Middletown transcript., 1906-03-03

llightveranda. 1t was dark in the
library. No one could see her
there, and she sat close to the
window upon the veranda. The
tickling of the clock tortured her,
and she stopped it. The night
and the mountains never seemed
SO full of frightfully suggestive
sounds, She was trembling. Her
hands were like ice. A hundred
times she thought she heard the
| distant beat If horses hoofs, then
a blur uf confused so lnds, then,
| for an instant, silence like death;
and she clutched the chair, to
hold herself back from running
frantically down the road
i When she came into the library
she had broughther revolver with
her and laid it on a table by the
window. A stealthy step sound
ed in the shrubbery, near the
!, veranda. She reached quickly
/ for the revolver, but in the dark
ness she hit something which
made a noise. Without waiting,
she sprang through the window
and crossed the yeranda A man
came from the shrubbery. She
could not see his face, under the
broad brim of lis som brero, but
be was much larger than Zetto.
He wore q leather jacket, with
dagger and pistol belt. Under
his arm he carried a rifle. Com
ing slowly forward, he said:
Begin yer pardon, Miss Sher-
man. T'kar's nuthin' to fear; but
III just step inside with ye a
minute, eff We don't mind; relatin'
to a little business | might ex-
plain.
Clinching her fists and biting
her lips to keep from faiuting,
Mona hurried down the veranda
to the hall door, fearing that he
would insist on going with her
into the dark library She knew
his errand. He was Zetto' mes
senger. His business was to tell
her of Zetto's revenge. A New
England fire was burning under
the deep Mexican mantel in the
great reception hall, as an old
home welcome for Ned.
Mona sank helplessly on the
settle, just inside the door. The
man clanked, slowly and heavily,
to chair by d table in the center
Of the hall. He threw himself
down with the uncouth bravado
of actors in a third rate play,
dropping heavy arm across the
table. Would lie never speak !
Was there nothing for her to d.
but sit there, trem bling? At last !
he said:
Colonel Morgan is comm here.
I've broaght half dozen good
men with me to settle u little mis-
understandin' I've with him,
quick and quiet.
Mona started. The trembling
vanished. 1t was not yet too
late for her to help. She could
only think Of her revolver on the
library table. The man noticed
it. He smiled, in a grim kind of
way, and swung his rife round
toward the settle.
Set still, young lady, he re-
marked. Morgan S no fool. When
he sees the odds he'll be a lamb.
No racket you kin make or make
me make Il help him any. Only !,
hearin' yer dad was so low that
row might fix him, l thought
'twould be courteous like to warn
ye thet thar won't be no noise
unless'n you make it or require
it. See?
Mona's brain was so busy that
she hardly heard; but at that in.
slant horses hoofs sounded, can
tering slowly up the drive.
Thet's him! the man muttered.
Now you git out on the top step,
to meet him, but don't you 90 a
step further and don't you dare
to speak word, or He glanced
at his rife. It's loaded. Live
ly's the word. He was griLning
under his sombrero.
/ prefer to meet Colonel Nor
gan in here, Mona replied with
out moving.
Waal, I prefer to keep my eye
on you, the man said sharply.
They tell me you kin handleirons
Al. / amt takin' no chances.
You git lively, or you'll stop
there peaceful as you please. He
was coming toward her.
Coward! she said; but she went
out on the yeranda in front of
him, just as Ned, accompanied
by a single orderly, swung into :
n . Il