Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-05


their use today. Sold by F. B. Clark
and j. H. L. swenson ottumwa.
Swain Medicine Co., Inc. sole own |
ers, Kansas City. Mo-
give me, my own dear sweetheart I
am always your loyal lover. l will
serve without questioning. Good BILE,
dear heart"
Good bye" she answered, "and
God bless you'll"
For few moments he held her
hand to his lips. Then he dropped it,
turned suddenly on his heel, sprang
into the saddle and dug the spurs into
the horses sides.
The animal sprang forward, STUN
bled, regained its feet and in a few
moments both horse and rider had
disappeared from sight.
CHAPTER V.
That same afternoon the bite of the
frost vanished from the air, and a
soft ou'-westerly wind began to hur-
ry up a battalion of dark clouds from
the Businesses of the Welsh noun
tains. BY five o'clock in the evening
the wind had increased to half a
SdlC, dl1u IlC iuil uo"i
on the Stonewold hills. The cutters
in the rough, stony roads became
streams Of water, and, at the foot OF
the hill, the village brook roared
through the single street like an Al
pine torrent fed with melting snow.
Few people were abroad that night;
but William Tankerlane, who had
sought relief from the mental strain
OF his interview with Laura Vane in
long ride round his fathers estate,
was returning home down the very
road where John Shil had encounter
ed Ben Holland the day before.
AS he neared the Round Plantation
he emerged from the shelter of high
bank, and encountered the full vio-
lence of the storm. Both steed and
rider staggered as the wind struck
them and the rain dashed them like
whip The horse became nervous,
and stumbled more than once on the
wet, loose stones in the path. 1t was
so dark that Tankerlane could hardly
see his hand before his face, and
when he reached the gate Of the plan
tation and alighted to open it, he de-
cided to lead the horse through the
wood until they reached the broader
and smoother road beyond it. He re-
membered the quarry with the bro
ken rail.
He moved slowly and cautiously
along the path with one hand on the
reins. The trees afforded some shell
ter from the wind, but showers OF
water came from their branches as
he brushed against them, and he was
drenched to the skin.
Then suddenly the horse stopped
and no persuasion on the part of the
master could induce him to bulge ar
inch. Threats, soft words, blows
were all of no avail The ANNA
might have been turned into an image
of stone.
Tankerlane knew the ways O
i horses well, but in this case he coult
not tell whether the beast had stop
ped from sheer obstinacy or from
i fright or from that instince for I'm
seen danger which belongs to SO man,
of the members of the animal king
dom. He let go of the reins and triet
to light match, but the wind wa
. too strong There was a momentar.
flare and sputter, and before he couit
see anything Of his surroundings h
was again enveloped in darkness.
He stretched out both his hands
On one side he felt the wet bushes
on the other he touched nothing. H
moved away from the wood cautious
ly, step by step, holding his hands be
fore him. When he had taken tire
steps, his fingers came in contac
with a wooden rail. And then he kney
where he was.
Tankerlane was not superstition
man, but he shivered as he felt tn
damp wood beneath his touch. Slow
Ily he moved down the hill with hi
F, hand on the rail until he came to tn
end of it. Then he retraced his step
! and walked up the steep path till
came to jagged and splintered piec
OF timber. Beyond that there wa
| empty space. He stretched out hi
. hand, and moving towards the woot
. touched the cold muzzle of the hors'
The animal had stopped exactly OF
!. posite the place where Ben Hollan
l had gone down to his death
l He laughed aloud, as if at his ow
. fears. He at any rate had not sent tn
u wretched man to his doom, and ha
: no reason to shun the spot. Then, 9
: he stood there In the darkness, wit
the wind roaring over his head, b
9 remembered that he had let the. ma
die to serve his own purpose, an
that the victory he had won that ve1
9 morning had been gained by another
K crime. He caught hold of the reir
a once more, and tried to drag his hors
down the slope. But the animal sti
s refused to move.
He decided to leave it, and NAL
. the rest Of the journey on foot, at tt
same time resolving to get even wit
: the horse the next time he VIZ
: aseride Of it. He knew well enoue
that II he got into the saddle at tn;
moment, he could overcome the ar