The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-01-24
CHAPTER XIV.-Continued.

The messages were composed by
their joint efforts at the station, with
not SO much haste but that an asso-
ciate professor Of admiralty, 20 years
old, could defer In the most trihing
matters to the superior literary taste
Of girl of 20. whose brown eyes were
very pleasant to meet in moments of
uncertainty and appeal
He signed the messages Charles o.
borne, governor, with a flourish in
dicative Of the increased confidence
and daring which Miss Osborne's ar
rival had brought to the situation.
And now" said Griswold, as they
rode through the meager streets Of
Turner'S, I'VE will go to Mount Nebo
church and see what we can learn Of
Appleweight's disappearance"
"The North Carolina papers are
fields activity in trying to put down
outlawry on the border" said Barbara.
Marked copies of the newspapers
are pouring into papa's Office. I can
but hold Mr.. Bosworth responsible for
that. We may count upon it that he
will do all in his power to annoy us"
and then, as Griswold looked at her
quickly. he was aware that she had
colored and averted her eyes; and
while, as lawyer, he was aware that
words of two letters might be provoca-
tive of endless litigation Of the bitter
est sort, he had never known before
that "us," In itself the homeliest Of
words, could cause SO sweet dis
tress.
We are quite near the estate OF
your friend, Mr.. Ardmore, aren't we?'
asked Barbara presently.
Il fancy we are." replied Griswold,
but with a tone 80 coldly at variance
with his previous cordial references
to the master of Ardsley that Barbara
looked at him inquiringly.
I'm sorry that l should have given
you the impression. Miss Osborne,
that Mr. Ardmore and are friends, as
l undoubtedly did at Columbia. He
has, for some unaccountable reason,
cut my acquaintance In a manner SO
unlike him that l do not pretend to
explain it; nor, l may add. is 1t OF
the least Importance. He had, only q
few days ago, invited me to visit him.
though l had been to his house SO
often that the obscurest servant knew
that was privileged even beyond the
members of Mr.. Ardmore's own fam
lily in my freedom of the place. When
l saw that his house would be a con
venient point from which to study the
Appleweight situation, l wired him
that l was on the way, and to my
utter amazement he replied that he
could not entertain me-that scarlet
fever was epidemic on the estate-on
those almost uncounted acres!'
And with a gulp and mist in his
eyes, Griswold drew rein and pointed
from hill that had now borne them
to a considerable height, toward Ards
ley itself, dreamily basking in the
bright morning sunlight within its
cincture of hills, meadows and for
est
He knew the ways Of Ardsley thor
oughly; better, in fact, than its owner
ever had in old times; but In his an
ger at Ardmore he would not set foot
on the estate II he could possibly
avoid doing SO In reaching the scene
OF the nights contretemps. He found
without difficulty the trail taken by
Understands men, and in due course
OF time they left their horses short
distance from the church and proceed
ed on foot
1T seems all the stupider In broad
daylight" said Griswold. after he had
explained Just what had occurred
and how the captors, in their super
stitious awe of Appleweight, had been
afraid to carry him OF the moment
they we're sure of him, but had
slipped back among their fellows tc
wait until the coast was perfectly
clear. To ease his deep chagrfn Bar
eara laughed a good deal - the oc
surrence as they tramped over the
Gene discussing It. They went into