Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-07-13
CHAPTER XIX.
4 Trail Discovered.

my ConQACl lnoL was in no way fatfor-
ing 70 either To be sure. I had been
sincere in every thought and act. and
when, az times, rad felt and be
leved that Miss Carney loved me.
had soon argued myself into an oppo-
site way Of thinking on the ground.
as I have said before. that her feel
ings toward ne were Influenced and
maEui6ed by her present anxiety and
distress. Now. however. after consid-
eriug the matter through the long
hours OF the night until my brain
fairly reeled and / was sick AZ heart
at the thought OF my brutal behavior.
was at last able TO see things in a
right light
Miss Carney had given me every
evidence OF her regard that she
could give and sun preserve her dig
ninty and womanlincss She had
aoubtiess realized the difficulties OF
my position. and she had taken into
account that her brothers absence
served as an added reason for my
silence, and so she had met mo more
than half way and yet ! had remained
silent
she had even permitted me 90 kiss
her hand, and then. on the first occa-
sion that offered. she had given me
an opportunity to say the words that
owed 10 her IN she would preserve
her self-respect and not consider that
i bad trihed with her In n most
cruel and uumanly way And sru
1 had remained silent. fin an ero1is-
uca- belief that nay attitude was chiv-
airous and commendable when. in
fact 10 was only Quixouc and brutal
" unlnd
now, she could only think that 7
did not love her. for surely She could
not conceive that a sane man would
have acted the part 7 did on the YER
anoa unless he regarded her almost
with Indifference.
rose and paced the floor until my
head throbbed. hating myself and try
ms 70 smother my emotions until the
morning came and / could 20 70 her
and beg her forgiveness.
AS the day began 90 daw- , cold
gray light spread !tsslls, over the aslds
moving tie hoar.frost on the rrass
and bringing clearly into view many
distant objects which stood out sharp
~ IA TIC crisp autumn air.
/ glanced from my window and saw
what appeared 10 DO two people walk |
ing slowly down the hillside In the
direction OF tho Bruce cottage A
hasty scrutiny through my field
glasses confirmed nay suspicion and /
Il seemed that one figure. that OF a !
man. carried an implement like a /
spade or shovel. while tho other was |
evidently q woman OF about the Wild
,oW's size and general appearance.
j dressed rapidly. and. slipping out |
OF tho house, made my way as quick
~ az ! could TO the point where I |
had seen them passing. feeling sure
That / would have no difficulty in
following their trail through the FROST
covered grass.
II was all ! had expected. and
walked rapidly up the hill, retraclng
the path they had made. and. occa.
sionally leaving the trail where Il
led too directly through the open. and
sinking along IN the shadow OF the
hedges until I could again take il up
with safety.
About half way up the incline I
turned and looked down toward the
Bruce cottage from the chimney OF
which a black column Of smoke was
pouring and whose windows we're
brightly lighted as II something OF
Importance was going on within.
As ] looked, and I had taken the
precauuon TO bring my binoculars
with me. q man emerged from the
house and had no difficulty IN max
ing him out 70 be jerks, the stage
driver. He was followed IN a mo-
ment by Mrs. Bruce and the two
stood for some time In earnest cor
versation, after which the man strobe
rapidly down the road and the woman
feentered the house.
1t had seemed 10 me that the widow
and jerks were quarreling. for, dur
ing their talk. he had gestieulated
violently and shown every evidence Of
extreme earnestness, II not or actual
anger: but they must have come TO
some sort OF an agreement at last.
for he waved his hand pleasantly as
he left her and she returned his sal
utation by throwing him a kiss as
coyly as a schoolgirl.
The first thing the woman did after
entering the house was 10 extinguish
the lights. no longer necessary, as the
rays OF the sun began to touch the Hill
tops. and / was just lowering my glass
when / caught a heeting glimpse of
another man, darting around the cor
ner Of the building and disappearing
behind the woodpile I watched IN vain
for him to show himself again, but
ne did not, and finally. I turned and
followed the trail once more. max
ing all possible haste, lest I should
lose 1t when the frost disappeared.
The foot prints led me up on the
hill and around TO the side away
from the house and, at length, be
came lost in a grove OF hemlocks I'M
der which there was no tell-tale frost
For a time ii seemed that my eff
forts were 10 prove OF no avail. and
that I might as well return homo.
bat the more / thought OF the mat
ter the more i was convinced that
these people had been out for no
good purpose. and that it was my
duty to learn, II possible. what mis-
chief they had been contriving at