The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-12-28

Ben squeezed her hand once and
released It. There was silence q mo.
mont. then the girl said:
III think ye're wrong. Ben.
"daybe so. Polly. maybe 30. Wen
soon ind out. Goodbye"
Ben strode away and left the cir!
TO resurn slowly toward the houee.
veadering what manner Of trap the
boys had set. though stoutly resist
ing tho fear 1t might capture Cor
don.
The evening waned, Gordons
s.eries grew uninterestins. Blake
nodded by the hearth corner and
Polly waited for tae opportunity to
give the prospector one more warn
ing. So when Gordon arose to go to
his room. low shed room at one emo
of the veranda. Polly stole to the
doorway and slipped into the dark
ness outside.
* vants to tell ye agin to be seer-
erl,'' she whispered. as Gordon
paueed near her. "Ye've raised sus-
picions, an'-but can't tell ye any
Roro. Only be powerful keerful.
Gordon laughed softly. "Oh. III
be careful. little Polly" be said;
never fear about that"
He attempted to take her hand.
but the girl lodged back into the
main room and was gone.
Tho next morning Gordon failed
70 respond when called to an early
breakfast.
"'Pears to me the prospectors
sloepin' mighty sound this nornin'.
said Blake. as he returned to the
waiting family in the main room.
Polly's heart took fright at once.
A hundred things might have hap
pened to Gordon during the night
tho methods Of the moonshiners
were inscrutable.
pap. l reckon ye'd better go In
an wake him." she suggested. for
the meat on the tables . gettin'
cold"
with candle In hand Blake went
back to Gordon's door. opened 1t and
peered inside.
why. by the livin'!". he exclaim-
cd, this bed amt been teched.
At this moment, Polly's knees
suaked, and her fingers cltnched to-
Ee,her impulsively. And at this
moment. too. she hated ell her race.
ell her kind among the mountains
her brothers aud their co-partners.
Nom Martin and all the rest. She
turned her eyes toward the raffers
and allowed q thought Of revenge TO
take shape in her brain.
well he's not here said Blake,
returning; so rhar's no use to walt
for him. Let's eat
Polly minced her breakfast. bur
rsedly milked the one-horned COW.
cleaned the kitchen things. then stole
out over the mountain toward the
Horseshoe Cove Oh Soco. She knew
we'll the spot where the still stood
and she knew the narrow detlte
through which alone the cove was
accessible. The trail wound like q
snake round over the mountain,
down Into the valley. then along up
the oreek between the cliffs. Whore
the trail esceaded. Polly climbed
seyerishly; 5whese It descended. saa
ran. In this manner tho three nalies
to the neck OF the covo were
covered and she wes speeding along
the path to where il crossed the
Davil's Sink Hole. This Was mar
row lssure whose mouth was not
over six feet wide. and whose great
est length was not over twenty feet.
yet it opened away into the earth 10
depth of forty feet A narrow
bridge. Just the width Of the trail
had spanned the opening and when
Polly reached the spot this morning
she saw that the bridge was no long
er there. She ran to the edge of the
hole and dropped to her knees. 1t
required some moments for her
sa2e 70 pierce the gloom down there.
but presently she saw the proEpector,
with disheveled hair and torn cloth
ing. seated at the bottom Of the hs-
sure.
Silence reigned throughout the
wood and the low sound of Polly's
voice when she spoke seemed to echo
a mile away. But Gordon had caught
the cali and he looked up.
..Ah. is it you. Polly?' he ex-
claimed.
Eyes; an ye didn't listen when l
warned ye last night. though ! didn't
think about this place when told
ye.!" - to-
Il am a eonceited sort Of fellow.
Polly. and thought could take care
OF myself. But I've learned lesson
this time sure
do ye know what Yves meant TOR
70 when We fell into this hole?"
why It was meant for ye to per-
ish to death down there. for nobody
ever comes this trail but them that
laid the trap for ye."
But you have come 10 help me
out, sweetheart?
Polly'e heart thrilled at this title
of endearment and once more an
impulse OF hatred for her race wellel
up In her bosom.
There's q grape vine back here
] think long enough.
She sprang away from the hole
o,d uoon returned bringing with her