The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-12-09

I into his eyes as he recognized
Mary's handwriting He picked it
uD. and held it for some moments
without reading it. Then he opened
il, and at the sight of its heading
he thrilled. and his eyes shone with
great happiness.
Dearest Ferman," il ran. Il
should nave preferred 10 await your
return. but Saturdag insists, and
your note is imperative. have
taken all my valuables, and Satur-
dag has taken al the arms. ex-
ccpt your pistols and rifle, which
are on the sideboard fully loaded.
The supper Is in case YOU are hun.
CRY and have time to eat 1t. Take
care of yourself. and join us as
soon as possible, am very anx-
ious.
MARY"
He read the little notice twice:
then he carefully folded It and
placed II in an inner pocket. And
his face for once clearly inlcxed
the delight its possession gave him
He proceeded at once to strap his
pistols about his waist, and prop
ped his magazine rifle against the
dining table. Then he sat down to
his meal.
He ate quickly. nor did he relax
his vigilance for moment. In ten
minutes he had satisfied his hun
ger and quenched his thirst from
the cold coffee he had not troubled
to heat up. Then. habit prompting
him, he fille3 his pipe and rose
from the table to ger a match from
the sidebOard.
But his progress was arrested
half way. He stood, his head half
turned, listening. Ordinary hearing
would have detected nothing but
the signing of the gentle breezes
But his more experienced ears had
caught the sound OF something else.
something he had been expecting
to hear, something which suggested
danger.
He thrust his pipe away. and
went at once TO the window and
drew the curtains; then, having sat.
isfied himself that though they shut
Out a view OF the room the light
of the lamp was in no way OBJ
scured from the outside, he swiftly
passed down the passage and so
out through the kitchen.
There must be no mistake. He
had heard the distant sound OF
horses hoofs upon the hard road
which led to the drift below the
house.
He rode out a little to the east
of the house and took up a posi-
tion where he had perfect view
of the buildings, while he was yet
invisible to any one In that di-
rection. His rifle was lying across
his knees and his pistol holsters
were open. He hardly knew what
he expected, except that those who
were now clearly galloping down
upon the drift from the opposite
slope must pass near his house be-
fore going elsewhere.
He heard the rush OF horses
feet as they splashed into the river
and scrambled up the hither side.
He heard them come up the rise.
The dying moonlight revealed
small army OF mounted men. three
and four abreast. riding bn to-
wards the house They came on,
but drew rein as they reached the
fringe of bush bounding the river.
bank. Here they dismounted and
moved forward on foot, and he re-
allied at once that their objective
was his house.
AMI now the scene enacted be
fore his eyes might well have fill
ed him with despair, for he was
powerless to stay it's progress.
He saw the men form themselves
into a Gordon about the house, while
others went to the stables. For the
moment the object of the latter
was uncertain to him, but presently
as they returned laden with straw.
he understood. He watched them
bank the fire about the foundations
of the building; he saw them light
it, and by the lurid blaze that shot
up at once, he saw that those
standing opposite the doors and
windows had their rifles ready at