Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1915-08-12
CHAPTER xV-Contlnued.


should not let you undertake this ride
But the Inquiries have Just made
lead me to hope for the best results
What's that"
That's the cry OF a loon"
How awful! Do they often cry like
that"
Not often in the nighttime"
Reuther shuddered.
MIR. Black regarded her anxiously.
Had he lone wrong TO let her join him
IL this strange ride'
Shat! We go back and wait for
broad daylight" he asked
No. no. could not bear the sus-
pense OF wondering whether all was
going we'll and the opportunity being
given you OF seeing and speaking to
him. We have taken such precautions
chosen so late tor should | say so
early a start-that I'm sure We have
odtwitted the man who Is so watchful
or Us. But II we go back, We cannot
clip away from him again; and Oliver
Will have TO submit to a humiliation
II ts our duty to spare him. And the
st%d Judge, too. | don't care If the
looms do cry. the night is beautiful"
And It was, had their hearts been in
tune to enjoy It A glbbous moon had
risen. and. inefficient as It was TO light
w the recesses Of the forest. 1t H.
'umlned the treetops and brought out
The difference between earth and sky
The road known to the horses II not
20 themselves. extended like a black
ribbon under their eyes, but the
patches OF light which fell across 1t at
intervals took from It the uninter-
rtpted gloom it must have otherwise
had. Mr., Sloan, who was at once
tAeIr guide and host, promised that
dawn would be upon them before they
reached the huge gully which was the
one dangerous feature OF the road
Their guide had prophesied truly
Heralded by that long cry OF the loon,
the dawn began to reveal Itself and
the everyday world Of the mighty for
est vas upon them with its night
$50 FSAl SUM-
But not the romance OF their errand. |
or the anxiety which both felt as TO
its fulhllment. Full sight brought full
realization However they might seek
Go cloak the fact, they could no longer
disguise from themselves that the OBJ |
fec Of their Journey might not be &C. /
ceptable to the man In hiding at Tenn
pes lodge Reuther's faith In him was !
strong but even her courage taltered |
a. she thought Of the disgrace await
Ing him whatever the circumstances |
or however he might look upon his
fathers imperative command to re-
turn.
But she did not draw rein. and the
three continued to ride up and on
Suddenly, however, Mr. Sloan was
seen to turn his head sharply, and In
another moment his two companions
heard him say:
We are followed Ride Oh and leave
me to take look"
Instinctively they also glanced back
before obeying. They were just round
ing the top Of an abrupt hill. and ex
pected to have an uninterrupted view
OF the road behind But the masses
of foliage were as yet too thick for
them to see much but the autumnal
red and yellow spread out below them.
Il hear them: | do not see them"
remarked their guide. Two horses
are approaching
How far are We now from the
lodge"
"A half-hour's ride. We are Just a,
the opening OF the gully"
You will Join US SOON"
"As quickly as / make out who are
gu the horses behind US"
Reuther and the lawyer rode on.
Her cheeks had gained a slight flush, .
but otherwise she looked unmoved. He .
was less at ease than she; for he had
less TO sustain him.
The gully, when they came to Il, :
proved TO be a formidable one. Il was ,
not only deep but precipitous, and for g.,
the two miles they rode along its edge
they saw no let.up in the steepness on
l.
abrupt rise OF towering rock on the
other Il was Reuther's first expert.
suce OF so precipitous a climb, and un.
der other circumstances she might
have been timid but In her present
heroic mood, 1t was all a part OF her :
great adventure, and as such accepted. /
The lawyer eyed her with growing
He had not miscalculated
Ter pluck.
As they were making a turn TO gain 0
he summit. they heard MIR Sloan's
Eoice behind them. Drawing in their Il
horses, they greeted him eagerly when
lie appeared. G.
We're you rightf Are we followed" d
That's as may be. didn't hear or d
zee anything more waited. but moth Z
ne happened. 30 came on
His words were suriy and bis looks a
oer. they. therefore. forbore TO CUES u
iou him further. especially as their
Ieeaest interest lay ahead. rather
~ rsa 1