Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-13

become of the chieftain as the men
who had tried so Intellectually to kid
nap him. From the appearance of the
trampled grass many men had taken
q hand in releasing the prisoner, and
this impression did not clarity matters
for Griswold.
Where does this path lead?' asked
Barbara.
This is Ardsley land here, this side
of the church, and that trail leads on,
If | remember, to the main Ardsley
highway, with which various other
roads are connected-many miles in
all. It's inconceivable that the deliv-
erers of this outlaw should have taken
him into the estate, where a sort of
police system Is maintained by the
| forestry corps l don't at all make it
out"
He went on to explore the heavy
woods on each side Of the trail that
/ led into Ardsley, but without result.
When he came gloomily back he found
that is his absence Barbara had fol
lowed the bridle-path for a consider
able distance, and she held out to him
a diminutive pocket handkerchief
which had evidently been snatched
away from its owner-so Barbara ex-
plained-by a low-hanging branch of
an oak, and flung into blackberry
bush, where she had found it. 1t was
a ,trifle, indeed, the slightest bit of
linen. which they held between them
| by its four corners and gravely in
| spected.
feminine, beyond doubt" pro.
nounced Griswold sagely.
'It's a good handkerchief and here
are two initials worked in the corner
that may tell us something's. d.
| 1t probably belongs to some guest at
Ardsley. And there's a faint sugges-
ton Of orris-it's city handkerchief"
said Barbara with finality, but 1t has
suffered trifle in the laundry, as this
! edge is the least bit out of drawing
from careless ironing"
and I should say from a certain
crispness it still retains, that it hasn't
been in the forest long. 1t hasn't been
rained on, at any rate" added Girls
void
But even the handkerchief doesn't
tell us anything said Barbara,
spreading it out, except that some
woman visitor has riden here within
a few days and played drop the hand
kerchief with herself or somebody
else to us unknown"
"She may have been scarlet fever
patient from Ardsley; you'd better
have a careL" And Griswold's tone
was bitter.
"I'm not afraid; and as have never
been so near Ardsley before, I should
Hike to ride in and steal a glimpse.
There's little danger of meeting the
lord of the manor l suppose, or any of
his guests at this hour, and we need
not go near the house"
He saw that she was really curious,
and 1t was not in his heart to refuse
her, SO they followed the bridle-path
through the cool forest, and came in
due course to the clearing where
jerry had first confessed herself lost,
and thereafter had suffered the cap
tured outlaw to point her the way
home
THE timber has been cut here
since my last visit. but remember the
bridle-paths very well. They all reach
the highroad of the estate ultimately.
We may safely take this one, which
has been the most used and which
climbs hill that gives a fine out
look
The path he chose had really been
beaten into better condition than
either of the others, and they rode
side by side now. A deer feeding on
the grassy slope raised it's head and
stared at them, and fox scampered
wildly before them. 1t seemed that
xyn,a Oh, -, Ill L,
these two, who but few days before
had never seen each other, and it was
a relief to him to find that she threw
off her troubles and became more anil
mated and cheerful than he had yet
seen her His comments on her mount,
which was sorry enough, were anus
ing; and she paused now and then to
peer into the tops of the tallest trees
under the pretense that Appleweight
had probably reverted to the primer
dial and might be found at any minute
in one Of the branches above them
Her dark green habit, and the soft
hat to match, with it's little feather
thrust into the side, spoke for real
usage; and the gauntleted hand that
swung lightly by her side inadvertent-
ly brushed his own once-and he
knew that this must not happen
again! When their eyes met it was
with frank confidence on her part and
it seemed to him that they were very
old friends, and that they had been
riding through this forest, or one
identical with it. since the world be-
gan 1t is thus that man with any
imagination feels first about woman
who begins to interest hinl-that
there was never any beginning to
their acquaintance that can be reckon
ed as time and experience are measur-
ed, and that he has known her for
countless years; and if there be po-
etic vein in him. he will indulge in.
such fancies as that he has seen her
as priestess of Aphrodite in the
long ago, dreaming upon the temple
steps; or that he has watched her
skipping pebbles upon the wallet stor-
led sea against hazy background of
cities long crumbled into dust Such
fancies as these are a part of loves
gentle madness. and luckier than she
knows is the. girl who awakens in
lover this eager idealiZation IF he can