Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-11-16

If delay, he will kill-my father-my
poor old father, who is so i'll! Let me
go-to the clif-let me go, say"
Graden slipped his arm round her
waist, and from his great height looked
down at her with those honest blue eyes
of his that made every child his friend
at once.
81 am old enough to be your father,
dear" he said. you can trust me, can't
you? Yes, yes, knew it. Now tell me
what have you to doT'
He is waiting in the porch" she an
swered him. "If he doesn't see me throw
myself over the cliffs, he will kill father"
Gould he see us coming by the path
which brought you hereF
"Oh, yes; above this glen 1t Is open
moor right up to the cottage"
SIS there way to the back of the
house"
"Yes; but there is no time"
THAT is foolish talk. Come, tell me-"
"About two hundred yards back ON the
track you followed here there is little
spring amongst the rushes. There is
path, a short cut which the boys from
the village sometimes take that leads
into the clump of frs by the garden
wall. The wall is quite low-and then
oh! then-you could get straight into
fathers room. 1t Is on the ground floor;
the room on the left as you open the
back door. You could lock the door and
defy the other man."
"Now listen to me, DEAR" said Gra-
den. "You must walk on very, very
slowly. Take all the time you can. At
the cliff top make several starts as If
you would jump, but feared. Mind that
you do not go too near the edge. And
SO in ten minutes come home. We will
meet you, and all will be well-at least
for your father" he added grimly.
81 understand" she answered simply,
and walked on.
1t was a wild rush that we made. We
found the spring, and turning to our
right, crashed into the thcket-for the
path" was a courtesy title The hang
ing scrub brushed our faces, in the open
patches the dead gorse dug its spines into
our knees. We quickened our pace in
the more open fir-wood, vauted the four
foot wall of the little garden, and, pant
ing like exhausted hounds, ran furiously
, upon the house. There was no time for
lodging and crawling. 1t was forlorn
hope we led.
And DIR. Weston was alive.
He sat amongst his pillows, great
book upon his knees, gazing over his
spectacles with the most profound amaze
, ment on his kindly old face at the two
disheveled strangers who burst in upor
i him. Leaving me to guard and quie
. | L G.. ohnnly rniOht
most dangerous dashed out OF
. his errand of vengeance. Two minutes
later | heard him call, and, breaking
off the excuses that l was inventing,
ran through the house to join him.
= Miss Weston and he were standing be
fore the porch-alone. She was leanin
:, on his arm, painting from great exertion
e "Think of it, Robert!" cried my cousin
y "He chased her-the villain followed an
y chased her"
-, "How is my fatherT she faltere(
"Is he-as this gentleman says-quit
unharmedT
:. "Quite safe, assure you," l answered
- 81 must go to him."
"One moment, Miss Weston" said m
cousin. 1--WE have yet a duty to tn
% public safety. Which way did this ma
rum"
j. She told her story quickly. After sh
had left us and gained the cliff turf aboy
the glen, she glanced back. To her SUI
prise, she caught a glimpse of him stanC
g ing amongst the trees on the opposit
=, slope. Her delay had aroused his SUI
u picions, and he had followed her. Sh
le walked slowly forward and, as we ha
l directed, moved uneasily about on tf
a a. verge of the precipice. Presently sf
j. again glanced over her shoulder. He ha
10 now crossed the glen and was standin
VI in the open watching her. The di
" tance between them was about two hui
i, dred yards. She knew that we mu
~ have nearly reached the cottage, an
n' that if he had not already attacked h,
y father, there was no further danger.
/ she started to run along the coast. H
a. shouted and drew his revolver; but eith'
'. he thought the distance too great, or
n feared the noise o. the report, for he d
not fire. But her action evidently pu
IL zled him, seeing that it left her fath
completely at his mercy. He did nj
&c pursue her far, but instead turned al
III gazed intently at the cottage. On HI
- part, Sne also stOppeu running u Wut'
We him. From where they stood the garde
i' was fully exposed, and at that momel
&c our forms appeared as we vaulted ii
nc low wall. At which sight, Miss WestC
~ ~, said, he gave a most horrible screar
~ shaking his fist towards us and filling Il
air with imprecatons. Then, witho
III further noticing her, he set off towar,
d the town. For herself, she came ba'
nc as fast as she could run, meeting Grade
" before the door. She added some usef
particulars as to his alias and his res
&c dence at the inn.
Il Il (To be continued)
Those Magazine Knockers.