The Newtown bee., 1904-12-23

speed, sending 1rSt message to her
 father. A search party was sent out,
 but they did not find the girl. A
 bucket had been left near the spring,
 and fCotpr ts going thither, but none,
 range to say, leaving it. Richard Cabell rode up just as the
 judge had made this discovery, and he
 pointed out the marks to Richard. All at once he laughed Out:- ''lt looks as if she were here still, " 1 and springing on huge log that lay l beside the path, he called "Cumbi
 Cumbie!" in the ringing tone by which dWellers along the river call to one an- other.
 To their amaZement and answer came as if from the bowels of the earth, and presently Cumbie, pale and | u embling, c 'ept from the hollow log | beneath Richards feet.
 1 She had gone for water, believing the T. p Tt of the ot@ CT negroes that | the Indians had departed at earliest l d2ybreak, but hardly had she reached the spring when distant sound seemed to stop the very beating of her
 heart. Looking wildly about her, she
 saw the old log and crept inside just in | time, for in a few minutes a party cam stealthily out (: the woods. She heard their voices as they stood near, duA cFcu uP'u tuc loS dS nlCudFu udu done, and was terrified lest her breath
 ing or heart beating should betray her.
 Hardly had they left when the judge came, but she had not dared appear
 until Richard called her by name. The next week the Willows received
 a gay party. Some French families
 had purchased Clinch mountain in
 North Carolina, but fortunately met Judge Wynstone in Williamsburg, who warned them of the dangers of the wild country, and begged the wo- men to pay his sisters and daughters a visit while the gentlemen went for ward to prepare for them, or to see whether settlement there were practicable.
 The neighb ii lg families were de- lighted to entertain these charming
 refugees, and Madame La Tour has been teaching Alice and her sister and Richard new dance, which was the lat' g. fashion, The dear little French madame liked the ardent Virginian
 lover, and was pleased to make a pre-
 text for throwing Richard into Alice's companionship, so that the sunny autumn days sped joyously along.
 There was to be nutting party, so the French women proposed, delight ed with the wonderful new forests of OabAA SANoUhuUo ohN 1O"1y and Alice had promised to dance the first cotillion with Richard in the evening, after the nutting frolic was over. The latter part of the day she
 had been with POwhatan Paget, one of her many admirers whom Richard had never liked.
 The two entered the parlor together | where crowd had already assembled,
 and Richard went forward eagerly to
 meet Alice. To his great surprise, she
 turned deliberately away without seeming to perceive his presence.
 Betty came forward quickly and drew Richard aside.
 "What does this mean?" he asked sternly.
 .''I don't know; but think MT Paget
 has told Alice some story. She looks very proud now but heard her sob- ping an hour ago."
 "Paget shall answer to me for this. will go at once-''
 "Oh, Richard, no. Wait until Alice has left,-w go to-morrow,-s that she need not be blamed as the cause of the quarrel. She doesn't deserve your kindness, but wait, dear Richard, wait two days" Tears were in her bright eyes.
 "I'll wait then, Betty, for your sake, two days, but no longer"
 He turned away and Betty said very low: "A good many things may happen in two daysW
 Alice and Richard thought their love affair was theirs solely, or perhaps MT Paget, as rival and foe, held one Slen- der thread. Several persons knew bet ter. Saul knew that, at the great winter feast, if his owner got a woman, he would, too. Sam had Richards s promise for Dinah. They had also the advantage of knowing everything as soon as it happened, and they were able to pull the threads unseen.
 So it chanced that as MT Paget rode alone and dreamed of Alice, a terrify- ing and unfamiliar figure broke forth from the woods in the dusk, and fore told sudden and violent death, if he re- mained in that place beyond to- morrow's sunrise. It was super stitious age and by a coincidence. all the party on the evening before had told tales of strange predictions, strangely fulfilled, of unheeded warn ingS and unfOrSeen results. He hesi- tated, he re membered, he decided and the next day he was in Norfolk and had engaged passage on a vessel going abroad. So vanishes Paget from these pages.
 The week before Christmas Richard rode up to the Willows. This time Sally and Polly met him, their eyes dancing with mischief. "Alice is alone l in the library," they whispered, and taking off their high-heeled slippers, they stole silently upstairs, Sally way ing her slipper as a signal of good l wishes, before she disappeared.
 As Richard entered, Alice sprang up to leave, but Richard stood squarely l in front of the door, which he had closed behind him. The windows were high above the ground.
 At last she spoke, "Mr Cabell, kindly let me pass"
 She looked at Richard. Perhaps it was unintentional, but it was effective.
 "Oh, Alice, dearest. tell me what is lhe matter. I know it is one of Paget's lies-but. what did hurt your feelings so?''
 The last expression was malicious md Alice's lips quivered and her eyes were overbrimmed with tears.
 In another moment she was seated beside Richard sobbing on his shoul- Ter. Before 10 minutes had passed, ho 1ol 11% Cn, l