Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-03

examine some trees to be cut later
what's crowd coming up here for?"
Say, faint Fourth Of July. is ft?"
Why, no: today's only the second"
Suddenly woman darted out of the
bushes and made straight at Tom.
WHY, Iona
Quick, Tom Rum she painted
RUM
They're after you--you and Jim, They've
got ropes. They'll hang you both. Come
quickr
But we haven't done anything. why
should we rum"
That don't make any difference. Quick,
They won't listen to anything. Hear that?
Oh, GOMEZ
something
If you don't youth be hung in two min
utes. Oh, Tom
A hdeous yell arose below them. They
had caught sight of the boys through a
rhododendron and had broken into mad
rush like pack of hounds at the sight OF
their victim.
Quick, Tom she gasped. For my
He looked into her eyes an instant and
turned with her. Jim sti1l wavered,
but fresh yell from behind sent
him after Tom and Iona. But the
wild panic of the animal that turns
its back canre over them-that mad unde-
Unable fear that grips the heart as with
iron and sends the fugitive on and on till
he drops in his tracks. They ran for their
UP from behind.
The mob had again caught sight of them
and 1t was straining every nerve In mad
pursuit the younger and more active in the
lead. They crashed through the rhododen-
dron snarl like stampede of cattle, trip
ping and pitching headlong bruising them
selves on the rocks and tearing clothes
and hands and faces In their pursuit. The
fug1tives had cleared the bush line and
were in plain sight now among the rocks
ting his duty to restrain the mob, in the
excitement Of the chase drew his revolver
and fred.
"Halt!' he cried stop in the name of
the law" but they fieeted on
Take EN- dead or alive!" he roared,
emptying his revolver in mad fusillade.
There were three figures, as there should
have been, but one, as he stood for an
seemed to look queer. 1t was as II he were
woman, but they were too excited to
speculate. 1t was Allen Fathing and his
boys No one dreamed Of anything else
At the top they caught sight again OF the
trio almost down to the tree line.
Suddenly. just as the three came to the
turning point, where. to reach the Gap
they must turn sharply to the right the
pursuers saw them come to a full halt. It
was as If they were weighing the chances
between the Gap and the road to the pike.
For a single instant they lowered in inde-
cesion, then they turned sharply to the
right.
Could the mob have known it, that pause
and that sudden decision marked the crisis
In the life of Iona Heller, and the turn
Ing point in the valleys history.
We've got EN- yelled the sheriff.
Here, six or eight of you cut across to
the pike and head EN- off. They can't get
through the run before we can catch EN-. /"
They were indeed gaining on their prey
scrub oaks at the border of Poppy Mlllers
farm they caught what seemed like
glmpses of a single fleeing figure almost
in the entrance Of the run They redubled
their yeals and flew down the rocks
The fugitives had disappeared.
They ran quickly to the mouth of the
run; no one had gone through. They
spread out In a large circle and surround
ed the whole area of Poppy MiIler's farm.
1t was evident that the three had hidden
somewhere among the brush and rocks.
They slowly closed fn searching every inch
OF the place. In ten minutes they met in
the center.
They had found no trace of the Earth
fngs.
They looked into each others faces in
wordless amazement. The detachment
that had been sent down the pike came up.
No one had escaped that way. They were
still IN the valley; escape was impossible.
Poppy Millers house." shouted voice.
''Ah. Poppy MiIler's.". The thing was
plain now.
Come on ordered the leader In a
twinkling they had surrounded the little
cabin. The sheriff strobe to the door and
shook it vigorously. 1t was barred on
the inside.
"Here!' he roared. open in the name
of the law. Open up or we'll smash the
door, There was no movement within.
Come on. boys. Get log and stave her
down Some half dozen of the Sugar
Valley men seized an old tree trunk from
the woodpile and ran with 1t full tilt
against the barricaded entrance. Ii
crashed down Hike rotten single.
Come on, you six fellers; the rest OF you
stay out and surround the house. Watch
sharp now"
They sprang forward, but at that mo-
ment an unexpected figure appeared at
the doorway-an old woman. unspeakably
old. bowed over a staff her face shriveled
and brown as baked apple. her hair in
strange contrast almost coal black, and her
eyes small and piercing as rats.
what you want heref" she called in a
shrill falsetto II warn you; don't you
come in here"
You're hiding the Farthings. grammar.
spoke up the sheriff, q trace Of awe In his
voice. I'm the sheriff: you're resisting the
law. We must search the house"
Have you' got a search warrant?" she
asked shrilly.
why. moo The demand paused him.
Then, IL you come In here, you break
the law" The sheriff hesitated a moment
DANCED IL I know whether it's necessary
or not he muttered. Where's Squire
Hartswick? He's a. justice; he can make
one right here. Where are yeh, squre?'
The old man. who had been left hopelessly
behind in the race came putting up his
face like plum pudding A sheet Of pa
per was improvised from an old envelope.
and the squire proceeded to execute the
warrant In due form.
'.Here-look a-here wuinst, you-rins, take
my advice" chartered Lem Fisher. You
get out of here jest as quick's you can.
The devils in this business. See her? See
therei My God men, she's weavin'
branch over us already God Almighty,
look at that wunst. I'm goin home. Come
on, Tile. i amt called on to fight the
devil" He turned square about and crept
away down the pike Ulie and several
others followed him. The old woman. still
standing in the door. was swinging slowly
from side to stde her eyes fixed on the far
distance. and muttering incoherently under
her breath.
"AlI ready. come on. fellers." The sher-
III and the young men from Sugar Valley
advanced hesitatingly toward the house.
1t was plain that they did not relish their
job but noblesse oblige. Were they not
the sheriff and his sworn deputies? The
eyes OF the county were upon them.
We've got the warrant, gran-maw," he
said In velvet tones. She turned squarely
about and hobbled out of sight.
Come on, squire, want you to go In