Year: 1875

ed was wasextraordinary. l cannot forget a
certain contraction of the muscles of his
mouth, producing an expression alter
mating between sternness and pain. Hi
eyes were very large, cold gray in color
restless, continually rowing from one
object to another. l should add that he
was neatly, almost elegantly dressed
His bearing suggested man who had
seen much of life-One rather given tc
meditation. His name was Rufus Rey
nolds. Behind him, in the remotest cor
ner of the back seat, apparently shrink
ing from observation, was the lady in the
case. have deferred description oi
her, not from any lack Of gallantry or
Difference for the sex, but rather because
she avoided description. She was SO
closely veiled that only the contour OF
her features could be discerned. A stray
lock of her hair escaping from confne-
ment was black. Her costume was q
travelling suit of fine material and ele-
CANT finish. She wore on the first finger
of her right hand beautiful ring of rare
design. Deeply imbued as l was with
the Imagination and fire of youth, what
could do but conclude that she must be
refined, lovely and beautiful? She was
certainly young, and there was about
her an indescribable something indicative
of good breeding. One thing worthy of
note did not escape me at the time, and
that was that her face was turned con-
tinually towards Reynolds, as though
she was intensely regarding him. He,
on the other hand, seemed totally obliv-
ious of her presence. No, am mistaken;
he turned once and scanned her Gu
riously, and then / saw, or imagined /
saw, her withdraw further into the CO.
ner, and avoid his gaze. There was GER
tainly some mysterious connection be-
tween those two, but what could it be?
I was obliged to await such develop
ments as would afford an explanation.


The coach was now rafting along at
the rate of about eight or ten miles an
hour. For the first ten miles not more
than twenty words were spoken, and
those were dry and commonplace enough.
The young lady, whom for convenience
we will call Miss Castle, had not uttered
a syllable. Surely not very communi-
cative party. This irksome quiet drove
me for relief to the surrounding scenery.
The day was beautiful, the brightness of
the sun was cheering-one of those Sep
tember days when the foliage is of that
pale, uncertain green which precedes the
brilliant hues of the full autumn. The
landscape was pleasingly varied by hill
and valley, forest and plain.


The road was one of those fine turn
pixies for which Kentucky is justly cele-
brated, undulating with the natural
formation of the country generally wide,
but sometimes much contracted by hill
side and water-cOurse. At length a
gratifying break occurred in the monot-
Ony whicn had thus far prevailed in our
party. Some circumstance, forget now
of what nature, led to conversation on
the ever-fruitful topic of religion. The
Farmer, evidently staunch churchman,
expressed his views at some length, and
after manner strictly orthodox. While
listening to him my attention was at
tracted by Reynolds manner.


Before a half-dozen words had been
spoken, that rowing, restless movement
OF the eye, to which have alluded, partly
disappeared, and his large eyes expanded
as he almost fastened them on the farm
er. AS the latter progressed, Reynolds
attention became fixed. He was evil
IDENTIFY intensely interested, and labored
under repressed excitement. The mas
sive grandeur of his frame seemed to
expand under the effort to restrain his
feelings. He seemed to desire to say
something, and to be waiting eagerly for
an opportunity. None coming, his inn
patience finally overcame him, and he
spoke, in voice trembling with emo
ton:


Gentlemen, it is my solemn duty to
correct the errors of your faith. Your
religion is on false foundation. The
new must supplant the old. l tell you
have studied religion for twenty years;
studied it day and night, without rest.
Hear my judgment: Your church is an
oppression to the land. The poor have
been robbed to enrich her. She must be
stripped of her wealth for the benefit of
the abect and needy of the land. am
called to preach the new Gospel. The
church must be leveled, and her minis
tcrs driven from the land. All who do
not accept the new gospel must be
destroyed"


These words were uttered with an ear
nestucSS Truly mdJcoeiV. AhO spe"nSi
seemed to feel that he was indeed sent to
carry out the reform he referred to.


During the delivery of this TRADE the
veiled lady had not escaped my notice.


Not for an instant had she turned her
head from the direction of the speaker,
whom she was evidently watching intent
iy, and, as his enthusiasm increased,
fancied she showed signs of alarm. Here
required the perplexing question as to
what mysterious relation existed between
them. Revolving this question in my
mind, was thoroughly on the qm rive,
and anxiously awaiting some den0uemenf,
when suddenly, and to my disgust, we
stepped for dinner.


Dinner was finished, and about two
o'clock i'm the afternoon we resumed our
places. / say we, am mistaken-there
were three of us only. Reynolds place
was vacant. at once supposed that he
was riding on the box, and was confirmed
in this supposition by hearing his deep
voice in conversation with the driver.
There was now a marked change in Miss
Castles conduct. The cause instantly
attributed to the absence of Reynolds,
and yet could not imagine how his pres
ence should act as restraint on her.
She had removed her veil, and disclosed
one of the most attractive, winsome faces
I had ever looked upon. My youthful
instinct was correct. She was indeed
young and beautiful. Do not express
IL when ] say she was most charming
young lady?


1t was not long before one of those pleas
ant conversations which commence in
nothing, and often end in nothing, and
yet beguile the tediousness of travel, had
sprung up between us. She was well in
formed, fluent, and entertaining, and |
soon became much interested.


At this stage of our journey we had
reached hilly, almostmonntainous part
Of the country. The road had become
very narrow and contracted, bounded on
the one hand by line of steep, rugged
hills, on the other by deep ravine, with
precipitous sides Many feet below might
be heard the rush of water. i could not
repress shudder as l looked down into