Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-11-28

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sign of interest; her head and body
druoped, yet her hands grasped the
poLlmel as though she still retained
sone dim conception of her situation.
The face under her hood was bent for
ward and shaded and her eyes, al
though they seemed open, gave no heed
to my presence. touched her hands
thank God, they were moist and
warm. but when I spoke her name it
brought no response.
l started forward on foot, leading
my horse, the others trailing after
through the darkness. Knowing moth
Ing Of the way, was thus better able
to pick the path, yet found this not
difficult. as 1t was rather plainly out
lined by the forest growth on either
side. The trail was clay with few
small stones embedded in It, and the
horses made little noise in their de-
scent, except once when Elsie's animal
slipped and sent loosened bit of rock
rolling down to splash in some pool be-
low. We came to the bank of the creek
at last, narrow stream, easily ford
able, but with a rather steep shore line
beyond, and waited there a moment un-
til Tim emerged from out the black
woods at our right and Joined us. He
was mounted, and, believing the time
had arrived for more rapid movement,
/ also swung up into saddle and ranged
the girls horse beside mine.
They were not stock to be proud Of.
yet they did fairly well, Tins mount
evidently the best of the four. The
going was decidedly better once we
had topped the bank. We may have
ridden for two miles without a word.
for, although I had no intention of pro-
ceeding far in this direction, I could
discover no opportunity for changing
our course so as to battle pursuit. That
Kirby and Rale would endeavor to
follow us at the earliest opportunity
was most probable. They were neither
of them the sort to accept defeat with
out a struggle. and, after the treat
ment they had received. the desire for
revenge would be uppermost. Nor
thus far would there be any difficulty
in their picking up our trail, at least az
far as the creek crossing, and this
would assure them the direction we
had chosen.
Then suddenly, out Of the mysterious
darkness which closed us In, another
grove loomed up Immediately in our
front, and the trail plunged sharply
downward into the depths of a rugged
ravine. was obliged to dismount and
feel my way cautiously to the bottom
delighted to discover there was q
smoothly flowing. narrow stream, run.
ming from the eastward between high
banks, overhung by trees. 1t was dis.
NAL, gloomy spot, veritable cave OF
darkness. yet apparently the very
place had been seeking for our pur.
pose.
Kennedy"
Fright yere, sir. Lord, but it's dark
found enythingT"
"There is a creek here. don't know
where 1t flows from, but it seems tc
come out of the east. One thing il
certain, we have got t get of this
trail. If we can lead the horses uI
stream a way and then circle back II
would keep those fellows guessing fcI
while. Come here and see what you
think Of the chance"
"Ye let me go ahead with the niger
gurl, an then follow after US, leadin
Miss Beaucaire's boss. By JENNY crick
cts. 'tain't deep nough fer ter drown III
enyway, an Iain't much afeered o. the
dark. Thar's likely ter be sum place
whar we kin get out up thar. Whal
the h. are them hossesT
We succeeded In locating the animals
by feeling and waited on the edge OF
the bank, the two reins wrapped about
my arm, until heard the others &C
splashing down into the water. Then
also groped my own way cautiously
forward, the two horses trailing be
hind me, down the sharply shelving
bank into the stream. Tim chose his
course near to the opposite shore, ant
followed his lead closely, guided
largely by the splashing of Elsie's ami
NAL through the shallow water. Oul
movement was a very slow and eau
tious one, Kennedy halting frequently
to assure himself that the passage
ahead was safe. Fortunately the bot
tom was firm and the current not par
ticularly strong, our greatest obstacle
being the low-hanging branches which
| swept against US.
l think we must have waded thus tt
exceed mile when we came to a forf
In the stream and pumped into tan
gle Of uprooted trees, which ended oul
further progress. Between the two
branches, after little search, we dis
covered a gravelly beach, on which
the horses hoofs would leave few per
manent marks. Beyond this gravel W,
plunged into an open wood. through
whose intricacies we were compelled
to grope blindly, Tim and I both afoot