The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-05-12

don't pay. you may instruct your ex-
cellent grandson to crack me over the
head. He looks as though he'd do it
for good deal less money, I'll say
that for him."
He is honest-as honest as his
grandmother" cried the old woman.
She bestowed d toOthless grin upon
him. Nov, what is it you want to
do?''
But Mr.. Hobbs, his hair on end. had
dropped the rein of Kings horse and
| was putting boot to his own beast
Whlrllng frantically into the path that
led away from the hated, damned spot.
Down the road he crashed, pursued by
witches whose persistence put to shame
the efforts of those famed ladies of
Tam o Shanter in the long ago If he
had looked over his shoulder he might
have discovered that he was followed
by rldeiesS horse. nothing more
But riderless horse is a grewsome
thing sometimes
Il want to go through that kitchen.
Just to satisfy myself Of one or two
things King was looking hard at
the crack i'll the kitchen door. Sud-
denly he started as if shot.
. The staring, burning eye was again
looking straight at him from the jag
, ged crack in the door!
IN get you this timer he shouted,
, crossing the room in two eager leaps.
, The door in his violent clutch swung
, open with bang.
!, The owner of that hooking, phan-
| tom eye was gone!
: ! Like a frantic dog, Truxton dashed
: about the little kitchen. looking in
every corner. every crack. for signs Of
! the thing he chased The old woman
. outer room, grinning at him with gen.
e uine malevolence.
, ! "Ha. hap she croaked. "You fool.
e You fool! Search! Smell him out! All
Y the good it will do you. Ha, ha!'
V BY CAD. will get at the bottom of
: thisr' shouted Truxton, stubborn rage
possessing him. There's some one
e here. and l know it. I'm not such a
t fool as to believe Say! What's that?
t. The ceiling! By the eternal. that scrap
: ing noise explains it! There's where
l. the secret trapdoor is-in the ceiling!
d Within arms reach, at that! Watch
@ me, old woman
?. The bag was standing in the kitchen
e door now. still grinning evilly. She
l. watched the eager young man pound
upon the low ceiling with a three leg
e ged stool that he had seized from the
t. floor.
d He was pounding vigorously on the
$ roughly boarded ceiling when the
1t sharp voice of the old woman. raised
t. in command. caused him to lower the
r. stool and turn upon her with cleaning
n triumphant eyes. The look he saw il
her face was sufficient to check his en-
it terprise for the moment He dropped
10 the stool and started toward her. hi
It arms extended to catch her swayin:
e form. The look Of the dying was il
t, her eyes. She seemed to be crumplin,
It before him.
He reached her in time. his stron,
# arms grasping the frail. bent figure a
II it sank to the floor. AS he lifted he
D. bodily from her feet. intent upon car
IS rying her to the open air. her bon
II fingers sank into his arm with the gri
~ of death, and-could he believe hi
r. ears!-a low. hooking laugh came fror
le her lips.
re Down where the pebbly house var
g merged into the messy banks Nj
lg Hobbs sat tight. still staring wit
IS gloomy eyes at the dark little hut u
the glen. A quarter of an hour ha
SIS passed since King disappeared throug
Y. the doorway. Mr.. Hobbs was gettin
be | nervous.
d, The shiftless. lanky goose herd cam
to forth in time and lazily drove his sea
n tered flock off into the lower glen
Presently Hobbs caught sight Of
Of thin stream Of smoke rather blac
e, than blue, arising from the little chin
OF of ho