The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1924-02-07
Copyright by The Bobbs. Merrill Co
CHAPTER x--continued.

p
In the glowing embers another face
began 10 form. slowly-a face hand
some In spite of It's forbldding beard,
formidable spectacles and drawn,
peering eyes. Every act OF the eccen-
trio Observation-Disclosures since the
day the Milford stage dropped him
In front OF the post Office, passed be-
fore his m~ind-eyerJ act. as far as
known. had been scrupulously circum-
spect.
Dreaming there by the dead embers
Of the fire. the woodsman found him
self analyzlng the preacher, In his
careful way. from shiny boots TO high
hat. The ill-health excuse he had
sever believed, III rather IA set It
down to an imaginary ailment-the
man looked absolutely fit to enter a
sTsss-Soantry relay. He eliminated the
elaborate frock coat. stiff neck stock,
high hat and spectacles-divested of
ali oddities and accessories. there re-
manned a tall and very capable man.
Then, there was the ivory-handled
W. EhNt tAidh hoDDNhNh ~ AiihN uNaiAANi
the bottom of the skif, and a pair Of
very deft hands feeling over the stacks
of clothes-a circumstance that had to-
tally escaped the other members Of
the SEEMING party. Besides, there was
the perfect agreement Of the heel
prints ON the dusty deck OF the on
cealed Observation-Disclosures circum-
stance that he alone knew.
Ii he was a college professor and a
minister what was he doing In the
Flatwoods? If he was not, still, what
was he doing in the Flatwoods?
AS he %pondered, suddenly the dark
face that had fiared up from the floor
of the woods and glowered at him
over the log, slid into his mind. So
close II came upon the heels of his at
tempted analysis of the preacher that
the two thoughts fused into one. The
connection was startling. 1t brought
him up out Of his chair and left him
starring through the open cabin door
Into the night.
Was there q connection? Might II
be possible that Ken, crime-stained
and low-fallen, had sneaked back to
the Flatwoods, and the preacher, be-
Ing a college friend, was trying to be-
friend hlm-possibly save him? But
no; there was the letter-it was abso-
luteiy genuine.
The woodsman Strengthened and
stretched 10 himself from the
~ u. RI
wild spell OF the thought. TO drag him
self back from the drift of 1t; felt the
revolver at his hip; crossed the floor
and stepped out into the yard.
The night was unruffled the woods
breathed softly In the pale starlight.
Back In the hills a red fox was bark
ing; Over In the bottoms a plover
whistled his melancholy call; the
lonesome wall Of q timber wolf drift
ed down out Of Eagle hollow.
But for the true woodsman the night
has messages that other ears do not
ear. AS he stood In the yard sitting
the sounds that rode the air. he sud
denly bent forward and stood keenly
listening. The frogs In Eagle run, just
below the bridge In front OF Uncle
Nick's, had abruptly stopped croakIng.
only to begin again after a moment,
while the frogs farther down fell 81
ient-somebody was walking along the
bank OF the little stream. Somebody
frogs do not stop croaking at the
tread of cattle or other like animals.
II was near midnight. Why should
anybody be proving In so secluded q
spot at such an hour? The alert and
experienced w0odsman could even
gauge the speed Of the prowler by the
successive silences that fell as he
moved down the stream. He was go
Ing s!owly-possibiy creeping.
From the bridge at Uncle Nick's a
foot-path led down the east bank OF
Eagle run and divided a short dis,
lance below, one fork leading around
the base Of Black rock to the War
hope homestead. the other on dowr
the stream, through a small pastur,
iat-and Into the nark-ikA orchard anf
grounds OF Simon Colin. II was alon,
this fork Of the path that the nigh
prowler was apparently stealing.
The woodsman hurrledly closed tn,
cabin door. ran across the corner o
the fallow yard. and the next momen
was creeping cautiously along the fori
OF the path that led around under til,
dense shadows al the base of Blacl
rock.
The caution Of Jack warhope wa
seldom at fault. There was Away
the chance that the woodcraft OF TIN
man he follow ed was as fine as hi
own. He paid him the compliment o
keeping hack from the stream, out o
earsiiot or the frogs. and silently tool
up the trail.
Where the path crossed the fenc,
INTO the little park the prowIe
erapped pnd stood for some time III
tan|nt lntentiy.
IL il i inv or the woods-fundamen
tal and primary, whether stalking All
rual~ III nten--that the woodsmal
m,s, never move while the ervaiur
YAK t4k4<tf4 fGxa ha ftIlv sutAuf