The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-08-30

ASA VIC PopHOu IL IL JUDI DoyOu4
that next bend" And she pointed
over my shoulder.
why didn't you bring . groom
with you to hold your steed?" asked,
smiling. "You don't expect to ride
Prince Charley into the forest fast.
nesses, doIyou?"
Il could" she answered, promptly.
II will, II you dare mo. He can pick
his way like cat. But It isn't nee
eSsary. He'll stand forever, the dear
thing, II drop the bride rein over
his head"
Ny preference was to have her on
foot at my side, and 80 did not dare
her. And thus 1t CHANGED that we lefe
the hOmely little animal standing
with dropping head and dangling rein
on the Swallowed side Of the drive.
way, and went of together down the
narrow, slOw-descending trail, the
girl In the lead
The slanting sunlight, shooting ita
golden arrows In intermittent Volleys
through the tree tops, made target Of
her hair, AZ We passed, scoring bril-.
liant flashes Of FURNISHED bronze. Her
hat, broad-brimmed sailor Of coarse
straw, was but poor shield for thae
shimmering, tawny coil which lay low
on her neck, and the darting rays
had their will with II. have never
before or since seen hair Just like
Evelyn Grayson's. There was such q
wealth Of 1t, and it's color was 80 elus
sive. Under dim lights It seemed a
prosaic brown, but with small encours
agement 1t changed to a light fawn,
streaked with lustrouS topaz strands;
which In the SUMS blaze became
dazzling bronze glory.
I'm pretty sure can and the
tree" she asserted, a. she swung
along with that free, lisBome stride
which loved. ut Is an old, dead
chestnut, great giant Of the woods,
imposing even In death; and II stands
only . half.d0zen yards of the trail
/ was looking for ferns, or l never
In the world should have come upon
it. How do you imagine that thing
ever got away of here? And who
could have stuck 1t up on that dead
tree trunk"
THAT 10 precisely what / should
like to find out" was my reply. 1T
seems very mysterious to me. About
what time was H. when You diacQYs
cred III"
Just before / met you"
"Had you heard any shooting IN
the woods, before that?"
"Shooting?" she Queried, apparent
ly surprised. mo. Was some one
shooting?"
II understood 30. Poaching, 4
imagine. After some Of Cameron'S
fat pheaBants"
But It's out of season." she de-
clared. promptly.
THAT makes small difference vita
poacher."
Her belief In her ability to lead mo
to the tree Of which We were In quest
was not unfounded. Twice she paused
and peered In between the gray
trunks which grew close to our paths
once she took step OF the trail
bending In keen-eyed search Of GER
tain familiar landmarks. These were
the only Interruptions to what was
otherwise straight march to the
goal.
When, at length, we reached It, shO
identified 1t beyond question, and ]
had little difficulty in finding the nail
from which the piece Of canvas bad
baen suspended. 1t was one Of thin
wire, with very small head, driven
into the tree at distance Of about
four and q half feet from the ground.
Just beneath It l found four scatter
Ing bullet holes, with the bullets too
deeply embedded to be extracted with
40 poor a tool as q pocket knife.
From this It was evident that the
shots had been fred at comparative.
ly short range, as indeed they must
have been, seeing that the trees here
grew 30 thickly as to make impossi.
BILE any very extended line Of sight
upon the target.
somewhat to Evelyn's perplexity
began making careful inspection Of
the ground, not only about the tree.
but as far away from II as the range
Of vision extended.
What are you looking fort" she
demanded, with q show Of concern,
and, thought, q little peeVishly.
Footprints" answered laughing.
Behold the American Sherlock"
Have you found any"
"0nly Cinderella's," and that put
her In good humor.
But found something Of much
more importance than the indenta-
tons Of shoe soles. l found 1t very
near the foot Of the tree, Just below
where the painting had hung. It was
half hidden by underbrush, and at
arst mlstook It for q stone. rUnob-
served BY Evelyn, / slipped 1t into my
pocket.
After ALL" l said to her, there's
not very much to be learned here, 10
there2"