The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-12-06
Guy was more than annoyed. He

Keep it,
"Rut | mean about the message"
"Oh. that? Nothing. I'm just off.
who do you think wrote it,
Cant say. S'long.'
Guy swung his horse about and
rode off.
But he had a very shrewd suspi-
cion as to who the writer of that
note was. He drew his conclusions
from the wording was Ferman
Blwooi. And, he asked himself, how
did that individual know of his in
tentions? He was furious, and he
was also disturbed, though he did
not admit the latter even to him
warning; the suggestion OF con
scious power in the words that irri-
tatcd and goaded him. His exasper
alton found vent upon his horse
He thrashed his spurs into the
creatures flanks ana galloped down
the road.
Chalmers ill-humor was always of
malignant type, not sulky, but
vicious, that temper which snaps
at every prospect of revenge, and
brings a frank delight in the con
temptation. The conviction that
Ferman Elwood was the author of
the veiled threat made him contem-
plate the object of his journey with
even greater satisfaction.
He had no thought of his sur
roundings. The heat was nothing to
him, if 1t meant much to his hard
worked horse. The fair land about
him, with it's rolling grassland and
broken woodland patches, had no
meaning for him in the face of his
feelings of the moment. The hoarse
cry of the KORAN passed unheeGed;
the melancholy pauw stalking over
the long tawny grass that at any
other time would have called forth
all his hunters instincts, was left
to fossick for its food undisturbed:
the battle of the secretary bird
with its subtle prey, the snake,
had no interest for him.
He passed all these familiar sights
by, absorbed in his contemplation
of the manner in which he intended
to outwit and revenge himself upon
the man who had dictated the
quixotic compact. No, as he rode
the word about him was forgotten
in the issues at stake.
A keener schemer would have
noted every detail of that which was
about him; he would have seen with
eyes trained to observe the most
trifling matters, whether immediate
to his plans or not But then Guy
was self-centered, and had not the
subtle observation so necessary to
the successful adventurer.
Thus it was he did not see the
huddled form of a negro squatting
at the roadside until his presence
was forced upon him by the shy
ing of his horse. The man had risen
at his coming, and stood a sQualid
figure in his dirty, white cotton
blanket.
Guy cursed as his horse leapt out
of the road and carried him against
the wall of camel-thorn lining the
way. The sharp thorns cut him and
aggravated his temper, but the an
imal, accustomed to the solitude of
the road, was too frightened to be
easily pacified, and bore away from
the apparition, quite regardless of
its own decorations. 1t was some
moments before the animal could be
brought to face the intruder. At
last, however Guy got him under
control.
What the devil are you doing
there" he cried furiously at the
unkempt, mahoganyyisaged wander
er. Haven't you more id sense
than to spring up like that in front
of a horse?" Then, realizing that
in al probability the fellow didn't
understand a word of what ne said,
he broke off and spoke in Dutch
We'll, what do you want?' he
demanded.
The man gazed up at him with q
pair of large hollow eyes He made
no movement and remained per.
fectly silent for some moments, 50
that Guy was forced to repeat his
demand The mans stolid face slow.
ly RELAXED, and he replied in bas
tard English.
Il have briefje" ne said.
"Brieje?'
"Io haas"