The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-11-14

the slightest excuse. These men could
not help knowing that she was rich,
and it was reasonable for them to sus-
pect that she carried money and jewels
with her. In her minds eye she could
picture these traitors rihing her bags
and boxes in some dark pass, and then
there were other horrors that almost
netrifed her when she allowed herself
to think Of them.
Here and there the travellers passed
by rude cots where dwelt woodmen and
mountaineers. and at long intervals a
solitary but picturesque horseman stood
aside and gave them the road. AS the
coach penetrated deeper into the gorge
signs of human life and ACTIVITY be-.
came fewer. The sun could not send
his light into this shadowy tomb OF
granite. The rattle Of the wheels and
the clatter Of the horses hoofs sounded
like a constant crash Of thunder in the
ears Of the tender traveller, dainty
morsel among hawks and wolves.
There was an unmistakable tremor
in her voice when she at last found
heart to ask the officer where they were
to spend the night. It was far past
noon, and Aunt Fanny had suggested
opening the lunch baskets. One Of the
guides was called back, the leader be-
ing as much in the dark as his charge.
"There is no village within twenty
miles," he said, "and we must sleep IN
the pass"
Beyerly's voice faltered "Out here
in all this awful Then she caught
herself quickly. 1t came to her sudden
ly that she must not let these men see
that she was. apprehensive. Her voice
was trife shrill and her eyes glisten-
ed with a strange new light as she
went on, changing her tack completely:
How romantic! I've often wanted to
do something like this
The officer looked bewildered and
said nothing. Aunt Fanny was speech
less. Later on, when the lieutenant had
| gone ahead to confer with the guides
about the suspicious actions Of small
troop Of horsemen they had seen, Bev-
erly confded to the old negress that she
was frightened almost out Of her boots,
but that she'd die before the men
should see sign of cowardice in q
Calhoun Aunt Fanny was not so
proud and imperious. 1t was with diff
ficulty that her high strung young mis-
tress suppressed the walls that had
long been under restraint In Aunt Fan
ny's huge and turbulent bosom.
'Good Lawd, Miss Bev'ly, dey'll chop
us all to pieces an take ouah jewfry
an money an clo'es an ev'ything else
we done got about us. Good Lawd,
les tu'n back, Miss Bev'ly. We aim
got no mo- show out heah in desc
| mountains den a.
ssBe still, Aunt Fannyr' commanded
Beverly, with fine show OF courage.
"You must be brave. Don't you see
We can't turn back? It's Just as dan
gerous and q heap sight more so. Il
we let on we're not one BIT afraid
they'll respect Us, don't YOU see, and
men. never. harm women whom rhey
respect
"Umph!" grunted Aunt Fanny, with
exaggerated irony.
"WelI, they never dow maintained
Beverly, who was not at all sure about
It. and they look like real nice men
honest men. even though they have
such awful whiskers.'
"Dey's de wust trash All eveh did
see," exploded Aunt Fanny.
"Sb! Don't let them hear you" whis-
pered Beverly.
In spite of her terror and perplexity
she. was compelled to smile. 1t was
all so like the farce comedies one sees
at the theater.
AS the officer rode up his face was
pale in the shadowy light Of the after
noon, and he was plainly very nerv-
ous
What is the latest news from the
front?" she inquired cheerfully.
.The men refuse to ride on be ex-
claimed, speaking rapidly, making 1t
still harder for her to understand. "Our
advance guard has met party Of hunt
ers from Axphain. They insist that you
the fine lady in the coach'-are the
Princess Yetive, returning from a Sc
cret visit to st. Petersburg, where you
went to plead for assistance from the
czar."
Beverly Calhoun gasped in astonisn-
ment. 1t was too incredible TO believe.
1t was actually ludicrous. She laugh
ed heartily. Glow perfectly absurd"
'I am well aware that you are not
the Princess Yetive," he continued en-
phatically, "but what can I do? The
men won't believe me. They swear
they have been tricked and are panic
stricken over the situation. The hunt
ers tell them that the Axphain author
tiles, fully aware Of the hurried fight
Of the princess through these wilds,
are preparing to intercept her. A large
detachment Of soldiers is already
a,.o.c +bo Croue+o,Iy frootiar IT is