The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-10-07

A1 btoEy Unit fteuf1 pituWhIt
w had reiterated In accents OF
abject terror. Surely this
was the last wagon" In that train which
Red Kimball had attacked the morning
before. Impossible as IT had seemed to
the highwaymen, Gledware must have
been warned Of the attack In time t.
turn about and lash his horses out OF
danger Of discovery. At this spot Gled
ware had cut loose the horses. mount
ID one with his stepdaughter. leaving
the other to go at will. This, then
was the mother of that child whose
arm had lain In warm confidence abou,
his neck On hands and knees VII
lock crept to the other mattress and
lifted the margin Of the large white
cloth.
His hand moved stealthily, slowly
Catching sight Of something that faint.
ly cleaned at the collar of the dress,
he hesitated. His determination to ex.
anime the countenance was as firm as
ever. but his impulse to put 1t on as
long as possible was even stronger. He
bent down to look closer at the orna-
ment II was a round breastpin OF
onyx and pearl set In heavy rim Of
gold. The warm wind, tempered by
approaching night to a grateful balmi-
ness, stirred the cloth between his fin
gers. He stared as II lost In profound
meditation. That pin resembled one
his mother used to wear. and some
how the soothing touch Of the wind
reminded him Of her hand on his fore
head. He might have gone back home
II she had not died long ago.
He searched the wagon for a spade.
II was found In the box fastened to
the end Of the wagon. and with the
spade in the gathering darkness he
dug a grave near the mountain side.
When the sand was smoothed over the
place he carried thither quantities of
heavy stones and broken blocks of
granite to preserve the body from wild
beasts.
1t was dark when the heap of stones
had been arranged In the form Of a
low pyramid; but, though he had not
tasted food for twenty four hours, he
fingered beside the grave. his head bent
- II still struggling with those IN
wonted memories Of the long ago. At
last, as II forced by a mysterious pow
er against which he could no longer
resist, he sank upon his knees.
20 God" he prayed aloud. take care
of the little girl!'
He waited. but no more words would
come.
1t came over him with disconcerting
audiences that he had lost a great
deal Of time and that every moment
spent In the covered wagon was
fraught with imminent danger. 1t was
not In his mind that the band Of high
waymen might discover his hiding
place. Knowing them as he did, he
was sure they would not come so far
from their haunts or from the Santa
Re trail In pursuit Of him. But the
Indians roamed the Panhandle, as
much at home there as in their reser-
and here they were much
more dangerous. Had no savage eye
1iscerned that wagon during the bril-
liant August day?
1t was disQuisting fancy. Wilcox
told himself that had such been the
ease his scalp lock would not still
adorn his own person. For all that,
be was eager to be gone. Instead of
eating in the wagon he wrapped up
some food In a bread cloth, placed this
with few other articles In a tarpau-
lin. among them powder and shot, and,
having lifted the keg Of water to one
shoulder and the rope bound tarpaulin
TO the other. he left the wagon with a
loaded gun In his hand
Twilight had faded to starlight, and
the mountain range stood blackly de-
fined against the glittering stars. 1t
was easy to find his way. for on the
evel sands there were no impediments,
and when the mountain was reached
a low divide offered him easy passage
up the ascent. For the most part the
slopes were gradual, and In sleeper
places lodges Of granite, somew hat Ike
giant stairs, assisted him to the high
est ridge. From this vantage point he
could see the level plain stretching
away on the farther side.
A second ridge was not 80 high as
the outer wall. and he paused here.
feeling more secure.
The fugitive was not Interested In
he dimly defined shapes about him.
His attention had been attracted by a
,revice In the smooth rock ledge at
his feet. This ledge, barren Of vegeta-
Ion and as level as a slab of rough
marble. showed long black line like
crack In a stone pavement. At the
mans feet the crevice was perhaps
.wo feet wide.
Presently he set the keg and the
arpaulin bali on the ground, not to
est his shoulders, but In order TO sink
m his knees beside the crevice. He
,ut his face down over 1t. listening.
,eering. but making no discovery.
Then be unwound the lariat from about
~ waist tied II to the rope that had
sen . halter and. having fastened a
tone 70 one end. lowered II into the