The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-02
THE FATAL RUBY
BY CHARLES GARVICE
(Continued.)
Author of "Just Q Girl" "Diana and Destiny,
 "In wolf's Clothing" etc.
Copyright, 1909 By George H. Doran Company

(Contlnued.)
 He had got a mile or two across the moor when suddenly a breath of cold air swept across the night, and. as he buttoned his loose overcoat. he lock- ed up at the sky questioningly, for he knew what that sudden chill portend- ed; and in a very few minutes thai which it had foretold came creeping up to him: it was one of the mistz for which the moors are famous those mists which seem to rise in moment, which envelop the wild plains in a vapour dense and impene- trable. plotting out the whole world and rendering the man who Is un- lucky enough to be caught in them a lost and helpless being.
 Ronald ought to have stopped and waited in the hope that the mist would not last long; but he had no time to lose, and he went on, though more slowly. The mist grew thicker, he began to feel more doubtful of his way, and at last he was forced to pull up. He seated himself on one of the messy excrescences which rose from the face of the moor, filled his pipe and took out his matchbox: it was empty!
 This was a bad business, and with a shrug of the shoulders he pulled up the collar of his coat and consoled himself as best he could with the un- lit pipe. He could not see his watch, and he did not know how long he had been sitting there before the mist began to lift slightly; he YVES too inn patient to wait for it to clear conn pletely. and he sprang up and walked on.
 1t was . dangerous and a foolish thing to do. but Ronald Desborough was just the man to do 1t; he knew that any moment he might find him. self in a bog and be lost in it for ever: but the knowledge of his peril did not deter him; he trusted to his luck. as usual. and his luck did not betray him: for presently the mist cleared away, almost as swiftly as 1t had como, and he could see where he was going.
 Hc could also see that he was orr the path. if path it could be called, and that he was on part of the moor which was strange to him; in r--. ,,1-~ .rory ,<r,ore u-r,o bod oaso U. ed to cross that wilderness. he was completely lost However. there was nothing for 1t but to walk on in the hope of meeting some shepherd who could direct him, or of coming upon one of the turf-cutters' huts or shep- herds cots. Every now and then fleecy remnants of the mist noated up from the valley; and suddenly through one of them he saw some- thing huge and weird between him and the skylight; it was dark mass which revolved steadily and slowly.
 He stared at it for moment, pug xIed and astonished; then he laughed for he saw that 1t was windmill.
 There was something fantastic, gro- tesque in the revolution of the vast sails which impressed Ronald and riveted his gaze upon them as he made his way towards them; there was . touch of the mystical. the trag- ic, in their silent movement; it seemed to him that they were like the arms of some mute monster, waving threateningly in the intense silence of the moonlit night.
 T suppose the miller must be awake. as he Is grinding" he said 70 himself. Anyway, can get Q match and find out where I am."
 He came upon a narrow. w.deeply rut- ted road which led to the mill from the valley beneath; and he went to the door and knocked. There was a light in the window above the door; but no answer came to his knocking and he tried the door and found it locked
 He hammered on 1t again and shouted; but still there was no res- ponse; and, choosing a good sized stone from the roadway, he flung it at the window. There was a crash of shattered glass, a voice rose from within. and presently the door was unbarred violently, thrown open, and a strange figure appeared on the threshold
 At the first moment of seeing it Ronald thought it was a mans, for it had . sack on its shoulders, and wore a large soft hat on its head; it was speckled white with flour, and it held a shining f1our-scoop in its hand. But as his eyes travelled downward, he saw that the lower part of the figure was clad in a short blue skirt; and, as he started in amazement, a voice, a girls clear, musical voice, said inn patiently and resentfully:
 'well, who is it? And what do you want?"-
 CHAPTER V.
 The First Meeting.
 Ronald recovered from his surprise sufficiently to raise his hat.
 .-1 rox vo,,r nardon" he said .fJ'm