The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1915-08-11

ron. You're not Mrs. Somebody o,
other. are your
The embarrassed smile froze on
his lips. He leaped to his feet and
stood listening. Faint and clear, sound
ing cheerful rather than ominous
J there rose to them from the valleys
below a baying OF dogs.
He climbed swiftly to the top Of the
Hub, and stood listening, bis field
glasses glued to his eyes.
A glimpse OF two bloodhounds and
four men, one OF whom was Stilliter
and another a full-blooded Indian
crossing an open space, recently
crossed by Celestia and himself dur
ing their unhurried escape in the
same direction. brought Tommy down
from the Hub in great hurry.
We've got TO beat IL, Celestial" he
said. Tn sorry, because you are
tired, but that man"--here by encir.
cling his eyes with his hands, he in
dicated Professor Stillifer's eye
glasses-'1s after us"
She rose obediently to her feet. Il
don't know why he wants to catch
you,' said Tommy. land. either you
don't know, or you won't tell. But you
dislike him, and you're afraid of him.
and that's enough"
They were soor under way, follow
ing the higher ground, where the gran
lite outcroppings neither received any
impress from their feet, nor long held
the scent of the leather soles. But
the crests of the ridges we're not all
granite, and Tommy knew very we'll
that in places they we're making what
woodmen call broad trail A trail
OF footprints and bent and broken
branches which an Indian will read
as casually as a commuter reads his
newspaper; and which, aided by blood
hounds. he will follow as easily as
small boys follow a procession through
city street. .
That broad reaches of unbroken
granite would occasionally battle their
pursuers was all that Tommy could
hope for.
He had at first only vague idea
as to just what part of the wilderness
he would take her, but gradually his
mind became occupied with the prob
lem of getting to that place by
route which their pursuers would find
the most difficult possible in follow
ing. He had hopes indeed of throw
ing them completely off the trail.
They turned little more to the
westward, and began to descend from
the high ground. The baying of the
hounds at this time seemed if any
thing a little closer.
Where are we going?" she asked
We're going to hide on little is
land in a deep lake, Celestia. Even
If they find out that we are on il,
they'll have trouble getting to US. Very
lew sailors and fewer woodsmen know
how to swim. l used to fish in that
AXE lot, and I've an old dugout hid
len on the shore, and there's the re-
mains of hut on the island. And
eft an old moth-eaten buffalo robe
and blanket there only last fab.
f there's anything left of them they'll |
'ome in mighty handy, can tell YOU"
They came to a broad, shallow
stream that flowed brightly under an
rich of dark foliage. Here's where
We begin to make trouble for them,"
aid Tommy. Holding her elbow with
lis free hand, he kept her from Stun
ling and falling. Tommy led Celestia
o the middle Of the brook, and then
hey waded down it for upward OF a
nile, as If 1t had been a winding road, |
nd only left it when the rocky ma
ure of the country through which it
las passing offered them an opportu-
ity of so doing and leaving a mini
lum trail.
All at, once Tommy realized that a
reat silence had fallen in the forest.
md he knew that at last the blood
ounds were in difficulties, for they
ad ceased to bay.