The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-12-29
"Something's afre!' answered

Something's ahre;y' answered
| Vic. &c..
Either the sloopf of the stone
house-I'l soon know which,"
at must go with you," said JAG
queline.
Then put on your hat and coat,
miss. The tide serve and we can
safely leave Mr.. st. George for a lit
tie while"
Jacqueline hurried to the cave for
| her outer garments. Still st. George
had not moved. She found herself
trembling for no apparent cause. The
|! very air seemed charged with terror.
That appalling glare ID the sky struck
CONSERVATION even to Vic's fearless
heart. The two crossed the channel
and entered the evergreen thickets'
Soon the sheep tracks became so mar
now and difficult they could only pro-
coed singly. Vic led: Impelled by
inward misgivings, and by that ter,
rible light overhead, her long legs
measured off the ground with amaz-
ing swiftness.
ooh, Vic, wait a little!" pleaded
J~acqueline, but Vic was already be-
yond earshot.
Unable to keep pace with her
feet-footed companion, J~acqueline
made her way aloag the tortuous
paths as best she'could till she came
to a swamp,~Thich she felt very sure
must b~e"-Grossed. For a few yards
the 2. ound remained firm, then sud
denly she began to sink. She cried
out in fear:
''Vic-oh, Vic!" H.. ,
Vic, now far in advance, did not
| hear; but from the wood behind q
|noice shouted:
l. "Halloo!" and st. George dashed
into the swamp, caught Jacqueline
J around the waist and dragged her tc
solid ground. She looked at him in
dismay.
"You!" she said. ,"oh, this is de.
lirium again."
mot at all-at least, not of the
kind you meant" he answered. $50
you thought to- leave me sleeping?
File! I awoke in the nick of time
That light in the sky was shining into
the cave. l knew you had gone to In
yestigate, and I followed"
81 have lost Vic," said Jacqueline,
in sudden embarrassment. 1--WE set
forth together, but she outstripped
me-"
Lean upon me-" he %entreated,
with an unconscious tenderness creep
ing into his voice. "These are rough
ways for you to travel-rougher than
a Cornish. hedge" and he smiled at
the memory aroused by the words.
"Evidently there is mischief abroad
on this island am glad I overlook
YOU"
Jacqueline was glad also, but she
did not acknowledge it.
did you find Joe Raby's pistol,
which Vic p%urloined, and left you for
self-defence?" she asked.
"A weapon of that sort fell out OF
my blanket as I started up to follow
you" said st. George. SIT went off
like dynamite. Just. powers! I as
sure you I jumped a yard. And so
/ owe the fright I got to our admira-
BILE Vic?" ~
He looked so bright and merry, so
unlike a hurt and haunted man, that
| Jacqueline laughed with him. They
stood together in the wilderness, in
the wee sma' hours of the morning
| all things made visible around them
by that mysterious light, but with
the silence Of death reigning on every
side. st. George looked at the fair
woman before him, and it was in his
heart to open wide his arms and
snatch her to his breast; but some
thing seemed to crowd between them
to thrust them apart-a pale,
| ghostly shape, with yellow hair-the
mother of his child! Instantly his
face became like a stone mask.
Let US hurry after Vic" said
Jacqueline.
'YeS-lt IS time! muttrered St.
George, and they resumed their jour
ney through the woods.
Have you any knowledge of these
various paths?" he asked.
"They are made by sheep and cat
tle," she answered, land lead, every
one, to the vicinity Of the stone house
AS all roads do to rome"
Then keep close to me-you must
not lose yourself again."
AS they went on the angry crimson
in the sky began to wane-to flicker
irresolutely-to leap up and sink low,
The fire was dying. St. George
stopped his square shoulders to the
sheep lairs that pierced the dense
thickets, and often turned back to
Jacqueline's help when she stumbled
in the ravines or was caught and held
fast by the scraggy boughs that
barred the way on every hand. Silence
had fallen between them.
To be Continued.