Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-14

weigh the matter. until 1t was too late
to act?
For, with a sudden leap, the fellow
left the road. Springing over a fence
into the great orchard of a large es-
tate he had just reached, he dashed
into the shadows. Had those coming
behind perceived the unknown and OBJ
viously self-proven guilty one who had
been fleeing ahead of Bruce? The lat
ter did not believe so. He found him
self more disturbingly face to face
with his own predicament and consid-
cred again only the immediate immi-
nence of being taken himself Unfor-
tunately, it would be out Of the ques-
ton now to say that he whom they had
wished for, longed to capture, had gone
there. and stupidity point to the trees.
They would take him. Bruce, instead,
and, If they did not find the pearls in
one of his pockets, would conclude he
had thrown them away.
No: he had let chance slip, foolish
ly, thoughlessly; it was gone beyond
recall. And-the realization smote him
sharply.-people were beginning to
come up the road from the village;
Bruce now was certain Of the fact.
His own glance swept toward the
fence; he, too, sprang over.
Into Mr.. Samuel Pages place! He
realized where he was almost at once.
Running beneath the trees he made his
way toward the dim outline of the rum
down untenanted structure. He was
cognizant of treading the young ap-
pies beneath his heel, Of suddenly Slip
ping and catching himself, then strik =
ing hard, as he lurched forward, low
branch he had not seen. At the shock,
he seemed suddenly to become dizzy;
a throb of pain gripped his side. He
could hardly stand. With an effort, ne
steadied himself against a tree-trunK.
But he realized he could not long re-
main thus; an instant and he went
on. To pause, meant the others would
soon come up to him; luckily, they
were now running by.
A bend in the way had, for the in
slant, concealed him from them when
he had vaulted the palings of the Page
estate. They would before long, how
ever. understand where he had gone;
when they reached the nearby
straight prospect of highway and fall
ed to see him, they would at once re-
turn. At best, brief interval only
would he lost by them; Bruce had to
make the most of 1t.
He staggered toward the house. A
dark form had preceded him, but ne
did not see it now; he was mindful
only of himself. At the rear OF the
deserted dwelling he looked out over
private road that stretched back,
across a broad meadow. The narrow
way held, wooed derisively his glance,
but ere he could traverse that open
SPACE, he knew he would again, In all
likelihood, be caught sight of and ne
felt no longer able at the moment 10
continue the hard, racking pace. The
blow he had struck his side must
have injured the muscles; his heart,
Ieaping fast, protested against the
sharp, shooting twinges.
He moved to the half-rotting door OF
the kitchen. The big, dilapidated old
mansion frankly made no pretense OF
keeping out any one seriously bent on
entering. Many of the windows nad
been broken, few sashes were out,
and burlap was tackled over the open
ings in lieu of any cheaper substance.
The rickcty structure had an indirer-
ent name with the local authorities; its
reputation assigned it as an OCCASION
al domicile for those of the peripatetic
species who chanced a-wandering that
way. But Mr.. Page did not mind the
disreputable nomad, or any other tres
passers: if an incendiary busted him.
self there, all the better; one or two
policies in his strong-boX provided for
that contingency. The land could not
he injured, or carried off; 1t repre-
sented a snug. and ever-increasing
profit.
Bruce pushed and the back door
Welded. 1t might have been nailed, 10
keep it closed, earlier in the season.
but now 1t baked no one desirous OF
going in. The young man stood In the
darkness. Feeling a hard projection
he half-fell upon it-a sink. Resting
thus, he strove to suppress his painting
to regain his strength. The moments
passed; the pain in his side grew less;
he felt relieved and began to think now
what he should next do. He listened
No sound of his pursuers!
Could it be, by some lucky chance,
they had continued on their way!
Hope throbbed in his breast. He
would, however, remain in this black
shelter only a short time longer; then
he would be sufficiently himself to go
ON and meet what might come. He
made a movement; suddenly stood
stock still.
Some one else was in the house, not
far from him standing or crouching In
the darkness. He had caught the SOUND
and knew he could not be mistaken.
Bruce hardly breathed as he stared
into the night A faint creaking, as OF
a heavy body stirring, he could not tell
where, now assaled his ear; he could
fancy he caught low sibilant respira-
ton. Some object struck lightly, in
termittently the wall A bit Of burlap'
loosened by the wind? Tap! tap!
Bruce's figure drew back to spring.
Click, a finger was at the trigger of a
revolver.
Bruce did not leap forward, instead,
he stepped swiftly aside, at the same
time calling out.
ITO Be Continued)
A Ship In a Storm.
4, ,t,ry, OF Saa with a pa la blpW -