The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1905-02-03

Ali this tho landlord told me with
a great deal of gusto | assure you 1t
left vague unrest in my mind that
perhaps the old dame of Castle Drout
had not tried to deceive Gil; that Mis-
tress Rosemary Allyn's maid had gone
by the river road; and that we were
pursuing the wrong coach.
1t was pitch-black about, though II
was yet morning. 1t was no unusual
thing for people travelling from one
shire to another. to be lost In the bog.
Such an occurrence would not pleas
ure us, for we might wander about
for days until discovered. Our only
safety. therefore (for it was next to
impossible between the darkness and
the slough to keep our way), was In
giving the horses their heads, trust
ing to their instinct. Now they swan,
now their feet touched bottom, and
so on, we went but with slow progress.
We entered space where the for
est abounded upon both sides Of us
and the top branches of the trees meet
over our heads while the low ones
swept the ground in places. 1t was
narrow path way and secretive enough
for lovers trysts. Beautiful too no
doubt on summers day, but riding
through it in the dark was quite an
other thing.
My hat was swept off by one OF the
spreading branches, and might have
been left hanging there second Alb
solom, had | not quickly ducked my
head
We could not even look to the prim-
ing of our pistols, damp no doubt, in
their hostlers. The powder, however,
was safe, for the TASKS were in the
saddle bags hanging at the sides of
the horses.
What a place for gentlemen who
take to the road, and have neither re.
spect for time or persons! Fortu-
nately they like TASTY weather no
better than the rest of us, and on such
a day unless in deucedly tight box
were mostly likely to be found snug
and warm, drinking and carousing,
fighting and gambling. in some haunt
of their own.
CHS head careened first to one side
and then to the other. He gave
sigh of relief. l looked up to ask
why. He pointed ahead. | saw moth
ing, but as we had come out into the
open, | supposed that that was the
reason. We had travelled at least a
quarter of an hour ere l read that sigh
rightly. 1t meant that the flesh pots
of Egypt we're near to hand.
In front of us there glimmered
light. 1t was like a lone star half
way down the horizon. AS we drew
nearer it proved to be candle burn
ing clumsy lanthorn, set at the
end OF long pole curving over the
road.
"Ah. It's the White Swami" eX-
claimed Gil Il had not thought it was
so near"
Another sigh escaped him.
The White Swan it proved to be,
and the heavens tightening trifle,
showed us many things. One was JOCK
Swan, the landlord, coming as quick
" as his fourteen stone would permit
him to welcome us. Another was the
magenta colored coach standing In the
court yard, and the rain restoring it
to its former pristine freshness.
Here is the coach" said, pointing
TO il. as we entered the inn yard, and
jumped off our horses. And as they
say in hunt the slipper we are getting
hotter Shall we ever reach that
stage in the game known as the
burning up one, wonder?"
With a laugh l was about to push
open the inn door and enter, when
words uttered by mine host stopped
me.
Ills not the Old comfort, sir" he
was saying, "your father was used TO
that you'll find, with the house filed
with those damnable hordes OF JEFF
frey's."
"Jeffrey's!" | exclaimed, my mind
harping to one tune only. Did JET
frey's men come in that?"
I pointed to the coach.
ITO be continued.)