The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-12
continued From Saturday,

said Jefferson Hope, speaking in q low
but resolute voice, k one who realizes
the greatness of the peril, but has
steeled his heart to meet 1t. 1.-THE front
and back entrances are watched, but
with caution we may get away through
the side window and across h fields.
Once on the road, we are only W
miles from the ravine where the horses
are waiting. By daybreak we should
be half way through the mountains
.'What IL we are %stopped?' asked
Terrier.
HOPE slapped the revolver butt which
p~rotruded from the front of his tunic,
"If they IRE too many for us, we
shall take two or three of them with
u.s. he said, with a sinister smile.
The lights inside the house had all
been extinguished, and from the dark
ened window Terrier peered over the
fields which had been his own, and
which he was now about to abandon
forever. He had long nerved himself
to the sacrifice. however, and the
thought of the honor and happiness or
his daughter outweighed n regret at
his ruined fortunes. All looked 30
peaceful and happy, the rustling trees
and the broad, silent stretch or grain
land. thai it was difficult to realize that
the spirit Of murder lurked through IL
all. Yet the white face n set ex-
preston OF the young hunter showed
that in his approach to the house he
had seen enough to satisfy him upon
that head.
Terrier carried the bag of gold and
notes, Jefferson Hope had the scanty
provisions and water, while Lucy had
a small bundle containing a few of her
more valued possessions. Opening the
window very slowly and carefully. they
waited until a dark cloud had some
what obscured the night, and then one
by one passed through into the little
garden. With bated breath and crouch
ing figures they stumbled across 1t ano
gained the shelter of the hedge, which
they skirted until they came to the
gap which opened into the corn field
They had just reached this point when
the young man seized his two COM
panions and dragged them down into
the shadow, where they lay silent and
trembling.
1t was as we'll that his prairie train
ing had given Jefferson Hope the ears
of a lynx. He and his friends hao
hardly crouched down before the mel
ancholy hooting of a mountain owl was
heard within a few yards of them
which was Immediately answered by
another boot at a small distance. A
the same moment a vague, shadowy
figure emerged from the gap for which
they had been making, and uttered the
plaintive cry again, on which a second
man appeared out of the ~obscurity.
Tomorrow at midnight" said the
first. who appeared to be In authority
when the whip-poor-will calls three
times"
1T is we'll" returned the other
shall tell Brother Drebber?"
pass 1t on to him, and from him te
the others. Nine to ~seven!"
"Seven to fve!" repeated the other
and the two figures fitted away in diff
ferent directions. Their concluding
words had evidently been some form OF
sign and countersign. The instant thai
their footsteps had died away In the
distance. Jefferson Hope sprung to his
feet, and helping his companions
through the gar, led the way acros:
the fields at full speed, supporting and
half carrying the girl when her
strength appeared to fail her.
Hurry on. hurry on!' he gaspeu
from time TO time. 1--WE are through
the line of sentinels. Everything do
ponds on speed. Hurry on!'
Once on the high-road they made
rapid progress. Only once did they
meet any one. and then they managed
to slip into a field, and sc avoid recog-
milton. Before reaching the town the
hunter branched away into a rugged
and narrow foot-path which led to the
mountains. Two dark, jagged peak!
doomed above them through the dark
ness. and the defile which led between
them was the Eagle ravine. in which
the horses We're awaiting them. With
unerring instinct, Jefferson Hope
picked his way among the great bowl
ders and along the bed of a dried-up
water course, until he came to the re
tired corner. screened with rocks,
where the faithful animals had been
picketed. The girl was placed upon the
mule, and old Terrier upon one of the
horses, with his money-bag, while JEFF
ferson Hope led the other along the
precipitous and dangerous paths.
1t was a bewildering route for any
one who was not accustomed to face
nature in her widest moods. On the
one side a great crag lowered up a
thousand feet or more, black, stern
and menacing, with long basaltic col
umns upon his rugged surface like the
ribs of some petrified monster. On the
other hand, a wild chaos OF powders
and debris made all advance impos-
sible. Between the two ran the irregu-
lar track. SO narrow in places that
they had TO travel in Indian file, and so
rough that only practised riders could
have traversed it at all. Yet, in spite
Of all dangers M difrcufties, the