Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-04-15

know"
What? We are followed. them"
There are men on the road; two.
as l told you before. he can't get by
them-if that's what he wants to do"
But | thought they fell back. We
didn't hear them after you Joined US"
mo; they didn't come on. They
didn't have to. This is the only road
down the mountain. and it's n you've
got to follow or go tumbling yer the
precipice. All they've got to do is to
wait for him; and that's what tried
to tell him. but he just shook his arm
at me and rode on. He might better
have waited-for company"
MI. Black cast a glance behind him.
saw that the door of the house was
almost closed and ventured to put an
other question:
What did he ask you when he
came out here?"
why we had chosen such an early
hour to bring him his fathers mes
sage" Sloan replied.
AND what did you SayF
"Wa'al, l said that there was an
other fellow down my way awful eager
to see him, too; and that you were
mortal anxious to get to him first.
That was about it, wasn't it, sir?"
Eyes. And how did he take that?"
HE turned white, and asked me
just what l meant. Then said that
some one wanted him pretty bad, for,
early as it was, this stranger was up
as soon as you, and had followed us
into the mountains and might show
up any time on the road. At which he
gave me a stare, then plunged back
into the house to get his hat and trot
out his horse. | never saw quicker
work. But it's no use; he can't es-
cape those men. They know it, or they
wouldn't have stopped where they
did, waiting for him."
Mr.. Black recalled the aspect of the
gully, and decided that Mr.. Sloan was
right. There could be but n end to
this adventure. Oliver would be
caught in a manifest effort to escape,
and the judges cup of sorrow and hui
initiation would be full. He felt the
shame of 1t himself, also the folly of
his own methods and of the part he
had allowed Reuther to play. Beck
oning to his host to follow him, he
turned toward the house.
Don't mention your fears to the
young lady," said he. SAT least, not
till we are well past the gully"
81 shan't mention anything. Don't
you be afeared of that"
And with a simultaneous effort diff
cult for both, they assumed a more
cheerful air, and briskly entered the
house.
1t was not until they were well upon
the road back that Reuther ventured
to speak of Oliver. She was riding as
far from the edge of the precipice as
possible. In descent it looked very
formidable to her unaccustomed eye
"This is a dangerous road for {
man to ride bareback" she remarked
'I'm terrified when / think of it, MI
Black. Why did he go off quite Sc
suddenly? Is there a train he is anx
ious to reach? Mr.. Sloan, is there
train?"
Eyes, miss, there is a train"
(which he can get by riding fast?
'T've known It done!"
'Then he is excusable." Yet he
anxious glance stole ever and agai
to the dizzy verge toward which sh
\ now unconsciously urged her ow.
horse till MI. Black drew her aside.
A half-hour's further descent, the
a quick turn and Mr.. Sloan, who ha
ridden on before them, came gallopin
\ hastily back.
! Mr.. Black FASTENED to meet thei
\ guide. What now?" he asked. "Hav
they come together? Have the dc
tectives got him?"
9 mo, not him; only his horse. Tn
animal has just trotted up-riderless.
Good God! The child's instinc
was true. He has been thrown"
NO" Mr.. Sloan's mouth was clos
: to the lawyers ear. There's anothe
q explanation. If the fellow Is gam'
and anxious enough to reach the trail
to risk his neck for it, there's a pat
b he could have taken which would &c
. him there without his coming roun
this turn" Then as Reuther cam
> ambling up: Young lady, don't IL
? me scare you, but it looks now as If tn
young man had taken a short cut t
. the station. Look back along the edg
d of the precipice for about half a mil
and you will see shooting up from tn
Z gully a solitary tree whose topmoi
branch reaches within a few feet {
the road above"
4 Eyes" she suddenly replied, as he
glance fell on the n red splas
, showing against the dull gray OF tn
! cliff.
"a leap from the road, If well-time
u would land a man among some vel
stalwart branches"
It "But-but-if he didn't reach
= didn't catch"
D. Young lady, he's a man in a tho
IT sand. II you want the proof. look ovt
there"
CTo BE CoNTINUEDl
ID Rice Crop of United States.
L