Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-12-24
esAf Observation-Disclosures =
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wn1le Win lJs voice mingled the muir
mur of the pine trees overhead, like
the sound of the surf on 2 deserted
shore.
Slowly he made his way across
feeling with his encumbered feet Tor
each standing place, for he dared not
remove his eyes from the girls pale
and defiant race. Suddenly she
seemed to realize what he was doing,
and she raised one hand convulslveiy
to her throbbing temples. Iheh
hastily she withdrew the other hand
from her pocket. Mistley saw the
CLEAN of polished metal flashing IN
the sunlight and a moment later he
was facing the muzzle OF a pistol
while behind it he still met those
lifeless blue eyes fixed on his face,
with no light of hatred in them.
The sight Of the little black oriflce'
with its rim of blue steel, drove the
smile from the young Engllshman s
Iips; but still he slowly approached
her with the dogged GOODNESS OF his
race-not blindly, but calculating
his chances as if he were gifted
with a dozen lives.
"If," she exclaimed, in her pretty,
Russianized English, you come one
step nearer to me, kill you!"
No reply came from his lips. The
stream laughed on. Overhead the
pine trees sighed, and far away in
the blue ether solitary curlew gave
forth his weird cry of warning.
Facing the mouth Of the grim lit
tie pistol, and with the same sure
footedness he continued his way.
Then suddenly the girl dropped
her arm.
For Gods sake, stop!" she hissed,
stamping her foot on the soft turf.
Still he came on toward her, with
steadfast grey eyes fixed on her face.
Then she slowly raised her arm
again, and turned the pistol toward
him. While facing it, he was calcu-
lating the chances with a deliberation
that was surprising even to himself;
and there fitted through his mind
the recollection of his own failure to
shoot disabled horse. because its
eyes met his without flinching.
The bed of the stream was now
rising at a gentle incline beneath
his feet; a few more steps, and he
would be in shallow water; yet an
other few, and that small white hand
would be within his reach.
Suddenly a streak of white flame
almost blinded him, and ringing
report well-nigh burst his brain.
The little puff of gray smoke rose
slowly on the breeze, and Marie Ba-
kovitch saw Mistley standing in the
shallow water.
The sulphurous smoke had half
choked him, and some grains of un-
burned powder had flown into his
face, causing a momeEtary sting;
otherwise he was unhurt. The pis-
tol threw high, having been made to
sell, and not to shoot with.
He gave her 10 time to attempt a
second shot. In an instant he was
on the bank, having sent his rod
quivering on to the turf beside him.
He grasped her wrist, but not too
fiercely, for even then he remem-
bered his manners, and the wrist was
very small and shapely
She made no attempt to resist, and
relinquished her hold on the weapon
as he firmly took it. Suddenly he
felt the life go from her hand, and
was In time to catch her as she fell
unconscious and helpless, forward
into his arms. 1t took him a moment
to realize what had happened; then
he laid her gently on the bank, and
turned to get some water, which ele'
ment he supposed to be necessary
under the circumstances.
Carefully holding his cap by the
|. rim, he suddenly tipped it over, and
cast upon the girls lifeless face a
cold shock of water, which imme.
diately trickled down her graceful
neck in a most uncomfortable man
ner, But what man, under the cir.
cumstances, could have been expect.
ed to think Of that? This vigorous
treatment met with its due reward
for Marie Bakovitch promptly opened
her eyes just in time to save herself
the in1iction of a second capful.
"Where am II" she inquired in
French-that being the tongue IN
which she prayed ard thought, hav.
Ing spoken it" before any other.
VINEYARD was nev er averse to sat.
isfying harmless curiosity; but to
answer this question was a matter
of some length, so he ignored it, and
said in the same language: Now
you are all right again, is it not so?
Come, let us sit on that great stone
| There you will get the breeze"
He slid his arm under the light
form of his would-be murderess, and
! gently supported her toward the
rock indicated. She allowed herself
to be placed thereon in dazed silence
and then slowly raised one hand to
the bosom of her dress.
II am afraid you are rather
DAMP" said VINEYARD, apologetically
but with a cheerfulness of manner
which seemed to indicate that all
had occurred for the best. Then
! being gentleman, and perhaps q
little soft-hearted, he turned away.
This gave the girl time to rearrange
the soft masses of hair which had