The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-10-07

Susan" said Florence a, she came
into breakfast after her celebrating
ride, did you hear pistol shots last
night?"
Il heard some noise, but / was so
sleepy l didn't try to figure out what
it was"
did you, Jones""
Eyes, Miss Florence. The shots
came from the street. A policeman
came running up later and said he
saw two automobiles on the run. But
evidently there wasn't anybody hurt.
One has to be careful at night now
adays. There are pretty bad men
abroad. Did you enjoy the rider"
Very much. But there were spots
of blood on the walk nee the corner"
"Blood?" Jones caught the back Of
a chair to steady himself.
YES. So some one was hurt. Oh,
let's leave this place." impulsively.
Let US go back to Miss FarloW's.
You could find a place in the village,
Jones. But if l stay here much longer
in this state of unrest l shall lose
faith in everything and everybody.
Whoever my fathers enemies are,
they do not lack persistence. They
have made two attempts against my
liberty, and sooner or later they will
succeed. I keep looking over my
shoulder all the time. If l hear a
noise l jump"
Miss Florence, If thought 1t wise,
you should be packed off to Miss Far
lows this minute. But not an hour OF
the day or night passes without this
house being watched. l seldom see
anybody about. l can only ems the
presence of a watcher. At Miss Far
lows you would be far more like a
prisoner than here. l could not &C.
company you. I am forbidden to de-
sert this house."
my fathers orders?"
Jones signifed neither n way nor
the other. He merely gazed stol1dly
at the rug.
THAT blood" She sprang from her
chair, Mortified. "It was his! He was
here last night, and they shot
him! o."
There, there, Miss Florence! The
man was only slightly wounded. He's
where they never will look for him.
Then Jones continued, as with an ef-
fort: Trust me, Miss Florence. IL
would not pay to u away. Inc
whole affair would be repeated else
where. We might 60 to the other Snd
of the world, but it would not serve US
in the least. 1! Is not a question OF
escape, but Of v'ho shall vanquish the
other. There is nothing to do but re-
main here and eight, fight, fight. we
Ehave put four Of them in the Tomos,
to say nothing nt the gunner. That
is what we must do-put them In a
safe place, one ~ one, till we reach
the master. Tten only may we
breathe in safety. But if they watch.
so do we. There Is never a m
when help is not within reach, no mat
ter where you go. So long as you d.
not deceive me, no real harm shall be
fall you. Don't cry. Be your fathers
daughter, as I am his servant
81 am very unhappy" And Flor
ence threw her arms around Sus1s
and laid her head upon her friends
shoulder.
Poor child" Susan, however, rec
ognized the wisdom Of Jones state
ments. They were safest here.
The morning rides continued. To
The girl, who loved the open, it was
glorious fun. Those mad gallops
| along the roads, the smell Of earth anil
sea-, the tingle in the blood, were the
second best moments of her day. The
first? She invariably blushed when
she considered what these first best
moments were. He was a brave young
man, good to look at, witty, and al
ways cheerful. Why shouldn't she
like him? Even Jones liked him
Jones, who didn't e to like any
body. It did not matter whether he
was wise or not; a worldly point or
view was farthest from her youthful
thoughts. 1t was her W affair; her
own heart.
Five days later, as she and the rid
ing master were cantering along the
road, enjoying every bit of it, they
heard the beat of hoofs behind. They
drew up and turned. A rider was ap-
preaching them at a run. 1t was the
head groom. The man stopped MS
horse in a cloud Of dust.
"Sir, the stables are on fire."
"Fire?".
All the riding masters savings were
invested in the stables. The fact
that he had solemnly promised never
to leave Florence alone, and that ne
had accepted a generous bonus slipped
from his mind at The thought of fire,
a terrible word to any horseman. He
wheeled and started off at breakneck
speed, his head groom gathering be-
hind him.
Florence naturally wondered which
of two courses to pursue: follow them,
when she would be- perfectly helpless
to aid them, or continue the ride and
save at least one horse from the ter:
ror of seeing flames. She chose the
latter But she did not ride with the
earlier zest. She felt depressed. She
loved horses, and the thought Of them
living in those wooden stables was