The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-03-28


his thought it remained unuttered AS
we sat there eating. he was apparent
ly turning 1t all over in his mind, try
Ing 70 draw the tangled ends of the
skein together. As we finished the
meal, some newly awakened curiosity
caused me to glance out again into
the rear room. 1t was gloomy with
shadows, the bodies of man and dog
beyond view; yet what l perceived
brought from my lips a sudden excla-
nation.
Brady, some one has been In here!
The outer door is nlatched-yes-and
the soldiers coat is gone!"
We searched the room carefully, but
discovered no sign Of its having been
entered, except for the door standing
slightly ajar, and the disappearance of
the red coat. We dare not carry
torch into the open, and the night was
too dark for us to trace marks on the
ground. Brady stood in the glow of
| freight, looking to the printing Of his
, rifle, his face shadowed.
81 am going out awhile, Hayward
he said finally. Yes, l am all right
now. l meant to take you along, but,
l reckon, it will be safer not to leave
the Dutchman here alone. However, l
don't think there will be any more
visitors tonight"
He slipped out the back way, disap-
pearing instantly, and l picked up my
own rifle, babe Schultz remain where
| he was, and followed, with the purpose
1L~ al
| perceive the new danger we were in.
| Suppose the assassin, eager to save
himself from suspicion, should be at
| tracted to that camp of raiders, and,
relying on their friendship for protec-
| ton, charge us with the murder Of
! D'Auvray. What mercy could we hope
| for at their hands? Beyond doubt the
band was composed Of ambitious young
warriors, who had already tasted
| blood, and under control of no chief
able to restrain them, if their wild pas
sions should be appealed to.
But l emerged into darkness and ST
| lence. Quickly as | had made this de-
| cision | was too late. The scout had
| already disappeared across the narrow
open space, and vanished into the
| fringe of trees. There was nothing to
| guide me, except a vague sense OF di-
rection, yet l felt my way forward
through the dense tree growth, hear
! ing no sound of movement, and com
! PEELED to move slowly until | emerged
at the shore, and could perceive the
| stars reflected on the surface of still
water. AS l fingered there clear of the
| woods shadow, my courage gradually
| returned, and our situation appeared
less desperate. Whoever the fellow
was who had killed D'Auvray he might
| have as much cause to fear the Indian
raiders as we did. The mere fact that
he wore red coat was no direct proof
he was a British soldier; doubtless
many a forest renegade had picked up
bits of discarded uniform. Besides
why should any soldier desire to kill
D'Auvray? He had led his Indians to
action under Hamilton. More likely
the fellow was French, and the murder
the end of some private feud. His
only desire then would be to get away
safely, to escape unseen. Brady would
learn all this, and he would be back
| presently.
| do not know how long time
passed, only I had circled the house
twice, skirting the edge Of the woods
in my rounds, keeping well in the
blacker shadows, and moving noise
| lessly, every nerve alert. Back Of the
house | discovered a mound of earth
| heaped as a roof, over an opening in
the ground, evidently cellar of some
kind. So far as l could discover, by
cropping in the darkness, there was
nothing concealed within, but the en-
trance offered a good hiding place, and
| | sat down there where | could see in
every direction, with my rife across
my knees. The stars yielded a spec
trail light, and no one could move
across the clearing unobserved. l sat
there for.ten minutes, seeing and hear
ing nothing, gradually growing drowsy
| in the silence, my head sinking back
| against the earth mound. Yet l re
manned awake and watchful. although
when 1 first perceived a figure fitting
out Of the black fringe of woods, l halt
believed it a dream. But it was nc
dream, and l sat up suddenly, my
heart beating like trlphammer, ana
stared. I could see little. not enough
to determine whether the intruder was
savage or white, merely perceiving az
indistinct form, crouching low, yet ad
vancing directly toward me. There
was no hesitancy, no evidence Of fear
but merely the natural caution Of one
travelling alone in the wilderness. A
first l believed it to be Brady return
ing, yet hesitated to step boldly forth
for the figure appeared small and IN
natural, barely perceptible against the
darker background Of earth.
To render myself more secure drew
cautiously back step within the eel
lar entrance, and waited breathlessly
bracing myself to meet either friend
: or toe l could no longer see the in