The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-12-27

pl<tS LIB JOo IA 00Ouk k0O OAy8 ~
administration IL . 6xxle," said Arr
more. as they resumed their march
through the forest There was .
wilder fling to the roll Of the Land
now, but the underbrush was better
cleared. and the trail had become .
bridle-path that had Known mans
care
This Is some II Pasl's work." said
Ardmore; and IL / am not very much
mistaken we are on my land DOW and
headed straight enough for the wagon
road that leads south beyond the red
bungalow These roads in here were
planned to give variety, but / never
before appreciated how complicated
| they are"
The path stretched away through
the heavy forest. and they climbed TO
a ridge that commanded a wide region
that lay bathed In silver moonlight,
SO softly luminous that 1t seemed OF
the stun Of shadows made light West
| ward. mile distant, lay Ardsley, only
| little below the level OF the bridge
and touched with a faint purple as OF
| spring twilight
Ardmore sat bis saddle. quietly con-
templating the great house that
struck him almost for the first time as
imposing He felt, too. little heart
ache that be did not quite understand
Wed better be moving" suggested
Cooke. Look below there,"
Looking OF from the ridge they saw
a man and a woman riding along
strip Of road from which the timber
had been cut The night was so still,
the gray light so subdued. that the
two figures moved as steadily and
softly as shadow pictures on a screen
The slow even motion OF the riders
was interrupted suddenly. The man,
who was nearer the remote observers.
had STOPPED and bent toward the
| woman as though to snatch her rein.
when her horse threw up its head
and fell back on its launches Then
! the woman struck the man a blow
with her ridingcrop. and galloped
swiftly away along the white ribbon
like road. In the perfect night-silence
it was like a scene Of pantomime-
That's all right" cried Cooke.
Come along, Well cut into that
road at the bungalow"
They swung their horses away from
the ridge and back into the bride
path. which once more dipped sharply
down into heavy timber. Cooke lead
ing the way, and three OF the best
hunters known to the Ardsley stables
flew down the clear but winding path.
heI -
messed required no Interpretation; the
girls blow, and flight had translated
it into language explicit enough
Ardmore thanked his German for.
ester a thousand times for the admir-
able bridle-path over which they gal
Hoped, with its certain footing beneath
and clean sweep from the boughs
above. The blood surged holly through
his heart, and be was angry for the
first time in his life: but his head was
cool. and the damp air of the forest
flowing by tranquillized him into q
new elation Of spirit Jerry Danger.
field was the dearest and noblest and
bravest girl in the world-he knew
that: and she was clever and resource
full enough to devise means for pre-
serving her fathers ofEcial and priv
ate honor; and not less quick to de
fend herself from insult from a titled
scoundrel
The three men rode out into the
broad highway at the red bungalow and
paused TO listen
He hasn't got here yet Only one
person has passed and these must bs
the tracks of the girls horse" sale
. Cooke, who had dismounted and strucl
matches, the better to observe tht
faint footprints in the ha1I shell
road.
He'll be along in a minute Let u,
got into the shadow Of the bungalow
, and when he comes we'll ride out ant
, nail him The bungalows a sort o
. way house. / often stop here whel
! I'm out on the estate and want I,
D rest have the key in my pocket"
? AS Ardmore's keys jingled in tn,
: lock Cooke cried out softly Thei
quarry was riding swiftly towar,
n them, and he drew rein before tn
> bungalow as Cooke and Collins rod
' out TO meet him
Il say" painted the duke.
q You are our prisoner. Dismoun
/, and come into this house"
a CTO BE CONTINCED)