The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-10-25
CHAPTER Xx.--Continued.

| comprehended the plan In a fash.
She had discovered a sentry money
would buy; to lead the others away
long enough to effect my escape, Peter
had taken to the woods with a gun.
Whether he escaped or was captured,
the delay would be short. With the
knowledge came action. | bore the
unresisting Ranger to the floor, hurl.
ing down the tray Of food he bore In
a mass OF broken crockery, and bound
him hand and foot, leaving the fellow
lying across the open doorway. He
was without arms, except his heavy
gun, which | left beside him. An In
slant | paused to ask a question, hold.
ing aloft the lantern SO as to see his
face.
Nov, man, speak quick; you were
given some word for me? Some in
,structions how I was to get away?"
Sure; but We drew those cords
tight! You are to go upstairs, out
tho front door, and turn to the right;
there's a horse In the thicket beyond
the summer house. Damnation, loosen
that ankle rope, will ye?"
gave it a twitch, but felt little com
passion for the fellow, and ran up the
steps, leaving the lantern below. /
knew the way even In the dark, and
experienced little trouble in feeling my
passage. / met with no interference,
and heard no sound, the house seem
ingly deserted. Only as | opened the
front door could | hear distant, irreg-
ular firing to the northwest, Assured
that no guard remained, | flung my
self recklessly over the porch rail onto
the smooth turf Of the lawn. The dim
outlines of the latticed summer house
could be discerned not thirty feet dis.
tant, and | started toward 1t unhesi,
tatingly. | had made half the distance
when a horse neighed suddenly to my
right. and, startled at the sound, / fell
fiat, creeping cautiously forward into
the shadow of a low bush. had risen
to my knees, believing the animal
must be the n left there for m use,
when | heard the growl of a voice, a
mans voice, from tut the summer
house.
For an instant l could not locate the
sound nor distinguish 1t clearly; then
a sentence cut the air so distinctly
mat recognized the speaker. Grant!
What was he doing here? Had we
delayed too long? Had Fagin's pur-
suers returned? II so, why was he
there in the summer house, and with
whom was he conversing? / crouched
back listening. afraid to move.
I saw the CLEAN of your white
sErt as rounded the house, he ex.
claimed. by Cad, I thought the
horse was going to bolt with me. Fine
DIT of luck this, finding you out here
alone. What's going on out yonder?"
There was an attack on the horse
guard. and Mr.. SelaSn ia In pursuit.
But how does 1t happen you have re-
turned alone? Has anything occurred
to my father9"
judged from the sound that he
-
seated himself before answering. and
there was a hesitancy sufficiently no.
uceable. 80 as to cause the girl to ask
anxiously:
He has not been injured!"
Who, the colonel" with a short
laugh. mo fear Of that while pursu-
ing those fellows; they ride too fast.
ahd are scattered by now all the way
from here to the Atlantic. Probably a
squad Of the same gang out there
hghting Seldom. Trouble with the
colonel Is he takes the affair too seri-
ousiy; iniagines he is actually on the
prail' md proposes to remain out all
night became tired Of such foolish.
ness and rode back"
You mean you left? Deserted?"
On. hardly that" lazily. "You see
was sent u with a detachment to
.iue down the Lewiston road / mere
y left my sergeant In command and
eoFned my horses head this way I'll.
sah De back by morning. and | wanted
g ace YOU"
10 see me, Captain Grant, You
naoeeyed my fathers orders to ride