Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1906-11-30


poor old father, who is so III Let me
go-to the cliff-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 do?"
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 ne see US coming by the path
which brought you here?"
"Oh, yes; above this glen 1t Is open
moor right up to the cottage"
"Is there a 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 era
den. "You must walk on very, very
slowly. Take all the time you can. At
the cliff top make several starts as II
you would jump, but feared. Mind that
you do not go too near the edge And
80 in ten minutes come home. We will
meet you, and all will be well-at least
for your father" he added grimly.
II 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 thicket-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 ir-wood, vaulted 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 a forlorn
hope we led.
And DIR. Weston was alive.
| He sat amongst his pillows, a 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 upon
him. Leaving me to guard and quiet
him-for, indeed, the shock might prove
most dangerous-Graden dashed out on
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 leaning
on his arm, painting from great exertion.
"Think of it, Robert" cried my cousin.
''He chased her-the villain followed and
chased herr
How is my fa:her?" she faltered.
SIS he-as this gentleman says-quite
unharmedY'
"Quite safe assure YOU" l answered
Il must go to him."
some moment, Miss Weston" said my
cousin. 1--WE have yet duty to the
public safety Which way did this man
runY
She told her story quickly. After she
had left us and gained the cliff turf above
the glen, she glanced back. To her sur
prise. she caught a glimpse of him stand
ing amongst the trees on the opposite
slope Her delay had aroused his sus
picions, and he had followed her She
walked slowly forward and. as we had
directed, moved uneasiy about on the
verge of the precipice. Presently she
| a II, oil bor oh II a hof
now crossed the glen and was standing
in the open watching her. The dis
lance between them was about two hun
dred yards. She knew that we mus
have nearly reached the cottage, ant
that if he had not already attacked hel
father. there was no further danger. St
she started to run along the coast. HI
shouted and drew his revolver; but either
he thought the distance too great, or hi
feared the noise o. the report. for he die
not fire. But her action evidently puz
zled him. seeing that it left her fathe
completely at his mercy. He did no
pursue her far, but instead turned ant
gazed intently at the cottage. On he
part, she also stopped running to watcl
him. From where they stood the garden
was fully exposed and at that momen
our forms appeared az we vaulted tn
low wall. At which sight, Miss Weston
said, he gave a most horrible scream
shaking his fist towards us and filling tn
air with imprecations. Then, withou
further noticing her. he set off toward
the town. For herself, she came bacl
as fast as she could run. meeting Grader
before the door. She added some usefu
particulars as to his alias and his resi-
dence at the inn.
Ito be continued.)
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