Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1912-07-25

pected to find you logged out in this
style BY Jove, wish 1t was day
light"
Whatever she replied must have
sobered the fellow.
Everything | say you take wrongly.
OF course it's all right, for the coun-
try is full of stragglers out of both
armies. Lord, / don't care what you
wear, as long as it suits you. My
business? Oh, explained all that to
your putty-faced servant-Saint Annel
that fellowl--But I'll review the mat
ter again, I'm drumming up Clintons
deserters, but now I've met you Pm
tempted to go along with you as far as
Elmhurst."
Become deserter yourself?"
"Oh, no, or at least only tempora,
rily,- sThere- Willie. plenty off, ightiRg
yet in the Jerseys. Clintpn's whipped
all right. and is going to have time
getting away to the shiDs.S In my
Judgment there will BIO richcs picking
for Jerseyman right here at home.
than with the army in New York."
There was moments silence; then
the girl asked, a shade of horror in
her voice:
Surely, you cannot mean to ally
Yourself with guerillas. Captain Grant?
With-with Fagin?"
The man laughed, but mirthlessly.
THAT would be horrible, wouldn't
It? Well, personally fail to see why
Fagin is any more of gcoundrel than
some OF these other fellows in gilt
epaulets. However, I've not come to
that Point yet. The fact is i have a
private affair to attend to before. /
leave this neighborhood. Can you
guess what IL is?' 8
II? Certainly not"
well, you will know shortly-the
ambulance is coming"
| rode my horse slowly forward,
keeping at the edge of the road, until
assured sufficient distance separated
us. Then gave the FESTIVE animal
a sharp touch OF the spur. sending him
swiftlyforwayd, My escort would have
a mile or two the start, yet that was
nothing. My thoughts were not with
them, or with my military duty, but
reverted to the little company around
the wounded man. The bearing Of
the dispatch 10 Arnold was mere rou-
tine, involving only steady riding, but
the relations existing between Claire,
Grant. and Eric Mortimer were full
Of mystery. There were connecting
links ! could not pnderstsndi no doubt
had the girl been permitted to con.
,clude her story / might at II tog 9TH.
er, hut asst was ! was left cropping in
the darkness. Yet my mind tena-
ciously held to It's original theory as
to Eric's strange disappearance-he
had been betrayed by Grant. and was
being held prisoner. But where? BY
whom? And for what purpose?
/ Wondered on this problem as my
horse ploughed forward thrppsh the
dust 10Y ayes upeonsciousIy scanning
the dark road. Grant could not have
known that Colonel Mortimer was be
ing taken home. His meeting with the
ambulance party was altogether an &C
cident Yet had no faith the mar
swas out seeking British stragglers, fol
had he been dispatched an such q mis-
sion he would have had at least I
squad OF soldiers with,him. Then what
The probability was that he was eth
er riding 70 Elmhurst, or to some rem
devious with Fagin Some plan hal
been interrupted by elinton's suddel
march, by the British defeat at Mon
mouth, and Grant was rlsking hi
commission, Drawing the charge Of dc
sertion, for some private purpose
This might be love Of Claire, reveng
upon Eric, or possibly both combined
The latter would seem most probabl,
lie would use Eric In some way :
! threaten the sister, TO compel her I
sacrifice herself. She was Of q netpr
to do this, as was already abundant
. proved by her assumption Of NAL
attire 70 save Bric's reputation. M
, own responsibility leomed large aa
reached this conclusion, and remen
, bered her appeal for help. She, ais,
must suspect the truth, and had turne
= TO me as the only one capable of VI
raveling the mystery She trusted m,
loved me, now belleved-and, unde
God, would prove worthy of her faiti
, With teeth clinched in sudden dete
mination caught 80
: squad of plod