently upon her.
She remained perfectly quiet till they
We're within a dozen yards, her nose up,
shifting the air impatiently, and mar
yelling, doubtless, where l could be;
then she turned and was off like light
ming. Up the hill she went. bound upon
bound, her pursuers straining in the
rear. She ran some distance, then
paused to look back. A tiny squat fig
ure shot into sight on top Of a boulder
beside the mare and made q flying leap
ct her.
1t lighted on it's stomach, dropping
on the saddle at right angles to her
back. | saw the arms spread n the
heels stuck stitily u to gain a balance,
ard then the shock-headed dwarf har-
per, Cor | had recognized him, pivoted
himself about, dropped his short legs,
stuck his feet into the stirrup feathers,
and waved his hand to the three run
nerS.
1t would have beer more to his pur-
pose had he taken a handful of name
to hole on by. for Whitesock clapped
her head between her forelegs and shot
her heels high into the air. The har-
per, without a doubt, had q safe seat
on a mountain pony not much bigger
than a rat, but this was a notch be-
yond his powers, for away he went
whirfing through the air, and bringing
up, headfirst, on the grass.
His neck, however, was surely des-
tined to be broken by other means,
since he was up In a moment. White
sock trotted on as soon as she was rid
OF him. and passed MIN just as she
rose. He ran after her. Forty yards
further she disappeared owe a rise, the
harper vanished at her tail in full pur-
suit. and, a minute later, the three men
went after the harper.
All this, taking place to the west of
ME. in the afterglow of a clear, brilliant
Sky, was in full sight, and l watched
eagerly for the nov I could not
see into the valley beyond the rise, but
l commanded the further slope entire
y; and. before long, I saw Whitesock
GAMER up it alone, stand for a few mo-
Eaents. then strike away southwark
ard begin TO circle back toward the
house. where she knew Very we'll that
I MAS.
Minute after minute passed and there
was no sign of the harper or the three
men who had pursued from Nant-y-
Bryn. I whistled softly between my
teeth as the idea dawned upon me that
the three men never would come back.
The harper was not there alone, and
q unlucky fellows had run into an
ambush.
A slight scraping on the floor below
fetched me from the window to the trap
at a bound. Some one was trying to lift
the ladder into place.
Who is there?" 1 challenged.
We'll, it's me- said a familiar voice.
swung away the lead and flung up
the trap door.
.siani." said ], "is your mistress
safe?"
Yes, she is" said siani.
And you" I continued, how did you
come Off"
7 am all right said Slant.
Did any one try to get up through
the Window"
One" said siani, with a grin. "He
was a strange, SO I let him come up
half way n ten cut the stuff. He
tumble very had"
"siani." said /. you are a girl Of a
thousand, and l am very grateful tc
you, is there any way of getting into
this lott except by the trapdoor here? r
None at ALL" said Siani. II go now
to Miss Enid. Here are the boots.''
Continued Next Week.)
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