The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-08-13
CHAPTER XVI-Continued,

ANS eye sought Ine pl"0e "o nue., ,' WV
\. ,sce flushed crimson with eVanes-
~ inv Just where the open ground
Jlbe gully melted again into the tor-
= tho figure of a man could be seen
y wing very quickly, In another mo-
..rt Il had disappeared amid the
hlage o.o.;ono on.
.,anced Mr.. Sloan; and, taking out
4 watch, added quickly; the train
,ot due for Is minutes. He'll catch
R -,
The train SOUTH"
YES. and the train north. They
as here"
NJ Black turned a startled eye
ANN the guide. But Reuther's face
!, still alight. She felt very happy.
qsar Journey had not been for
,sugbt. He would have six hours
,,rt of his pursuers; he would be that
mrch sooner in Shelby; he would hear
~ accusation against him and refute
i before she saw him again.
But Mr.. Blacks thoughts were less
,easing than hers, He had never had
more than a passing hope Of divers
hnocence and now he had none at
III The young man had fed, not in
rsDonse to his fathers telegram, but
gDder the impulse Of his own fears,
Thew would not find him in Shelby
rben they returned They might never
ind him anywhere again. A pretty
story TO carry back to the Judge.
As he dwelt upon this thought his
,eaectiOns grew more and more
gloomy, and he had little to say till
he reached the turn where the two
men still awaited them.
In the encounter which followed no
sttempt was made by either party to
Disguise the nature Of the business
which thus had brought them to,
gether. The man whom Mr.. Black
took to be a Shelby detective nodded
IS they met and remarked, with a
quick glance at Reuther:
$50 you've come without him! I'm
sorry for that. was in hopes that
night be spared the long ride up the
mountain"
Mr.. Black limited his answer to one
Of bis sour smiles.
Whose horse is this?" came in per.
emptOry demand from the other man
with nod toward the animal which
could now be seen idly grazing by the
Sayside. And how came it on the
road alone?"
We can only give you these facts,
Ieiolned the lawyer. ut came from
Tempest lodge, 1t started out aheac
Ct US with the gentleman we had gone
to visit on Its back, We did not pass
The gentleman on the road, and if he
has not passed you he must have left
The road somewhere on foot. He die
not go back to the lodge"
Mr.. Black"
am telling you the absolute truth
Make what you will of it. His father
desires him home, and sent a mes
sage. This message this young lad!
undertook to deliver, and she did de
liver 1t, with the consequences have
mentioned. If you doubt me taxi
your ride. 1t Is not an easy one, ant
The only man remaining at the lodg
Is deaf as a post"
Mr.. Black has told the who'll
acry," averred the guide.
They looked at Reuther.
I have nothing to add" said she
7 have been terrified lest the gentle
nan you wish to see was thrown from
lhe horses back over the precipice
But perhaps he found some way o
getting down on foot. He is a YER
strong and daring man."
The tree!" calculated the detec
ives companion. He was from
aeighboring locality and remembers
MS one natural ladder up the side O
he gully.
Yes, the tree" acknowledged MI
Sloan. That, or a fall. Let us hop
I was not fall"
as he ceased a long screech from a.
approaching locomotive woke up tn
scnoes OF the forest. 1t was answere
y another from the opposite direction
10th trains were on time. The relic
zen by Reuther could not be COZ
eealed, The detective noticed it.
I'm wasting time here" said hi
Excuse me, Mr., Black, if push O
aasad OF you. II we don't meet a
ue station, We shall meet in Shelby.
ar Blacks mouth twisted griml,
g nad no asubt of the latter fact.
Next mihate they were all canterin
y me one Erection, the detective yer
much IN tae advance.
Lei me go with you to the station,
Ausaled Reuther, as Mr.. Black bel