The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-05-07
By
ROBERT ]. C.
STEAD
Aofhov u The Cos~
PunchsS. " Enc

Suddenly he fancied he heard tn
sound OF horses hoofs in the clay roa,
along the hill side, now softeped will
the light rain. The sound ceased a,
suddenly as it began, and II occurred
10 MIN that it might be one of the rob
Ders returning. The lantern was burn
ing low. but as a precaution he now
turned IL quite out. There were some
cartridges in Allan's pocket: he fell
Iof them and decided to bring the pun
OUT or the >abir. But before he could
put MS decision into effect he observed
the form of a man moving silently but
Driskly toward the cabin. He held his
preaih ana remained obscured in the
Dushes Dimly he discerned the form
stop at the door and peer into the
darkness.
Ihere was no doubt in the mind of
harris as to the evil intent of the Wis
ltor. He had come on horseback near
the building, and had then dismounted
ana stole up to it on foot. That in It.
sen was sufficiently discriminating. One
VINO was riding through the mountains
on legitimate errand. and who knew
nothing of the nights ARRAY. would
lake no such precautions. Unarmed
as he was, Harris resolved that the
roDoer, probably the murderer of his
son, should not on any account escape
MIN. With the blanket which he had |
Drought to cover Allan was n bag in
which they had carried oats for their
horses; this he found in the darkness.
ana stole after bis victim. He over
look him standing at the door. in an
parent hesitancy whether TO enter the
building. Without an instant's warn
ng Harris threw the bag about his
head, and with quick twist of his
wrist had his prisoner Sc
'ureiy gagged. Throwing him violent. ,
y TO the ground, he tied the sack in ,
lard knot, and, despite all struggles ,
ragged him back to where Allan lay. !
iere he relighted the lantern, and. :
utting part of the blanket into strips !,
'ith his pocket knife, securely tied his :
aptive hand and foot. At first the :,
risoner tried to talk, but he could not :,
peak intelligibly through the close !.
rawn sack. and presently he gave up :,
M lay In silence In the wet grass. q,
And again the leaden night wore on. :,
roken only by occasional gurglinps in y,
re throat OF Allan, or futile struggles a,
the prisoner. Harris felt little curl IN
1ty concerning the Identity Of the q,
an In gags before him, or the victim h,
Adams gun in the doorway. They ~
ere absolute strangers to him. and he -,
en- feared that If he should look into IN
face of the one that still lived hi th
ger over the assault upon Allan
'uld burst all bounds and he would
! his victim on the spot. He was
WHY forced to the conclusion tina,
les and Gardiner had also met wifi
u play, any that no help was nov
be expected from that quarter.
'ust as the first bars of gray in the
tern sky proclaimed approaching
yn, the sound of horses hoofs came
tinctly up the valley. Harris drew
lself Into a sitting posture. and lis
ed. Allan was still breathing and
arently with less effort than earlier
he night. The sound of the horse
re nearer and nearer. At last II
IN the road just below, and a mo-
t later would have passed by had
Harris called out.
Gray instantly swung his
'e from the road and, dismounting
'eeded In the direction of the
es. N
tTo BE coNTINUED)