Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-30


fans reused from his lethargy.
"Your gun, Toni he shouted, and dashed
after the fleeing Charley
Mind where you re goin', Bill the sec
ond man shouted "How can | shoot with
you in front O me? Plug you. more n likely,
stead o the niger. Drop back o me, and
I'll get him.
Charley profted by the delay to plunge
breathlessly into the gloom. The path was
broad to the first turning round the apex of
the mountain, and there was little danger in
headlong fight. Once round that point. be-
yond the range of random shots, he would be
in comparative safety. The path went down
now in swift, tortuous descent; but if he
must slacken pace, SO too must his pursuers.
Moreover, thanks to his bare feet. they
could not determine his immediate where
abouts, while the gathering of their heavy
boots betrayed them.
The eeb-seeb of a bullet set him zigzag
ging as he ran. They were firing now evident
ly in the hope of Gripping him. The child
had awakened too, with frightened whim-
per- Charley found breath, for all the mad
race, to speak soothingly to her. Once she
recognized him, she cuddled close in his
arms, and fell asleep again.
All! sharp burning in his left shoulder
set him shuddering and sick. He grabbed
his sleeping burden with his right hand, the
left dangling limp and helpless at his side
now.
He was round the curve at last, and the
path was narrowing; but in his agony he
was oblivious of the increasing need for eau
ton. He raced blindly on, vaguely clutch
ing at the remaining shreds of his conscious
ness. Behind him the shouts and oaths
grew less; but still he sped on, escaping de-
struction by miracle.
THE faint gray of dawn reused him as he
came to the last of those dizzy foot
holds. The sight brought him to bay. He
paused trembling, bathed in sweat, spent
with loss of blood and pain, to nerve him
self for this last ordeal. Once past this
ledge, blind man could travel the way
home.
He was halfway across the dangerous pas
sage when shouts and the loud baying of
hound, strangely familiar startled him. To
his pain-numbed senses it could mean but
one thing,-the kidnappers were upon him.
He gathered himself for a final effort; but
the faint light revealing the appalling danger
SO close beside him robbed him of the assur-
ance that had been his safeguard in the dark
ness
As he sprang forward his foot slipped. He
clutched vaInly at the void, striving to re-
gain his lost foothold. Then he crashed
peTllOuSlV DOWNWARD, surviving IN MS despair
to shield the little golden Honey Girl from
the agonies that racked him as he tossed
from rock to rock, q mangled, bleeding play
thing of Natures cruelty, TILL mercifully,
Inconsistencies interviewed.
MYTH the descending twilight, the chill
dren's nurse, Jane, raped at Miss
Arnolds door
where's the baby, Miss Arnold?'
Cecilia is with her brothers, Miss Arnold
began.
Jane shook her head. @They came up
alone for bed" she said.
Miss Arnold frowned. probably she has
strayed down to the stable after that grace
less Charley | sent away. | must keep a
closer watch until she learns to keep away
from those quarters.
But displeasure gave way to consterna-
ton when a search of the stable and grounds
failed to reveal any trace of the missing
Celia Joe the field hand who was temper
arily in charge of the barn, added to Miss
Arnold's alarm when he reported that the
thoroughbred mares stall was empty, and
that the mare herself could not be found.
lane turned a blanched face to her mis-
tress. @The hands say Charley was once ac-
cused of horse stealing. The Colonel saved
him that time
The pause was pregnant with somber sug-
oaction Her mistress face matched hers for