The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1913-01-10
coonatcHZ I7x, FcH7ez1qc & ca

49,
ally, even at that stage, | came TO the
truth.
In the midst of my revery, the
rhythm Of horses hoofs on the drive
awoke me to time and place. And as
| raised my eyes, | saw. still some
distance away, but bearing down
upon me at a swift single.foot, the
sirlish figure OF Evelyn Grayson, IN
white waist and gray habit, mounted
on Prince Charley, a buckskin cayuse
which for saddle purposes she pre-
ferred to all the th~oroughbreds in the
Cameron stables.
Am | late?" she cried, refining the
why little animal to a stand beside
me. Celia Ainslee Just left. She
was expecting the Lentilhons to STOP
for her in their motor boat, but they
broke down and were delayed, and
instead of coming at three o'clock, It
was half-past four before they land.
ed"
y fancy you are Just on the min,
ute" was my response, as / consult.
ed my ~timepiece.
But I'm still a mile from the
Lodge" she argued.
And all the nearer to the TRAIL" |
condoned. 1T must be somewhere
about here, isn't it,"
You've passed 1t. It's Just beyond
that next bend" And she pointed
over my shoulder.
why didn't you bring a groom
with you to hold your steed?" | asked,
smiling. "You don't expect to ride
Prince Charley Into the forest fast
nesses, do you?"
81 could" she answered, promptly.
Il will, il you dare me, He can pick
his way like a cat. But it isn't nee
essary. He'll stand forever, the dear
thing, If | drop the bride rein over
his head"
My preference was to have her on
! foot at my side, and SO | did not dare
her. And thus It CHANGED that we left
the homely little animal standing
with dropping head and dangling rein
on the Swallowed side Of the drive
way, and went off together down the
narrow, understanding trail. the
girl in the lead.
The slanting sunlight, shooting It's
golden arrows In intermittent yolleys
through the tree tops. made target Of
her hair, as we passed, scoring bril-
liant flashes Of FURNISHED bronze. Her
hat, G broad.brinnmGd sailor OF coarse
straw, was but a poor shield for that
shimmering, tawny coil which lay low
on her neck, and the darling rays
had their will with it. | have never
before or since seer hair Just like
Evelyn Grayson's. There was such a
wealth of it, and its color was so elu.
sive. Under dim lights 1t seemed a
prosaic brown, but with small C
agement It changed to a light fawn.
streaked with lustrous topaz strands;
which In the suns blaze became a
dazzling bronze glory.
I'm pretty sure | can find the
tree" she asserted. as she swung
along with that free, lissorne stride
which l loved. "It is an old, dead
chestnut, a great giant of the woods.
imposing even in death; and 1t stands
only a half.dozen yards off the trail.
/ was looking for ferns, or | never
in the world should have come upon
it. How do you imagine that thing
ever got away off here? And who
could have stuck it up on that dead
tree trunk?"
THAT is precisely what / should
like to find out" was my reply. ut
seems very mysterious to me. About
what time vas it, when you discoy-
cred it,"
Just before / net you"
Had you heard any shooting in
the woods, before that"
Shooting" she queried, apparent.
ly surprised. mo. Was some one
shooting?"
u understood SO. Poaching, /
imagine. After some Of Cameron's
fat ~pheasants."
But it's out of season." she de-
promptly.
THAT makes small difference with
a p~oacher."
her belief in her ability to lead me
the tree Of which we were in urest
was not ~unfounded. Twice she paused
and peered in between the gray
trunks which grew close to our path;
she took a step off the trail,
bending in keen-eyed search of GER
tain familiar landmarks. These were
only Interruptions to what was
a straight march to the
goal.
When, at length, we reached II, she
Identified 1t beyond question, and /
lad little difficulty In finding the nail
rom which the piece OF canvas had
suspended. 1t was one of thin
wire, with very small head, driven
INTO the tree at a distance of about
our and a half feet from the ground.
lust beneath 1t / found four scatter.
ng bullet holes, with the bullets too
embedded to be extracted with
70 poor a tool as a pocket knife.
From this 1t was evident that the
ihots had been fired at comparative
y short range, as indeed they must I;
been, seeing that the trees here
SO thickly as to make impossi.
lie any very extended line Of sight !,
Ipon the target. Il
Somewhat to Evelyn's p~erplerity ! {
'egan making a careful inspection OF 7
he ground, not only about the tree, [
ut as far away from it as the range
I vision extended. h
What are you looking for" she /
emanded, with a show of concern, /
nd. thought, a little peevishly. :
Footprints" / answered laughing. /
Behold the American Sherlock" !
Have you found anygn a