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diff --git a/36487-h/36487-h.htm b/36487-h/36487-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2007cd3 --- /dev/null +++ b/36487-h/36487-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9193 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Night Riders, by Henry C. Wood + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.tnote { + border: dashed 1px; + margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; + padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Night Riders, by Henry C. Wood + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Night Riders + A Thrilling Story of Love, Hate and Adventure, Graphically + Depicting the Tobacco Uprising in Kentucky + +Author: Henry C. Wood + +Release Date: June 21, 2011 [EBook #36487] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NIGHT RIDERS *** + + + + +Produced by David Garcia, Moti Ben-Ari and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1>The Night Riders</h1> +<h2>Table of Contents</h2> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#Preface"><b>Preface</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I"><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II"><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III"><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><b>CHAPTER IV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V"><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><b>CHAPTER VI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><b>CHAPTER VII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><b>CHAPTER VIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><b>CHAPTER IX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X"><b>CHAPTER X.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><b>CHAPTER XI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><b>CHAPTER XII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII"><b>CHAPTER XIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV"><b>CHAPTER XIV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XV"><b>CHAPTER XV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI"><b>CHAPTER XVI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII"><b>CHAPTER XVII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII"><b>CHAPTER XVIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIX"><b>CHAPTER XIX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XX"><b>CHAPTER XX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXI"><b>CHAPTER XXI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXII"><b>CHAPTER XXII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII"><b>CHAPTER XXIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV"><b>CHAPTER XXIV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXV"><b>CHAPTER XXV.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI"><b>CHAPTER XXVI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII"><b>CHAPTER XXVII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII"><b>CHAPTER XXVIII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX"><b>CHAPTER XXIX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXX"><b>CHAPTER XXX.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXI"><b>CHAPTER XXXI.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXII"><b>CHAPTER XXXII.</b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XXXIII"><b>CHAPTER XXXIII.</b></a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1>YOUR UNCLE SAM</h1> + +<div class="center">OWNS A GREAT NAVY<br /><br /> + +A very important adjunct of Government.—You and everybody<br /> +must be interested in it.<br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/ill-001.jpg" width="600" height="424" alt="A Submarine Boat. A new "wrinkle" in warfare." title="" /> +<span class="caption">A Submarine Boat. A new "wrinkle" in warfare.</span> +</div> + + +<h1>THE AMERICAN BATTLESHIP</h1> + +<div class="center"> +AND LIFE IN THE NAVY<br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="right">By THOS. BEYER, a Bluejacket</div> + +<p>is the most authoritative as well as the most readable book published +on the subject. Also Humorous Man-o'-War Yarns. <b>40 full-page +half-tones, including Rear-Admiral Evans' flagship "Connecticut," +and a lithographed map, in four colors, of the +cruise around the world by the U. S. fleet, 1907-1908.</b></p> + +<div class="center">EXTRA SILK CLOTH, GOLD TITLE, $1.25<br /><br /> + +At all bookstores and book supply houses, or sent postpaid, on receipt of price, by<br /><br /> + +LAIRD & LEE, Publishers, 263-265 Wabash Avenue, CHICAGO +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 396px;"> +<img src="images/ill-002.jpg" width="396" height="600" alt="Dressed in her husband's clothes, she led them to the +tobacco barn." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Dressed in her husband's clothes, she led them to the +tobacco barn.</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center">"<i>A fence between makes love more keen</i>."</div> + +<h1>The Night Riders</h1> + +<div class="center"> +A Thrilling Story of Love,<br /> +Hate and Adventure, graphically depicting the<br /> +Tobacco Uprising in Kentucky<br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="center">BY</div> + +<h2>HENRY C. WOOD</h2> + +<div class="center"> +"<i>Who warms in his bosom the eggs of hatred hatches +a nest of snakes</i>."<br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 156px;"> +<img src="images/ill-003.png" width="156" height="143" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<div class="center"> +CHICAGO<br /> +<span class="smcap">Laird & Lee, Publishers</span> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> +<div class="center"> +Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1908,<br /> +<span class="smcap">By William H. Lee</span>,<br /> +in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at<br /> +Washington, D. C.<br /><br /> +DRAMATIC RIGHTS RESERVED BY THE AUTHOR. +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Preface" id="Preface"></a><i>Preface</i></h2> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<i>The author has cleverly interwoven a tale +of absorbing heart interest with a graphically +depicted view of the present Tobacco Troubles +in Kentucky and the exciting times when the +people formed into bands, known as THE +NIGHT RIDERS, to protest against what they +considered the unjust tax of the Toll Gate +System. These protests were of a strenuous +nature, not unlike those of the tobacco-growing +section today, and as the characters in the +story are real, live beings, who did things, +the reader's interest never flags.</i> +</div> + +<div class="right"><i>THE PUBLISHERS.</i></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 449px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-006.jpg" width="449" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 406px;"> +<img src="images/ill-008.jpg" width="406" height="600" alt="Bracing himself in his stirrups, Milt cried hurriedly +to Judson: "Leap up behind me!"—Page 130." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Bracing himself in his stirrups, Milt cried hurriedly +to Judson: "Leap up behind me!"—Page 130.</span> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/ill-009.jpg" width="600" height="336" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + + +<p>The early morning sunlight entered boldly +through the small panes of glass into the +kitchen of the toll-house and fell in a checkered +band across the breakfast table set against +the sill of the one long, low window.</p> + +<p>The meal was a simple one, plainly served, +but a touch of gold and purple—royal colors of +the season—was given it by a bunch of autumn +flowers, golden-rod and wild aster, stuck in a +glass jar set on the window sill.</p> + +<p>A glance at the two seated at each end of the +narrow table would have enabled one to decide +quickly to whom was due this desire for ornamentation, +for the mother was a sharp-featured, +rather untidy-looking woman, on whom +the burden of hard work and poverty had laid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +certain harsh lines not easily eradicated, while +the daughter's youth and comeliness had overcome +them as a fine jewel may assert its beauty +despite a cheap setting.</p> + +<p>The sun's lambent rays, falling across the +girl's shapely head and shoulders, touched to +deeper richness the auburn hair, gathered in a +large, loose coil, that rested low upon her neck, +and also accentuated the clear, delicately-tinted +complexion like a semi-transparency +that is given rare old china when the light illumines +it.</p> + +<p>The meal was eaten almost in silence, but toward +the end of the breakfast Mrs. Brown +looked up suddenly, her cup of coffee raised +partly to her lips, and said, in her querulous +treble:</p> + +<p>"Sally, Foster Crain says aigs air fetchin' +fo'hteen an' a half cents in town. Count +what's stored away in the big gourd, when you +git through eatin', an' take 'em in this +mornin'."</p> + +<p>"How am I to go?" asked her daughter, +looking up from her plate. "Joe's limping +from that nail he picked up yesterday."</p> + +<p>"Likely somebody'll be passin' the gate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +that'll give you a seat. The Squire may be +along soon." A certain inflection crept into +the speaker's voice.</p> + +<p>"I'll walk," announced Sally, with sudden +determination. "It's cool and pleasant, and +I'd as soon walk as ride."</p> + +<p>The mother looked across furtively to where +her daughter sat.</p> + +<p>"I don't see what makes you so set ag'in the +Squire," she said, plaintively, a few moments +later, as if she had divined her daughter's unuttered +thoughts.</p> + +<p>"He's an old fool!" declared Sally, promptly.</p> + +<p>"An' it strikes me that you're somethin' of a +young one!" retorted her mother sharply.</p> + +<p>The girl made no answer, save a perceptible +shrug of her pretty shoulders, and soon afterward +got up and began to clear away the breakfast +dishes. Mrs. Brown sighed deeply.</p> + +<p>"Most girls would be powerful vain to have +the Squire even notice 'em," the mother continued, +in a more persuasive tone, as a sort of balm +offering to the girl's wounded feelings. She +placed her cup and saucer in her plate and put +back a small piece of unused butter on the side<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +of the butter dish, then slowly arose from the +table.</p> + +<p>"It's seldom a po' gyurl has such a good +chance to better her condition, if she was only +willin' to do so," she continued argumentatively, +for the subject was a favorite theme with +her, and she had rung its changes for the listener's +benefit on more than one occasion. She +gave her daughter a sidelong glance—partly of +inquiry, partly of reproach—and turned to her +work.</p> + +<p>Sally, with something like an impatient jerk, +lifted from the stove the steaming kettle and +poured a part of the hot contents into the dish-pan +on the table, but she made no answer, +though soon the clatter of tins and dishes—perhaps +they rattled a little louder than usual—mingled +as a sort of accompaniment to the +reminiscent monologue that Mrs. Brown carried +on at intervals during her work.</p> + +<p>"It's all owin' to the Squire's kindness an' +interest in us that we're fixed this comfortable, +for, dear knows I'd never got the toll-gate in the +first place if it hadn't been for his influence, an' +now, if you'd only give him any encouragement +at all, you might be a grand sight better off.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +Such chances don't grow as thick as blackberries +in summer, I can tell you."</p> + +<p>The dishes and tins rattled angrily, but Sally +said not a word.</p> + +<p>"About the only good showin' a poor gyurl +has in this world is to marry as well as she can, +an' when she neglects to do this, she's got nobody +to blame but herself—not a soul."</p> + +<p>Sally had the dishes all washed and laid in +a row on the table to drain, and now she caught +them up, one by one, and began to polish away +vigorously, as if the effort afforded a certain relief +to her feelings, since she had chosen to take +refuge in silence.</p> + +<p>"S'posin' he <i>is</i> old an' ugly," soliloquized +Mrs. Brown, abruptly breaking into speech +again, and seemingly addressing her remarks +to the skillet she was then cleaning, and which +she held up before her and gazed into intently, +as a lady of fashion might do a hand glass at +her toilet. "What o' that? Beauty's only skin +deep, an' old age is likely to come to us all +sooner or later. It's all the better if he is along +in years," she added, with a sudden chuckle +and a second furtive glance over the top of the +skillet toward the girl, to see if she was listening.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +"Then he ain't so likely to live forever, +an' a trim young widow, with property of her +own an' money in bank, can mighty soon find a +chance to marry ag'in, if she's a mind to."</p> + +<p>A cloud of anger swept over the listener's +face, which the mother failed to see, as the +skillet again intervened.</p> + +<p>"There ain't nothin' like havin' a home of +your own, an' knowin' you've got a shelter for +your old age—no, indeed, they ain't! The +Squire's mighty well fixed; he's got a real good +farm, an' turnpike stock, an' cash, an' a nice, +comfortable house besides."</p> + +<p>"Comfortable!" exclaimed Sally, with a toss +of her head, and breaking her resolve to keep +silent. "It looks like a ha'nted barn stuck back +amongst them cedar trees down in the hollow. +No wonder his first wife went crazy an' hung +herself up in the attic, poor thing! They say +he treated her shameful mean."</p> + +<p>Sally had looked upon this house many times +and with conflicting thoughts as she passed it +now and then. An air of neglect and loneliness +hung about the spot. The house, hopelessly +ugly and angular, was set far back from the +road in the midst of a large yard given over to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +weeds and untrimmed shrubbery, while a +clump of gloomy-looking cedars defied even +the brightness of sun and sky.</p> + +<p>"You can't put credit into everything you +hear," admonished Mrs. Brown, breaking +ruthlessly into her daughter's musings. "Besides, +a spry young girl can pretty much have +her own way when she marries a man so much +older than herself.</p> + +<p>"There's Serena Lowe, that use' to be," she +continued, reminiscently. "She an' her fam'ly +was about as poor as Job's turkey when we went +to school together, an' many's the time I've divided +my dinner with her because she didn't +seem to have any too much of her own.</p> + +<p>"But she had a downright pretty face—all +white an' pink, like a doll's—an' it helped her +to ketch old Bartholomew Rice, an' now she +rides around in her own kerridge an' pair, +mind you, an' no prouder woman ever lived +this minute. You'd think from the airs she +gives herself that she was born in the best front +room on a Sunday.</p> + +<p>"The Squire's as good as hinted to me that if +he could marry the one he wants, he wouldn't +in the least mind goin' to the expense of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +paintin' an' fixin' up the place till you +wouldn't know it," insinuated Mrs. Brown, +dropping her voice to a more confidential tone.</p> + +<p>"He'd have to paint an' fix hisself up, too, till +you wouldn't know <i>him</i>, either, before I'd even +so much as look at him," tartly asserted Sally.</p> + +<p>"A tidy young wife could change his looks +an' the looks of the house in a mighty little +while, if she only had a mind to do so," suggested +Mrs. Brown, in subtly persuasive tones. +"It must be dreadful lonesome livin' as he does, +with nobody to look after things."</p> + +<p>"He might have kept his nephew for company," +insisted Sally, with a sudden ring of resentment +in her voice. "He drove him away."</p> + +<p>"Which likely he wouldn't have done if +Milt hadn't been so headstrong an' wild. You +know the Squire's goin' to have his own way +about things."</p> + +<p>"About <i>some</i> things," corrected Sally.</p> + +<p>"Mebbe about all, sooner or later," said +Mrs. Brown, in hopeful prediction. "He +ain't a man to give up easy when he sets his +mind in a certain direction."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps his nephew isn't, either," suggested<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +her daughter, with a little tinge of color +deepening in each cheek.</p> + +<p>"No, an' that's just the cause an' upshot of +the whole trouble!" cried the mother, in a sudden +flash of vehemence, dropping the persuasive +tones she had heretofore employed for resentful +chiding. "His nephew's at the bottom +of it all, an' you seem ready an' willin' to throw +away a good chance of a nice, comfortable +home an' deprive me of a shelter in my old age +just for the sake of that no-account Milt Derr, +who happens to have smooth ways an' a nimble +tongue. It looks like he's fairly bewitched +you."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + + +<p>A little later in the morning Sally tied on her +sunbonnet, whose pale blue lining made a +charming framing for her fresh complexion +and pretty face, concealing it just sufficiently +to make one keenly inquisitive to take a second +longer glance beneath the ruffled rim.</p> + +<p>With the basket of eggs swung coquettishly +on her plump arm, and a stray wisp or two of +wavy hair escaping from its confines down her +shapely, curving neck and throat, in protest at +imprisonment, the girl set out walking toward +the town, a mile away.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Brown had ingeniously delayed her +daughter's going by finding several little duties +for her to perform, hoping the while that before +the girl should be ready to start the Squire +would make his appearance and leave her no +alternative but to accept a ride with him.</p> + +<p>The morning grew apace, however, and finally +Sally set out alone, quite grateful for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +Squire's tardiness, and partly amused, partly +vexed, by her mother's thinly-veiled excuses +for delay.</p> + +<p>As the girl walked along the road with the +springing, elastic step of youth and perfect +health, and the freedom of the far-stretching +fields as a heritage, the fresh morning air caressing +her cheeks brought forth a bloom as soft +and delicate as the rose of a summer dawn, +while her spirits, which had become somewhat +dampened under her mother's recent bickerings, +gradually grew soothed and calmed under +the tranquil charm of the new-born day.</p> + +<p>Now and then a bird, startled at her approach, +flew from hedge to hedge across the +road, piping loudly in affected alarm as it +went, while in a softer strain came the gentle +lowing of cattle from a pasture near at hand, +and in the tall grass and dusty weeds along the +way the autumnal chorus of insects had begun, +conducted by the shrill-toned cricket.</p> + +<p>At the top of the first hill that arose between +the gate and town Sally paused a moment—not +that she was tired, or even spent of breath—and +looked back. The picture that she saw was +one of serene beauty, with wide stretches of fallow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +fields, bathed in the golden tranquility of +a perfect October day, and dumb with the spell +of restfulness and mystic brooding that this +season brings.</p> + +<p>In the far distance a long, ragged line of +hills melted into the soft blue sky-line, and over +these shadowy sentinels, standing a-row, the +purplish haze of autumn hung like a diaphanous +curtain stretching between the lowlands +and the hill country.</p> + +<p>From her elevated vantage ground the girl +could see the toll-house very distinctly, though +she herself was partly hidden by a small clump +of young locusts under which she had paused. +As she looked toward her home the Squire's +old buggy came in sight around a curve of the +road and stopped at the gate. Her mother came +out and presently pointed in the direction of +town, while the Squire gave his horse a cut of +the whip and started up the road at a much +brisker pace, it seemed to Sally, than before the +gate was reached.</p> + +<p>"Mother's told him that he might overtake +me," she muttered, grimly smiling at the +thought. "I'll see that he don't," she added, +resolutely.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> + +<p>She stood for a few moments debating the +situation, then looked toward the town. The +distance was but half traveled, and the Squire +must certainly overtake her before her destination +was reached. There was a smaller hill +beyond, and toward this she now set out +briskly, fully determined to cover as much of +the way as possible, so that, if finally overtaken, +the ride would prove but a short one at best.</p> + +<p>When she reached the brow of the second +hill the Squire was lost to sight behind the +first one, and just then a plan of escape happily +suggested itself as she reached a low stone wall +running for some distance along one side of the +road. She lightly climbed the moss-covered +stones and crouched down behind them in a +clump of golden-rod, waiting in covert until +the Squire should pass.</p> + +<p>Soon she heard an approaching vehicle, +which she knew to be the Squire's from the familiar +joggle of loose bolts, and close upon its +coming another sound fell on her alert ear, as +if a horseman were riding from the direction +of the town. The person on horseback and +Squire Bixler met and came to a halt in the +middle of the road, almost in front of that portion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +of the stone wall behind which the girl +had taken refuge.</p> + +<p>After the exchange of a brief greeting, the +Squire said, abruptly:</p> + +<p>"Well, what progress have you made? +Any?"</p> + +<p>"Well, Squire, I think he's goin' to jine," +answered the horseman, in the peculiar drawling +tones suggestive of the hill country, whose +boundary lay purple and hazy along the distant +horizon.</p> + +<p>"You <i>think</i> he is?" cried the Squire impatiently, +with a ripping oath. "What do you +<i>know</i> about it?"</p> + +<p>"That when I see him again he is to tell me +if he's made up his mind to come to the next +meetin' place. If he does, of course, he'll jine +the band."</p> + +<p>"And what does the band propose doing?" +asked the Squire.</p> + +<p>"To git free roads."</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>"Not by waitin' on the courts; the people +have tried that long enough. They're goin' to +take things into their own hands a bit. They +mean business."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, and damn 'em, they'll find that others +mean business, too!" retorted the Squire, impetuously. +"However, keep your eyes and ears +open, and you'll soon hear the jingle of money +in your pockets."</p> + +<p>"I'll try to keep you posted, but it's risky +business for me."</p> + +<p>"You're all safe," insisted the Squire, "and +you're sure of good pay. I'd like to get the +young rascal in the clutches of the law," added +the speaker, with sudden vindictiveness, "and +if ever I do, I'll promise to make it hot for +him."</p> + +<p>"You can trap him before a great while, +I think, or at least get him in so tight a place +that it will be safer for him to leave this part +of the country."</p> + +<p>"Well, if I can't run him to ground, I'd +at least like to run him away," admitted the +Squire, frankly.</p> + +<p>"It's your best chance for winnin' the +gal," said the horseman, with a meaning +laugh.</p> + +<p>"You keep an eye on his movements, and +I'll attend to winning the girl," answered the +other with a touch of resentment manifest in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +his tone. "Did you meet anybody between +here and town?"</p> + +<p>"No. Was you expectin' to overtake some +one?" questioned the horseman.</p> + +<p>"Well, nobody in particular," answered the +Squire, evasively. "I was just thinking that +there wasn't much travel over the road this +morning."</p> + +<p>"Not as much as there will be when there's +no toll to pay," said the other, with a meaning +laugh, as he rode away.</p> + +<p>The girl, crouching amid the tall weeds, +waited until the rattling vehicle was well over +the intervening hill before she ventured from +her hiding place. When she gained the road +once more her face wore a grave and thoughtful +look.</p> + +<p>It was evident that mischief was brewing in +this quarter for somebody. Who was it the +Squire was so eager to get into the clutches of +the law, and what band was this person about +to join? It seemed to be some secret and illegal +organization. No names had been called, +yet a sudden subtle intuition warned Sally that +she was, in point of fact, one of the interested +parties to the conversation just overheard, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +that the other person who had gained the +Squire's avowed enmity, and for whose speedy +undoing he was even now planning, was none +other than his own nephew and her sweetheart—Milton +Derr.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + + +<p>When the pretty toll-taker reached town she +disposed of her basket of eggs at even a higher +price than Foster Crain, the poultry vendor, +had quoted—she was a famous hand at bargaining +and a shrewd trader—then set about +making some purchases.</p> + +<p>She saw the Squire's horse and buggy standing +at a hitching post near the courthouse, and +determined that she would wait until the vehicle +had disappeared before she started back +home. Therefore she dallied over her shopping +in a truly feminine way, and dropped in to +have a friendly chat with an acquaintance or +two; then, noting the horse and buggy had +gone, she finally started homeward.</p> + +<p>The day was now hastening toward noon, +the sun had grown oppressive, and, with several +bundles to carry, Sally felt that the return +would not be so pleasant as the coming +had been. She looked about her, hoping to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +find some one—that is, some one besides the +Squire—who might be going in the direction +of the new pike gate, and with a seat to offer, +but no one seemed to be in town from her +neighborhood on this morning, and so she set +out alone.</p> + +<p>Just as Sally reached the edge of the town, +where two streets intersected, who should drive +up the other street but the Squire? The meeting +was wholly an accidental one, but after her +persistent efforts to avoid him all the morning, +the encounter seemed like the especial workings +of a perverse fate. The Squire was close +upon her before she even saw him. There was +no chance for escape or subterfuge.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Miss Sally! Good morning to you!" +he cried, with one of his amatory ogles that always +sent a cold chill over her and strongly +aroused within her bosom a spirit of determined +opposition. "I have been looking for +you all the morning. Where have you been +hiding yourself?" he asked, as he drove up to +where she had reluctantly stopped on hearing +her name called.</p> + +<p>"Behind the stone wall," Sally was half +tempted to answer, wishing, at the moment,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +that she could have availed herself of its protection +in the present instance; but she only +nodded gravely and said that she had been +making a few purchases for her mother.</p> + +<p>"I tried to overtake you early this morning," +continued the Squire, glibly. "Your +mother said you had been gone but a little +while when I passed the gate. You must have +walked pretty fast."</p> + +<p>"I did," acknowledged Sally, with a covert +smile. "It was cool and pleasant walking."</p> + +<p>"Well, come! Put your bundles down in +front and jump in," said her companion. "Riding's +better than walking any day, and good +company's better than either," he added, with +a tender leer at her, which Sally pretended not +to see.</p> + +<p>There was nothing for it but to accept the +proffered seat. She did not dare openly to offend +the Squire by a refusal to ride with him, +though she would willingly have chosen the +long, warm walk, even with the additional burden +of her bundles, in preference to his company. +As her mother had said only that morning, +it was through his influence that she had +been appointed keeper of the New Pike Gate,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +and it was due to him she now kept it, so Sally +civilly thanked him and got into the buggy.</p> + +<p>"If I had counted on such good company, +I would have had this old rattletrap cleaned +up a bit," said the Squire, apologetically, as +they drove off. "But, never mind!" he added, +jocosely. "When we start out on our wedding +trip, I'll buy a brand-new, shiny rig, out an' +out."</p> + +<p>"<i>We?</i>" echoed Sally, with a certain sharpness +of tone.</p> + +<p>"You don't suppose I'd care to go on a bridal +trip alone, do you?" inquired the Squire, +laconically, and with a wink of one watery eye.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you will, if you depend on me +to go along with you," answered Sally, dryly.</p> + +<p>"Now, my dear, you surely wouldn't be that +cruel?" said the Squire, edging a little closer +to Sally, who as promptly moved away. +"Haven't I been depending on your going all +the while, and haven't I said that I wouldn't +have any other girl but you, though there's +plenty would be only too glad to go for the asking?"</p> + +<p>"An' there's one that wouldn't," announced +Sally, coolly.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-030.jpg" width="450" height="600" alt=""When we start on our wedding trip I'll buy a +brand new, shiny rig."" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"When we start on our wedding trip I'll buy a +brand new, shiny rig."</span> +</div> + +<p>"Then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> I can show her where she stands +mightily in her own light," said the Squire, +suddenly dropping into a more serious tone.</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"By giving her some very good reasons why +she should act differently."</p> + +<p>"What reasons?" asked Sally, arousing to +some slight show of interest.</p> + +<p>"Well, now, we'll suppose, for instance, the +girl to be you," began the Squire, argumentatively. +"You and your mother are depending +on the toll-gate for a living, and it makes you a +comfortable one, at any rate. Did you know +the toll-gate raiders were at work?" asked the +Squire, abruptly.</p> + +<p>The girl caught her breath with a quick +start.</p> + +<p>"No," she answered, quickly. "Where?"</p> + +<p>"Right here in this very county. They +burned a toll-house just on the boundary line +only the other night, and cut down the pole of +one gate in the edge of this county last night, +so I was told today," said the Squire, impressively.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid we're going to have a deal of +trouble over the matter before it's ended," he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +continued, thoughtfully, shrewdly following +the impression he had evidently made on the +mind of his hearer. "The spirit of lawlessness +seems to be widely spreading."</p> + +<p>"Do you think there's any danger of the +raiders payin' a visit to the New Pike Gate?" +questioned Sally, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"I shouldn't be the least surprised," answered +her companion, with a dubious shake +of the head. "The night-riders seem determined +to make way with all the toll-gates in +this part of the country if they can."</p> + +<p>"I can't think they would harm us," insisted +Sally, "two poor, helpless women."</p> + +<p>"Likely not, but if the raiders have made up +their minds to have free roads, as they appear +to have done, they would not hesitate to burn +the toll-house over your heads, which would +leave you and your mother without a shelter, +don't you see?"</p> + +<p>The Squire paused, and the girl sat buried +in deep thought for some moments.</p> + +<p>"In that case, what could you do or where +could you go?" asked the Squire, at last breaking +the silence that had fallen between them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Heaven only knows!" cried the girl, earnestly.</p> + +<p>"Now, affairs stand just in this way," continued +the Squire, craftily. "If the raiders +should burn the toll-house—and it is a most +probable thing, I fear—it would leave you two +women in rather a bad plight. But if you'll +only agree to marry me, why, there's a nice +home waiting for you, and your mother will +also have a comfortable shelter in her old age, +and neither of you will have cause to worry +about the future."</p> + +<p>The Squire paused, but Sally made no answer. +She knew full well that his words were +quite true concerning the dependence of her +mother and herself on the toll-gate for a living. +She also knew that as long as the Squire entertained +the faintest hope of ultimately winning +her the gate was secured to her mother, and +therefore she had not felt troubled on this +score; but now that a new and unlooked-for +danger threatened in the unusual and unexpected +presence of the raiders, she tremulously +asked herself, "What, indeed, if the toll-houses +were destroyed, would become of her and her +mother?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> + +<p>The girl felt no fears for herself regarding +the future—she was energetic and had been familiar +with work all her life; it held no terrors +for her; she could hire out—wash, cook, sew—perhaps +some day marry the man of her +choice when he should be in a position to take +unto himself a wife; but, with her mother's +welfare also to be considered, the matter grew +far more complex.</p> + +<p>"Don't you see just how matters stand?" +asked the Squire, persuasively, almost tenderly, +breaking the long silence.</p> + +<p>Sally gravely nodded her head.</p> + +<p>"I see," she answered, in a low tone.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + + +<p>It was close upon 10 o'clock at night—a late +hour for a lonely traveler in this remote locality +amid the hills—and Milton Derr was +homeward bound. As he neared the vicinity +of Alder Creek meeting-house, up in the hill +country, another horseman came out of a lane +into the public road just as he was passing.</p> + +<p>Hailing a fellow voyager, as was the custom +of the neighborhood, Derr recognized an acquaintance +and promptly checked his horse +until the other came alongside.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Steve! Isn't it a little late for an +honest man to be abroad?" Milton asked, after +friendly greeting from his companion.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes, and it seems I'm not the only one +in that plight," retorted the other, with the +quick repartee belonging to these people.</p> + +<p>His companion laughed good-naturedly at +the thrust, and the two rode on together for +some little distance, when Milton Derr, suddenly +changing the drift of the talk said:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, I've been thinking over that matter +we were speaking about the other day."</p> + +<p>"To what purpose?" asked the other.</p> + +<p>"I'm in half a notion to become a member of +the band."</p> + +<p>"The other half's needed before you can get +in, you know," answered Steve, laconically.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm nearing that point now," admitted +Derr, after a thoughtful pause. "I think +I should like to have some voice in this question +of free roads myself, as it promises to be +an important one."</p> + +<p>"In that case I can easily arrange it for you. +There'll be but few men around here who +won't belong to the band before toll-gate raiding +is over," said the other, impressively. +"Folks have been bled by fat corporations long +enough."</p> + +<p>"When could I join?" asked Derr, after +some moments of meditative silence.</p> + +<p>"When?" echoed his companion. "Tonight, +if your mind's made up."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, it is," said Derr, decisively. +"How am I to go about it?"</p> + +<p>"Just follow me. If you really mean business,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +I can take you straight to where the band +is holding a meeting this very night."</p> + +<p>"All right," answered the prospective candidate. +"Lead the way!"</p> + +<p>The two turned into a dirt lane beyond the +meeting-house, Derr keeping close by the side +of his guide, while the hoofbeats of the two +horses suddenly grew muffled by the softer bed +of the lane in exchange for the macadamized +pike.</p> + +<p>There was no moon to light the way, and the +faint starlight that had made easily traceable +the white, dust-covered surface of the highway +was now absorbed and lost in the dull clay of +the lane. Where the trees and bushes overhung +the path a dense obscurity prevailed. +Both man and beast were familiar with night +riding along country byways, however, so the +two travelers rode rapidly on, unmindful of +the darkness or the twisting road.</p> + +<p>A mile farther on they quitted the lane, passing +through a gate into a fallow field adjoining, +which they crossed, and finally came to +the outer fringe of a dense thicket.</p> + +<p>Here they halted, while Steve, placing his +fingers to his lips in a certain manner, blew a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +low, peculiar whistle, like the call of some sombre +night bird, which was answered later from +somewhere amid the bushes. Close upon the +answering call a dark form emerged from the +shadowy copse near at hand, and a voice asked +gruffly:</p> + +<p>"Who goes there?"</p> + +<p>"Friends."</p> + +<p>"What are you seeking?"</p> + +<p>"Free roads."</p> + +<p>"Dismount!"</p> + +<p>Steve dropped from his horse and went forward +to where the dark form stood, while +Derr, with his ears alert and lively interest +aroused, heard him announce that he had +brought one who craved membership with the +band.</p> + +<p>After learning the name of the candidate for +initiation, the figure seemed to melt into darkness +again, while Steve came back to his horse +and companion to await the return of the messenger.</p> + +<p>"It's all right; come along!" said Steve at +another signal from amidst the bushes. The +two men quickly hitched their horses to some +saplings growing near, and found a narrow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +path leading down between the underbrush. +Steve led the way, Milton following close upon +his footsteps, while the mysterious messenger, +who wore a half-mask over the upper part of +his face, brought up the rear. There was a +tinge of romantic adventure about the whole +affair that strongly appealed to the new candidate.</p> + +<p>The path led down to a secluded hollow in +the midst of the thicket—a remote and lonely +spot, far removed from human habitation, it +seemed, and little liable to intrusion—a spot +well chosen for a secret midnight rendezvous.</p> + +<p>In the midst of the copse lay a small clearing, +and in its center the three men came suddenly +upon a group gathered around a smouldering +fire, built of brushwood piled against +a log.</p> + +<p>The uncertain blaze but dimly lighted the +scene, but it was sufficient to bring into clearer +view the dark forms of a body of men vaguely +outlined against the darker bushes surrounding +them, while the faces of the members of +this secret band were partly concealed under +soft slouch hats, and strips of black cloth, such +as the guide wore, tied over the upper part of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +the face, with holes cut in the cloth for the +eyes.</p> + +<p>This partial concealment of the features +gave an air of weird mystery to the secret conclave—a +touch of the uncanny mingling with +the strange and romantic.</p> + +<p>A swift thought darted into Milton Derr's +brain as he suddenly recalled his sweetheart's +words of warning given him at meeting the +Sunday before, that perhaps he had been led +into a trap, of whose setting his uncle was cognizant, +and that the members of this secret organization +meant to do him bodily harm.</p> + +<p>If such should be their will and purpose, he +was entirely at their mercy. No friendly aid +could reach him in this remote and dismal +spot, where even a cry for help would die unheeded +upon the still night air. Yet, as these +disturbing thoughts darted through his excited +brain, he stood erect and motionless, and his +calm face gave no sign of inward fear. If he +was called upon to yield his life it should be +rendered as became a brave man, but he would +endeavor to sell it as dearly as possible.</p> + +<p>Standing in that sombre spot, the spirit of +distrust bearing heavily upon him, he gave a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +swift, sweeping glance of inquiry around, noting +the shadowy forms of the men that seemed +to merge into the impenetrable darkness, while +the uncertain, flickering blaze of the fire but +dimly lighted the gloomy depths of foliage beyond, +rising like a mysterious barrier to shut +out freedom and the outer world. The grim +silence of the group surrounding him still further +served to deeply impress the new candidate +for initiation, and to make manifest the +fact that whatever of good or evil might be in +store for him, it was now too late to retract the +words that had helped to bring him thither.</p> + +<p>The young man found himself vaguely hoping, +as he glanced keenly from one to another +of the silent brotherhood, that among these +masked faces, whose fantastically concealed +features were turned darkly in his direction, +there might be at least some friendly and familiar +ones if uncovered to the light.</p> + +<p>At the conclusion of the initiation, made yet +more impressive to the candidate because of +his lively imagination, aided and fed by the +remoteness of the spot and the gloom of the +night, after Derr had taken the solemn oath +of the order to obey its captain and preserve<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +all secrets, the raiders began to bare their faces +to the new member.</p> + +<p>As the half-masks were raised, one by one, +Milton Derr saw that several members of the +band were acquaintances of his, one or two +were more intimate friends, while others he +knew only by sight and some were strangers.</p> + +<p>The captain was the last to remove his mask, +and as he did so the new raider recognized in +him the one man, of all others dwelling amid +these hills, he least desired or expected to serve +under—Jade Beddow.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + + +<p>"Now, boys, to business!" cried the captain, +briskly, as some of Milt's acquaintances gathered +around him to give him a welcoming +hand. "We have a little work before us tonight."</p> + +<p>Soon the sound of a small cavalcade, riding +rapidly along the country roads, broke into the +quiet of the night, perchance arousing some +light sleeper as it passed, who, after listening +drowsily to the retreating hoof-beats as they +died away in the distance, would turn and mutter, +"The Night Riders," then drift into slumber +again.</p> + +<p>"Where are we going?" asked Milt, who +rode by the side of Steve.</p> + +<p>"To make one less toll-gate."</p> + +<p>"Which one?" asked Milt, with an interest +he did not care to betray.</p> + +<p>"It's the Cross-Roads Gate, I think. You +can look for a lot o' fun tonight if it's that one,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +an' we get Maggie O'Flynn stirred up. She's +a regular circus in herself." Steve chuckled +audibly at the prospective entertainment.</p> + +<p>"It will be something like stirring up a den +of wild-cats, not counting in Pat at all," Milt +admitted.</p> + +<p>"Pat don't count; he's a coward, through +and through. The fun will all be furnished by +Maggie."</p> + +<p>"And we fellows had better look sharp," +cautioned Milt. "Maggie's a pretty good shot, +I've heard."</p> + +<p>"We've seen to it that she won't have a +chance to draw a bead on any of us," admitted +Steve. "She keeps a rifle at the gate, but one +of the neighbors borrowed it this very mornin' +to shoot a hawk, an' somehow forgot to carry +it back. He won't think of it till in the mornin'. +Maggie's tongue is all that's left to guard +the gate."</p> + +<p>"And under ordinary circumstances that's +sufficient," admitted Milt.</p> + +<p>The raiders soon came out upon a turnpike, +and after a ride of a mile or two they reached a +spot where the pike was intersected by another, +crossed at right angles. At the juncture of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +the two roads stood the toll-house which had +been chosen for the night's raid.</p> + +<p>A raider was stationed about a hundred +yards from the gate to guard the approach +from that direction, while the rest rode forward +to where the double poles were now +raised at this mid-hour of the night. Three +of the horsemen passed through and took positions +on the farther side of the toll-house, at +about equal distances from it along the two +roads.</p> + +<p>In the meantime the captain selected a man +from among the members of the band, who +was least known to the locality, to act as spokesman, +and while the remaining raiders grouped +themselves about the gate, a resounding knock +was given at the toll-house door.</p> + +<p>"All roight! I'm afther comin'. Ye needn't +break the dure down," answered a sleepy man's +voice, deeply tinged with Celtic brogue. +"What the divil do ye want, anyway? The +poles are raised!" the voice demanded immediately +after.</p> + +<p>"We want these poles cut down," announced +the spokesman of the band.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Begorra! an' it's the raiders!" Pat said in +a husky voice to his awakened spouse.</p> + +<p>"The phwat?" asked Maggie, in a shrill +tone, evidently raising up in bed.</p> + +<p>"Whist, honey! The raiders!" repeated +Pat, in more cautious tones.</p> + +<p>"An' phwat do they want?" asked Maggie, +in a still higher key.</p> + +<p>"They want the poles cut down," faltered +Pat.</p> + +<p>"Indade! An' phwat do they mane wakin' +up honest people this dead o' the night, axin' +the loike o' that?" demanded his wife, shrilly. +"Get the gun, Pat, an' shoot the dirty thaves!"</p> + +<p>Pat, shaking with excitement or fear, in +a low, tremulous voice, inaudible to those without, +reminded his spouse that the gun had been +loaned out and was no longer there.</p> + +<p>"An' bad luck to the man that borrowed it!" +cried the undaunted Maggie. "It's betther +used to shoot raiders with thin hawks."</p> + +<p>"Get us an axe!" commanded the spokesman +of the band, rapping sharply on the door.</p> + +<p>"It's out at the wood pile beyant the house," +answered Pat, meekly.</p> + +<p>"Hush, you fool!" cried his wife, shrilly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +"Phwat did ye tell 'em for? I'd 'a' seen the +last wan o' thim to the divil first, where they'll +go quick enough."</p> + +<p>Two of the raiders went in search of the axe, +and soon its dull blows were heard on the hard, +seasoned wood of one of the poles, while the +sound of the cutting seemed to infuriate Maggie +as nothing else had done.</p> + +<p>She sprang out of bed like a wildcat in nimbleness, +and it took all the strength and persuasion +that Pat could muster to keep her from +opening the door and coming out into the +midst of the raiders.</p> + +<p>"Whist, darlint! Be aisy, for the love of +hiven!" implored her frightened spouse. "Ye'll +bring down the wrath o' the whole gang on us +wid sich wild cacklin'. Be quiet!"</p> + +<p>"Be quiet, indade! An' let thim prowlin' +thaves cut down the poles an' take away our +livin'? Not much!" cried Maggie, fiercely. +"If I only had a gun, I'd loike to shoot the last +wan o' thim—the dirty blackguards!"</p> + +<p>"Hush, me jewel, an' mebbe they'll only cut +down the poles an' l'ave us in peace!" pleaded +Pat.</p> + +<p>"I <i>won't</i> hush!" screeched Maggie, growing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +angrier each moment. "If ye're skeert, ye c'n +crawl under the bed an' hide, ye cowardly +cur! I'll go out an' run the last murdherin' +wan o' thim away."</p> + +<p>"Ye'll git the both of us kilt intoirely if ye +don't dhry up wid yer clatter!" entreated Pat.</p> + +<p>"I know ivery dhirty mother's son av ye!" +screamed Maggie, putting her mouth close to +the keyhole of the door, from which Pat had +taken the key, and hidden it. "I know ye all, +an' I'll have ye in the pinitintiary by termorrer +night, ye bloodthirsty divils—ye—"</p> + +<p>The rest of the sentence was suddenly muffled, +as if Pat's hand had interposed, while a +scuffling sound was heard inside the room that +suggested he was trying to drag Maggie +away from the door. The raiders crowded +around the platform of the toll-house, listening +in an ecstasy of delight.</p> + +<p>Presently a resounding whack was heard, +followed by a howl of pain from Pat, whom +Maggie had struck, and speedily she was back +at the keyhole again.</p> + +<p>"Cut down the poles av ye want to, ye night-prowlin' +rascals!" she bawled lustily. "I'll +have 'em both up ag'in by daylight, an' I'd<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +loike to see any sneakin' dog av ye git by an' +not pay toll, ye thavin' robbers!"</p> + +<p>"She'll do it, too," muttered Steve, who was +standing near the captain. "She'll have bran'-new +poles up almost before we can get home."</p> + +<p>"The only way to get rid of this gate is to +burn it, I think," said the captain, with an +oath. "As she wants to come out so much, suppose +we give her a chance. Get an armful of +straw from the stable an' bring it here! We'll +smoke her out."</p> + +<p>While Steve hurried off to obey the order, +two of the others gathered up some of the dry +chips and splinters of wood from the cut poles, +and when Steve returned with the straw a fire +was kindled on the platform in a sheltered corner, +farthest from the door.</p> + +<p>As the flames quickly leaped up the walls +of the toll-house, igniting the dry timbers, the +flash of light, the smoke, the crackle of burning +wood, all speedily revealed to the two within +the building what was taking place without.</p> + +<p>"I tould ye to shut up, ye screechin' varmint!" +cried Pat, in a terror-stricken voice. +"They're burnin' us up aloive. The howly +saints protect us!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> + +<p>Maggie gave a loud whoop, this time rather +of fear than of rage, though the two were +strongly blended.</p> + +<p>"Help! Murdher!" she shrieked.</p> + +<p>"I thought she'd change her tune, the wildcat!" +muttered the captain, grimly.</p> + +<p>A few minutes later the back door of the +toll-house was thrown quickly open, but as the +two terror-stricken inmates of the burning +building appeared in the doorway, ready to +flee into the night, they were confronted by a +couple of raiders with masks and drawn pistols.</p> + +<p>"Go back!" the men sternly commanded.</p> + +<p>"For the love o' hiven, don't shoot!" pleaded +Pat.</p> + +<p>"Go back!" the men repeated, leveling their +weapons threateningly.</p> + +<p>In silent terror the two obeyed and shiveringly +drew back into the burning house. Dark +spirals of smoke were by this time curling from +the roof in several places, and soon little jets +of flame thickly dotted it, shooting up from between +the smoking shingles; then finally one +broad sheet of flame overspread the top—a +canopy of fire.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> + +<p>Milt looked on in a sort of spell-bound fascination. +What did the raiders mean to do? +Surely not to burn these two helpless people +within the toll-house. That were a crime far +too serious for even this spirit of outlawry.</p> + +<p>He stood silent, watching with a growing +fear the smoke escaping from the roof, then +the little spurting jets of flame, and when they +united in a broad, livid sheet, he felt no longer +able to restrain his pity, but started to where +the captain sat on his horse, calmly watching +the proceedings, intending to petition him for +mercy toward the two hapless ones within the +doomed toll-house.</p> + +<p>Before he reached the leader of the band, +however, the captain blew a sharp call on his +whistle, and while the three outlying guards +beyond the gate dashed up in answer to the +summons, two of the raiders, at a sign from +their leader, had broken in the front door, then, +mounting their horses, the band rode swiftly +down the road, after a shrill cry of "Free +roads! Down with the toll-gates!"</p> + +<p>When Milt looked back he felt a wave of +regret surge over him, as he saw, by the glare +of the light, which was illuminating the landscape<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +around, Maggie's lank figure looming +up, tall and straight, in the middle of the pike, +her long arms stretched out menacingly toward +the retreating raiders, at whom she was +doubtless hurling bitter, Celtic-tinged invectives, +while Pat was rushing wildly in and out +of the burning building, striving to save some +of the few household effects—then a curve in +the turnpike shut off a further view.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + + +<p>Squire Bixler, president of the New Pike +Road, sat before his wood fire, nodding under +the genial warmth the flickering flames threw +out across the broad hearth. The weekly town +paper, over which he dozed and wakened by +turns, now lay on the floor by his chair, having +dropped from his relaxed fingers during his +latest nap, while his spectacles, gradually slipping +forward as his head dropped lower on his +tobacco-stained shirt, now finally rested on the +tip of his red nose, and threatened to fall each +moment.</p> + +<p>Short puffs, as if he were still smoking, came +at regular intervals from between his thick, +partly-opened lips, although his cob pipe had +followed his paper to the floor, and the spectacles +seemed on the point of speedily joining +them.</p> + +<p>To the most careless observer it was all too +evident that no wifely care was present in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +house of Bixler. A motley disorder, revealing +many unsightly things, occupied the chimney +corners, and encroached upon the hearth. +From some nails upon the wall hung a saddle +and harness, opposite stretched a line filled +with long green tobacco like clothes swung out +to dry. The tall mantelshelf was given over to +old bottles, cob pipes, and a conglomerate mass +of odds and ends of things—the accumulation +of many moons, while dust and cobwebs gathered +freely over all—a fitting tribute to the +absence of womanhood.</p> + +<p>It was past the Squire's bedtime. In evidence +he had removed his shoes, but seemed +to have dropped asleep while looking over his +paper, unless he had intentionally delayed his +usual hour for retiring.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the sharp striking of several small +pebbles thrown lightly against the window +shutters partly aroused him from his nap, but +not until the sound was repeated did he awake +sufficiently to give heed to the signal.</p> + +<p>Lifting his head with a start, as one who has +dropped asleep unwittingly, he adroitly caught +his spectacles, with the skill of frequent practice, +as they dropped from his nose, then glancing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +at the clock he got up hastily and went to +the window whence the sound seemed to come.</p> + +<p>Cautiously raising the sash, that the servants +might not be awakened in the ell of the house, +the Squire opened one of the shutters carefully +and looked furtively out. An interrogation +followed, and an answer came from the darkness.</p> + +<p>"All right! I'll let you in." The Squire +closed shutter and sash, caught up the candle, +which was burning low in the socket, and went +into the front hall.</p> + +<p>When he had unlocked and unbarred the +door, a sudden gust of wind blew out the candle's +flame as the visitor was admitted, but the +fire-light served as a beacon, and while the host +was fastening the door the belated visitor +passed through the hall into the Squire's sitting +room, and walked over to where the fire +threw out a grateful warmth over his chilled +frame.</p> + +<p>"It's keen and frosty out tonight," said the +visitor, spreading his hands wide to the blaze.</p> + +<p>"I am more interested in other news you +may bring," answered the host, setting down +the candle, from whose black wick a tiny spiral<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +of smoke arose and floated away into the dim +shadows that hovered about the room. The +Squire clung to early customs, and would not +use a lamp. "An invention of man and the +devil," he insisted.</p> + +<p>"Well, I've got some news for you this time—some +good news," the visitor said, slowly +cracking the joints of his fingers as he stood before +the fire.</p> + +<p>"Let's have it!" insisted the Squire briefly.</p> + +<p>"Somethin' you'll be right glad to hear," +continued the other, dallying with the subject, +as if loth to part with so choice a morsel.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm waiting to hear it," yawning, to +call attention to the late hour.</p> + +<p>"I'm chilled through an' through," muttered +the visitor, apparently unmindful of the +Squire's impatience, and giving a shiver, +partly genuine, partly affected, as he glanced +up at the motley collection of bottles on the +chimney shelf. "Don't you keep anything +warmin'?" he added, turning to the host.</p> + +<p>"Do you want a dram?"</p> + +<p>The guest chuckled audibly at the Squire's +powers of divination, and with eager eyes followed +the portly figure to a small press in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +side of the chimney. The host brought forth +a bottle and glass, which he placed on the candle +stand, and, without further invitation, the +guest quickly caught up the bottle and poured +the amber liquor into the glass, filling it to the +brim. He emptied it at a gulp, then slowly +refilled the glass and reluctantly handed back +the bottle to the Squire, who reached out impatiently +for it.</p> + +<p>"That warms me up powerful," said the +visitor, draining the glass with evident enjoyment, +eyeing the bottle longingly as he spoke, +though the Squire did not again offer it. "I +felt like an ice house just now."</p> + +<p>"Let's do business," the host suggested.</p> + +<p>"Well, he's j'ined the night riders."</p> + +<p>"When?"</p> + +<p>"The night they burned the Cross Roads +gate."</p> + +<p>"So he had a hand in that deviltry?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I'm glad to hear it; what else?"</p> + +<p>"The raiders air a-goin' to make another +raid."</p> + +<p>"When?"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow night, I think. I'll find out for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +certain tomorrow, an' post you. It's court day, +you know, an' the word will be passed around +among the men when they come to town."</p> + +<p>"Where shall I see you?" asked the Squire.</p> + +<p>"We mustn't be seen talkin' together," said +the visitor thoughtfully. "It might help to +fasten suspicion on an innocent man, you see," +he added, with a leer of cunning. "I'll tell you +what would be a better plan. I'll start back +home just at five, by the town clock. I've got +a good ways to go, an' likely's not many will be +on the road at that hour of the day. You can +leave a little earlier than five, an' I'll overtake +you about the top of the first hill, under the +big elm."</p> + +<p>"Very well," agreed the Squire.</p> + +<p>"I think I've about earned one hundred of +that money already, Squire," suggested the visitor, +looking keenly at his companion.</p> + +<p>"Won't tomorrow do? This may be a false +alarm," objected the Squire.</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't; an' besides, I've told you some +other things you wanted to know."</p> + +<p>"But you're in no particular hurry," the old +man insisted, the ruling passion of avarice +strong upon him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, I'm a-needin' it bad. I've got to have +some money early tomorrow, an' I couldn't +very well be seen followin' you around on +court day. You promised to pay when I +brought the word."</p> + +<p>"Here, then," said the Squire reluctantly unlocking +a small drawer in the base of the tall +clock and bringing forth a roll of bills wrapped +in a piece of newspaper. "Here's a hundred +dollars in small bills. Count them over."</p> + +<p>"It's two hundred dollars for givin' information +that will lead to the arrest of any of the +raiders," said the visitor meditatively, after he +had carefully counted the money. "Two hundred's +the reward."</p> + +<p>"Yes, one hundred tonight, which you have +now received, and the other when the raiders +have been caught. An extra hundred comes out +of my own pocket, you understand, when a certain +kinsman of mine is safe behind the jail +bars. This is good money, easily made."</p> + +<p>"Well, I d'no' as it's so easy when you risk +your neck to git it, as I've done."</p> + +<p>"What gate do you think they will raid +next?" asked the Squire.</p> + +<p>"I don't know yet, but I'll be posted by tomorrow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +evenin'. There's another thing, too, +I wanted to say to you," added the visitor impressively. +"It's concernin' the safety of a particular +friend of mine who belongs to the raiders. +I must have your promise not to trap him +along with the others."</p> + +<p>"How can that be done if he's with the +band?"</p> + +<p>"Mighty easy. I'll see that he's sent on a little +ahead of the others to guard the road in +front, and you must give strict orders that no +firing is to be done until this one is safely +through the gate. When he hears the first shot +he can then look out for hisself, an' let the +ones behind do the best they can."</p> + +<p>"So <i>you</i> want to come out with a whole +skin?" said the Squire, with a keen glance at +his visitor.</p> + +<p>"I didn't say anything about myself; I said +a friend."</p> + +<p>"All right! I understand. The man in +front is to get away, but the rest are to be bagged. +You'll give me the full particulars of +the proposed raid tomorrow evening, then?" +said the Squire, rising from his chair, to signify +that the interview was at an end.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes; an' when I come again, you'll have +the rest of the money ready for me?"</p> + +<p>The Squire nodded.</p> + +<p>"Have it in small bills," the visitor suggested. +"I can pass 'em easier."</p> + +<p>A few minutes later the front door was +closed upon the mysterious visitor, and the +Squire came back into the room softly rubbing +his hands with apparent satisfaction. Indeed, +his next words signified as much.</p> + +<p>"Ah! my dear nephew!" he cried, gleefully; +"before many more nights have passed I think +I will have you in a ticklish position where +your love affairs will not run as smoothly as +you might wish. Then comes <i>my</i> opportunity."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + + +<p>Court day brought ever a large and motley +crowd to town.</p> + +<p>It is the farmer's levee, his monthly holiday—a +proper time for friendly intercourse and +barter. Usually busied in the field or about +the farm, he sees little of the social or business +world except through the medium of county +court day.</p> + +<p>On such occasions most of the tillers of the +soil quit work and come in from the surrounding +country and the neighboring hills—even +from further outlying villages and adjacent +counties. Some come on business, some on +pleasure bent, but whether for recreation or +profit, a goodly crowd convenes, the day in itself +an all-sufficient excuse for the act.</p> + +<p>A Kentucky court day possesses a marked +social feature peculiarly its own. The men +meet friends and neighbors in a social mood; +renew acquaintances of long standing, and enjoy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +making new ones; they exchange political +opinions, disseminate local news, trade, swap, +buy or sell; the women come to town, exchange +country produce for shopping bargains, and +learn something of the prevailing mode from +their more stylish sisters who are in closer +touch with the outer world.</p> + +<p>Occasionally it comes to pass that personal +grievances and feuds of long standing, or even +family differences, are settled by a court day +encounter, wherein the all-too-ready knife or +pistol helps to play the tragic part; but oftener +a spirit of good-fellowship prevails, and the +social glass binds friendly neighbors into boon +companions.</p> + +<p>There is yet a more God-fearing element—the +bone and sinew of pioneer strength and +hardy manhood, men of simple faith, who +walk sedately in the paths of sobriety and +peace, whose lives are as quiet and gentle as +the folk who once "dwelt in the basin of Minas." +And in all, it is a strangely mixed gathering +of good and evil—a Kentucky court day.</p> + +<p>A larger crowd than usual was in town on +this particular October morning. Most of the +crops had been laid by, and even the more careful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +husbandmen felt as if they might safely indulge +in a holiday without disquieting +thoughts of work done and duties neglected; +but there were other reasons yet to account for +the large attendance on this day.</p> + +<p>An undercurrent of suppressed excitement +was manifest throughout the community, for +the recent toll-gate raids, and the rumored +threats against gates still standing in the +county, made the question of free roads an all-absorbing +topic.</p> + +<p>The greater number of farmers were in favor +of no toll, as was naturally the case, though +some suggested a new and lower scale of rates, +while the more conservative looked with apprehension +on the spirit of lawlessness that +seemed suddenly to flame into a passion that +might grow alarmingly akin to anarchy, if the +destructive tendency were left unchecked.</p> + +<p>These more prudent, law-abiding men counseled +patience and forbearance until the voice +of the people should decide the question of +free roads at the next election, and the slow-moving +machinery of legislation give by purchase +the right of travel without the payment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +of toll, which many cried out against as an unjust +and excessive tariff.</p> + +<p>A discordant note had for a long time prevailed +among these dwellers of the hills in opposition +to the turnpike corporations, and this +antagonistic spirit had intensified and spread, +slowly leavening the disquiet, until it had become +dangerously like a hot-bed of communism, +only waiting for a daring hand to stir it +into flame and action, and now this had finally +come to pass.</p> + +<p>The recent bold work of the raiders was +guardedly discussed in public, for one did +not always know but that a partisan to the cause +might be the listener. A few non-partisans +who had been overbold in their denunciation +of the raiders' methods of acquiring free roads, +had received anonymous letters warning them +to silence, while a crude drawing of hangman's +noose, or skull and crossbones lent significant +weight to the message.</p> + +<p>Since the burning of the Cross Roads gate, +the county court had offered a reward of two +hundred dollars for information that would +lead to the apprehension and capture of any +of the raiders, while numerous rumors were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +afloat concerning them. It was hinted that +Maggie O'Flynn had recognized two or three +members of the band the night of the attack on +the gate, and that several arrests would soon +follow.</p> + +<p>Men from adjacent counties brought the +news of toll-gates raided near their homes. The +infection was rapidly spreading, and it seemed +that the fiat had gone forth dooming the collecting +of tolls, and forecasting the speedy +downfall of all the gates.</p> + +<p>Several times through the day Squire Bixler +saw the man with whom he had held converse +the previous night, but on meeting him +now, in the broad light of day, an indifferent +nod on the one hand, and a friendly, "Howdy, +Squire!" on the other, was all that passed between +the two men.</p> + +<p>Milton Derr was also in town, but no recognition +whatever took place between him and +his uncle when they met by chance some two +or three times, face to face, on the crowded +street.</p> + +<p>The Squire shrewdly kept his eyes open and +tried to bear in mind the different persons his +confidential informant held converse with during<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +the day; but this one was here and there, +with a nod, a hand-shake or a friendly greeting, +having, it seemed, no especial business +with any one.</p> + +<p>Along toward five o'clock (for the dusk +came on early these brief October days) the +Squire got his horse and started homeward. +He had chosen to ride a horse on this occasion, +for he did not wish to be importuned to give +any one a seat in his buggy on the way back, +and there was no prospect of having the pretty +toll-gate keeper for company, for she was helping +her mother collect toll, as it was court day. +Moreover, for special reasons of his own, the +Squire desired to be alone.</p> + +<p>He jogged along at a moderate pace until +he reached the top of the first hill; then he let +his horse drop into a slow walk, for, on looking +back, he saw in the waning light a horseman +approaching from the town, and judging that +it was the person he wanted to see, he came to +a halt in the road when the overhanging elm +was reached.</p> + +<p>"What news?" asked he, as the other rode up.</p> + +<p>"The night riders will be out again tonight, +sure an' certain."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> + +<p>"About what time will they make a raid?"</p> + +<p>"Along towards midnight—perhaps a little +later."</p> + +<p>"And what gate will they attack?"</p> + +<p>"This one," answered his companion, nodding +down the road.</p> + +<p>"What! the New Pike gate?" exclaimed +the Squire.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was decided at the last moment by +the captain."</p> + +<p>"Humph! I shouldn't think Milt would +want to take a hand in that," muttered the +Squire, reflectively.</p> + +<p>"He don't know yet that it's to be this one, +I think; but even if he did, he wouldn't dare +to refuse to go along. He's taken the oath to +obey the orders that are given him, an' now +he'll have to do it, whether it pleases him or +not. You'll have that other hundred all right +when I come to see you tomorrow night or the +next?"</p> + +<p>"That's what I agreed to do, isn't it?" demanded +the Squire, testily.</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course, Squire, of course, only I +wanted to remind you so you wouldn't forget +to have it on hand, an' in small bills, too. A<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +man don't feel like riskin' his neck at this business, +you know, unless he's sure of gettin' well +paid for it."</p> + +<p>"You've already received more than yours +is worth, I'm thinking," growled the Squire. +"If things turn out all right, though, and the +young man is safely jailed, I shan't mind giving +you the extra hundred out of my own +pocket," added he, melting into good humor +again, as he rode off homeward.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + + +<p>Early on the morning of this October court +day, Sophronia Saunders, a friend and former +schoolmate of the pretty toll-taker, went over +to a neighbor's to see the housewife about +weaving a rag carpet, the materials for which +were already cut and sewed and rolled into +balls ready for the loom.</p> + +<p>Sophronia had taken an early start, for she +wished to know just how much carpet chain +would be needed, so that her father could +bring it from town with him when he returned.</p> + +<p>The air was full of crisp freshness, which +brought a wholesome glow to the girl's plump +cheeks as she walked briskly along down the +dirt lane. Fallow fields stretched out on either +hand, unrolling rich, varying shades of yellow +and brown, reaching away in undulating waves +to where the frost-painted hills stood in brave +array, like gay canvases belonging to some gorgeous +theatrical scene.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> + +<p>Far to the southward they extended—a long, +irregular chain, whose rugged heights were +gradually softened and subdued by distance +and the October mists until they finally seemed +but jagged banks of amethystine clouds piled +high against the horizon.</p> + +<p>Presently the girl reached a small wood +that lay between her and her destination, and +after a moment's pause, and a glance of maidenly +precaution around, she agilely climbed +the rail fence that enclosed its boundary, and +started in a diagonal line across the wooded +space to shorten her walk.</p> + +<p>Within the wood the pensive presence of +Autumn dwelt. The low, gentle rustling of +falling leaves in a plaintive murmuring, as if +regretful at approaching dissolution, greeted +the sensitive ear at every turn. The drowsy +air seemed haunted by vague faint-spirited +voices whispering tenderly of the past summer's +joys, while in sharp contrast, now and +men, the sound of a dropping hickory nut from +high up amid the branches where some frisky +squirrels were at play, broke as a discordant +note into the softer leaf-music of the trees.</p> + +<p>The ground beneath her feet was soft-carpeted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +with fallen leaves, drifting into rich mosaics, +changing with each passing wind to new +kaleidoscopic patterns of beauty and color.</p> + +<p>At the further edge the woodland terminated +abruptly in a deep ravine, which the girl +must cross before her destination was reached. +It was a lonely, picturesque spot, skirted by underbrush +and cedar bushes, and lined with +gray, lichen-clad boulders, jutting out boldly +in fantastic shapes on either hand. Overarching +trees and vines shut out the brighter daylight, +and made a subdued twilight that kept +the spot cool and shadowy even on the warmest +of summer days—a hidden sylvan retreat +fit for woodland nymph or dryad.</p> + +<p>When the girl reached this ravine she skirted +its edge until she should come to a place where +an easier descent could be made into its shadowy +depths, and had gone but a little way along +its rim when, on glancing through an opening +between the bushes, she caught sight of her +neighbor, Steve Judson, coming up the dry, +rocky bed of the stream, which in the rainy +season was changed into a brawling torrent. +He had neither seen her nor heard her approach,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +and was quite unaware that anyone +was near.</p> + +<p>Sophronia was just on the point of calling +out and asking him to give her a helping hand +in crossing the ravine, when something in his +manner—a certain cautiousness of movement +and an alertness of bearing—caught her attention +and aroused her curiosity; so, keeping silent, +she drew back amid the bushes and peered +through a small space between the branches.</p> + +<p>Steve clambered up the rocky defile until +he reached a spot almost opposite to where +Sophronia stood concealed. After a cautious +glance around, he drew from under his coat +an object that looked, from her point of observation, +like an ordinary fruit jar.</p> + +<p>He held the jar up in front of him a few +moments, looking into it with close attention, +turning it slowly around as he did so, then +crossed over to the opposite side of the ravine, +where, after placing his burden carefully at +the foot of a cedar tree, he began to dig a hole +in the ground near by.</p> + +<p>The earth was light and yielding—the rich +deposit of leaf mold of many years accumulation—and +in a short time a hole was dug sufficiently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +deep for its purpose, the jar was placed +in it and covered with dirt. Some fallen +leaves and loose pebbles were next scattered +over the recently disturbed spot, and finally a +large, flat rock laid just above the place where +the jar had been buried.</p> + +<p>After another cautious look of inquiry about +him, when Steve had arisen to his feet, he +turned and went down the ravine in the direction +of his house.</p> + +<p>Sophronia, wondering vainly what it was +that her neighbor had hidden so carefully, and +with such an air of secrecy, waited until he +had been lost to sight amid the foliage, then +slowly followed the course he had taken.</p> + +<p>Soon she reached her destination. The Judson +home was but a humble one, a dilapidated +log cabin perched on the top of a rocky hill +that gradually descended to the ravine which +its owner had but lately quitted.</p> + +<p>An air of neglect and shiftlessness hung +heavily about the spot, for Steve was a person +who would willingly sit for hours on a rail +fence industriously whittling and talking politics, +which was a favorite theme, but when it +came to the driving of a needed nail in a loose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +plank, or repairing a break in a fence, he seldom +had the time or inclination to engage in +so prosaic an occupation. Selling off the stock +was preferable to mending the fence, and +when a shed tumbled down the broad canopy +of heaven must thenceforth of necessity be a +shelter.</p> + +<p>Judson was making ready to go to town +when the visitor arrived. He had not missed +a court day since early boyhood, and no farm +work was ever sufficiently important to keep +him at home on such occasion.</p> + +<p>When the girl explained her errand, he readily +agreed to deliver any message she might +wish to send her father, and to see to the bringing +out of the needed carpet chain, while Mrs. +Judson said, persuasively:</p> + +<p>"'Phrony, I do wish you'd stay an' show me +about cuttin' out a sack pattern. I'm as lost as +if I was in the Roosian sea when it comes to +cuttin' out things."</p> + +<p>"An' it won't be puttin' you to too much +trouble to see about the chain?" the girl asked +of the man.</p> + +<p>"It's just as easy as rollin' off a log," answered +the complaisant host, who was of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +most obliging disposition, and ever ready to +attend to anybody's and everybody's business +save his own.</p> + +<p>"Now, Steve Judson, don't you forgit that +carpet chain!" his wife called out admonishingly, +in a shrill treble, as her husband rode +off. "Men air sech forgitful critters 'bout +rememberin'," she added complainingly to her +visitor.</p> + +<p>It was close upon noon when Sophronia +started home, and she once more shortened the +distance, choosing the ravine, and the way +through the woods.</p> + +<p>"I do wonder what he was buryin' so carefully +up there?" she asked herself as she stopped +in the ravine and looked up its shadowy +depths.</p> + +<p>The spot at which she had seen her neighbor +digging was only a short distance away; in +fact, she could almost see the exact location +from where she now stood. She hesitated and +gazed longingly up the ravine. A daughter +of Eve, the impulse of investigation was strong +upon her. If she only dared to venture farther +up the shaded recesses to the spot where Steve +had been digging! And why should she not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +dare? She would be quite free from interruption, +for her neighbor was safe in town by now, +and this remote place was rarely frequented.</p> + +<p>She dallied with the temptation, casting +yearning glances toward the charmed locality, +and finally, almost before she realized the fact, +she was standing beneath the very tree at whose +foot the mysterious interment had taken place +but a few hours ago.</p> + +<p>With a glance of caution about her, such as +he, too, had given, she suddenly stooped down +and with some little difficulty moved the large +flat rock that had been placed to mark the spot. +Near by she found a sharp-pointed stick, the +same that he had used, and with it began to +scrape away the loose earth which hid the object +of her search.</p> + +<p>It proved to be a glass fruit jar, a plain jar +having a metal top screwed down on a ring of +rubber, and within was a roll of something +wrapped in a scrap of newspaper. What in +the world could it be?</p> + +<p>Sophronia tried the lid, but it was firmly +screwed on. As she had gone this far, however, +she did not mean to be thwarted at such +an early stage of her investigation, so grasping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +the jar tightly between her knees, she made a +more effective effort at loosening the lid, and +soon had the top off and the contents of the jar +in her lap.</p> + +<p>She gave a low exclamation of astonishment +as she unrolled to view a number of bank notes, +mostly new, and of small denominations—ones, +twos and fives. As Sophronia carefully +fingered the bills, noting their value and the +number the roll contained, her eyes opened +wide with surprise at the sight of so much +money.</p> + +<p>No wonder her neighbor had exercised such +caution in concealing his treasure. Here was +a larger amount of money than she had ever +imagined he would possess. How had he ever +come into the ownership of such a sum? Could +he have stolen it, and from whom?</p> + +<p>The girl hastily counted the bills. "<i>Goodness!</i>" +she exclaimed. It was ninety-five dollars +in all—a small fortune indeed for a person +in Judson's situation. How came he with +such booty, for booty it must be, since he had +never been known to save a dollar in his life, +yet here was quite a snug little fortune that had +been acquired by some unknown means.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 466px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-079.jpg" width="466" height="600" alt="Sophronia soon had the lid off, and the contents +of the jar in her lap." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Sophronia soon had the lid off, and the contents +of the jar in her lap.</span> +</div> + +<p>As<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> Sophronia puzzled over the matter, her +eyes chanced to fall on the scrap of paper in +which the money had been wrapped, and +smoothing out the paper, she slowly read the +reward offered by the President of the Turnpike +Corporation, for any information that +would lead to the arrest and conviction of the +raiders, whose recent deeds of violence were a +menace to the community.</p> + +<p>So this, then, was a solution to the problem +vexing her brain! Steve Judson must have betrayed +the raiders, and this money was the +larger part of the spoils he had received. He +certainly could not have accumulated such an +amount otherwise, for his ill-kept, sterile patch +of ground scarcely yielded a poor living.</p> + +<p>As Sophronia sat looking first at the money +then at the printed reward, the fear of detection +suddenly came over her. Whether it was +ill-gotten gain, or not, the money certainly was +not hers, and she had no right to thus unearth +it from its secret hiding place. Suppose some +one should discover her in the act!</p> + +<p>Alarmed at the mere thought, she hastily +wrapped the scrap of paper around the money, +and dropping the roll in the jar, screwed on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +the lid and reburied the treasure, taking care +to leave the place looking quite as she had +found it. Then she hastily quitted the spot.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + + +<p>Night.</p> + +<p>The dark forms of a group of men were +brought out in sharp contrast against the fitful +light of a small brushwood fire built in a sheltered +spot among the hills.</p> + +<p>A few faint stars dotted the moonless sky, +and the night air was raw with the frosty breath +of late October.</p> + +<p>Some of the men were sitting about on scattered +blocks of rejected stone, left in the abandoned +quarry years before when the abutment +of a bridge had been built over a small, swift +stream near by, but the great number of raiders +stood in careless attitudes around the fire, +talking or smoking.</p> + +<p>"Captain's late," one of the men in the foreground +said.</p> + +<p>"I heard the ring of Black Devil's hoofs +comin' up the hill just a moment ago," a raider +answered.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> + +<p>As he spoke, he thrust a fresh supply of +brush into the fire, and briskly stirred the bed +of embers until it glowed with sudden fervor, +while a shower of sparks arose and fluttered +into the night like a swarm of fireflies rudely +disturbed.</p> + +<p>"Be saving of the brush," cautioned one of +the raiders. "There may be officers of the law +abroad tonight."</p> + +<p>"It is money to them if they bag us," answered +the other, with an expressive shrug of +the shoulders and a hoarse laugh. "There's a +reward of two hundred dollars offered for information +concerning the raiders, or night-riders, +as some folks call us."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps some one's after it," suggested another.</p> + +<p>"And what good 'd the reward be? It would +melt or burn where we'd send him."</p> + +<p>"Is it the gate at the stone bridge tonight?"</p> + +<p>"No, I have heard it's to be another—one +more familiar to some of our members," the +speaker continued, casting a furtive glance at +a number of the band standing near.</p> + +<p>"Suppose it should be the pole of the New +Pike gate, and Milt was chosen to do the cutting?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +The man at the fire spoke tauntingly.</p> + +<p>"The pole of the New Pike gate won't be +cut tonight, I'm thinking," said Derr quietly.</p> + +<p>"Not if the Captain commands it?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Listen, you fellows—hear what this man's +sayin'!"</p> + +<p>"And what's more to the point, I'm willing +to bet that he isn't going to insist on me cutting +it, either," added Derr, glancing about him +with a half-defiant air in which there was also +the suggestion of a threat.</p> + +<p>Quickly the attention of the others was +drawn to the speaker, who had unconsciously +straightened to his full six feet, while the rich +color in his cheeks, augmented by the ruddy +glow of the firelight, deepened perceptibly, +and quickly spread to his throat and neck, +which were partly revealed in their robust outlines, +where the heavy coat was thrown back +to the warmth of the fire.</p> + +<p>"Any special reasons for not wantin' to cut +down the pole of the New Pike gate?" asked +one of the band, with a wink on the sly at his +companions.</p> + +<p>"I have," answered Milt frankly and seriously.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +"One good reason I will state a little +later, the other can be given right now. It +seems a cowardly thing to do—the chopping +down of a gate that's kept by two lone women. +Now if it was a man, the case would be altogether +different."</p> + +<p>"It ain't the women folks we've got the +grudge ag'in," spoke up one of the men. "It's +the graspin' turnpike companies back of 'em +we're after."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but it's taking away the living of two +worthy women," protested Derr.</p> + +<p>"That can't be helped, though," argued the +other raider. "If we're goin' to do away with +toll-gates, an' have free roads, we can't play +favorites, you know, by cuttin' down some +poles, an' leavin' others standin', just on account +o' family relations," he said.</p> + +<p>"What's the talk?" The deep voice came +from the outer gloom, and as the men glanced +in its direction, the captain emerged from the +shadows hovering close about the circle and +joined the group.</p> + +<p>An embarrassing silence fell suddenly upon +the company, at the leader's presence, and each +man waited for his neighbor to make reply. As<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +no one seemed inclined to answer, finally Derr +spoke.</p> + +<p>"It was concerning the New Pike gate. Some +one suggested that I would be chosen to do the +cutting of the pole."</p> + +<p>"Well!" The captain fixed his steel cold +eyes full on the speaker, while the semblance of +a sarcastic smile hovered about his mouth.</p> + +<p>"I have good and sufficient reasons for not +wanting to cut down that pole, and especially +if I was called upon tonight," continued the +speaker quietly, his eyes meeting the captain's +gaze unflinchingly.</p> + +<p>"Have your reasons been called for?" demanded +the leader with a contemptuous curl +of the lip.</p> + +<p>"Among other reasons," continued Derr, ignoring +the question, "I don't see the need of +disturbing that gate for the present, when so +many others around here tonight might claim +our attention."</p> + +<p>The little groups merged into a large one, +and general attention was quickly centered in +the two men, for trouble seemed brewing in +this quarter. As they stood face to face, eyeing +each other keenly and coolly, the spirit of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +unfriendliness that had long held a place in +each bosom was plainly evident, and a clashing +of strong wills appeared imminent. There +had ever been a feeling of rivalry, dating far +back to the days they had gone to school together +in Alder Creek Glen, and pretty little +Sally Brown was the figurative apple of discord +between the two.</p> + +<p>"His reasons for not wanting that gate disturbed +may not be hard to guess," said the captain, +a sneer lingering on his heavy lips. "He's +in love with the pretty toll-taker."</p> + +<p>"And the captain's rather sore because she's +jilted him," retorted Derr in clear, deliberate +tones.</p> + +<p>The leader's face flushed crimson with anger +at the words that carried with them the +sting of truth, and a look of hatred blazed for +an instant in his eyes as he turned them full on +the speaker, standing calm and disdainful, +meeting the look fearlessly.</p> + +<p>Perhaps this utter lack of fear deterred the +captain from his first impulse, for he knew +that to press his adversary further at this moment +meant a speedy settlement of old scores. +Jade Beddow was not ready for such a course<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +just yet, indeed he knew a better plan of revenge, +so with strong effort he managed to +control the rage that filled him, and to bring +himself to a more fitting realization of his present +course of conduct.</p> + +<p>"We haven't met tonight to settle personal +grievances," he said, letting his eyes slowly +wander to the men surrounding him. "These +can be left to another time an' place. Our business +tonight is to strike another blow for our +just cause, and the New Pike gate is the one +to go down. Let those who are not cowards +follow me. To your horses, boys!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + + +<p>A little before eight o'clock, while the young +girl was still busied in the kitchen with the +supper dishes, for on court days this meal was +always a late one, Squire Bixler again passed +through the New Pike gate on his way to town.</p> + +<p>Sally's mother raised the gate for him, and +curious to know the cause of his speedy return, +straightway began to ply him with questions. +When she came into the house after he had ridden +on, the seal of secrecy being the price the +Squire required of her for the information he +had imparted, she heaved so deep a sigh, and +looked so full of melancholy forebodings that +her daughter quickly inquired the cause.</p> + +<p>"Nothin'," answered the old woman evasively, +but the tone and her actions suggested +quite the contrary. Indeed, her face bore the +unmistakable impression of an impending disaster. +The girl's curiosity was at once aroused +and piqued by her mother's bearing and words.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But there is certainly something troubling +you," insisted Sally. "You look quite put +out."</p> + +<p>"Well," admitted the other grudgingly, +"perhaps I am."</p> + +<p>"Then what's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"I'm under solemn promise not to tell anybody, +not even you, but when a person don't +know what minute they're liable to lose the +very shelter over their heads, it's high time for +dismal looks I should say."</p> + +<p>"Are we in any such danger?" asked the girl +quickly.</p> + +<p>"I'm not sayin' as we air or ain't," yet the +speaker gave a most gloomy shake of her head +along with the noncommittal answer.</p> + +<p>"But you act like something serious was the +matter."</p> + +<p>"I can't well help showin' what's on my +mind, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"Then why on earth don't you say what's +troubling you?"</p> + +<p>"When you're told a thing, an' then told +positively not to tell it, how is a person to do?" +asked Mrs. Brown in dire perplexity. Her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +pledge to the Squire was already beginning to +weigh heavily upon her.</p> + +<p>"I don't see why you hesitate to tell me," said +Sally emphatically; "I'm not a child that can't +be trusted with a secret."</p> + +<p>"I don't see the harm myself in your knowin' +it," acknowledged her mother, "and that, too, +when you'd be sure to find it out in a mighty +little while, for as soon as the guards come, +you'd know that somethin' was wrong."</p> + +<p>"The guards?" echoed the girl. "Then it's +something about the raiders?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't say," answered her mother with exasperating +evasiveness.</p> + +<p>"But it is," cried the girl. "Surely I've +quite as much right to know as you. Don't it +concern me equally as much?"</p> + +<p>"Of course, but then the Squire didn't seem +to want to make you uneasy any sooner than +was necessary. That's why he cautioned me +about tellin' you, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"And very thoughtful it was of him, too," +declared the girl with shrewdly feigned graciousness. +"So it was the squire that told you +about the raiders?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, and it goes to prove how much he +really thinks of you, not to want you worried."</p> + +<p>"That's true," the girl's manner took on a +careless indifference, "He was speaking to me +the other day about the raiders; what did he +have to say to you?" she asked in an off-hand +way that threw the mother quite off her guard +for the moment.</p> + +<p>"He was sayin' that he feared you'd be badly +frightened if you knew the raiders would be +here tonight."</p> + +<p>"Tonight?" cried the girl excitedly, no +longer acting a part.</p> + +<p>"There! I've gone and let the cat out of the +bag, after all!" exclaimed Mrs. Brown in sudden +contrition. "You partly guessed it, +though. I didn't tell you out and out." She +came a little closer to Sally, while her voice +dropped to a tragic whisper. "Yes, the raiders +air comin' this very night."</p> + +<p>"How does he know?"</p> + +<p>"He didn't tell me, but he's found out somehow."</p> + +<p>"What will become of us?" cried her hearer +in genuine apprehension.</p> + +<p>"Dear knows!" answered her mother melting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +into tears at the thought of the impending +raid. "We'll likely have the roof burned over +our very heads, and tomorrow will find ourselves +without a shelter."</p> + +<p>"Well, there, don't worry!" urged the girl, +touched by her mother's evident distress of +mind. "There's another shelter been offered +us, if the worst comes to the worst."</p> + +<p>"Whose?" questioned Mrs. Brown quickly, +for the moment forgetful of impending danger +in the thirst for further knowledge of this +generous offer. "Has the Squire offered us a +home?" she questioned eagerly, eyeing her +daughter askant.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he has," acknowledged the girl with +a little show of hesitation; "not that I mean to +accept it," she added to herself, with a pretended +flare of courage that was far from real. +"What does the Squire think the raiders will +be apt to do?" she questioned, returning to the +primary subject under discussion.</p> + +<p>"He don't intend they shall do us any harm +if he can help it. He's gone to town now to +get men to come an' guard the gate, an' he +hopes to ketch the last one of them lawless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +raiders before mornin'," declared the elder +toll-taker.</p> + +<p>"I hope not!" cried the girl impulsively as a +sudden fear crossed her brain.</p> + +<p>"You hope not?" repeated Mrs. Brown in +open-eyed wonder, turning on her daughter in +quick wrath. "Is Milt Derr one of them night +riders that you talk like that, Sally Brown?"</p> + +<p>"Of course not, mother, else they wouldn't +be coming <i>here</i>," answered Sally with quick +wit to repair the slip of her tongue. "I mean +on account of the trouble it would bring to a +lot of innocent people," she hastened to explain. +"Of course these raiders have friends +and kinfolks, likely some of 'em acquaintances +of ours up in the hills. Besides, the raiders +think they're mightily down-trodden and oppressed, +for toll-rates <i>are</i> high, there's no denying +the fact."</p> + +<p>"Sally Brown! I'm downright ashamed of +you, that I am!" cried her mother sharply. +"The idea of you takin' up for them miserable +law-breakers, an' them tryin' to burn the very +roof over our heads, an' take the daily bread +out of our mouths. You must have gone clean +daft."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I didn't say I thought they were right," +persisted Sally. "I said it likely seemed so to +them."</p> + +<p>"An' you got no cause to say even that," insisted +Mrs. Brown, "you, that's dependin' on a +livin' by takin' of the toll. It's nothin' short +of downright treason!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + + +<p>The girl had been dreading just such news +as her mother had revealed, yet since the conversation +with the Squire the day Sally had so +unwillingly ridden with him from town, she +had been hourly expecting it. Now that the ill +news had really come, her present uneasiness +was not altogether on her mother's account, nor +her own. It was probable that her sweetheart +was now affiliated with the band of raiders, yet +if this was true, it seemed a little strange that +the New Pike gate was the one to be attacked.</p> + +<p>When Sally sat down to her sewing a little +later, after her various household duties had +been attended to for the evening, her thoughts +were very far removed from her present work, +and she was much more troubled and perplexed +in spirit and mind than she cared to +show.</p> + +<p>At the time she had heard the talk between +the Squire and his unknown informant, it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +evident that Milton Derr had not then joined +the raiders, but from the trend of that conversation +it seemed likely he would soon become +a member of the band. He was evidently debating +the feasibility of joining them. Had he +done so, and was he now powerless to change +or divert their plans?</p> + +<p>It was not alone the news that the gate would +be attacked which was troubling the girl, but +the further information her mother had given +that the plans of the raiders were known, and +the Squire was even then in town organizing a +posse to resist the attack and capture the band.</p> + +<p>Supposing her sweetheart was now a member +of it, and some subtle intuition was urging +her to such belief, what would be the outcome +of it all? This then was the trap the Squire was +adroitly laying for his nephew. She had +warned Milt of the danger, but had he heeded? +The band was probably composed of men he +knew well, and was doubtless gathered from +the ready material to be found among the rugged +hills wherein he dwelt.</p> + +<p>There had ever seemed to exist among these +people a certain wild spirit of adventure and +reckless daring, which one naturally imbibed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +along with the very air of these free remote +hills, and the Squire's nephew was of that restive +nature too easily attracted by anything savoring +of excitement or danger, such as these +lawless escapades might readily furnish.</p> + +<p>On recalling a talk she had held with her +sweetheart the Sunday evening before, when +they rode together from Alder Creek meeting-house, +she felt that her very own words may +have had some weight in influencing him to +cast his fortunes with the raiders. Though +she warned him of such a course, yet in almost +the same breath she told him of the Squire's +prediction that the New Pike gate would be +wrecked, leaving her mother and herself homeless, +but she wisely said nothing about the +Squire's offer of marriage, deeming it prudent +to remain silent on this point for the present, +at least.</p> + +<p>She had appealed to the nephew to do what +he could to prevent the destruction of the New +Pike gate, and had meant to enlist his aid only +so far as the exercising of his influence over +any personal friends who might belong to the +band of raiders.</p> + +<p>As things now stood, a great danger lay in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +the fact that the posse of men now being gathered +together in town, would probably make +speedy war on those who threatened destruction +to the gate. There would doubtless be +fighting, some might be killed, wounded or +taken prisoners, and her sweetheart was as liable +to be among the first as the latter, if he were +a raider. What great relief it would be at this +moment to know that he was not connected +with those who had lately declared warfare +on the toll-gates throughout the country!</p> + +<p>If she could but manage to see him, even for +a brief moment, a simple word of warning +might avert serious trouble. There was still +left her a faint chance for such warning to be +given, for Milton Derr had gone to town that +morning, and she had not seen him return, +though it might be that he had passed the gate +on his homeward way, while she was busied +with her household duties.</p> + +<p>She felt a growing eagerness to know if her +mother had seen him pass, yet dared not ask. +Finally she decided on a little subterfuge.</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" she cried, suddenly pausing in +her work and glancing at her mother inquiringly, +"I forgot to send Phrony that skirt pattern<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +she asked me to hunt for her. Has every +one passed living up that way?"</p> + +<p>"I s'pose they have," answered Mrs. Brown +grumpily. "It's gettin' late, an' if the country +folks ain't at home by now, they oughter be."</p> + +<p>The girl made a show of hunting up the pattern, +then sat down with it and her sewing +near the front door.</p> + +<p>Several belated travelers passed, some rather +the worse for having imbibed too freely of the +cup that cheers, but the one she wished to see +was not among them. Along toward nine +o'clock a small party of horsemen came galloping +along the pike, loudly hallooing and firing +their pistols as they came, and for a moment +the girl thought the raiders were surely at +hand.</p> + +<p>Then quickly realizing that the cavalcade +was coming not from the direction of the hill +country, but the town, and that the night was +yet too young for raiders to be abroad, she understood +that it was merely a drunken crowd +on their homeward way, therefore she hurried +out and raised the pole, then fled into the house +and blew out the light, as the horsemen went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +dashing by, in a volley of shouts and oaths, like +a miniature whirlwind.</p> + +<p>Just as the clock was striking nine, and when +her mother had once more fallen asleep after +her recent rude awakening, the girl's attentive +ear caught the sound of a horse's familiar tread, +and tiptoeing lightly out on the platform, she +softly closed the door behind her and awaited +the rider.</p> + +<p>She was not at fault in her surmise, for the +horseman was the one she had hoped to see, +and at her low summons he rode close up to +the platform where she stood, all impatient to +divulge her message.</p> + +<p>"I thought you'd never come, or else that +you had already passed the gate without me +seeing you!" cried Sally in an eager undertone +when he drew rein.</p> + +<p>"I would certainly have started earlier if I'd +known you were waiting," answered the rider +contritely.</p> + +<p>"Did you know we are expecting the raiders +to pay us a visit tonight?" she asked hurriedly, +coming at once to the point.</p> + +<p>"Pay this gate a visit?" queried Milt in genuine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +surprise that proved her words news to +him.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure about that?" he asked +thoughtfully, "How do you know it's to be +this gate?"</p> + +<p>"The Squire came by on his way to town +only a little while ago, and told mother. He's +gone now to raise a posse of men to guard the +gate."</p> + +<p>"Here's trickery," thought Milt. "I was led +to believe it was to be some other gate for tonight's +raid, or else I've got things badly +mixed. The Squire said it was this gate?" he +added aloud.</p> + +<p>"That's what he told mother. I didn't see +him. You mustn't ever tell that I told you, +never!" she insisted.</p> + +<p>"I never will," he declared fervently. "And +how did the Squire know about it?" he added +thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, likely from the man who is +acting the spy for him."</p> + +<p>"I wonder who that man can be?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, but the Squire's got somebody +in his pay who is not only spying on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +raiders but on you also. He's acting a double +part."</p> + +<p>"And you say the gate is to be guarded tonight?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, the guards will be here soon."</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps that may scare the raiders +away," said the young man reassuringly. "I'm +awful glad you told me about it."</p> + +<p>"I thought you ought to know," said Sally +in a low tone, "for perhaps you have friends +that might be interested in such news."</p> + +<p>"This gate shall never be molested as long +as I can do anything to prevent it," said Milton +Derr earnestly, bending sideways until his +arm encircled the waist of the pretty toll-taker +on the platform; "and if it ever is, you can understand +that I am powerless to save it. Good +night, sweetheart!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + + +<p>The girl stole quietly into the toll-house after +her lover had ridden away toward the misty +hills. She found her mother still sleeping +soundly in her chair, quite oblivious of surroundings, +and little dreaming that the secret +the Squire had urged her to keep so securely +had reached a third pair of ears already in its +swift journeyings.</p> + +<p>Catching up her sewing again, which she +had quickly dropped on the floor in her eagerness +to see the belated rider, Sally began to sew +away industriously to make up for lost time, +while her thoughts flew a good deal faster than +her needle.</p> + +<p>Her surcharged mind was now happily relieved +of a portion of its burden of fears. There +was no longer any danger threatening her +sweetheart, so far as the present intended raid +was concerned, and possibly this itself would +fail of fruition.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p> + +<p>Soon after ten o'clock the sheriff and a posse +of armed men appeared.</p> + +<p>"You keep late hours, Miss Sally," he said +when she and her mother came out to receive +them. "I expected to find you both asleep."</p> + +<p>"Not when we are expecting company," the +girl answered with a laugh that was somewhat +forced; "that wouldn't be good manners, you +know."</p> + +<p>"It's no use to go to bed," insisted Mrs. +Brown. "I couldn't sleep a wink, not if my +life depended on it, that I couldn't." Sally +smiled faintly, thinking of the recent long nap +her mother had taken, and of the warning that +had been given, quite unknown to the sleeper, +thanks to this period of oblivion.</p> + +<p>"I do hope none of you will get hurt!" cried +the girl in deep concern. "It seems dreadful +to think that perhaps before morning a very +battle may be fought right around this quiet +spot."</p> + +<p>"Don't be alarmed," the sheriff insisted. "I +look for little trouble or bloodshed either."</p> + +<p>"No more do I," thought the pretty toll-taker, +with a secret satisfaction she admirably +concealed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I expect to take the rascals so completely +by surprise they will have a chance to make +but little resistance," the officer continued reassuringly, +for the girl's apparent fear appealed +to him. "Perhaps we may be able to capture +the whole band without loss of a single man."</p> + +<p>A feeling almost bordering on resignation +had gradually supplanted the disturbed condition +of Mrs. Brown's mind since her daughter's +reassuring confession that the Squire had +placed a shelter at their disposal, in case the +raiders deprived them of the one they now had. +She began to feel that the threatened calamity +might, after all, take on the characteristics of a +disguised blessing, since it would help to bring +to a climax a state of affairs she had long +striven, though unsuccessfully, to mold to her +purpose, and that through the raiders the +Squire might also manage to get him a wife, +which, up to the present moment at least had +proven a most elusive quantity.</p> + +<p>With the coming of the posse to guard the +gate, Mrs. Brown's spirits took on almost a +jubilant turn, for though the raiders might fail +in their present venture, they would ultimately +succeed in the destruction of the New Pike<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +gate, and its doom would probably not be far +distant, in spite of officers or guard, while the +price of its downfall would be the speedy realization +of the mother's fondest dreams concerning +her daughter's future.</p> + +<p>"We might just as well lay down on the outside +of the bed, dressed as we are," said Mrs. +Brown, as she led the way into the house, after +the men had been placed on guard. "It's no +use stayin' up, though, of course, I don't expect +to close my eyes the entire night, for nobody +can tell what may take place before +mornin'."</p> + +<p>"The raiders may not come, after all," ventured +Sally, hoping to allay her mother's evident +fears, "though, as you say, it's just as well +to look presentable, in case we should be +turned out of the house and home in the middle +of the night." She gave a covert glance in the +small looking glass on the tall dresser as she +spoke.</p> + +<p>"There's at least one that will not be captured +tonight, whether he is a raider, or +whether he isn't, and the Squire may find that +his traps are not as carefully set as he thinks,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +said the girl to herself as she blew out the light, +and lay down.</p> + +<p>The incidents of the past few days came +crowding confusedly through her brain as she +lay thinking over the many entanglements that +seemed tightening their meshes closer and +closer about her.</p> + +<p>As the night grew on apace, a suggestive +sound by her side proclaimed that her mother +had fallen asleep, despite all predictions of a +watchful vigil, and as the girl lay and listened +to the droning monotone, it finally lulled her +into forgetfulness and slumber.</p> + +<p>Darkness and silence hovered over the New +Pike gate, and while its inmates slept on +through threatened danger, others were yet +awake and watchful along the opposite side of +the road, their alert and crouching figures hidden +in the gloom of the sheltering stone wall +as the guard impatiently awaited the coming +of the raiders.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + + +<p>At the captain's arrogant words, flung at +Derr in the wake of a scornful laugh, the riders +began to move slowly in the direction of a +near-by cedar thicket darkening the entrance +to the quarry. At this spot the horses were +hitched, guarded by a member of the band, +who at the same time guarded the approach to +the rendezvous.</p> + +<p>Milton Derr stood motionless, silent and defiant, +with tightly compressed lips, and in his +dark eyes a vengeful, half exultant light.</p> + +<p>Should he let them go unwarned? This was +an easy and speedy way to even up with Jade +Beddow for his insulting words, and his intended +blow to Derr through the downfall of +the New Pike gate.</p> + +<p>Silence on the part of his enemy would +surely bring harm this night to the captain of +the band, and also to the raiders themselves, +yet many of these were Milt's friends, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +must not be sacrificed to his own hot anger and +hatred of one man. This were cowardly. It +was his duty to speak out plainly for their +sakes. Understanding this, he made a sudden +move forward, and called out sharply:</p> + +<p>"Listen to what I have to say!"</p> + +<p>As the men looked back he raised his hand +warningly. "The captain has given you <i>his</i> +reasons as to why I have so frankly spoken +against raiding the New Pike gate tonight, +now I will give you <i>mine</i>."</p> + +<p>He paused a moment and looked around on +the waiting crowd.</p> + +<p>"It's because the plans of the night-riders +have been found out, and a posse of men are +now waiting at the gate to give a warm welcome +to those who come."</p> + +<p>At his words a sudden confusion fell among +his listeners, as when a bomb is exploded in the +ranks. The men stood irresolute, alarmed, +looking first at the captain, then toward the +spokesman, whose tall dark figure loomed up +against the background of gray rock dimly outlined +by the expiring fire.</p> + +<p>The captain hesitated, uncertain what move<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +to make; then he came back a few steps to +where Derr stood.</p> + +<p>"How do you know this?" he asked sharply.</p> + +<p>"I know it," answered the other quietly, +"and that's enough."</p> + +<p>"But how do you know it? Who told you?" +The leader grew insistent.</p> + +<p>Derr compressed his lips and made no answer.</p> + +<p>The captain gazed at him steadfastly some +moments, then turned abruptly toward his men.</p> + +<p>"You have heard what he says, boys, that +our plans are found out, and the gate under +guard. If this is true, there's a traitor in our +midst, and this is his work."</p> + +<p>A deep silence followed these suggestive +words. The men glanced furtively at one another, +as if a sudden distrust had arisen, specter-like, +among them. The band separated +into little groups and fell to talking in low +tones among themselves, with now and then a +suspicious look shot in Milton Derr's direction, +but he stood silent and impassive, a little apart +from the others, seemingly oblivious of these +glances, or of the words to which they gave +rise.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> + +<p>"This may be only a hatched up tale to scare +us off," suggested the captain at last, looking +inquiringly around him.</p> + +<p>"Remember I have given you all fair warning," +Milt said quietly, looking beyond the +leader to where the men stood in scattered +groups.</p> + +<p>"Who is your authority for this report?" the +captain once more asked.</p> + +<p>"I learned it, that is all you need to know."</p> + +<p>"When did you hear it?"</p> + +<p>"In time to warn you."</p> + +<p>The captain turned away with an impatient +gesture and a muttered oath. "Perhaps it +wouldn't be a hard matter to tell how the toll-gate +people learned of it," he said with meaning +emphasis in his tone.</p> + +<p>"There may be something in this, after all, +so what's the use of running into danger when +you can steer clear of it?" asked one of the raiders. +"The New Pike gate will keep till another +time."</p> + +<p>"But if there's a traitor in our midst, what +other time is so safe for us?" the leader interrogated. +"The only course before us is to +strike now and as often as we can, guards or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +no guards. For my own part I don't believe +the gate is guarded."</p> + +<p>A warm discussion arose among the men, +and hot words were bandied to and fro. A +few favored the postponement of the intended +raid. Several, along with the captain, were +inclined to discredit the story that the gate was +under guard, and the majority advocated a +bold assault, even in the face of danger, which +served to lend a certain zest to the act.</p> + +<p>Through it all Milton Derr stood silent, and +offered no advice.</p> + +<p>"Well! what shall we do, boys—go or not?" +asked the leader impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Put it to a vote."</p> + +<p>"Agreed!" the leader answered. "All who +favor making the raid, step to the right. How +many of you? Twenty. A fine showing, my +trusty lads! Cowards are in the minority tonight. +If one goes, all should go. Only a +traitor would hesitate. To your horses!"</p> + +<p>"Free roads! Down with the toll-gates!" +The cry arose in a hoarse howl as the men +moved quickly in the direction of their horses.</p> + +<p>Derr stood hesitating, abashed and vanquished. +If he now refused to go along with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +the others it was but the signing of his own +death warrant, and the invoking of swift punishment. +He would be proclaimed a traitor, +branded as one. Rather would he run the risk +of getting killed by the officers of the law than +thus incur the enmity of the band, and perhaps +suffer the penalty of a traitor's deed.</p> + +<p>By his presence he might still be of some +benefit to the inmates of the toll-house threatened, +and possibly through the influence of +friends among the raiders the building might +be spared and only the pole cut down.</p> + +<p>If the captain persisted in venting his anger +and spite on a couple of helpless and defenseless +women, and was fully determined to +burn the New Pike-gate, and make a repetition +of the Cross Roads affair then—Milt's +hand unconsciously grasped the handle of his +pistol—the band might be speedily called upon +to elect a new leader.</p> + +<p>Milt slowly followed the raiders down the +hill and joined them at the thicket. At a word +from the captain the cavalcade set out through +the keen frosty air, the clang of many hoofs on +the loose stones along the way echoing amid +the silent hills, and breaking sharply into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +quiet of the night. Now and then, a tiny trail +of sparks flashed beneath the flying iron shoes +like a nest of glow-worms scattered into the +darkness.</p> + +<p>Around the base of frowning, tall, uprising +hills the raiders swept in a swift gallop, now +through gloomy rock-bound ways, past quiet +farm-houses, by fallow fields, following the +winding courses of the road that trailed under +the dim starlight like a ribbon of mist between +the silent, opaque hills.</p> + +<p>Still on and on the horsemen rode, sometimes +dropping into a slower gait, then spurring +their horses anew, with never a jest as they rode +along, nor a fling of laughter or song to the +darkness—a shadowy, silent band with suggestion +of deep-set purpose in the ominous quiet +they maintained. When at last they swung +around the curve of the pike and came in sight +of the New Pike gate, the captain drew rein +and called a brief halt.</p> + +<p>"Go forward!" he commanded, selecting +Derr for the mission.</p> + +<p>"Let me go! I'm not afraid!" hastily cried +another member of the band, as Milton hesitated +and seemed on the point of refusing. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +was Steve Judson who spoke, and there was a +touch of eagerness in his voice as he made the +request.</p> + +<p>"I have chosen the one to go," said the leader +sternly. "If the gate is guarded, as he seems +to think is the case, he is on better terms with +the toll-takers an' their protectors than any of +us."</p> + +<p>"Aw, let me go!" persisted Steve. "That's +always been my duty, an' I'm not afraid to +shirk it now. Send me ahead!"</p> + +<p>"You stay here!" commanded the captain +decisively. "I've got other work for you when +the time comes."</p> + +<p>"Go forward!" the captain continued, addressing +Milt. "If you find the coast clear, ride +on beyond the gate, then signal us, an' guard +the road from that point."</p> + +<p>"I have told you that I believe the gate to +be guarded," answered Derr quietly. "I have +warned you that it was to be. Do you command +me to ride into almost certain danger?"</p> + +<p>"If you know it to be guarded, you stand in +no danger from your friends," answered the +leader coldly. "If we find you have betrayed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +us you will stand in very great danger from +your enemies."</p> + +<p>"I have not betrayed you, I have only +warned you," insisted Milt.</p> + +<p>"Then you should be willing to share the +danger with us. A brave man never fears danger +if his duty demands it. Go!"</p> + +<p>"I will go, then, since you command it. Remember, +though, comrades," he added, turning +to the members of the band who were nearest +to him, "if I fail to get back, my blood be +upon this man!"</p> + +<p>He turned and rode quickly through the +darkness toward the New Pike gate.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 489px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-118.jpg" width="489" height="600" alt="He turned and rode through the darkness." title="" /> +<span class="caption">He turned and rode through the darkness.</span> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + + +<p>On the Squire's return to town, zealously +urged by his mission to warn the officers of the +law of the intended attack on the New Pike +gate, he felt that supreme elation of spirits belonging +to a man who already scents splendid +victory in the near future.</p> + +<p>Indeed, it promised to be a double one, for +not only would he be enabled to strike an effective +blow at the raiders, whose warfare on +the toll-gates threatened him with a considerable +financial loss, but he would also have it in +his power to crush one whose ever-unwelcome +presence in the neighborhood seemed likely to +deprive the Squire of winning a wife.</p> + +<p>The wily old man reasoned with himself +that he would much prefer to have his nephew +alive and in the penitentiary than simply dead. +Incarceration would prove a far more lasting +and complete revenge than death. In death +there would only come a quick oblivion to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +Squire's victory, on the nephew's part, while +in a long imprisonment, which to the victim +would be a living death, there would yet remain +a daily and hourly comprehension of unhappy +facts, besetting the helpless prisoner like +a pack of hungry wolves attacking their prey—an +ever-present hideous knowledge of his +own powerless condition, and his uncle's complete +mastery of the situation.</p> + +<p>It was this wish, this growing hope to place +his nephew in just such a living tomb, that +fanned the hatred of the Squire into a glowing +heat, and made him all the more determined +that Milt should soon feel the blighting power +of his wrath, even through walls of massive +stone, and behind barred doors.</p> + +<p>All the way to town the old man fed his +sluggish imagination by picturing his kinsman +and rival thus imprisoned, slowly eating away +his heart in rage and solitude, understanding +full well that his sweetheart had become the +wife of the man he most hated in all the world. +Ah! what could be a greater punishment than +this? Death would prove sweet compared to +it.</p> + +<p>The Squire chuckled to himself in a sort of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +fiendish delight at the mental picture of anguish +he had conjured up.</p> + +<p>In their last bitter quarrel, when the young +man had been driven from the Squire's home, +the nephew had boldly laughed in his uncle's +face, taunting him with his age and decrepitude, +and declaring that he would yet win the +girl in spite of all that the old man might do.</p> + +<p>Youth and manly beauty are a powerful offset +to wealth and age in the eyes of a young woman. +The Squire understood this fully, and +chafed under the knowledge, but he resolutely +determined to see what craft and cunning +could accomplish in the unequal struggle. He +made up his mind to marry the pretty toll-taker, +though there were a dozen importunate +suitors in the way. He would ruthlessly trample +them all underfoot, or sweep them aside, +as he meant to do his nephew, showing neither +pity nor mercy.</p> + +<p>Ofttimes perseverance is even more effective +than love, and the Squire was not of the kind +to be easily thwarted when he had once made +up his mind to attain a desired result. Stubbornness +and determination were his strongest +characteristics. These two traits, cleverly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +united, have carried many a man to success.</p> + +<p>Deep down in his wicked old heart he had +carefully considered the plan of having his +nephew put quietly out of the way—the Squire +knew a man that money could easily buy for +this purpose—but the Squire disliked to part +with money, and besides he did not care to +place himself in a position to be bled by a hireling.</p> + +<p>For obvious reasons, therefore, it would +serve his purpose much better if Milt got himself +hopelessly entangled in the meshes of the +law by his own acts, rather than the Squire +should be accused of helping to bring about his +nephew's ruin. There would be much less difficulty +in winning the girl, the old man +thought, ignorant of what she already knew.</p> + +<p>As matters now stood, everything was working +beautifully to his interest, and with the exercise +of a little diplomacy, such as he well +knew how to employ when occasion demanded, +his plans would soon be happily accomplished, +and his nephew's downfall speedily brought +about.</p> + +<p>When Squire Bixler got home again, after +an interview with the sheriff, he replenished<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +the fire, closed the shutters, and discarding his +heavy boots for his carpet slippers, he gathered +the papers about him, and sat down to +read. Although his usual bedtime had passed, +he only yawned occasionally, and consulted +his heavy time-piece, or glanced at the tall +clock in the corner.</p> + +<p>Along toward the midhour of the night he +suddenly aroused himself from the stupor of +sleep that was beginning to lay hold of him, +and, straightening himself in his arm-chair, +listened attentively.</p> + +<p>A sound which seemed at first elusive grew +clearer to his alert ear, arousing his drowsy +faculties to fuller consciousness. It was an +easy matter to interpret that sound aright—indeed, +his ear had done so quickly. It was a +welcome sound for which he had been impatiently +listening all these long, weary hours, +and it signified the raiders were abroad.</p> + +<p>The old man sat motionless, listening intently. +Clear and distinct, in measures musical +as steel hammers on an anvil, came the +rapid hoofbeat of horses along the pike, now +louder where the open fields spread out on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +either side of the road, now dull and muffled +when a hillock intervened.</p> + +<p>As the sound grew nearer the Squire hastily +arose, and blowing out his candle went to the +window and opened it. The body of horsemen +were even then passing his avenue gate.</p> + +<p>Now the raiders were climbing the little hill +that arose between his place and the toll-house, +each fall of the iron shoes seemed a sharp, clear +note, played in staccato time, on the hard, white +surface of the pike, then the notes grew less +distinct, softened and shaded as by a soft pedal, +when the raiders descended the farther side +of the hill. They must soon be at the very gate.</p> + +<p>The Squire listened. There came a pause +in the hoof music, then a solitary horseman +took up the refrain. The listener recalled to +mind the request that his recent nocturnal visitor +had made concerning this advance guard—that +harm should not come to him—and a +grim smile played over the old man's face as +he silently hoped that this one, too, might fall. +The Squire had urged upon the sheriff that no +man should escape—not one.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a shot rang out—then another—two, +three—a half-dozen. Quickly a volley<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +poured forth, startling the night with clamorous +echoes.</p> + +<p>The fight was on in fierce earnestness between +the raiders and defenders of the gate.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 361px;"> +<img src="images/ill-125.jpg" width="361" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + + +<p>The distance that Milton Derr had to go to +reach the New Pike gate, from where the raiders +halted and held parley, was but a short one, +measured by paces, yet during that brief ride +many irrelevant things came crowding fast +upon his memory—indeed, it seemed that his +whole life's history was swiftly reviewed in +that brief period.</p> + +<p>His boyhood days arose to his mind—those +careless, happy days of early youth that were +spent amid the wild, sweet freedom of the hills, +from which he had just now ridden—the old +schoolhouse in Alder Creek glen, that unforgotten +spot where pretty Sally Brown had first +ensnared his boyish heart and held it a willing +captive ever since.</p> + +<p>He recalled to mind the sharp pangs of jealousy +Jade Beddow took a delight in arousing +in his youthful bosom by showing marked attention +to the object of their mutual admiration<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +—then of gloomier matters, his mother's illness +and her death, which had wrung his heart +with the bitterest grief that had ever crept into +his young life. There came to mind a memory +of the subsequent home with his uncle—a home +that meant little else than a mere shelter, and +an opportunity for much hard work, for the +Squire was a grasping man, close and calculating, +and required of every one the last atom of +effort.</p> + +<p>Most clear in his memory was that eventful +day when his uncle first learned that the smiles +of the pretty toll-taker were rather for the +nephew than for the uncle, and this discovery +seemed suddenly to change the Squire's indifference +toward his ward into an intense hatred, +which smoldered for a while, then at last broke +forth into a fierce flame of passion, when there +was a bitter quarrel, and the young man was +driven from his uncle's roof, and went back +to live amid his native hills once more.</p> + +<p>When Milton Derr made up his mind to +join the raiders, he was actuated by the two +strongest passions that sway the human heart—love +and hate. The first and uppermost one +urged him to join the band in order that he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +might be able to influence the members to spare +the New Pike gate, for the present, at least; +the second made it evident that, by aiding in +the general destruction of toll-houses throughout +the county, and the abolishment of tolls, he +would be in a position to do his kinsman much +damage, and affect the most vulnerable spot in +evidence—his pocket. Thus, in Derr's bosom, +love and hate held almost equal sway.</p> + +<p>All these things passed in hurried view +through the rider's excited mind, like a fleeting +panorama, brief, yet clear and intense as the +glimpse of a surrounding landscape seen by +the flash of the lightning's path across the starless +heavens.</p> + +<p>He once more recalled to mind the conversation +that his sweetheart had overheard and +repeated to him, which had taken place between +his uncle and some unknown man upon +the public highway. Could this mysterious +person have been Jade Beddow, and had they +arranged it between them to have him sent forward +so that he might be shot, or taken prisoner? +This was evidently the trap that had +been so adroitly set, and into which he was +now riding, though not without protest.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> + +<p>Won to this belief, he still rode onward unflinchingly +toward the toll-house now looming +up before him like a ghostly warning, and +dimly outlined against the cold gray midnight +sky.</p> + +<p>Nature herself seemed steeped in profound +slumber at this wan, late hour, and neither life +nor movement was visible about the place. The +solitary horseman appeared to be the only living +object in all that cheerless, dimly-defined +landscape. There was no sign of danger on +any hand, no suspicious movement of a lurking +enemy. The deep silence of night's midhour +brooded over the quiet scene, and its peace fell +heavily upon it like the mantle of darkness +round about.</p> + +<p>The lone rider began to look about him with +growing confidence. It was all so quiet, so +still, so filled with the hush of midnight—surely +the monition he had received that the +gate would be guarded must have been built on +mere rumor without the foundation of fact.</p> + +<p>When he came to the gate, he found the pole +up, as it was wont to be at so late an hour of the +night, and after pausing a brief moment, +thinking tenderly of one within the darkened<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +toll-house, he passed from under the raised +pole, and rode a short distance along the road.</p> + +<p>Once again he paused, and looked back, and +listened. No sight or sound betrayed the presence +of guard or officer. It must be that the +posse had failed to materialize, believing the +rumor of an impending attack mere idle talk. +With a feeling of relief the horseman raised a +whistle to his lips and blew a sharp call as a +signal that the raiders might advance.</p> + +<p>In quick response the clatter of many hoofs +came beating down the road in rhythmic measure.</p> + +<p>Suddenly—breaking harshly into the musical +ring of the hurrying hoof-beats—rang the +discordant note of a shot from out the darkness, +and quick upon it came another, while the advance +rider, startled and surprised by its unexpectedness, +heard the bullet singing keenly +past his ear.</p> + +<p>An answering fire from the oncoming raiders, +shooting at random, seeking an unseen and +hidden foe, awoke the echoes, and speedily a +volley of shots from both raiders and guards +filled the quiet night with tumultuous sounds.</p> + +<p>For a brief space of time Derr sat motionless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +on his horse, making no effort to escape, stunned +by the surprise of his attack, then realizing +that a fight was really on, that the +gate was under guard, and, despite his warnings, +the band had gotten themselves into a +jeopardous situation, while he, being a sworn +member, must now stand or fall with it. He +turned quickly about and dashed back to join +his comrades.</p> + +<p>The first shot had been the premature discharge +of a gun in the hands of a nervous +guard, who had fired before the raiders had +reached the spot where the men lay in waiting.</p> + +<p>This, coupled with the fact that the stone +wall behind which the guards were concealed, +was on a stretch of ground sloping from the +road, caused the later volley of shots fired on +the raiders to speed harmlessly overhead, while +the raiders' answering fire was quite as futile.</p> + +<p>The latter had been quick to respond to their +unseen assailants, and had pressed on, reassured +by the first single shot, but when met by +a determined volley, the captain gave orders +for a hasty retreat, quickly realizing that the +band had ridden recklessly into an ambush, +and that the odds were greatly against his men.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span></p> + +<p>As the raiders turned, the advance rider +dashed back to join them. Several bullets sang +a keen note of danger as he galloped by, but +he was unscathed.</p> + +<p>A little beyond the gate one of the riders fell, +or was thrown from his horse, which seemed +to stumble, then quickly regain his feet, and, +riderless now, dashed along the road after the +retreating band.</p> + +<p>As Milt came up, he suddenly checked his +horse at the spot where the accident occurred, +for the fallen man had risen to his feet, and +was sorely in need of succor, since his horse +had taken flight without him.</p> + +<p>As he stood in the road, a dark shadow on a +light background, seemingly dazed and uncertain +what to do, Derr pulled up alongside, and +bracing himself in his stirrups, leaned forward +and cried hurriedly, "Leap up behind me!"</p> + +<p>The man quickly obeyed, though clumsily, +for his right arm appeared to be of little service +to him, but with the mounted man's assistance +he managed to climb up behind, and +throw one arm around his deliverer, then both +men bowed low over the saddle, yet not a moment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +too soon to avoid a parting volley fired +at the two on the fleeing horse.</p> + +<p>"The rest rid off an' left me, but you risked +your life to take me up," muttered Steve Judson, +as they galloped on through the night. +"Milt Derr, I promise you I won't forget tonight."</p> + +<p>"That's all right; hang on!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + + +<p>The lurking shadows along the stone wall +suddenly grew into animated forms, and the +silence was broken by excited speech. The +raiders faded as quickly into the night as they +had come, while the faint echoes of retreating +hoofs betokened a rapid flight of the band toward +the hill country.</p> + +<p>"Have we bagged any game?"</p> + +<p>The guards hastily scrambled over the rock +fence after a parting volley had been sent after +the last retreating horseman, who had tarried a +brief while in his retreat, and each guard was +eager to find an answer to the leader's question.</p> + +<p>"One man fell or dropped from his horse, +I'll swear to that," the sheriff made reply, +looking along the gloom of the road with expectant +eyes. "We must surely have wounded +one of them. It cannot have been a total loss +of lead."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No, for I'm hit," a voice made the doleful +assertion out of the darkness farther along the +fence line.</p> + +<p>"Hello! Scott! Is that you? Are you much +hurt?"</p> + +<p>"Shot in the shoulder."</p> + +<p>"Is that so?" asked the sheriff concernedly. +"I'll look after your case at once. Anybody +else hurt?"</p> + +<p>"I believe a bullet went through my hat and +grazed my skull"—this a second voice tinged +with grave anxiety.</p> + +<p>"If so, it probably flattened the bullet," was +the unfeeling remark of a companion.</p> + +<p>The girl from the toll-house appeared just +then on the platform—a sudden apparition, +startled of face, and with a hand that shook +perceptibly as she carried an old tin lantern.</p> + +<p>"Is anybody hurt?" she anxiously inquired.</p> + +<p>"A wound in the shoulder of one of our men; +nothing serious, I hope," and the sheriff came +forward to reassure her.</p> + +<p>"And the raiders—what of them?" The +girl's query was hastily made.</p> + +<p>"One fell from his horse, but we can find no +trace of him. He seems to have escaped. Lend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +us your lantern," the sheriff added; "perhaps +he crawled off into the weeds."</p> + +<p>"Here's a hat I found in the road!" The +words came from an excited guard.</p> + +<p>"Fetch it to the light!" This from the +sheriff.</p> + +<p>The guard obeyed. As the hat was held close +to the light of the lantern, which the girl held +obligingly over the rail, the men crowded +around, eager to examine the one trophy of battle.</p> + +<p>"There's blood on it!" some voice exclaimed. +"We must have wounded one of the rascals at +least. Likely he's in hiding now, close by."</p> + +<p>"Lend us your lantern, Miss Sally."</p> + +<p>The sheriff reached out for it, but before +his fingers closed over the handle, the girl's +nervous hand suddenly relaxed its hold, and +the lantern fell to the hard bed of the pike. The +glass in the sides shivered as it struck, while +the candle rolled out and was quickly extinguished +in the white dust of the road. The +girl became the picture of consternation.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" she cried, "just see what I have done!"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it's the sight of blood. It makes +some folks grow faint."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> + +<p>The sheriff spoke consolingly, pitying the +girl's embarrassment, and covertly regretting +the accident.</p> + +<p>"I'm all upset!" acknowledged the pretty +toll-taker frankly. She looked it, seemingly +so innocent the while, one would scarcely have +suspected the accident to have been hastily +planned by woman's nimble wit, in order to +gain yet more time before a further search +could be made for the wounded man.</p> + +<p>When the hat was held up to the light, the +girl recognized it almost instantly as one Milton +Derr was in the habit of wearing. He had +worn it that very day when he passed through +the New Pike gate. Its recent discovery by +the guard, and the fresh stains of blood upon +it, now filled her with sudden terror and consternation.</p> + +<p>Was Milton Derr among the raiders? The +hat was a silent witness to the fact. Had her +lover been wounded? The blood stains gave +conclusive evidence. Was it possible that Milt +had ventured back with the raiders in the very +face of the warning Sally had given him? Why +had he risked so much? Ah! was it for her +sake? She asked herself this with a sudden<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +glow in her heart, set aflame by her lover's devotion, +and a quick resolve was formed to aid +him in his present strait.</p> + +<p>Many perplexing thoughts arose. Why had +he not in turn warned the raiders as she had +expected him to do? Perhaps he had done so, +but without avail. Could they have ignored +the warning, or have forced him to come back +with them? Possibly he came of his own accord +to be of whatever assistance he could in +the face of danger that threatened the inmates +of the toll-house. The girl was in a sea of +grave perplexities and conflicting thoughts.</p> + +<p>The voice of the sheriff close at hand broke +into her bewildered train of thought and recalled +her abruptly to a sense of her surroundings.</p> + +<p>"Miss Sally! I have stepped on the piece of +candle and broken it. Can you get me another?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly; I'll go at once," she answered +hurriedly, glad to escape into the toll-house, +where her mother was busied hunting +bandages with which to dress the arm of the +wounded man.</p> + +<p>"It seemed as if I'd never be able to find another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +piece of candle," said the girl in apology +when she finally came out after quite a little +search. "My wits have left me completely—I'm +dazed."</p> + +<p>"Hadn't you better leave the hat with me?" +she asked with affected indifference as the +sheriff and his posse started off with the light +to look for the wounded raider along the road.</p> + +<p>"I might as well do so;" then, as he was +about to comply, the sheriff added on second +thought, "no, I'll take it along to shield the +candle from the wind, now that the lantern +glass is broken."</p> + +<p>At the spot where the hat had been picked +up the searchers found some dark splotches +sprinkling the dust of the pike, as if blood had +fallen there, but the owner of the lost hat was +nowhere to be found. The men searched carefully +some distance along the way, and closely +examined the patches of dusty weeds in the +fence corners, but without reward.</p> + +<p>"I am positive one of the raiders carried him +off," insisted the guard.</p> + +<p>"But for Gregory getting excited and firing +before the raiders had gotten in close range, +we would certainly have killed or captured<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +some of them, perhaps have bagged the whole +band by closing in upon them from each end +of the road. This comes of having green recruits," +the sheriff added grimly.</p> + +<p>When the posse had gone with the lantern, +Sally went once more into the house and began +to assist her mother in caring for the +wounded guard, but the girl's thoughts were +far from being centered on the object of her +present skill and care, and she listened momentarily +and with growing anxiety for additional +news concerning the owner of the lost +hat.</p> + +<p>Could it be that it was not Milton's, after +all? She felt almost positive that she had +made no mistake in regard to its ownership, +and she had suggested the leaving of the hat +with her that she might give it a closer scrutiny +and satisfy herself on this point.</p> + +<p>If the hat were really Milton Derr's, on the +under lining, inside the band, was his name +and hers, both done in red ink, along with an +arrow-pierced heart, and the date on which +the names had been written—September 10th.</p> + +<p>There had been a little picnic on this date. +She and Milton, along with Sophronia and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +her beau, and a few others, had gone for an +outing up in the hills. The usual rain that invariably +and maliciously awaits such gatherings +suddenly came up, and the party had +taken shelter for a time in the old schoolhouse +in Alder Creek glen—the very log building +where Sally's first girlish fancy had been captured +by Milt's dark eyes and ruddy face. +Here, as a stripling, he had fought battles for +his lady love, and Jade Beddow had sought in +vain to supplant him in her affections.</p> + +<p>While the picnic party had waited for the +rain to abate, Milt had usurped one of the +children's desks, and written the two names on +the inner lining of his hat-band, covertly showing +the results of his skill to Sally.</p> + +<p>If these names should be discovered, and +discovery was imminent, it would clearly fasten +the ownership of the hat on Milton Derr, +even if no one could identify it otherwise. She +felt a growing eagerness to get possession of +the hat, and tear out the tell-tale lining, yet she +dared not betray her anxiety, lest it arouse suspicion +and hasten the discovery she would +gladly avert.</p> + +<p>In the midst of her uncertainties and fears<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +she caught sound of Squire Bixler's voice outside +the toll-house.</p> + +<p>He had hurriedly put on his shoes and great +coat, and ridden over to the gate to learn the +results of the fight between raiders and guards, +prudently waiting, however, until the firing +had ceased; and he had heard, with deep disappointment +and regret, the retreating hoof-beats +of horses galloping toward the hills. +Despite the sound, he hoped that one raider at +least had been left behind.</p> + +<p>The Squire's chagrin was poignant when he +learned that not a single member of the band +had been either killed or captured, and that +the sole spoil of battle, on which he had so +largely counted, was but a gray felt hat, +streaked with blood, that had been picked up +in the middle of the dusty road.</p> + +<p>"By heaven!" cried the Squire wrathfully, +when this single trophy was shown him, "I'll +find the owner of that hat and punish him, if +it takes every detective in the state to help me +to do it."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + + +<p>The morning following the exciting experiences +of the raiders' attack and repulse at the +New Pike gate, soon after the clearing away +of the breakfast dishes, Sally, on the alert, +caught sight of Squire Bixler's buggy coming +over the hill, the loose side-curtains idly flapping +to and fro in the fresh morning breeze +like the wings of some bird of ill-omen. Indeed, +she felt, on seeing the vehicle, that its +very appearance presaged evil, if not to her, +at least to one very dear to her.</p> + +<p>Usually she let her mother open the gate to +the Squire if his coming was noticed in time +for an avoidance, but this morning she made +it convenient to be out on the platform, sweeping +away industriously, when he drove up.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Miss Sally! I suppose +you are quite glad to find yourself alive, and +with the toll-house roof still over you."</p> + +<p>"Yes," she answered promptly, "glad and +grateful, too!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What brings you out so early this morning?" +she asked, smiling pleasantly on the +Squire as she raised the gate which had so fortunately +escaped the raider's axe the night +previous.</p> + +<p>"Business," answered he with emphasis, +"important business. Before the day is over, +I hope to have a warrant served on the owner +of that hat which was picked up last night. If +I can get only one of the rascals caught and +safely jailed, it will not be such a difficult +matter to ferret out the rest of the gang."</p> + +<p>"Have you discovered anything more?" +asked Sally, trying to disguise the anxiety in +her tones as she made the inquiry.</p> + +<p>"Nothing definite, although there's one man +among the guards who thinks he can identify +the hat. I'm taking it to town now to show to +the merchant that probably sold it."</p> + +<p>The girl's heart sank within her at the +words. It would be little short of a miracle +if the tell-tale names were not found and the +hat's ownership revealed.</p> + +<p>While the Squire was speaking, Mrs. +Brown came out on the platform.</p> + +<p>"Let me see that hat," she said. "It's likely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +I may know the wearer myself. I was so busy +last night attendin' to George Scott's arm that +I didn't do more than glance at the hat."</p> + +<p>The squire handed out a package done up in +a piece of newspaper, which Mrs. Brown +opened, and taking the hat held it up at arm's +length, perched on her outspread fingers, +viewing it critically, her head slightly askew.</p> + +<p>"I've seen that hat before," she said +thoughtfully; "now who was a-wearin' it?"</p> + +<p>"There's likely a hundred such hats in the +county," interposed Sally quickly. "I've seen +a dozen or more myself."</p> + +<p>"No, you don't see so many of these light +gray felts," avowed her mother, bringing the +hat nearer. "Mebbe it's got a cost mark, or +the maker's name; that would tell a body more +concernin' it."</p> + +<p>She turned the hat upside down and looked +carefully at the lining.</p> + +<p>"Let me take it into the house and brush +some of the dust off it," interposed Sally hastily, +fearing every moment that the hidden +names would be revealed, under her mother's +inquisitive scrutiny.</p> + +<p>"No! no! let it be, just as it is," said the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +Squire, perchance put on the alert by Sally's +manner, and suspicious of her ill-concealed +desire to get the hat in her possession.</p> + +<p>"Look here! what's this on the underside of +the lining of this band?" asked Mrs. Brown, +as she ran her fingers around the inside of the +crown, and pulled down the lining. "It +looks like writing, only it's red," she added, +squinting her eyes after the manner of one +whose vision has begun to fail.</p> + +<p>At that moment Sally felt as though she +fairly hated her mother's prying nature.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Sally?" asked her mother; +"your eyes are younger than mine."</p> + +<p>The girl, after a careless glance, but with a +sickening sense of fear taking possession of her +as she recognized the arrow-pierced heart and +the two names written underneath, answered +in as calm and collected voice as she could +command, "It looks like streaks of blood."</p> + +<p>She partly averted her face as she spoke, for +she felt that her mother or the Squire would +read in her very eyes the secret she was striving +to hide. There was no longer a doubt of +the hat's ownership. It was Milton's Derr's +beyond all questioning, and the discovery of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +his name and hers written therein was now but +a matter of brief delay, as the Squire's next +words seemed to indicate.</p> + +<p>"I'll have it closely examined when I get to +town. It will not be a hard matter to locate +its owner, I think."</p> + +<p>"Would you mind giving me a seat to +town?" asked the girl suddenly, beset with a +new resolve.</p> + +<p>"Certainly not." The Squire was plainly +tickled. "I'll be only too glad of your company," +he said, smiling genially.</p> + +<p>"What's goin' to happen?" asked Mrs. +Brown wonderingly. It was a new mood for +Sally.</p> + +<p>"I've just thought of something that I've +got to do, and if the Squire'll take me along +with him, it'll save me the trouble of saddling +Joe. I'll be ready as soon as I get my cloak +and hat," added she, disappearing in the +house.</p> + +<p>"Humph!" exclaimed Mrs. Brown, looking +first after her daughter, then at the Squire. +"This looks a little as if Sally was comin' to +her senses at last."</p> + +<p>"Just give her a little time, my dear madam,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +a little time," advised the Squire, smiling +all over his fat, red face. "She'll come +around all right by and by."</p> + +<p>When the Squire and Sally drove off, she +seemed lost in thought, and only answered in +monosyllables to her companion's gallant attempts +to be agreeable.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Miss Sally?" he asked +at last, piqued at her silence and indifference. +"You act as if you might be in love," he added +with a jocose look.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I am," acknowledged Sally turning +the full battery of her pretty eyes upon +her companion, until his pulse quickened as it +had not done in years. He made an effort to +speak, but the words failed him, and he only +edged a little closer to her. For a wonder, +she did not attempt to draw farther away. +Was she really coming to her senses, as her +mother had predicted?</p> + +<p>"Do you remember the ride we took a few +weeks ago, an' what you said to me?" she +asked slowly, and with averted eyes.</p> + +<p>"My dear, I have thought of little else, I +do assure you," answered the Squire promptly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +suddenly finding speech, now that the dazzling +battery was withdrawn.</p> + +<p>"Well, I have thought a good deal of it myself +of late," admitted Sally thoughtfully. +"You profess to think a lot of me, but I expect +you would refuse me the least little favor I +might ask of you."</p> + +<p>"Have you usually found me a hard-hearted +old skinflint?" asked the Squire reproachfully.</p> + +<p>"I've never put your kindness to a very +great test, as yet. I thought I would begin +with asking a little favor. You wouldn't refuse +me that now, would you?"</p> + +<p>The girl looked up smiling into the old +man's face, and brought all the coquetry at +her command into play.</p> + +<p>"What is the favor?" asked the Squire +shrewdly. "I never like to make a promise +till I know what I'm promising."</p> + +<p>"It's about the smallest possession you have, +and the one least valuable to you."</p> + +<p>"Well, what is it?"</p> + +<p>"I want the hat that was picked up last +night."</p> + +<p>"Hum—m—m!" said the Squire meditatively.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +"In what manner does that hat concern +you?"</p> + +<p>"How it concerns me, does not concern +<i>you</i>," retorted the girl promptly, with an arch +glance.</p> + +<p>"I don't know about that. Whatever concerns +you, concerns me deeply, ducky!"</p> + +<p>"Will you give me that hat?" persisted +Sally.</p> + +<p>"You fear it will be recognized?" ventured +the Squire, and the girl winced under the +words. "Well, it will be, before I've done +with it. Of course I know it's that rascally +Milt's hat," added the Squire shrewdly following +up the clue the girl's manner and request +had given him. "Haven't I seen him +wear it, time and again? He had it on Court +day," hazarded the speaker.</p> + +<p>He noted the quick start his companion +gave, and the look of fear that overspread her +face and crept into her eyes. A sudden +thought occurred to him. He was now in a +better position to strike a bargain than he soon +would be again.</p> + +<p>"Now, suppose we put this matter on a +strictly business footing," he said blandly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +"You want the hat and I want a wife. A fair +exchange is no robbery."</p> + +<p>"Don't say that!" exclaimed Sally, as +though a sharp pain had suddenly entered her +heart. "You are cruel!"</p> + +<p>"Not in the least!" retorted the Squire. +"It's you that's cruel, my dear! You have it +in your power to make me the happiest of men, +and incidentally keep a friend of yours out of +the penitentiary. The whole matter rests with +you."</p> + +<p>The girl made no answer.</p> + +<p>"The case stands thus," he persisted. "If +my nephew is a lawbreaker, he deserves punishment. +As I am president of this road, and +a large stockholder, too, and he's doing his utmost +to injure and destroy my property, I fail +to see why I should show him any sympathy or +favor. If I do, it will be solely on your account, +not his. It's up to you whether Milt +goes free or is punished."</p> + +<p>"On just what conditions will you let him +go free?" asked the girl quickly.</p> + +<p>"On your promise to marry me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no!" she cried sharply, "not that!"</p> + +<p>"Just that," insisted the Squire.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And if I don't promise?" she asked in a +low tone.</p> + +<p>"It puts him in a place where you can't +marry <i>him</i>," answered her companion +promptly.</p> + +<p>They drove on in silence until the edge of +the town was reached.</p> + +<p>"Here we are in town," the Squire said. +"Shall I drive you to the sheriff's office with +me?"</p> + +<p>"Why are you going there?" asked his companion +faintly.</p> + +<p>"To give up this hat and swear out a warrant +for its owner."</p> + +<p>"Don't go!" pleaded Sally.</p> + +<p>"It all rests with you as to whether I go or +not," replied the Squire, his bold, unpitying +eyes bent full upon her. "Milt can either be +a free man or a felon—which shall it be?"</p> + +<p>His eyes were fixed on hers in a concentrated +gaze that seemed to fascinate her like +the gaze of the wily serpent charms the ensnared +bird. There was a confused buzzing +in her head, a thousand small voices crying +out, "Save Milt! Save Milt!" Her very +power of will appeared to be ebbing away.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +She saw only those hard, unyielding eyes, she +heard only those inner voices crying out in her +lover's behalf.</p> + +<p>"I'll promise!" she faltered.</p> + +<p>"When?" asked the Squire.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, some of these days," she +cried desperately, quite at her wits' end.</p> + +<p>"That's too indefinite," insisted her companion. +"S'pose you marry me a week from +to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! no! no! not that soon! Give me a +little more time," she pleaded. Something +would surely come to her aid, if she gained +time, she knew not what. A wild thought +came into her head that perhaps she might +yet run away with her lover. At all events, a +delay would give him time to get away, +whether she went or not.</p> + +<p>"Two weeks, then," said the Squire slowly, +"no longer."</p> + +<p>"Well," she said faintly.</p> + +<p>"Then you'll agree to marry me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," she answered recklessly.</p> + +<p>"Two weeks from to-day?" he insisted.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she answered again, her voice dropping +almost to a whisper.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> + +<p>"All right! A bargain's a bargain!" cried +the Squire gleefully. "I'll drive to the sheriff's +and tell him I lost the hat coming to +town."</p> + +<p>"Give it to me!" asked the girl eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, my dear, not yet!" he answered, +with a grimace, thrusting the bundle into an +inner pocket of his great-coat. "I'll just keep +it next to my heart as a reminder of your +promise. I'll give it to you the morning of +our wedding—as a token of love and affection," +added he with a chuckle of satisfaction.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + + +<p>A larger number than usual of possible customers +and evident idlers were gathered at +Billy West's country store on the Tuesday +morning following Court Day, discussing the +latest news.</p> + +<p>The building was a small one-room frame, +set in an angle made by the Willis Mill dirt +lane and the New Pike, an ideal spot for an +exchange of news, often bordering on gossip, +and a convenient halfway resting place for +those homeward bound, or else on their way +to mill or town.</p> + +<p>The proprietor's small stock of merchandise +consisted of a heterogeneous collection, +well suited to the needs of the locality, and +ranging in variety from knitting needles, for +the industrious matron at her fireside in the +long winter evenings, to plow-shares, which +her sturdy spouse might grasp when the soil +demanded tilling in the spring. The varied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +mixture of farming implements, groceries and +clothing presented the appearance of having +been deposited by some friendly passing +whirlwind, for the owner was of far too sociable +a nature to devote much time to "stock-keeping."</p> + +<p>When an article was wanted, it generally +had to be hunted for, unless it chanced to fall +under the immediate range of vision of salesman +or customer, while the crowded shelves +and counters presented a bewildering array of +tinware, glassware, patent medicines, clocks, +trimmed hats, churns, gaudy neckwear, cheap +clothing, mock jewelry, hair-oils and colored +perfumes put up in glass bottles of seductive +shapes, along with sundry articles great and +small necessary to the needs and adornment +of the people of the surrounding country.</p> + +<p>It was not for lack of time that Billy allowed +his stock to fall into this chaotic confusion, +for he had much leisure on his hands, but, +as I have before remarked, he was of a sociable +nature, and usually spent his spare moments +tilted back in a well-worn chair under +a locust tree, if the weather was warm, indulging +in neighborhood news, or else was engaged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +in an exhaustive argument with his circle of +solons as to how the government should be +properly run.</p> + +<p>If the season necessitated shelter, the usual +coterie removed its sittings to the rear of the +store, while during the rigorous winter months +checker-playing afforded amusement, the +board being of white pine, home-made, in alternate +inked squares, and the checkers of +black and white horn buttons supplied from +the general stock.</p> + +<p>On the morning I have mentioned, the air +was yet cool from a frosty night, but the sun +shone brightly, giving promise of speedy +warmth, as the day advanced, and the little +company chose the sunlight, being sheltered +from the breeze by the front of the building, +which faced the east.</p> + +<p>Moses Hunn, an old stager, was descanting +on the previous night's raid, having first borrowed +a chew of long-green tobacco from his +nearest neighbor. Moses was an inveterate +chewer and had been relying on his friends for +tobacco for the last twenty years.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, they say them night-riders fit like +wild cats."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The guards didn't seem to be of much use," +interposed Billy.</p> + +<p>"They were pretty good at stopping bullets," +Moses averred. "George Scott was +shot three times in the leg an' twice in the +body, I heard, an' four bullets grazed Joe +Waters' skull."</p> + +<p>"It must be bullet-proof," a voice insisted.</p> + +<p>"The news is they've shot one of the riders, +too. Leastways, blood was found on the pike, +an' also on a hat one of the raiders dropped."</p> + +<p>"Any of you wearin' new hats this mornin'?" +asked Billy with an affected show of inspecting +the head-gear of the crowd.</p> + +<p>"I noticed Mose limpin' as he come up," a +voice declared.</p> + +<p>"Mose has been drawin' a pension for that +same limp for a good many years past, so I +don't think the guards can be charged with +<i>that</i>," affirmed the storekeeper.</p> + +<p>"Well, folks seem bent on havin' free +roads," remarked the owner of the limp, as +he sighted a knot-hole in a box near by, and, +with the aim of a practiced chewer, adroitly +sent a squirt of tobacco juice through it.</p> + +<p>"Yes, an' I'm mightily afraid folks'll have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +the worst of the bargain when they do get free +roads," answered Billy, with a dubious shake +of his head. "We won't have no such good +roads as we've got now."</p> + +<p>"Free roads'll make dead agin you, Billy," +insisted Mose. "I'm not blamin' you for not +favorin' 'em, for when folks can go to town, +an' it not costin' 'em a cent, of course they're +goin' so you'll lose many a good nickle that +now drops in your till."</p> + +<p>"How did the sheriff get wind of the raid?" +asked Billy, changing an unpleasant subject.</p> + +<p>"There must be a traitor."</p> + +<p>"Lordy! I wouldn't care to be in his shoes +if they ever find him."</p> + +<p>"They'll find him all right enough."</p> + +<p>"An' swing him, high as Haman."</p> + +<p>"Sure!"</p> + +<p>Along in the evening, soon after sundown, +Billy West closed his store a full half-hour +earlier than usual, and went to his boarding +house, not a great distance away. A little later +he might have been seen cantering down the +pike on his chestnut filly, arrayed in his best +suit, and wearing the reddest and most conspicuous +necktie his stock afforded, while the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +oily smoothness of his locks, and the odor of +cheap cologne that hung persistently about +him, announced the fact that he was on pleasure +bent. To one acquainted with the state of +his affections, it was an easy matter to guess +that old man Saunders' was his probable destination.</p> + +<p>This proved to be the case. Only the day +before he had made an engagement with Sophronia +to escort her to the New Pike gate, +where she was to spend the night with her +bosom friend, Sally, then go on to town the +next day to do some shopping.</p> + +<p>"I scarcely knew whether to come for you +or not, after what happened last night," said +the cavalier apologetically, when he reached +Mr. Saunders'.</p> + +<p>"I couldn't have blamed you, if you hadn't +come," declared Sophronia frankly. "Is it +safe to go?" she asked in sudden perplexity.</p> + +<p>"I don't think you'll be disturbed tonight, +after the failure the riders made last night. +There's an old sayin' that lightnin' seldom +strikes twice in the same place."</p> + +<p>"But night-riders may," insisted Sophronia.</p> + +<p>"I doubt it. Even if they should come,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +they wouldn't want <i>you</i>. I really don't know +of but one person that does," Billy added with +an engagingly meaning look.</p> + +<p>"I could name half a dozen, at least," retorted +Sophronia, with a coquettish toss of her +head, as her cavalier assisted her to mount.</p> + +<p>Sally was most glad to see her visitors, for +she earnestly hoped through Sophronia or her +beau, at least, to learn something of Milton +Derr—whether there were any rumors of his +being hurt, or if either of them had seen him +since yesterday. If not, it augered ill for the +owner of the blood-stained hat which had been +picked up in the road near the toll-house.</p> + +<p>Finally, when her mother had gone out of +the room, Sally hurriedly asked concerning +the young man, and on learning that he had +not been seen, she added that she had an important +message for him, and asked Billy to +tell him so within the next day or two, if possible.</p> + +<p>That night in the privacy of her room, and +under a promise of the deepest secrecy on +Sophronia's part, Sally confided to her bosom +friend the besetting fear that Milt had been +wounded the night before.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Try and see him for me. If he's much +hurt, let me know at once, but if he isn't, tell +him to leave here as quickly as possible, that +he is strongly suspected of being a raider, and +to go away before any arrests are made. Tell +him to go at once."</p> + +<p>"How did you find out about the night-riders +coming?" asked Sophronia.</p> + +<p>"Through Squire Bixler. He's got a spy +that's keeping him posted, and, I believe, this +spy told him they would come last night."</p> + +<p>"How do you know there's a spy?" asked +her friend thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"I overheard him talking to the Squire one +day when I was hid behind the stone wall that +runs along the pike," and straightway the girl +related the whole occurrence to her friend. +"It's a hatched-up plot between the Squire +and this man to get Milt into trouble," she +added in conclusion.</p> + +<p>"Didn't you see who the other man was?" +asked Sophronia, beginning to connect this +fact with some other circumstances in her +mind, as links are added to a chain.</p> + +<p>"No I was afraid to peep over the fence +for fear they might see me."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Could it have been Jade Beddow?"</p> + +<p>"No, I would have known his voice. It +wasn't him, I'm certain of that. There was +something about the man's voice that held a +familiar sound, as if I had heard it before, but +I can't place it."</p> + +<p>"Do you think you would recognize it if +you should hear it again?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'm sure I should."</p> + +<p>"Then I b'lieve I can run that spy to the +ground," said Sophronia decisively. "I believe +I know the man an' the place where he's +buried the money he got for tellin' on the raiders."</p> + +<p>"You don't say!" cried Sally, in open-eyed +wonder.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered her friend impulsively. +"You go back with me to-morrow noon, when +I come from town, an' I'll take you to the very +spot, an' show you the very man."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + + +<p>Sally needed but little persuasion to consent +to go home with her friend the next day, +for in addition to Sophronia's promise to show +her the supposed spy—the man who was in +league with the Squire against his own nephew—she +had also promised Sally to get word +to Milton Derr to come to her house that +night.</p> + +<p>In case the young man was wounded and +could not come, a trusted messenger, either +Billy West or Sophronia herself, would see +that he received Sally's message of warning.</p> + +<p>Shortly after the two girls reached Mr. +Saunders', they set out to pay a casual visit to +Mrs. Judson's, ostensibly to learn how the rag +carpet was progressing, but chiefly that Sally +might see and hear the master of the place, and +so decide if Steve Judson were really the man +she had overheard plotting with the Squire.</p> + +<p>The edge of the ravine was reached, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +Sally was taken to the clump of cedar bushes +from behind which her friend had covertly +watched the secret burial of the jar containing +the money.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if the money's still there?" asked +Sally in a low tone, as the tree was pointed out +to her.</p> + +<p>"I reckon so," answered Sophronia. "We +might go look, only there's a possible danger +of his coming upon us in the act. Hush! +listen!" she cautioned, almost in the same +breath, warningly pressing her companion's +arm. "I hear somebody comin' up the ravine, +now. Don't move! I shouldn't be surprised +if it wasn't Steve himself," she added in a +whisper. "He's comin' to see if his Judas +money is safe!"</p> + +<p>"Suppose he should spy us?" asked Sally in +sudden trepidation.</p> + +<p>"But he can't, these bushes will hide us securely." +"Yes, it's him," she continued softly, +as she cautiously parted the thick foliage and +peered through; "he's comin' up the ravine, +an' he's got his arm in a sling," she added a +minute or two later as she withdrew her face<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +from the opening and signalled Sally to take +her place.</p> + +<p>Thus the two, alternating their keen watch, +saw Steve reach the spot Sophronia had +pointed out but the moment before, as the secret +burial place of the treasure, and when he +had reached it he immediately began to dig +with one hand in the ground to unearth the +glass jar.</p> + +<p>He was some little time in doing this, hampered +as he was with one arm in a sling, but at +last the job was happily accomplished, and +holding the jar between his knees, as Sophronia +remembered also to have done, he unscrewed +the lid with his free hand, and was +soon deeply engaged in counting over the bills.</p> + +<p>"Hello! Steve! what in the devil air you +doin'?"</p> + +<p>So intent was Judson in his pleasant and unusual +occupation, and so interested the two +spectators behind the cedar bushes, that the +presence of a fourth party was quite unknown +and unsuspected by all until a voice broke +abruptly and startlingly on the quiet of the +spot.</p> + +<p>Steve gave a nervous start, as if he had received<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +an electric shock, and almost dropped +the roll of bills that was spread out on his knee, +while the quick move he made overturned the +jar at his feet, and sent it rolling down the declivity, +until it broke with a sharp crash on the +rocks in the dry bed of the stream below.</p> + +<p>Even the two girls came near betraying +their presence by a cry of surprise at the unexpected +intrusion. Close upon the words of +the new-comer, and before Steve could gather +up his money and hide it, the bushes on the opposite +side of the ravine, right above Steve, +were parted, and a man caught hold of a wild +grape-vine hanging from a tree, jutting out +over a ledge, and lightly swung himself down +to within a few feet of where Steve sat. It +was Jade Beddow.</p> + +<p>"I went to your house huntin' you, an' your +wife said you was down in this direction somewheres. +How's your arm gettin'?" the +speaker suddenly caught sight of the bank +bills on Steve's knee, and broke into a low +whistle of astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Well,—great—Je—ru—sa—<i>lem</i>! where'd +you git all that money?" he asked in frank surprise.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I—I—I've been savin' it up for a rainy +day," stammered Steve, nervously clutching +the bills in his one hand, and crushing them +into his broad palm, as if to hide them from +Jade's keen eyes.</p> + +<p>"How much 've you got there?" questioned +his companion curiously.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," answered Steve, hurriedly. +"Not much, though—I was just countin' it +when you come."</p> + +<p>"It rather surprised you, didn't it?" asked +Jade with a laugh.</p> + +<p>"I should think so," acknowledged Steve. +"You must have slipped down here mighty +quiet."</p> + +<p>"I did," admitted Jade. "I wanted to see +what mischief you was up to. I didn't expect +to catch you countin' money like some banker. +What's this hole in the ground? Been buryin' +it, you d—n miser?"</p> + +<p>"It's safer than riskin' it in a bank, where +you don't know who's going' to steal it."</p> + +<p>"That's true," agreed Jade, stooping to pick +up the scrap of paper which had been +wrapped around the money, and had now +dropped on the ground at Steve's side. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +was the identical scrap that had given Sophronia +a clue as to how this money had come +into Steve's possession, and when Jade picked +it up, she waited anxiously to see if he would +also make a similar discovery.</p> + +<p>At first the intruder glanced at it carelessly +and seemed about to crumple it up in his hand, +then suddenly the whole expression of his face +changed as his eyes fell on the printed matter. +He read it hastily, and quickly turned on +Steve in accusing anger.</p> + +<p>"You scoundrel!" he cried, shaking the +scrap of paper in his companion's face. "You +got this money by sellin' out. You've betrayed +us!"</p> + +<p>"I haven't," Steve stoutly denied, although +his face turned a sallow white as he spoke. +"Who says I told on the band?"</p> + +<p>"The proof's right here," affirmed Jade, +again shaking the scrap of paper violently in +Steve's face. "Here's the reward offered for +information concernin' the riders. You're +the traitor, and you alone!"</p> + +<p>"I'm not!" persisted the accused, though his +voice seemed less assertive than before, and +held in its tone a quality of fear. "You've no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +right to say so. I picked up that scrap of +paper on the side of the road the other day."</p> + +<p>"Yes, an' you also picked up the traitor's +price along with it," sneered Jade Beddow. +"I'll just save this for future use," he added, +folding the paper and thrusting it in his +pocket.</p> + +<p>"What use?" asked Steve nervously.</p> + +<p>"As evidence when you come to be tried for +a spy," answered Jade calmly. "You haven't +forgot this soon the penalty of betrayin' our +band, have you?" he continued in a sterner +voice, fixing his cold, piercing eyes full upon +his companion.</p> + +<p>"I never done it," muttered Steve, letting +his eyes drop before the close scrutiny of +Jade's gaze. "You cain't prove it."</p> + +<p>A sudden thought came to the accuser as he +stood looking at the culprit, who squirmed +about uneasily under the penetrating eyes, and +the tones that Jade next employed suggested +rather an argument than a threat. His voice +dropped into almost a persuasive key.</p> + +<p>"Now look here, Steve!" he said quietly, +"I've caught you dead to rights, an' you cain't +squirm our of it, so you needn't try. You sold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +yourself for this money, don't deny it. You +haven't saved up fifty cents in the last ten +years, you know it, yet here you sit with a +handful of crisp new bank-notes, tellin' me +you earned 'em honestly. Ha! ha! that's a +good one! The devil himself would laugh at +a joke like that."</p> + +<p>Jade Beddow folded his arms and looked +down on the poor wretch at his feet, who gave +no evidence of the humor of the situation.</p> + +<p>"Now see here, Steve! you're in a tight fix, +sure an' certain, but if you'll do just as I tell +you, I'll promise to get you out."</p> + +<p>"How?" asked Steve hoarsely, a growing +sign of weakness manifest.</p> + +<p>"By fixin' the deed on somebody else."</p> + +<p>"Who?"</p> + +<p>"Milt Derr."</p> + +<p>Steve remained silent.</p> + +<p>"Fix it on him, an' it saves you. You'll have +to lie a bit, but you're good at that."</p> + +<p>"I cain't put it on him—don't ask me!" cried +Steve sharply. "He done me a good turn only +the other night. I cain't lie on him now."</p> + +<p>Jade gave a sudden, short, harsh laugh<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span>. +"Your conscience is gittin' mighty tender, all +of a sudden," he said derisively.</p> + +<p>"He stopped an' took me up behind him, +after the rest of you had rid off. But for him +I'd be in jail, right now."</p> + +<p>"All right! you can do as you please about +the matter," answered Jade coolly. "Only +there's a much hotter plac'n the jail, they say, +which you stand a mighty good chance of +reachin', an' d—n quick, too. If you want to +suffer a traitor's fate, you can do so, I'll see +that you get your just desserts, an' quickly. +I've showed you an easy way to escape. You +can take it or leave it, just as you choose."</p> + +<p>He turned as if to go, while Steve caught at +him, as a drowning man at a straw.</p> + +<p>"I'll testify ag'in him!" cried Steve despairingly.</p> + +<p>"Very well! That's a bargain. We're +goin' to have a meetin' to-night, at the old stone +quarry near the bridge. Be on hand without +fail, an' remember, that it's <i>him</i> or <i>you</i>," he +added significantly.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h2> + + +<p>The two girls clung closely to one another, +after the manner of frightened womankind, +striving vainly to abstract a grain of courage +from a united fear—in the eyes of each a growing +terror.</p> + +<p>"We must find Milt and give him warning!" +gasped Sally faintly to her companion, +at last gaining courage and voice as the two +men went slowly down the ravine, their voices +dropping lower and lower until they grew but +a dull, unintelligible murmur to the attentive +ears bent keenly to catch their meaning.</p> + +<p>"Yes," agreed Sophronia, "without delay. +Is Steve Judson the man you overheard talking +to the Squire?"</p> + +<p>"The very one. I recollected his voice the +minute he begun to speak."</p> + +<p>"A pretty pair of villains they are,—him an' +Jade, too!"</p> + +<p>Sally was already busied with her plans for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +her sweetheart's safety. "I'll try to beat 'em +at their very own game," she said determinedly. +"The first thing to be done is to see +Milt."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we must find him at once," agreed her +companion.</p> + +<p>"Let's go straight home, get our horses, and +ride over to Mr. Pepper's where Milt works. +We must see Milt himself, not trust to a message."</p> + +<p>"He can't be badly wounded, else they +wouldn't expect to try him tonight," said Sally +thoughtfully, hope springing anew in her +breast.</p> + +<p>"Neither Jade, nor Steve talked like he was +hurt at all. Perhaps he isn't."</p> + +<p>As the girls talked and planned, beset by +many fears and uncertainties, they walked +hurriedly across the fields, keeping pace with +their nimble tongues, and when Mr. Saunders' +house was reached, they quickly saddled the +horses, and set out forthwith on their quest.</p> + +<p>Disappointment awaited them at their journey's +end, for when they came to Mr. Pepper's +place, they learned that Milt had gone across +country to attend to some business for his employer,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +and it was uncertain at what hour he +would return. Sophronia and Sally looked at +one another in dire perplexity.</p> + +<p>"Want to leave a message?" asked Mr. +Pepper.</p> + +<p>"If Mr. Derr comes any hour before midnight, +tell him to ride over to my house," said +Sophronia. "I have a very important message +for him." They turned away. "He evidently +isn't wounded, an' likely he won't get +back in time to be summoned by the raiders," +she added hopefully, as she and her companion +rode homeward. "Now, what's to be +done in the meantime?"</p> + +<p>"I'm goin' straight home," declared Sally, +"an' keep a sharp look-out at the gate. Mr. +Pepper said Milt might come back by way of +town. I can trump up some excuse to mother +about not staying all night with you, as I intended. +If Milt comes back to Mr. Pepper's +you'll get to see an' warn him, an' if he comes +by the gate—I'll get to do it. That's all we +can do."</p> + +<p>"Suppose we both fail?"</p> + +<p>"Then I'll go to the old quarry tonight," +answered Sally.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No!" cried her companion aghast.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I will," insisted Sally, coolly, "I'll +not only go, but I'll see that Milt's not convicted +on the false words of those two lying +villains."</p> + +<p>"You're really not in earnest, Sally Brown!" +cried Sophronia, half in astonishment, half in +admiration at the daring announcement.</p> + +<p>"But I am, I mean every word of it." The +girl had inherited from her forbears a touch +of that intrepid spirit that prevailed amid the +hills.</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't go for worlds!" cried Sophronia +shuddering.</p> + +<p>"I guess you would, if it was <i>your</i> sweetheart +that was in danger."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe I could go, even then," admitted +Sophronia. "They'll kill you!" she +declared in growing terror.</p> + +<p>"Not when I tell them I sent a warning to +the band by Milt, and point out the very man +that did betray them."</p> + +<p>"But remember, the leader of the night-raiders +is Jade Beddow. He will surely do +you an' Milt all the injury he can. Oh, Sally, +don't think of running such a risk! Let's find +Billy West an' ask him to go."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 460px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-177.jpg" width="460" height="600" alt=""You're really not in earnest, Sally Brown!"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"You're really not in earnest, Sally Brown!"</span> +</div> + +<p>"It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> wouldn't be as safe as for me to go," demurred +Sally. "I'm not afraid. They're not +goin' to hurt me. Let me have your father's +pistol when we get back. I'll take it along, +an' use it, too, if there's need."</p> + +<p>As the two girls excitedly discussed the situation, +Sally decided that she would not go +back home as she had first intended. There +were too many chances of missing her sweetheart +by so doing. Besides, if the two girls +separated, Sally would not know whether her +friend had seen Milt or not. This was a point +they had both overlooked.</p> + +<p>It was agreed, then, that the safer plan +would be for Sally to remain at Mr. Saunders' +until late bedtime, then, if Milt had not +come, she would manage, with Sophronia's +help, to slip quietly out of the house, saddle +Joe and go direct to the old abandoned quarry +where the farce of a trial would be held.</p> + +<p>When bedtime came, and no sign of Derr, +the two girls succeeded in slipping out of the +house without detection, when they quickly +saddled the patient Joe, and later parted in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +darkness, Sophronia still urging her companion +to think once again before starting forth on +so perilous a journey.</p> + +<p>Unshaken by her friend's forebodings, the +toll-taker set out courageously into the lonely +night, bent on accomplishing her sweetheart's +release. She was familiar with the location +of the dirt lane, at which she must turn off in +order to reach the quarry, yet, in the haste of +her mission and the perturbation of mind under +which she was laboring, she turned into the +wrong lane, and had gone some distance before +discovering her mistake. By the time she +had retraced her way many valuable moments +were lost.</p> + +<p>The night was wearing on. In the hilly +and sparsely settled region through which she +rode, it seemed already past midnight, and +her road was solitary and forbidding. Even +the rocks, and trees and clumps of bushes +along the way took on grotesque and often +threatening shapes to her excited imagination +as she passed them in the semi-darkness.</p> + +<p>At times, these dimly defined forms became +terrifying monsters of the night, guarding the +road along which she passed, like fabulous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +creatures of fairy-land protecting the approach +to some magic domain. Vague, silent, +mysterious, they loomed up on either hand—gigantic, +somber sentinels.</p> + +<p>The chill of the night air, which lay heavily +in the shadowy ravines, between the uplifting +hills, penetrated her clothing and seemed to +reach with its benumbing breath her very +heart, yet she pressed on, undaunted.</p> + +<p>She paused a brief moment at a small +brook that crossed the road on the way to the +quarry, and as she listened there came the dull +hoof-tread of approaching horses—a cavalcade, +it seemed, as she hearkened in sudden +nervous terror, for the raiders were evidently +close at hand.</p> + +<p>Were they coming from, or going to the +quarry?</p> + +<p>For the moment she could not decide +whether the sound was behind or in front of +her. The reverberant hills seemed to be playing +pranks with the echoes, and as she sat motionless +on her horse and listened, a feeling of +faintness came over her at the possibility of +the sound's direction.</p> + +<p>What if she were too late, and the raiders,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +returning from the old quarry, had already +wreaked their vengeance on the hapless victim? +The thought appalled her in its cruel +suggestion, and her heart grew heavy with +forebodings; then close upon her terror and +despair the glad fact rushed to her relief that +the horsemen were behind, not in front of her, +and there was yet time in which to state her +lover's case.</p> + +<p>The raiders' rendezvous lay beyond, some +little distance up the road, as she remembered +its location in bygone days. There was +scarcely time to reach it before the hurrying +horses. Perhaps it would be the better plan +to conceal herself somewhere amid the shadows +along the road until the cavalcade had +passed, then quickly follow.</p> + +<p>She recalled to mind that a little further +down the brook was a thicket of water willows, +now a splotch of blackness in the vague landscape, +and, after a moment's hesitation, she +turned her horse's head in this direction.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had the obscurity of the spot enfolded +her, when the raiders came sweeping by—an +ominous shadowy band, crossing the +shallow stream at the place she had but recently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +quitted, then galloping rapidly along +the road which rose sharply toward the hill +where lay the place of meeting.</p> + +<p>The quarry was hollowed out of the far side +of the hill, around whose base the stream +wound lazily, and to go by way of the winding +road was a more circuitous route, while to +climb the hill shortened the distance greatly.</p> + +<p>The girl decided on this latter route—she +would climb the hill on foot. It would take +less time, and time was now most precious. +Possibly the raiders would place a sentry at the +entrance of the quarry, so that she might not +be able to gain access, even if she should go +around by the road as she had at first intended.</p> + +<p>Acting on this sudden decision, she quietly +slipped from the saddle to the ground, hurriedly +tied the bridle to a bending willow, and, +after giving Joe a friendly, reassuring pat, +started to climb the hill.</p> + +<p>The way was rough and unfamiliar, and in +the darkness, made yet more dense by clumps +of cedar trees and bushes that thickly clothed +the hillside, she was often compelled to grope +her way along to keep from stumbling over the +knotted roots of the trees that crept out from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +between crevices in the rocks, twisting over the +ground like monster, hideous serpents, guarding +the approach to the rendezvous.</p> + +<p>The ascent was slow and tedious. Finally +the summit was reached, and choosing her +bearings from its commanding height, she began +to descend the opposite side toward the +quarry, the long accumulation of fallen cedar +spines deadening the sound of her light footstep +until she was able to reach the very edge +of the excavated portion of the hill without +detection, guided thither by a dim light below +the surface that faintly defined its rugged outline.</p> + +<p>Spent of breath, she crouched down in the +shadows behind a clump of dwarfed cedar +bushes fringing the ragged edge of broken +rock, and peered cautiously into the quarry.</p> + +<p>A scant fire had been hastily kindled close +against the rocky wall, and in a semi-circle +around it the raiders were now gathered. The +wide-brimmed, slouch hats they wore partly +concealed the faces beneath, and the girl's +eager eyes traveled anxiously from one dark +form to another.</p> + +<p>Finally they rested on the object sought.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +Standing almost beneath the spot where she +crouched in hiding was the accused, his head +boldly erect, his bearing defiant, as if he feared +no man, and cared naught for the two who +had come to bear false witness against him, and +to swear away his life.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> + + +<p>The raiders were gathered in a small alcove +of the quarry, sheltered on three sides by walls +of rough-faced limestone, jagged and broken +as the quarrymen had left them years before, +and this secluded spot made a counsel chamber +little liable to intrusion, and well-suited to +its present use.</p> + +<p>Milton Derr was standing nearest the fire +in an angle made by the walls, while others +of the band were ranged in a semi-circle across +the wider space opening into the larger part +of the quarry, the captain standing at the end +of the line furthest from the prisoner.</p> + +<p>Above them the girl crouched in hiding, +screened by the overhanging darkness and the +fringe of cedar bushes along the edge, yet from +her vantage ground she could clearly see what +was taking place below, and easily overhear +all that was said.</p> + +<p>Steve Judson was called to testify. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +heard him coolly bear witness to having seen +the accused stop at the New Pike Gate, and +hold earnest converse with "that Brown gal" +as he designated Sally. Steve claimed to have +come up in the darkness and recognized the +two at the gate as he passed through.</p> + +<p>He wove quite a plausible story out of whole +cloth, saying that on recognizing Milt, and +knowing his fondness for the girl at the toll-house, +he, Steve, at once suspected that the +plans of the raiders for that night were being +discussed.</p> + +<p>To satisfy himself on this point, after riding +along the road a little distance, he dismounted, +climbed the stone wall and crept back quietly, +keeping in the shadow of it, until he was near +enough to hear a part of the conversation that +took place at the gate, and then he overheard +the prisoner tell of the raid that was to be made +a few hours later.</p> + +<p>At the conclusion of Steve's story, the captain +called attention to the fact that on this +same night, before the hour of attack, Milton +Derr had been boasting among his comrades +at the place of rendezvous that the pole of the +New Pike Gate would not be cut down on that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +night. He, alone of all the raiders, seemed to +know that the plans for an attack were known, +and the gate would be under guard. Twice +had the captain asked, in the presence of the +members of the band, to be given the name of +Milt's informant, and twice had Milt refused +to answer.</p> + +<p>More than once during Steve's false testimony +the listening girl, with eyes blazing +forth something of the fierce indignation she +felt, nervously sought the pistol at her belt, in +a stern resolve to use it on the accomplished +liar, who was thus deliberately swearing her +lover's life away.</p> + +<p>She remembered, however, that this man was +but the frightened tool of another. At heart, +the witness did not wish to do Milt an injury. +Steve had admitted as much that afternoon in +the ravine, while talking to the captain. Jade +Beddow was really the one who was at the bottom +of this piece of villainy. His hatred of +Milt, coupled with a desire to be revenged on +the girl who had scorned him, was prompting +Jade to this present step.</p> + +<p>"This fellow is a liar and an ingrate!" cried +Milt fearlessly at the conclusion of Steve's testimony.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +"The story just told is false in every +particular."</p> + +<p>"Yet the man who declares these charges +false is the only one amongst us who knew that +the gate would be guarded," said the captain, +turning to his men.</p> + +<p>"I gave you all warning of the fact," answered +Milt.</p> + +<p>"The warning was likely given more to +shield yourself than us," retorted the leader +with a sneer. "If you went, you would be as +liable to injury as the rest of us; if you prevented +us from goin' it would serve your purpose; +if you sneaked out of the affair, it would +fasten the guilt of a traitor on you. This is the +sum an' substance of it all."</p> + +<p>The captain turned once more to his men. +"If it was known that the gate was to be attacked +on this night, it is proof we have a +traitor in our midst. If this man is the only +one who knew the gate would be guarded, it +stands to reason he is the only one who told it +was to be attacked. Who else but the prisoner +had an interest in protecting the New Pike +Gate? The case is as plain as day."</p> + +<p>"I was told under a pledge of secrecy the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +gate would be guarded. I gave you the benefit +of that warning!" protested Derr.</p> + +<p>"If there had been no traitor there would be +no need of any warning," answered the captain, +then his words took on a greater force of +meaning—</p> + +<p>"Brothers! comrades! there is a traitor in +our midst. The repulse we met with the other +night proves beyond a doubt that our most secret +plans are made known to our enemies. +Who, then, is this traitor? Cain't you pick +him out? I know of only one person among us +who would like to see the New Pike Gate still +stand after all others had gone down. I think +you also know who this man is, for the testimony +just now given has made it clear.</p> + +<p>"No one but Milt Derr seemed to know the +gate would be guarded the other night, no one +but the girl at the gate knew it was to be attacked. +It was to the interest of each that the +other should know the plans of raider and officer,—a +touching and mutual exchange of +confidence," the speaker suggested sneeringly.</p> + +<p>"If the prisoner was warned, as he says he +was, who but the girl at the gate could have +warned him? If this was the case, how did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +she know the gate was to be raided unless told +by her sweetheart? Who else but the man in +love with the toll-taker would run the risk of +betraying his comrades, knowing full well the +penalty of the act?"</p> + +<p>Then the captain broke into a fierce tirade +as he shook his hand menacingly at the prisoner. +Jade possessed a certain rude power of +oratory that could at times be made strongly +effective on his followers—the peculiar magnetism +of a fierce, headstrong nature that over-powered +and controlled weaker ones.</p> + +<p>"There stands the traitor before you! Your +liberty and lives are threatened by a constant +danger so long as it lies in this man's power to +betray you. He has already used that power—he +will use it again if he can. As you each +and every one know, there never was, and +never can be but one sort of a safe traitor, an' +that is—<i>a dead one</i>. It is your liberty, or his—which +shall it be? The hour to decide is at +hand. There is no time for delay. Choose!"</p> + +<p>When the captain had ceased speaking, a +deep silence fell upon the group of waiting +men, and so deep did it seem in the stillness of +the night and the great loneliness of the spot,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +that the listener, crouched in the shadows +above, was almost won to the belief that the +loud beatings of her heart, or her stifled breathing, +would be heard by those gathered below, +and her hiding-place revealed.</p> + +<p>The captain waited expectantly, looking +closely from one face to another, noting keenly +and exultantly the dawning of distrust and fear +that slowly overspread each countenance, as +troubled waters communicate their motion +until the whole silent pool is disturbed; then +he spoke again, slowly, deliberately:</p> + +<p>"The case is in your hands, comrades! We +have a common interest in the protection of our +liberty an' ourselves. Shall it be freedom for +him, or imprisonment for us? What shall be +done?"</p> + +<p>"Draw for the red bean!" a voice called out +sharply and discordantly. It was Steve Judson +who spoke.</p> + +<p>"Yes! yes! the red bean!" a chorus of voices +clamored, quickly seizing the suggestion as a +solution of the problem confronting them. A +look of approval came to the captain's face, +while his eyes flashed forth a malignant triumph.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You shall draw for it," he answers briefly, +taking from his pocket a small leathern pouch, +which he shook vigorously, then untied and +opened.</p> + +<p>"Draw!" he commanded, holding out the +pouch to the man nearest him. The raider hesitated +a moment, then put his thumb and forefinger +into the pouch and drew forth a bean, +which he concealed within the palm of his +hand without a glance at it.</p> + +<p>Stepping aside, the first man gave way to +another member of the band, and thus in succession +the drawing continued until each +raider, save the prisoner, had drawn from out +the leathern pouch a bean, and held it within +the hollow of his hand, while neither he nor +his neighbor knew whether it was a bean of +white, or the fatal one of red that had been +drawn.</p> + +<p>Steve was the last to draw. As he stepped +forward, no one saw the captain slightly relax +the fingers of the hand holding the pouch, nor +suspected that the small object they had retained +until this moment was covertly released +and dropped to the bottom of the pouch as it +was held out to Steve.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Hands up! your oath!"</p> + +<p>Each man obeyed, the last man to draw +holding his left hand aloft as his right was in +a sling. Thus, with hand upraised, every man +swore to a strict performance of his duty, +taking upon himself the oath that if he held +the red bean he would visit upon the traitor +wherever found, whoever he might be, the +punishment that a traitor's act justly merited, +or that having failed in his oath, the same +judgment he had withheld might be visited on +himself who had foresworn his oath.</p> + +<p>Then each man came singly before the captain, +and opened the palm of the hand that +both might know who held the fatal red bean.</p> + +<p>The fire had been replenished and stirred +into renewed brightness while the drawing was +taking place, and as Steve came forward and +opened his palm, a bright flame suddenly shot +up from the fire, a slender, wavering torch, +shedding a momentary light on the group, and +on the two standing together.</p> + +<p>As the captain and Steve looked downward +into the latter's outstretched palm, each saw +a round, red object lying there like a great +drop of blood.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 346px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-194.jpg" width="346" height="400" alt="A TYPICAL NIGHT RIDER." title="" /> +<span class="caption">A TYPICAL NIGHT RIDER.</span> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> + + +<p>All this while the girl crouched close to +earth, immovable, breathless, keenly alert +amid the gruesome shadows hovering along +the broken line of rock. There was a strange +and terrible fascination in the scene enacted +below her—a fascination she would fain shake +off, yet felt powerless to overcome, like the +fatal spell a serpent weaves when it charms a +victim.</p> + +<p>To her perturbed brain it seemed an oppressive +dream, an unhappy nightmare, born of the +surrounding gloom, and still she understood +that it was most real, that the little drama, with +its environment of night and secrecy and +threatened crime, was one of momentous import +to her and to her lover.</p> + +<p>Was it now time for her to act, to take her +part in it, or must she wait a little longer for +her cue? Should she reveal her presence and +appeal to the members of this lawless band,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +denouncing its unscrupulous leader, and his +traitorous ally? Would the raiders believe her +story, and listen to a petition for her sweetheart's +liberty, after having heard Steve Judson's +strong testimony, strengthened by the +captain's philippic?</p> + +<p>True, she might conduct them to the very +spot wherein the real traitor had concealed his +ill-gotten gains, and where she had overheard +him plotting with the captain against the prisoner, +but the money was no longer there, and +with Steve and the captain both against her, +she could hope to accomplish little. Neither +would hesitate to go to any length to prove her +statements false; besides, there was no time to +prove words true—it was a moment for action, +not for words. Whatever was done must be +done this very night—at once.</p> + +<p>On one point her mind was fully set—harm +should not befall the innocent victim of this +foul conspiracy, while she could raise a voice +or hand to prevent it. A plan of succor must +be speedily decided upon. Persuasion seemed +the only feasible one in her present strait. +Might she not state the whole case calmly and +dispassionately to them? Surely they would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +not be deaf to reason or entreaty. When they +were brought to realize the fact that it was +through her the band had been warned of the +gate being under guard the night of the attack, +their gratitude alone should insure her both +justice and mercy for the one whose cause she +pleaded.</p> + +<p>Among these lawless men there were two +who stood in the way of Milt's liberty, the +others were negative save as their own personal +safety was concerned, and of these two active +enemies, the captain was by far the most dangerous. +With his evil influence removed, +Steve would no longer be an enemy to the prisoner. +Yet how could that influence be taken +away in time to be of benefit to Milt? A sudden +thought came to the girl that startled and +terrified her with its meaning.</p> + +<p>There was a solution to the problem. The +means for removing this baneful influence was +close at hand—within her very grasp. But +could she do this deed? Had she the courage +to attempt it? She resolutely nerved herself +to the effort.</p> + +<p>Slowly drawing the pistol from her belt, +and noiselessly sinking on one knee, that she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +might the better rest her arm and take a more +accurate aim, the girl carefully sighted the +captain's dark form, while her finger trembled +nervously on the hammer of the weapon.</p> + +<p>Just a slight pressure—the mere movement +of a finger—and a soul would be sent quickly +into eternity. Yet what an evil soul it was and +to what lasting punishment! As she thought +of it, in all its terrible import, her own soul +turned faint, and her fingers grew limp and +purposeless. Oh! it was a fearful thing to do, +to shoot one down like a wild beast, and far +worse to hurry one so deeply charged with +wickedness into eternity, without a moment's +time in which to cry out for forgiveness for his +evil life.</p> + +<p>Were she to commit this deed, would not its +terror abide with her for all time—a hideous +ever-present spectre, that would follow her +through life? She recalled to mind a sermon +she had once heard in Alder Creek glen, in +which had been pictured in powerful intensity +the wrong of taking human life, and the +murderer's unrest and troubled conscience forever +after. Must she be a taker of human life?</p> + +<p>Then would her own soul be stained with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +crime, her own hand prove the fatal instrument +for sending a lost soul to a judgment in +which there could be no hope, from which +there was no appeal. The word of God himself +was against such an act, for in letters of +flame the sentence seemed to flash into her +brain—"Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I +will repay."</p> + +<p>No! no! she must not blot her soul with this +awful act, there was surely some other means +to employ, some method less dreadful by which +she could save the one in peril. She would +wait a little longer, hoping without hope as it +were.</p> + +<p>Her arm rested idly on her knee, her finger +fell away from the trigger she had come so +near to pressing, while a half exultant joy +leaped in her soul that she had not obeyed the +first savage impulse to which her troubled +mind gave birth. Not yet had she usurped +God's prerogative.</p> + +<p>"Am I to be shot down like a dog?" cried +the prisoner sharply.</p> + +<p>"A traitor may meet his death by rope, bullet, +or knife. He deserves to suffer by each +separate means," said the leader with a significant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +glance rather at Steve than at the prisoner.</p> + +<p>"See that the prisoner is safely bound." At +his command Steve stepped forward and +closely examined the cords with which Milt's +ankles and wrists were bound. His hands were +tied behind him, and with his feet in the +shadow the watcher on the rocky ledge above +had not noticed until this moment how utterly +helpless he was.</p> + +<p>Once more she grasped the pistol with a determined +grip, and breathlessly looked down +on the group beneath her. A crisis was surely +approaching.</p> + +<p>The captain gave a brief command.</p> + +<p>Two of his henchmen—men as unscrupulous +and callous as he—began to remove some flat +stones that were laid on a pile of cedar logs +near the rocky sides of the quarry just beyond +the prisoner. This spot was partly in the +shadow, and Sally had not noticed it until her +attention was directed thither.</p> + +<p>She leaned forward cautiously, and looked +down in wonder and perplexity while the +stones were lifted off, then two of the logs were +shifted to one side, while a dark, irregular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +opening was revealed in the rock floor, as if the +mouth of a small cave had been uncovered.</p> + +<p>Indeed, such was the case, for on blasting +away the rock, some years before, this aperture +had been discovered, and as it was a dangerous +opening, descending far downward into the +very heart of the hill, it had been closed by +means of the cedar logs, and the large flat +stones laid on top of them.</p> + +<p>As the logs were lifted to one side, a member +of the band standing near, dropped a loose +stone into the opening, while the girl anxiously +listening, quickly caught her breath as she +heard the object falling down and down, +striking against the uneven sides of the pit in +its descent until it seemed to have penetrated +the very bowels of the earth.</p> + +<p>The man who had dropped the stone shuddered +and turned away.</p> + +<p>"The devil take me! if I believe that hole +has any bottom to it," he said in an awed voice, +and quickly the thought flashed into Sally's +brain as to the purpose for which the pit had +been uncovered, and why the abandoned +quarry had been selected for a meeting-place +this night.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span></p> + +<p>Was a human body to be sacrificed to the +fearsome depths of that dark cavern? The +thought appalled her more than all else that +had gone before, and she grew faint with terror. +Even the prisoner seemed to look in +speechless horror toward the black opening as +if he, also, guessed the peril that threatened +him.</p> + +<p>The very members of the secret conclave +gazed with awe-stricken faces on the yawning, +ominous hole, as though they were beginning +to weaken at so dire a punishment. Even the +act of a traitor seemed scarcely to merit a fate +this terrible. Only the captain and his ally +appeared unmoved and unrelenting. On the +former's face a look of fiendish triumph slowly +settled, as he gazed steadfastly into the awesome +blackness of the cave-like opening—a +hard, evil face it was, that held neither pity +nor regret.</p> + +<p>"To your horses, boys!" The leader spoke +quickly, commandingly, for his keen eyes saw +signs of weakening among his followers. "Remember +your oath! Remember your safety!" +he called out warningly.</p> + +<p>"And remember the blood of an innocent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +man is on your hands!" cried the doomed man +despairingly. "I sought to save your lives—you +are wrongfully taking mine!"</p> + +<p>"He lies!" thundered the captain. "He sold +himself to the officers of the law, an' but for a +premature shot we might all now be dead, or +in prison. They did not fire on him, bear in +mind, but waited until he had passed on, an' +given the signal that all was safe, an' we come +near ridin' into the trap that was laid for us. +He is a traitor to us, an' to our cause, an' deserves +a traitor's death!"</p> + +<p>The accused began again to speak, but the +captain cut short his words, fearful of their +effect on the hearers.</p> + +<p>"Gag the prisoner!" he commanded, and despite +Milt's protests, the order was speedily +carried out, and soon the prisoner was lying +bound and gagged, close to the dark opening +piercing the very earth. "To your horses!" the +leader cried savagely, "and to hell with all +traitors."</p> + +<p>For a moment the members of the little band +appeared to hesitate, moved by conflicting impulses, +but the instinct of self-preservation is +strongly implanted in the human breast, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +will crowd out many noble qualities. The +vacillation was but momentary; slowly and +silently the men began to move away, each one +eyeing his neighbor askance, as if to discover +who held the fatal red bean within his keeping.</p> + +<p>Thus they melted into the night, stealing +like dissolving shadows down to the thicket +below where the horses were hitched.</p> + +<p>Soon after the tread of many horses' feet +broke into the hush of the lonely scene. Some +seemed going in one direction, some in another, +and on the sleeping hills a darkness lay +heavily—a darkness such as hides many a +ghastly crime.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> + + +<p>The cheering light of hope began to break +upon the crouching figure on the ragged edge +of rock above the quarry, as she watched the +men disappear, one by one, into the darkness +on their way to their horses.</p> + +<p>It suddenly dawned upon her that the hapless +prisoner was to be left, bound and gagged, +in this lonely spot until the return of that member +of the band who had drawn the red bean. +Some subtle intuition warned the alert onlooker +that this one was either the Captain or +Steve. Possibly both might return on the murderous +mission, and, but for her, only the few +faint pitying stars of heaven would be witnesses +of a dastardly crime, darker than the +night itself.</p> + +<p>Supremely glad the girl felt at this moment +that she had not been unduly hasty in her actions, +for, by waiting, she would now have but +one, or two at furthest, to overcome in order +that Milt Derr might go free.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span></p> + +<p>Swift upon the thought came another—that +by acting quickly she might be able to liberate +the hapless prisoner before even these two +should return.</p> + +<p>If she were but swift enough in her movements +to reach the quarry and give her sweetheart +the pistol she carried, then would it bode +evil to the one who should come to wreak the +oath of vengeance against the victim.</p> + +<p>She waited impatiently yet a little longer +until the spot should be utterly deserted, and +when her ears at last caught the sound of retreating +hoofs descending the rocky hill, she +tightly grasped one of the cedar bushes and +leaning over the edge of the jutting rocks +called softly:</p> + +<p>"Milt! Milt! I'm here. I'll soon set you +free. Don't lose heart!"</p> + +<p>She understood that he could make no response, +that the cruel gag prevented it, but as +she listened intently, after her low-uttered +words of encouragement, she heard him raise +his fettered feet and strike them on the rock +floor, one—twice—as if in response to her +words of cheer.</p> + +<p>The light from the smouldering fire had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +grown too dim for her to see the movement, or +note the look of bewilderment and incredulous +surprise that swept over the prisoner's face, as +he turned his body slightly, and looked up in +the direction from which the voice had seemed +to come.</p> + +<p>"I'm on the ledge of rock above the quarry," +Sally continued, hurriedly. "It's too steep to +climb down, but I'll go around, and come to +you."</p> + +<p>Quick upon her words, she sprang to her +feet, eager to skirt the edge of the quarry, the +light of love, which is stronger than sun or +moon, guiding her steps through the night's +labyrinth. Had not her thoughts been entirely +absorbed by the great eagerness in her heart +to reach her lover and set him free before the +return of his enemies, she would have marveled +at the ease and speed with which she +moved in making her way down the rugged +hill toward its entrance.</p> + +<p>And still it seemed an interminable journey, +each step haunted by the fear that the one +on whom the fatal choice of executioner had +fallen might return and wreak his vengeful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +mission before she could reach the spot by the +circuitous route she had to take.</p> + +<p>This fear, while it startled her, also urged +her footsteps to greater haste, and at times she +almost ran. Suddenly her feet became entangled +in one of the many creeping wild vines +that spread a tangled network in her path, and +unable to recover her poise, she fell headlong +to the ground, striking heavily.</p> + +<p>In a wilted heap she lay there for some minutes, +stunned by the fall, seemingly not caring +to move; then, on slowly regaining her scattered +wits, and recalling the haste and importance +of her mission, she made an effort to regain +her feet.</p> + +<p>Along with the effort a sharp pain darted +through her ankle—so sharp and severe that +she came near crying out, and after making a +step or two forward, she sank, with a little +moan, down on the ground again, clasping her +spent ankle with both hands.</p> + +<p>A swarm of terrifying thoughts came crowding +swiftly upon her. Had she broken it? If +so, what should she do in her utter helplessness? +A most unenviable situation it was—alone +and crippled, far from human aid, a solitary<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +object for pity, lying helpless amid those +silent, gloomy hills, while the only person on +whom she might have called in her dire extremity, +was even more helpless than she, and +urgently needed her assistance even now to +avert the terrible fate that was drawing very +near to him.</p> + +<p>As she sat thus in her abject misery, aloof +from succor or sympathy, rubbing her sprained +ankle aimlessly the while, and bemoaning by +turns her misfortune and suffering, and the +cruel situation of the bound and helpless prisoner +within the stone quarry, she finally attempted +to move her foot gently to and fro, +and found to her surprise that the accident was +only a sudden wrench, painful but not lasting. +Hope once more buoyed her up, yet all this +delay was a waste of precious time she could +ill afford to lose.</p> + +<p>After a little prudent waiting she once more +gained her feet and carefully took a step or +two forward, and though the effort cost her +some agony, it was not so intense as before, and +seemed gradually wearing away, so with renewed +determination she struggled bravely on, +at times compelled to sit down on the ground<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +and tightly clasp her ankle with both hands to +deaden the pain.</p> + +<p>As she sat thus, rocking to and fro in her +suffering, her ear caught the sound of a horse +coming up the hill in the direction of the +quarry. Up she again started, in a fresh frenzy +of terror, her physical pain giving way to the +greater mental agony that beset her. Forgetful +of her recent accident, only remembering +that the thing she had most dreaded might +speedily come to pass, despite her efforts to +prevent it, she struggled on.</p> + +<p>The pain seemed suddenly to go as quickly +as it had come, and she pushed resolutely onward, +unmindful of her weak ankle or of the +darkness, praying fervently the while that +strength might remain to her, and enable her +to reach the quarry before the horseman did.</p> + +<p>The sound of the hoofbeats ceased. It was +probable the rider had dismounted and was +making his way on foot to where his victim lay. +She was tempted to scream out—to rend the +very silence with frantic cries for help, yet to +what purpose? It might only serve to hasten +the dastardly work. Oh, that she had waited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> +at the edge of the quarry, and sought to defend +her loved from that secure vantage ground!</p> + +<p>She gasped a prayer for aid, for strength, +and redoubled her speed. At last the quarry's +entrance was reached, and she had to pause a +brief moment to catch her spent breath. Then, +in an agony of suspense, she peered anxiously +forward into the darkness and silence of the +place.</p> + +<p>From out the gloom she heard the sound of +approaching footsteps. Her heart stood still. +Was she, indeed, too late? Had the cruel messenger +already accomplished his bloody mission, +and was he now returning from the scene +of his dark crime?</p> + +<p>As these questions flew to her troubled brain, +there came the perplexing knowledge that the +sounds she heard were those of two men coming +toward her, not one, and she felt, rather +than saw, the presence of two dark forms rapidly +approaching. Had Jade Beddow come +back with Steve? They must both have ridden +one horse.</p> + +<p>She would soon be discovered. Her life +would surely pay the penalty of her presence +there. But at least Milt's death should be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +avenged. She cared for naught else that +might happen. She drew the pistol from its +holder and leveled it at the two shadowy forms +looming up before her.</p> + +<p>Suddenly from out the darkness and gloom +there came the sound of a voice, low and +guarded, yet the voice she most cared to hear +in all the world—the voice of Milton Derr. It +seemed as if the very dead had spoken.</p> + +<p>"Did you come back alone?" the voice asked +of the companion shadow.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but the Captain may also soon return. +Why do you ask?"</p> + +<p>"As I lay in yonder place, another voice +than yours spoke to me out of the gloom, and +bade me have courage."</p> + +<p>"You must have dreamed it," insisted Steve, +for it was he. "We two must be the only livin' +bein's on this hill, unless some other member +of the band came back to set you free, as I have +done. Whose voice was it?"</p> + +<p>"A woman's."</p> + +<p>"Then I know you dreamed it. What +woman would be in this lonely spot at such an +hour of the night? But let's not waste time in +idle talk. You must get away from here, an'<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +that quickly. Put as many miles as you can +between this place an' daybreak. They turned +your horse loose, but perhaps it would be better +for you to make your way on foot. You +must not be seen in this part of the country +again, for if the Captain finds out I have not +kept my oath, I will have to suffer in your +place."</p> + +<p>"How can I get away, where can I go?" +Milt anxiously asked.</p> + +<p>"Go up into the mountains—out West, anywhere +except near this spot," urged his companion. +"Here's a little money to take along +with you."</p> + +<p>The two men were now close upon Sally, as +she crouched in a dark angle of the rocky wall, +and, although they spoke in low tones, she +heard each word. So near were they, in fact, +she could have touched them by stretching +forth her hand.</p> + +<p>"You have done me a good turn, Steve. I +shall never forget it!" cried Milton Derr, +gratefully.</p> + +<p>"You don't owe me any favors," answered +Steve, hastily, almost roughly. "The Captain +had me in a tight fix, an' I had to say what I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +did, an' do what he told me to do, but I never +meant to harm you. I haven't forgot the other +night. Good-by, Milt, take good care of yourself!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 383px;"> +<img src="images/ill-214.jpg" width="383" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> + + +<p>After Steve Judson had gone rapidly down +the hill to where his horse was hitched and his +companion was about to follow, Sally quickly +put forth a detaining hand, and lightly touched +him. "Milt!" she whispered.</p> + +<p>Twice before, on this same night, he had +heard that familiar voice calling to him +through the darkness, and there seemed something +strange and uncanny in its mysterious +repetition. Was it a trick of his lively imagination, +or could there be something at fault +with his brain? Yet the touch reassured him. +The presence must be something tangible.</p> + +<p>"Sally!" he breathed in a low tone, filled +with wonder.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'm here," she hastened to reply, at +the same moment emerging from the dark +angle of the wall and stepping to his side, while +he stood rooted to the path in utter amazement +at her presence.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Sally," he again said, taking her into his +arms and softly kissing her lips. "Is it really +you? What brought you to this lonely spot?"</p> + +<p>"The fear that harm might come to you," +she answered, simply.</p> + +<p>"But how did you know I was here? How +came you to find this secret place?" he asked, +still sorely puzzled.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you as you go back," she answered +hurriedly. "There's no time now. It's a long +story. Let's leave this place as quickly as possible. +It is a dangerous spot, and each moment +we tarry increases the danger."</p> + +<p>"But how in the world did you get here?" +he persisted, as they started down the hill.</p> + +<p>"I rode old Joe. He's hidden in the willow +thicket down by the branch. He will carry +double," she continued. "Let's go to where +he's hitched, an' I'll take you as far as the New +Pike Gate, then you can ride him to the station, +and take the first early train. Just turn +Joe loose. He'll find his way back home."</p> + +<p>"Then it was you who called to me as I lay +in the quarry, gagged and bound," said Milton, +as they hurried onward through the darkness, +Sally directing the way to the clump of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +willows, and as they went along she told him +something of what transpired during the eventful +day.</p> + +<p>"I was half tempted to believe I had heard +a spirit voice," continued her companion, tenderly, +speaking of his own unhappy experiences +at the quarry. "It seemed as if you had +really spoken, yet, as I lay and listened, I could +not imagine how you could be so near me at +that hour and place. It must be a dream, I +reasoned, a blessed dream, born of the darkness +to cheer and comfort me in my last moments +on earth, for such I believed them to be. +You cannot understand what a solace it was to +me, even to feel that your spirit was near me."</p> + +<p>"I did not intend that harm should come to +you if I could prevent it," said the girl, earnestly. +"If worse had come to worst, I had a +bullet for Jade Beddow's heart, and one for +Steve's, too," she added, with emphasis.</p> + +<p>"Then you heard them go through the farce +of trying me?"</p> + +<p>"Every word of it. I was looking down into +the quarry all the while. Once I drew a bead +on that villain, Jade Beddow, but something +prompted me to wait yet a little longer. How<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +glad I am that I did so. For you are now free, +and, thank heaven! there's no bloodstain upon +my hands."</p> + +<p>Soon Joe was gratefully turning his head +toward home, though his burden was a double +one.</p> + +<p>"And so Steve is the real traitor?" said Milt, +as Sally gave an account of the interview she +had overheard between the Captain and Steve +in the ravine near the latter's home.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Jade Beddow worked on Steve's fears +in order to make him lay the deed at your +door."</p> + +<p>"It seems that Steve is not altogether bad. +He still has a spark of gratitude in his bosom, +but was forced to make charges against me in +order to shield himself."</p> + +<p>"Jade Beddow is at the bottom of it all," insisted +Sally, "either he or your uncle. They +both want you out of the way, and will stop at +nothing to carry out their plans. I don't know +which is the greater villain of the two."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I'd better stay around here a day +or two longer, and settle some old scores before +I go," said Milt, thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"No! no!" the girl interposed, hastily. "You<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +must leave here to-night. There are far too +many dangers threatening you here, besides, +your staying would bring speedy vengeance +on Steve Judson. Both his safety and yours depends +on your getting away as quickly and secretly +as possible. No one must see you go, no +one must suspect you have gone."</p> + +<p>"And if I go far away?" questioned Milton, +with a deep touch of tenderness creeping into +his voice, "if I find a home elsewhere, and can +get steady employment, will you come to me +when I shall send for you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," was the exultant answer that quickly +arose to her lips, but suddenly she remembered +her promise to the Squire, and this bitter recollection +brought with it a sickening sense of the +binding obligation she was under for the sake +of another's safety, and the unhappy knowledge +stifled the one small word that was trembling +for eager utterance on her very lips.</p> + +<p>"Will you come, sweetheart?" persisted the +young man, in tones of persuasive tenderness, +mistaking her silence for maidenly reserve, +"or shall I come back for you when the time +is at hand to claim you for my own?"</p> + +<p>"No! no! Milt, you must not think of coming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +back, when once you are safely away!" she +cried impetuously.</p> + +<p>"Then you will come to me?"</p> + +<p>"Wait until you see what the future has in +store," she answered evasively.</p> + +<p>"There's only one thing I care for it to have +in store for me, and that is <i>you</i>. You will come +to me?" he persisted.</p> + +<p>"If nothing prevents, I will come," she +stammered. "But one cannot always tell what +lies before."</p> + +<p>"What is there to prevent?" he demanded, +sharply, a ring of jealousy creeping into his +tones. "What could there be?"</p> + +<p>"A hundred things might arise that we know +nothing of now," she answered hurriedly, understanding +full well that she stood on most +dangerous ground, that to confess to her lover +the one thing that stood in the way of her going, +would be to shatter all the plans she had +laid for his own safety.</p> + +<p>She knew that rather than have her keep +faith with the Squire, the nephew would deliberately +give himself up to the officers of the +law, and loudly proclaim the ownership of the +hat which was about to cost Sally so great a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +price. No hope could she have to get her +sweetheart away did he but suspect the sacrifice +she was about to make for his sake. Neither +prayers nor entreaties could avail in the face +of such knowledge.</p> + +<p>For one brief moment a thought of escape +came to her. She was sorely tempted to break +her promise with the Squire, to delay her marriage +with him, finding one excuse and another +until she could hear from the absent one, and +make her preparations to join him. Then all +might yet end well.</p> + +<p>But there was her mother to be considered. +She was about to forget this very important +item in such an arrangement. What would +become of her mother, should Sally do such a +thing? She could not be left to the Squire's +wrath, nor could she go along with her daughter. +It seemed the meshes of fate were drawing +tighter and tighter around the girl. All +avenues of escape appeared closed to her.</p> + +<p>"To-day and to-night have been too trying +for me!" cried Sally, wearily. "We both know +what the past has been, we neither can tell +about the future, so let us talk only of the present. +That concerns us most."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But I don't understand," began Milton. +"This seems a new mood. It isn't like you, +Sally. You don't mean that you are beginning +to care less for me?"</p> + +<p>"Have I acted to-night as if I was?" she +asked sharply; his words had stung her into +sudden resentment. "Did my going to the old +deserted quarry for your sake, look as if I was +caring less?"</p> + +<p>"No! no! forgive me!" he cried, humbly, +abashed by the reproof of her words. "I did +not mean that. I know your heart is mine, else +you would not have been the brave and fearless +girl you were to-night. God bless you!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a>CHAPTER XXV.</h2> + + +<p>To Sally the next few days were more full +of disturbing thoughts than events.</p> + +<p>So far as Milton Derr's safety was concerned, +her mind was at ease, for he had succeeded +in getting away, and no one was the +wiser regarding his going—no one but herself +and Steve.</p> + +<p>The horse that Milt had ridden on the night +of his mysterious disappearance, and which +had been turned loose by the raiders, had gone +back to Mr. Peppers', and the general impression +seemed to be that its rider had left that +part of the country on account of the toll-gate +troubles, with which his name was now being +connected.</p> + +<p>Sally had arisen even earlier than usual the +morning following her night journey to the +old quarry, and, as she had expected, she found +Joe waiting patiently at the lot gate to be let +in. This she managed to do before her mother<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +was up; therefore, no explanations were necessary, +save to explain that she had not stayed +overnight with Sophronia, and had quietly let +herself in by means of the back door, so as not +to disturb her mother, who had gone to bed.</p> + +<p>With each day slipping stealthily by, like +the waters of a deep stream, whose surface +seems almost stagnant, the time was drawing +near to hand when the girl had promised to +purchase her sweetheart's liberty with her own +bondage.</p> + +<p>Now that Milton Derr was spirited safely +away, quite beyond the reach of the Squire's +hatred and vengeance, the temptation fell +heavily upon the pretty toll-taker to repudiate +her part of the bargain, given under such stress +of anxiety. Such a promise should not be held +inviolable. The Squire had deliberately +forced her into it by his threats against his +nephew.</p> + +<p>Yet the promise had been given in good +earnest at the time, and accepted in good faith. +The Squire had abided by his promise, she +must now do likewise.</p> + +<p>Apart from all this—independent of the +right or wrong, justice or injustice of the matter,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +the fact was self-evident, that though the +nephew might be beyond the reach of the +Squire's anger, she and her mother were not.</p> + +<p>His rage must of necessity fall on the defenseless +heads of both, and the girl felt far +more helpless now than before her champion +had gone, for, in losing him, she had lost the +only knight who might valiantly fight her battles.</p> + +<p>Looking at her helpless condition, there +seemed but one thing left her—a marriage to +the Squire. What though it should be a loveless +one? Such marriages took place day after +day, and some of them appeared to even bear +the seal of contentment, if not of happiness. +Not that this could ever prove true in her case. +It were a thing impossible, with the memory +of one she really loved ever enshrined in her +heart.</p> + +<p>Fate, however, seemed determined to require +a sacrifice of her, so why not make it and +end the unequal struggle?</p> + +<p>Milton Derr was now not only a fugitive +from justice, but debarred from ever returning, +by the edict of the band, which had believed +itself betrayed by him. To its members<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +he was literally dead. For his own sake, as +well as for Judson's safety, he could not hope +to come back. There was still less hope that +she could ever go to him, with her mother also +to be provided for, and so—what did it matter +if she paid the debt she had incurred? There +was no one to suffer but herself.</p> + +<p>The Squire had confided to her mother the +girl's promise to marry him, and Mrs. Brown +was diligently spreading the news daily, despite +her daughter's wishes to the contrary. +Soon the announcement of the wedding was +made in the town paper, to the girl's great disgust +and indignation. Both the Squire and +Mrs. Brown had conspired in this public notice +of the approaching marriage, and the hapless +girl began to feel, as they had intended, +that matters had gone too far for her to rue the +bargain.</p> + +<p>Every allusion to the affair made her heartsick +and miserable. Mrs. Brown, who was +filled with plans regarding the event, strongly +urged a church wedding in town—it would +have proven a morsel of supreme delight to +her, but Sally steadfastly refused to consider +the matter even for a single moment. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +would be married at the toll-house, and at no +other place. No one should witness the marriage +but her mother, not even Sophronia was +to be invited.</p> + +<p>This decision was a great grief to the +mother. She had hoped and planned for far +more elaborate things. In vain she reasoned +and expostulated. It was all to little purpose—the +girl was determined and obdurate. Arguments +and entreaties were of no avail, not even +inducements, for the Squire had given Mrs. +Brown a sum of money quite sufficient to purchase +the prospective bride a handsome wedding +outfit.</p> + +<p>Sally was also firm and immovable in her +rejection of this proposed expenditure. She +would not receive any wedding finery from +the Squire, nor would she marry in any that +his money had purchased.</p> + +<p>"He must take me as I am, or not at all," she +said.</p> + +<p>"Sally, I don't know what to make of you!" +cried her mother, in dismay. "Refusin' a bran'-new +weddin' dress that's offered you."</p> + +<p>"He can buy me dresses after he's bought +me," answered Sally, bitterly. "I won't accept +them now."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 478px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-228.jpg" width="478" height="600" alt=""Sally, I don't know what to make of you," +cried her mother." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Sally, I don't know what to make of you," +cried her mother.</span> +</div> + +<p>The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> moments sped like birds of evil passage. +Nearer and nearer drew the hour of sacrifice. +Each day that might have been so full of joy, +under other circumstances, was one of prolonged +unhappiness, and she scarcely knew +whether to rejoice or grieve when it was ended, +for the morrow would be but a repetition of +the day that had passed, and one day nearer +the goal of her misery.</p> + +<p>The Squire would have proven a most ardent +suitor had Sally consented, but she would +have none of it. He hovered about the toll +house, with the persistency of a youthful swain, +fired by his first grand passion; but the bride +elect very promptly sent him about his business, +whenever he came spooning around, and +curtly announced that she was busy getting +ready to marry him, and, therefore, had no +time for sentimental dallying.</p> + +<p>If, notwithstanding these repeated rebuffs, +he chose to linger, it fell to Mrs. Brown to entertain +him, which she generally did by finding +excuses for Sally's brusque manners and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +strange words. "Skittish colts make the tamest +ones in harness," said she.</p> + +<p>"When they're properly broke," thought +the Squire, with a quiet chuckle of satisfaction.</p> + +<p>On the evening before the wedding the prospective +groom presented himself at the New +Pike Gate. His efforts at rejuvenation, in +dress and manner, would have struck Sally as +comically grotesque but for the part she was to +play in the tragic comedy.</p> + +<p>"I thought I'd drop in to see if there's anything +you wished done before to-morrow," +said he, in a half apologetic way, as he readily +interpreted the look on Sally's face to mean +disapproval of his presence.</p> + +<p>The girl's heart gave a sudden leap of terror. +To-morrow! Was it possible that her +marriage was this near? She had tried to put +away the thought of it, day by day, as if this +could lengthen time, or stay the unhappy +event, and now the hour was almost at hand. +She might no longer forget, or put the fact +aside. The shadow of its actual presence overshadowed +her and chilled her very heart.</p> + +<p>A wild impulse flooded her brain, like a +tidal wave from the sea of her despair. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +would appeal to the Squire for a release from +her promise—humbly petition his better self +to spare her the misery of a marriage, loveless +at least on her part. It could only bring sorrow +to her, and doubtless unhappiness to him; +since he could not wish to wed a wife, who +brought him no love, and only deep aversion.</p> + +<p>Yes, she would appeal to him—it was the +one final hope left her. He must not, could +not refuse to release her after such a confession. +When at last he started to go, the girl +quickly caught up her hat, and said, "I will +ride with you along the road a little way."</p> + +<p>"And after to-morrow, it will be all the way +in life together, eh?" asked the old man jocosely, +chucking her under the chin with one +of his clumsy fingers. She instinctively shrank +from his touch, but followed him into the +night.</p> + +<p>Without, the elements seemed as foreboding +as the girl's own unhappy thoughts. An ominous +sky brooded in gloom. In the north a +huge pile of clouds, sullen and heavy, lay +banked high above the horizon, threatening +hills of blackness that seemed to hem in her +little world of woe. Gusts of wind from time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +to time came sweeping by, boisterous heralds, +precursors of threatening storm.</p> + +<p>As the girl and the old man stood on the +platform, after the door was shut behind them, +he was the first to speak, as she unconsciously +drew a little nearer to his side before a passing +gust.</p> + +<p>"I must have a kiss, my dear—one little kiss, +on this, our marriage eve."</p> + +<p>Her first impulse was to push him rudely +from her, to deny him flatly such a request, +though surely a lover's prerogative on the eve +of marriage. Then, remembering the purpose +for which she had followed him into the night, +and the appeal she was about to make, she +quickly realized that she must touch his compassion, +not arouse his prejudice, if she would +hope to win. Perhaps a submissive acquiescence +on her part at this important moment +might help to gain her cause.</p> + +<p>She paused a brief moment, nerving herself +for the trying ordeal, then resolutely putting +aside her aversion, holding in check all mutinous +thoughts, she hastily put up her lips and +lightly touched his red, coarse cheek.</p> + +<p>As she did so, a sudden flash from the muttering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +sky, like a reproof from heaven itself, +for the act, made day of the night for one brief +instant, and the clearly defined scene was enveloped +in darkness again.</p> + +<p>The Squire's back was partly turned toward +the road, but Sally, looking out full upon it, +saw in that brief flash of vivid light, clearly +defined against the white background of the +pike, Milton Derr standing in the road not ten +paces away.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> + + +<p>A pall of swiftly enveloping blackness +closed about the toll-house and its surroundings, +which had been revealed for one short +space.</p> + +<p>The girl started back with a sharp cry, +wrung from her in surprise and consternation +at the sudden apparition she had beheld, while +the Squire, naturally mistook her perturbation +for fear of the storm.</p> + +<p>"Come! don't be afraid, my dear, you are +quite safe," he said, soothingly, striving clumsily +at the words to slip his arm about her +waist. But she adroitly avoided the movement +and retreated toward the door of the toll-house.</p> + +<p>"Hurry home!" she cried anxiously, thinking +rather of ridding herself of his presence, +than of entertaining a fear for his safety. "The +storm is near at hand."</p> + +<p>"It's a good deal bluster," answered the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> +Squire calmly, after a critical glance heavenward, +"It may not rain at all. I hope it may +not, as to-morrow's our wedding—only think +of that, chickie, our wedding day!"</p> + +<p>"Hurry home!" repeated Sally, faintly, +scarcely knowing what she was saying, and +only desirous of hastening his departure, and +ridding herself of his hateful presence—doubly +hateful at this moment. There was a +touch of very entreaty in her voice.</p> + +<p>"I thought you were going to ride with me +a little way," remonstrated the Squire in disappointed +tones. "You said you were."</p> + +<p>"No! no!" answered the girl hastily, "it's +dangerous—besides, it's growing late."</p> + +<p>"That's scarcely treating me fair," protested +the Squire, but he good-naturedly shambled +along the platform, and went to get his buggy. +"We won't begin to quarrel this early," he +added with a laugh, "so—good night, my dear! +and pleasant dreams to you!"</p> + +<p>"Good night!" echoed Sally, mechanically. +She stood motionless until the sound of the +vehicle grew faint in the distance, then, with +quaking frame, she hurriedly jumped off the +platform into the road, and groped her way to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> +the spot where she had seen the dark, solitary +figure standing fully revealed in that brief, intense +light.</p> + +<p>She had heard no sound, save the Squire's +clumsy movements, and later the rumble of his +buggy along the pike, and as she eagerly +started forward, the thought came to her that +perhaps she was the dupe of her own vivid imagination—that +the motionless figure imprinted +on the retina of her eye, as it had been +etched on the background of the night, was the +creature of her excited brain, and had no part +in the darkness without.</p> + +<p>"Milt!" she called out softly, inquiringly.</p> + +<p>She strained her ear attentively to the silence. +The sound of labored breathing near +at hand betrayed the presence she sought, and +putting forth her hand fearlessly she touched +the substance of the shadow she had seen.</p> + +<p>"Milt!" she once more called aloud.</p> + +<p>With a gesture of impatience, or anger, she +knew not which, he roughly shook off the hand +laid lightly upon him, with the impatient +mumbling of a fierce oath.</p> + +<p>"So, it's true," he said at last; but his voice +sounded strange and harsh, and totally unlike +the familiar caressing tones she had so longed +to hear once more.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 409px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-237.jpg" width="409" height="600" alt=""So it's true," he said, but his voice sounded strange +and harsh." title="" /> +<span class="caption">"So it's true," he said, but his voice sounded strange +and harsh.</span> +</div> + +<p>A<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> deep silence fell between them, and in its +strained quiet she could hear her heart beating +loudly in her bosom, as if it were the pendulum +of some muffled clock ticking off the +dreary moments of a life.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she answered, finally breaking the +intense silence, her voice scarcely more than a +faint whisper. It seemed that an age had +passed since the question was asked.</p> + +<p>"Sally!" he cried sharply, as if her reply had +been a keen knife thrust. "You don't mean +it!"</p> + +<p>"It is true," she said, simply.</p> + +<p>"And I would not believe it, even though I +read it by chance in one of the papers from +here. I said it was a lie. I really thought it +was one—a wicked lie—a damnable one—I +didn't know women," he added, with a bitter +laugh.</p> + +<p>"Don't blame me, Milt," she faltered. "I +did it for the best."</p> + +<p>"For the best?" he echoed, scornfully, swift +anger following close upon his words. "Is it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +for the best to wreck my life—my faith in +you?"</p> + +<p>"It need not wreck your life, it must not," +answered Sally, earnestly. "I'm not worth it. +Oh! why did you come back?" she asked sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>"I came back to convince myself that it was +a lie. I was a fool for coming, I'll admit that; +but women have made fools of men ever since +the days of Eve."</p> + +<p>The two walked on up the road, further +away from the toll-house.</p> + +<p>"You should not have come back," persisted +the girl. "I hoped you never would. I beg +you to go away again, this very night. It is +best for us both. Some day you will find a true +woman who is worthy of your love," she added +with a sob rising in her throat, but Milt in his +anger and resentment failed to rightly interpret +its meaning.</p> + +<p>"Then you have been fooling me all the +while!" he cried, hot with indignation. "You +have made me believe that you cared nothing +for him—that you loathed him, even—well, +perhaps you did, but you loved his money—you've +sold yourself for that."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No! no! Milt, don't say that!" cried the +girl imploringly. "I may have sold myself to +him, but not for money—don't think that of +me!"</p> + +<p>"If not for money—for what?" demanded +Derr, sternly. "For what else but his houses +and lands?"</p> + +<p>Once again the impulse was strong upon +her to confess the truth, yet swift to follow the +impulse came the unhappy knowledge that to +do this would be to seal Milt's fate. If she +would save him, she must sacrifice herself. +For his sake her lips must remain mute now, +and perhaps forever.</p> + +<p>"It <i>is</i> a sale, an outright sale!" persisted +Derr. "You really don't care for him, you +never did. It is only his money you are after—money, +not love has won the day, it always +will. I might have known as much, but I was +simple, and had a simple faith. I didn't understand +the falseness of women's hearts."</p> + +<p>"Would I have risked my life, as I did, to +get you out of the clutches of the raiders that +night, if I had cared nothing for you?" asked +Sally in sharp earnestness, unable longer to +bear his reproaches in silence.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And to what purpose?" demanded her companion. +"Why didn't you let them kill me, as +they proposed doing? It would have been +kinder to have let them put me out of the +way," he added bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, why didn't you stay away, when once +you had gone?" she asked. "It would have +been far kinder to me."</p> + +<p>"I begin to understand now why you were +so anxious to have me go," he said. "Probably +you feared I would make trouble. Did +you think I might attempt to harm your youthful, +handsome lover?" he asked, sneeringly. +"No wonder you only cared to talk of the present, +not of the future that night we parted. No +wonder you parried my questions when I +asked if you would some day come to me. I +marveled then at your strange silence, but the +reason is now as clear as day. All the while +you were urging me to go away, you were expecting +to marry him after I had gone! Confess +now—wasn't your word given to him before +I went away?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," acknowledged Sally, "but let me explain +a few things you do not understand, I"—</p> + +<p>"It is unnecessary," quickly interrupted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +Milt. "Those things I <i>do</i> understand are all-sufficient +for me. You wanted me away from +here, and you succeeded in getting me to go—you +preferred the Squire's money to my poverty, +and you are on the eve of getting his +money, too. Perhaps you are in league with +those rascals who may have meant only to +frighten me, and cause me to run away, like a +cowardly cur. They might not have harmed +me—I doubt now if they intended to.</p> + +<p>"It is not too late, though, to thwart your +plans and his," continued the speaker with increasing +anger. "You are not yet married to +that brute, and, by heaven! you shall not be! I +swear it! I will kill him first—the scoundrel! +the hound!" he cried passionately, overswept +by the rage that swayed him, like a tree +twisted by the storm.</p> + +<p>"Milt, Milt, don't talk that way! You +mustn't harm him! You shall not!" cried the +girl, terror-stricken by the passionate utterances +of her companion.</p> + +<p>Her words were but fuel to the flame. They +goaded him into a sort of frenzy.</p> + +<p>"So you beg for him, do you? You don't +want him hurt—your lover, your husband that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> +is soon to be. By heaven! I'll wring his +wrinkled, villainous neck like I would a +chicken's, d—n him. He's driven me from +his roof, he's taken you from me, but I'll even +up old scores at last."</p> + +<p>As the maddened man started up the road, +Sally frantically caught hold of him, striving +to pacify his anger, to reason with him, to +make him understand his unjustness toward +her, but he roughly shook himself free, and +moved the faster.</p> + +<p>"Milt! Milt! come back!" she cried entreatingly, +but he made no answer, and hurried on.</p> + +<p>"Milt, listen to me! It's all my fault. I, +alone, am to blame. Come back! For God's +sake, don't do anything rash!"</p> + +<p>Again she tried to overtake him, to lay hold +of him, but he broke into a run, and left her +far behind, crying entreatingly to him through +the darkness.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> + + +<p>The darkness enveloped the hurrying man +as it had done once before this night, when he +stood silent and motionless in the middle of +the road, near the toll-house, yet the girl still +followed his retreating figure persistently +through the gloom, beseeching him to return, +to relinquish his fell purpose.</p> + +<p>She stopped at last, understanding that it +was futile to follow further, that he was deaf +to her entreaties to turn back, and that she +could no longer hope to overtake him. As +she stood still and listened, she heard his retreating +footsteps growing fainter and fainter +far up the road.</p> + +<p>Some minutes later, a second vivid band of +light revealed his tall, dark figure sharply +silhouetted against the sky, from the brow of +the hill he had climbed, then darkness came +again, like a black curtain, and blotted him +from sight.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span></p> + +<p>The girl stood for some time in the middle +of the road, with hands clasped tightly together, +and tear-stained face, striving to think +connectedly, to reason calmly in the face of a +new trouble.</p> + +<p>What must she do? Which way to turn?</p> + +<p>She well knew Milt's disposition—a veritable +powder magazine it was, readily ignited +by an angry spark, yet soon over with, a flash +in the pan, one might say, without a bullet behind +to be sped on its mission of evil.</p> + +<p>Such dire threats as he had just uttered, +were but the violent outburst of a sudden passion, +and signified no durability of purpose, +no fixed resolve. Long before he could reach +the Squire's place, his better judgment would +surely prevail—the calm after a spent storm. +Probably he was already beginning to repent +his hot temper, and regret his hasty speech.</p> + +<p>That it was without cause Sally could not +aver. From Milton's standpoint, at least, he +must feel that he had been most shamefully +used, not so much at the hands of the Squire, +in the present instance, as by the girl herself. +How meanly he must think of her—heartless, +mercenary, hypocritical! And yet she dared<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +not defend her actions by telling him the truth.</p> + +<p>As she stood thus, uncertain and confused, +looking anxiously toward the hill where she +had last seen the solitary figure crowning it, +a reassuring thought came to her. Even +should Milt go as far as the Squire's, he would +not be able to gain entrance to the house, for +his uncle had doubtless reached home before +this, and he would be little likely to admit any +one into his house at that hour of the night, especially +an avowed enemy, such as he knew his +nephew to be.</p> + +<p>If Milt attempted to make any trouble at +all, he would wait until the morrow—her wedding +day. How hateful the thought of this +event now seemed to her! She felt at the moment +that if Milt would only come back and +tempt her to flight, this unhappy marriage +would never take place. She would risk anything, +everything, and marry the younger man +despite all else. Why had she not thought of +this sooner? Oh! yes, she remembered, it was +on her mother's account. What would become +of her?</p> + +<p>As the unhappy girl recalled her lover's +angry words, she felt that she deserved them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +all—each word of harsh reproach, of fierce +anger, and just scorn. It was a very wonder +he had not offered to strike her dead as she +stood before him. To think he had even been +a witness to her kiss, and had moreover heard +from her very own lips the confession that she +was about to wed his hated kinsman. It was +little wonder that Milt was half crazed by +jealousy and rage.</p> + +<p>If he did but know the terrible sacrifice she +was about to make for his sake, he must surely +pity her, and no longer taunt her for her seeming +perfidy and falseness of heart.</p> + +<p>The girl found herself wondering that her +lover's anger had not centered on herself +rather than the Squire. She was the one on +whom the younger man should have avenged +himself. Perhaps it was a fortunate thing, +after all, that she had not followed him further +into the night. He might have been tempted, +in his ungovernable rage, to wreak his vengeance +on her as well as on his hated kinsman. +A strange, unusual timidity suddenly took possession +of her—a feeling that was near akin, to +dread of the younger man, irresponsible in his +jealous rage, though scarcely a fear of the man<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +himself, so much as of the demon of jealousy +she had aroused in him.</p> + +<p>Beset with this new sensation, she peered +cautiously into the night, as though one might +be lurking in hiding near by, ready to spring +forth upon her, then realizing that nothing +but darkness lay around her, she abruptly +turned her steps toward the toll-house.</p> + +<p>Alas! the bitter disappointment of life. +Thus had come to naught all the efforts in +Milton Derr's behalf, her own sacrifice a useless +thing, since, instead of averting the dangers +that threatened him, she had unwittingly +been the cause of involving him in yet greater +perils.</p> + +<p>Even though his threats against the Squire +were but idle ones—blasted buds of evil without +promise of fruition, as she believed them +to be, still, if Milt persisted in tarrying longer +in the locality, he was not only putting his own +life in jeopardy, but would also bring on Steve +Judson swift retribution as well.</p> + +<p>She had tried to impress these facts on +Milt's mind before he had gone away. Why +had he not remained away as she had entreated +him to do, on parting?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then she remembered that he would not +have returned—that he would probably have +known nothing of her marriage until it was too +late, if he had not read an announcement of it +in the papers. Her mother was really at the +bottom of it all, she was chiefly to blame for +Milt's return; for many things, in fact, now +bearing the bitter fruit of sorrow.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Brown had caused the notice of the +marriage to be put in the paper without her +daughter's knowledge or consent. Sally had +begged her mother to say as little about the +wedding as possible, and if that obdurate person +had only heeded the request, all this present +trouble might easily have been avoided.</p> + +<p>Beset with anxious doubts, intangible fears, +disquieting thoughts, feeling the while most +bitterly toward her mother for the officious +part she had persistently played in all this unhappy +affair, Sally retraced her steps slowly +to the toll-house.</p> + +<p>Poor girl! Truly her marriage eve was not +a propitious one.</p> + +<p>The first objects on which the girl's eyes +rested the next morning, when she awoke after +a troubled sleep, were the simple wedding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> +garments spread out carefully on some chairs +near her bed, and as she lay and looked at them +in bitterness of heart and spirit, she heard her +mother astir in the kitchen preparing breakfast.</p> + +<p>Sally half rose in bed. Her very heart +seemed faint within her as she gazed on all this +hateful reminder of what the day held in store, +and with a quick sob she buried her face in her +hands.</p> + +<p>As she sat thus—a tearful, sobbing figure—surely +a strange posture for a prospective +bride on her bridal morn, she heard a horse +galloping swiftly along the road, and as the +sound came nearer, she found her attention +gradually absorbed by it. There seemed +something of undue haste in the rider's speed.</p> + +<p>A moment later the winded animal stopped +at the toll-house gate, while a loud knock +quickly summoned Mrs. Brown to the door. +Sally's alert ear caught the sound of a negro's +voice without, speaking rapidly and excitedly, +then a sharp exclamation from the toll-taker +followed.</p> + +<p>The listening bride-elect could not distinguish +the negro's hurried words, nor guess the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> +import of his message, but finally she caught +one single word that her mother uttered, and +that word was—"murdered."</p> + +<p>Scarcely had it reached the girl's strained +attention, when she sprang hurriedly out of +bed, and catching up her wedding dress threw +it hastily over her shoulders. Then her +strength seemed suddenly to go, and she stood +trembling and white, her eyes fixed on the door +of her room in a vacant stare, her mind a blank +to all surroundings.</p> + +<p>Her mother found her thus when she came +into the room a few moments later, visibly +agitated.</p> + +<p>"You heard it then?" she said huskily, looking +into Sally's terror-stricken face.</p> + +<p>"He could not have done it!" gasped Sally, +brokenly. "It was only an idle threat," she +added, her voice sinking to a whisper.</p> + +<p>"Of course he didn't do it!" exclaimed her +mother, catching only her daughter's first +words. "He was murdered—murdered in +cold blood!"</p> + +<p>The girl opened her mouth as if to speak +again, but the sound crumbled to unintelligible +murmurs, as the fear of uttering words no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +ear must ever hear flashed through her bewildered +mind, so she stood looking blankly +at her mother, with wide-open eyes of horror, +while the color fled from her face, leaving a +ghastly pallor instead.</p> + +<p>All the dreadful interval she was thinking +of Milton Derr rather than his victim, and she +started like a guilty thing at her mother's next +words:</p> + +<p>"There's but one person in the whole wide +world who could have done this, to my thinkin', +an' that's Milt Derr!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII"></a>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> + + +<p>Throughout the day there seemed an interminable +passing the New Pike gate. Many +stopped to condole with its inmates, a few +through genuine sympathy, a greater number +urged by a secret desire to see how the bride-elect +bore up under the dire misfortune that +had come almost with the suddenness of the +lightning's stroke. The curiosity of these was +baffled, for the girl shut herself closely in her +own room, and denied herself to all.</p> + +<p>When the news of the tragedy reached town +the coroner came out to the Squire's place to +hold an inquest, while numerous others followed +in his wake, drawn thither by the morbid +interest that attracts many to the scene of +similar crimes.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Brown waited on the gate, eager to +know all that was thought or said of the deplorable +affair, and though her daughter +asked not a single word, the mother, who plied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +with voluble questioning almost every soul +that passed through the gate, told her from +time to time of the rumors that were afloat. +Thus the girl learned of the verdict on the coroner's +return—that Squire Bixler had met his +death in his own room the night before, by a +knife-thrust at the hand of some person or persons +unknown. The victim had evidently +been dead several hours when his body was +found by one of the servants who came to see +why the Squire was so tardy on his wedding +morn.</p> + +<p>Robbery may have been a cause, for the +Squire's pocket-book was found lying open +and empty at his side, and a small drawer in +the tall clock had been pulled out and searched +yet the victim's heavy gold watch had not been +taken, and nothing else in the room seemed to +have been disturbed or molested.</p> + +<p>The murderer had not broken into the +house, evidently, for the front door was found +to be unlocked, and an entrance and exit had +doubtless been effected through that. Considering +this fact, it seemed a highly plausible +theory that the murderer must have been admitted +to the house by the Squire himself, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> +that it was doubtless some one whom the +Squire well knew, else the door had not been +unlocked to this one in the late hours of the +night.</p> + +<p>The Squire was dressed, with the exception +of his coat and shoes, and had evidently not +gone to bed, therefore the murder must have +been committed along in the early part of the +night, before his usual bedtime. The body +lay on the floor near a candle-stand before the +fire. The candle had burned entirely down +in its socket, and the melted tallow had afterward +hardened into a cake round the bowl of +the stick. Amid the embers in the fireplace, +under the charred end of a log that had burned +in two and fallen to one side, was found the +remnant of a gray felt hat.</p> + +<p>From the position and range of the cut in +the body, the blow had probably been given +while the victim was standing up facing his +assailant. His murderer had not stolen upon +him unawares. The blow had been a true +one, and had gone straight to the heart. The +one thrust had been sufficient, and the victim +had dropped at the feet of his slayer.</p> + +<p>When all these various facts had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> +learned, active minds began to cast about for +some clue as to the identity of the murderer, +and for some motive besides robbery.</p> + +<p>While the Squire had never been a very +popular man, in a general way, he was not +known to have a single enemy who would be +likely to do so dastardly a deed. Neither was +the Squire in the habit of keeping money about +the house, so that if the murderer knew the +ways of his victim, he could not hope to gain +a rich reward, therefore some motive besides +robbery must have actuated the crime. What +this motive was, had yet to be discovered, provided +the adage came true that "murder will +out."</p> + +<p>Of those who were unfriendly to the Squire, +none was so prominent to mind as his nephew, +Milton Derr, no one would be more profited +by the Squire's death than he, for he was +next of kin, and, his uncle being unmarried, +the property would revert to him. This point +was especially emphasized—the uncle being +unmarried, and the fact was strongly commented +upon, that it was on the very eve of the +Squire's marriage that he was murdered. +Could the motive have been jealousy? The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> +cause of the open rupture between the two men +was generally known—that a woman was at +the bottom of it and this woman was the one +to whom the Squire was to have been wedded. +The whole story was told and retold with +many variations.</p> + +<p>The neighbors spoke of these things in +guarded undertones and with grave shakings +of the head, and although no outspoken accusations +were made, there was an undercurrent +of suspicion, deepening into belief, and growing +hourly, like a stream that rapidly swells +beyond its banks when fed by countless minor +tributaries. Public opinion was slowly and +surely fastening the deed on the nephew's +shoulders.</p> + +<p>These vague rumors and surmises were conveyed +from time to time by Mrs. Brown to her +daughter's ears, and while the girl steadfastly +and persistently asserted Milton Derr's innocence, +there was, nevertheless, a horrible and +slowly strengthening conviction at work in her +own bosom which she could neither silence +nor subdue—a conviction that warned her she +was building on false hopes, which might at +any moment crumble at the touch of circumstantial<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> +evidence, and reveal her lover not only +to the world, but to her own prejudiced eyes, +as a murderer whose soul was stained with a +dark crime.</p> + +<p>Closely allied to this harassing fear was a +far different feeling that she could neither still +nor repress, though it seemed a heartless and +even cruel one—a feeling of great thankfulness +that the Squire's untimely death had relieved +her of a sacrifice that would have been +but a living death to her.</p> + +<p>How could she be sorry that he was no +longer alive to claim this sacrifice? To pretend +to a grief she did not feel was but base +hypocrisy. Within her heart of hearts she +was glad that she was free. Her only sorrow +lay in the tragic manner of his death, and in +the secret fear that Milton Derr, half crazed +with a passionate jealousy, was responsible for +it. Had it been possible to recall the Squire +to life again, and so blot out the fearful act of +the past night, she would most gladly have +done so, and accepted her fate without a murmur, +if its reward had been Milton's safety +and innocence.</p> + +<p>Possibly she was the only one who knew of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +Derr's presence in the neighborhood the night +before. If such was the case, and he had succeeded +in getting away without being seen +by others, she would keep the dreadful secret +securely locked in her own bosom, and no one +should ever suspect its presence. She centered +all hope of his safety on this supposition.</p> + +<p>Along toward noon, some one passing the +New Pike gate on the way from town, brought +the latest news bearing on the tragedy.</p> + +<p>As Mrs. Brown sought her daughter's presence, +as soon as the informant had gone, her +tone was almost jubilant, as she said:</p> + +<p>"Well, they've caught the murderer."</p> + +<p>The girl looked up at her mother mutely, +almost piteously, as if she would be spared the +unhappy tidings, of whose evil import some +subtle intuition had already reached her +brain.</p> + +<p>"It's just as I expected," continued Mrs. +Brown, full of the news she had brought. +"They caught Milt Derr as he was gettin' on +the cars at Grigg's Station, fifteen miles from +here. The sheriff had telephoned to all the +places around to be on the lookout for him. +He had sold his watch, and was about to buy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +a ticket somewheres out West when they arrested +him. They've brought him to town, +an' he's safe in jail there now, thank goodness! +There'll soon be a first-class hanging in this +neighborhood. I hope," she added, with fervor.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX"></a>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> + + +<p>The next day the Squire was buried.</p> + +<p>The funeral seemed one of especial sadness, +shadowed as it was with the stain and mystery +of a dark crime, and with neither kith nor kin +present to mourn, for Milton Derr was behind +iron bars, and the girl flatly refused to attend +the funeral, despite her mother's urging.</p> + +<p>"I won't add a hypocrite's tears to my other +shortcomings, and neither will I be a show to +some folks who will go more out of idle curiosity +than sympathy," said the girl, decisively, +and so her mother went alone.</p> + +<p>The toll gate was thrown open to the public +during the funeral, which was no more than +a proper mark of respect to the Squire's memory, +for he had long been president of the road, +and was a large stockholder, besides.</p> + +<p>The day itself was one of gloom and dreariness, +with low-hanging clouds surcharged +with sullen rain, while at each frequent blast<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> +of wind there was a skurrying of fallen leaves, +seeking, like sentient things, to find shelter +from the pitiless rain.</p> + +<p>The interment was in the family burying +ground, where the first wife lay at rest, and the +tall weeds and grasses of the enclosure were +trampled by many eager feet.</p> + +<p>During the services, which were held in the +house, the women and children huddled together +in the "best room," looking about them +with awed, half-frightened faces, as if a +ghostly visitant might suddenly stalk forth out +some gloomy corner, while the men stood in +little groups in the hall, or the Squire's "living +room," and when they spoke in low tones, +it was mostly of the man within the prison +cell, and little of the one within his coffin.</p> + +<p>The coming of Mrs. Brown, unaccompanied +by her daughter, gave new food for comment, +and for a time following her arrival, the +victim and the accused were both forgotten in +the fact of the strange absence of one who +might almost be called a "widowed bride."</p> + +<p>Early that morning, on looking from the +toll-house window, the first sight to greet the +unhappy girl had been the hearse containing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> +the casket for the Squire coming along the +road from the town, and the sight had so unnerved +her that she once more shut herself in +her room, a prey to harrowing thoughts.</p> + +<p>Long after the mother had gone to the funeral +she sat motionless and dazed, listening +in a sort of hopeless apathy to the sound of vehicles +rolling by, carrying those to pay their +last tribute of respect to the dead; then, after +ages, it seemed, she heard the sound of their return, +and understood that "earth had been +given to earth," and still no widow's weeds +were necessary for her, no blinding tears need +be shed—in truth, they would have been but a +cruel mockery.</p> + +<p>She felt a profound pity for the one whose +life had gone out so quickly, and in so tragic a +manner, yet there was a deeper pity, and—God +forgive her!—a changeless love in her +heart for the poor, unfortunate being, whose +insane jealousy had brought him to his present +strait. Yet why blame him? She, herself, +was the cause of it all. She could not help +but remember this; indeed, she did not wish +to forget it. It was his great love for her, and +her own seeming unworthiness that had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> +wrought his ruin. She was the guilty one in +the eye of God, not Milton Derr.</p> + +<p>A day or two after the funeral, Billy West +came by the gate one afternoon on his way +from town, and brought word to the unhappy +girl that Milton had asked to see her, and +begged that she would come to the jail. He +had something of importance to say to her.</p> + +<p>"How does he look? How does he seem to +bear up under the strain?" asked Sally, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"He's broken down considerable," admitted +Billy. "He looks ten years older, to my +thinkin'. Of course, I said what I could to +cheer him up, but I'm afraid he's got himself +into a pretty bad box."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe he did it," affirmed Sally, +faintly, but she turned her eyes away as she +made the denial.</p> + +<p>"It don't look possible," agreed Billy. "It +really don't. I never would have thought it +of him. I hope he can prove himself clear of +the deed."</p> + +<p>"Won't you ask Sophronia to come by to-morrow +and go with me?" asked Sally, +thoughtfully, "I hate to go alone."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, to be sure," answered Billy, "I'll ride +over to-night an' see her."</p> + +<p>On the morrow Sophronia came. Mrs. +Brown at once suspected Sally's motives in going +to town, and when she put the question +point-blank to her daughter, Sally frankly +confessed that she was going to see Milton.</p> + +<p>"Sally Brown!" cried her mother, with her +hands upraised. "The idea of your standin' +there, an' tellin' me you air goin' to see that +miserable murderer, that's not only cheated +you out of a good husband, but out of a lot +o' property besides. He ought to be hung, an' +you know it!"</p> + +<p>"He sent for me, and I'm going," answered +Sally, simply.</p> + +<p>"Well, go!" cried her mother, wrathfully, +"go! an' soon folks will be sayin' that, like as +not, you also had a hand in gettin' the Squire +put out of the way. It seems a hard thing to +say about your own child, but I declare it begins +to look like it," added Mrs. Brown, bitterly.</p> + +<p>Quick upon the words the girl's eyes flashed +forth something of the indignation she felt at +their cruel significance, and an angry torrent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> +of denial rose to her lips, and yet it was suddenly +stayed by an inner voice that seemed to +say—"Who but you has brought it all about?"</p> + +<p>She did, indeed, have a hand in it, but not +in the way her mother suggested. Sally +turned away and made no answer.</p> + +<p>When she was brought face to face with the +prisoner, the gloom of the place, the grated +cell, the dismal air of confinement, burst upon +her in startling reality, and forced on her +lively imagination the full significance of her +lover's peril.</p> + +<p>Milt looking pale and careworn, while in +his dark eyes lingered the look of the hunted, +supplanting the frank, free gaze they had +worn in his careless freedom. He was a prisoner, +and the sweet freedom of the hills was no +longer his portion. It was some moments before +the girl could trust herself to speak, and +in Milt's eyes there also lingered a suspicious +moisture.</p> + +<p>The jailer and Sophronia had discreetly +withdrawn to the further end of the dim corridor, +and were talking over Milton's case in +low voices of deep concern.</p> + +<p>"Sally," said the prisoner, in an undertone<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> +that reached only her ears, "I have sent for +you to put myself right in your eyes. After +what happened the other night, and what I +had said to you in my ungovernable jealousy, +there's only one thing you could think of me in +connection with this miserable affair, and I +can't blame you in the least for thinking it. +You, of all others, have the best right to call +me a murderer, but as God in heaven is my +judge, I swear to you, by the sacred memory of +my dead mother, that I did not commit that +crime!"</p> + +<p>"I couldn't bring myself to believe you +would do so dreadful a thing," said the girl, +tearfully, looking into his dark eyes with the +mists of doubt clearing her own, despite all the +damaging circumstances.</p> + +<p>"I didn't do it!" asserted Milt, vehemently. +"I know that everything points to me as the +guilty man, in your eyes, at least, but I am not +guilty. It is true that I was in a frenzy, and +quite beside myself with anger when I made +those foolish threats. If I could have met my +uncle, then and there, I think I could have +throttled him and been glad of the chance.</p> + +<p>"Before I had gone half the distance to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> +house, I began to understand what a fool I had +been, and I was half tempted to turn back and +beg your forgiveness, but pride would not let +me, and I walked on almost to my uncle's gate +that leads into the avenue.</p> + +<p>"As I walked along, I began to reason more +calmly with myself. Why should I burden +my soul with a crime on account of a woman +that had treated me thus falsely? What good +could come of it? I was a fool for ever coming +back. I should have stayed when once I +had gotten safely away.</p> + +<p>"To be seen in this locality was only courting +death, not only for myself, but for Steve +Judson, who had befriended me. After the +risk he had run to save my life, it would be perfidy +to bring vengeance on his head by my return. +I truly hope he has left this part of the +country since they have caught me," added +Milton, earnestly.</p> + +<p>"While I was thinking over all these +things," he continued, "I heard a horseman +coming along the road, and fearing that a flash +of lightning might reveal my presence to some +one I knew, I hastily climbed a fence opposite +my uncle's place, and started off across the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> +country in the direction of Grigg's Station, +fully determined that I would take the first +train possible, and forever leave this spot.</p> + +<p>"Imagine my consternation when I was arrested +the next morning, charged with the very +crime I had threatened to commit the night +before in my blind passion.</p> + +<p>"I could scarcely believe that it was not +some hideous joke that was being played on +me, as a just punishment for my wicked +thoughts, and when they told me my uncle was +dead—murdered—and that I was accused of +the crime, my own actions must have led them +to believe me guilty. I almost began to wonder, +if, in some insane moment of self-forgetfulness, +I could really have committed the +deed. Then calmer judgment came to my rescue +and proclaimed my innocence. This is +the truth, the whole truth, of that wretched +night, Sally!" cried Milt.</p> + +<p>"I believe you, every word" said the girl +simply.</p> + +<p>"That is why I sent for you. I wanted you +to know the full facts in the case. If you believe +me innocent, I can stand the censure of +the whole world."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And now that the Squire is dead, and can +no longer harm you, I too, have something to +confess," admitted the girl. "I am now free to +tell why I promised to marry him. I did it +for your sake, Milt."</p> + +<p>"For my sake!" he echoed.</p> + +<p>"Yes, the night the New Pike gate was attacked, +your hat was found near the toll-house, +in the dusty road. Don't you remember +you had written both our names under the lining +the day of the picnic last September? +Squire Bixler had that hat in his possession, +and was taking it to town to give it to the officers. +I knew if they closely examined the hat, +they would find our names, and I knew you +would be arrested and sent to prison. So I +promised to marry the Squire if he would give +me that hat, and let you go free."</p> + +<p>"And you did this for my sake?" asked Milton +Derr, falteringly. "Sally! Sally! can you +ever forgive me?" he cried penitently.</p> + +<p>But even as he looked, pleadingly, anxiously, +into her upturned face, the light of forgiveness +had already illumined the gentle, tear +dimmed eyes.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX"></a>CHAPTER XXX.</h2> + + +<p>The fall term of court was now in session, +and Milton Derr was put on trial for his life.</p> + +<p>The case, deeply tinged with romance and +mystery, aroused a lively and unusual interest, +both in the town and county, and during the +progress of the trial the courtroom was crowded +with interested spectators.</p> + +<p>While the prisoner had seemed at first both +careless and indifferent regarding his fate, +now, since his interview with his former +sweetheart, he began to feel a strong and urgent +desire to prove his innocence, and to do +what he could to help clear the mystery of the +murder.</p> + +<p>The girl had given him a point to unravel.</p> + +<p>"Do you remember telling me that a horseman +came down the road the night you were +near the Squire's gate?" she asked of Derr on +her second visit to the jail.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was the fear of meeting this horseman,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> +and perhaps being recognized by him in +the lightning's sudden glare, that led me to +quit the highway and take to the fields."</p> + +<p>"Well, that horseman never passed me, and +I feel sure he never passed through the New +Pike gate," said Sally, thoughtfully. "I +waited in the road some little time, hoping you +would turn back, and even after I had gone to +bed it was a long time before I fell asleep. I +heard no sound of passing. Whoever that +rider was, he stopped at, or near Squire Bixler's +place, and came no further. If we could +manage to find out who this person was, the +mystery of the murder might be solved."</p> + +<p>There was little evidence to be introduced +on either side during the progress of the trial, +and what little there was helped to weigh +against the prisoner. His movements at +Grigg's Station were those of a man striving +to avoid notice, indeed, his whole bearing before +and after his arrest was that of a guilty +person seeking to make good his escape.</p> + +<p>The accused offered no explanation of his +presence at the station, where he was on the +point of buying a ticket to the West when arrested. +To have done so he would have had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> +to disclose his connection with the raiders, the +cause of his flight and return, and his presence +in the immediate neighborhood of his uncle's +farm on that fatal night.</p> + +<p>He was in an unfortunate position, it +seemed, when everything appeared to work to +his disadvantage, and help throw suspicion on +his movements, and yet he dared not turn the +needed light on them. He knew he was safe, +so far as Sally was concerned, in regard to +meeting her at the toll-gate, and the idle +threats he had uttered against the Squire in the +first heat of passion and jealousy.</p> + +<p>His enmity toward his uncle was too well +known, however, to escape comment, and was +easily proven, along with sundry angry words +he had uttered against his kinsman when first +he had left his uncle's roof, words that had +lost nothing of their sharpness by the lapse of +time, and were now repeated with such embellishments +that even the speaker had difficulty +in recalling or recognizing the original form +in which they had been first uttered.</p> + +<p>Moreover, the great benefits that the nephew +would derive from his uncle's death, +should it occur before a marriage could take<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> +place, were clearly brought forth, and a strong +incentive shown for the commission of such a +deed, at the especial time it occurred—the eve +of the Squire's wedding.</p> + +<p>When the evidence had been gathered—it +was scant enough at best, and sadly damaging,—the +case was presented to the jury by the +speakers on each side, with facts so skilfully +juggled, now and then, that an impartial listener +would scarcely know how to place them +aright.</p> + +<p>Sometimes flowery rhetorical effects were +used where facts were few, that words might +count instead, until there seemed never to have +lived so just, upright and beloved a man as the +squire, or so damnable and blood-thirsty a villain +as his nephew.</p> + +<p>Sally came to court each day, along with +Sophronia and her father. The three sat anxiously +throughout the trial, hopeful and despondent +by turns, as the prisoner was upheld +or denounced, one hearer, at least, never wavering +in the belief of his innocence from beginning +to end.</p> + +<p>Late one afternoon the case was finished and +submitted to the jury, but scarcely a soul<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> +quitted the courtroom, so deep an interest was +felt, each one remaining, impatiently waiting +for the verdict, which might come early or +late, no man knew.</p> + +<p>When the doors had closed upon the retiring +jury, the Judge picked up a newspaper on his +desk, and leaning back in his chair began to +read, while Sally, noting the act, wondered +within herself how one could seem so calm and +indifferent, when a man's very life hung trembling +in the scales of justice. Her own brain +was in a whirl of excitement and anxiety. She +was scarcely able to think connectedly, and to +her narrowed range of thought it seemed the +very world must pause in anxiety while so +weighty a matter was in the balance.</p> + +<p>The afternoon grew on apace. The dull +gray shadows within the corners of the courtroom +deepened and spread until the rows of +expectant faces became a blurred and indistinct +mass, except where the bands of light, +falling through the windows, gave them a certain +ashen pallor.</p> + +<p>Once or twice Mr. Saunders moved uneasily +in his seat. He knew it was growing +late, with many things at home demanding his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> +attention—the stock to be fed, the horses watered, +the night's chores to be done—yet he +felt he could not pull himself away until he +had heard some message from the jury room, +either of good or evil.</p> + +<p>The others waited, too. A vague hum of +voices talking in low undertones gradually +overcame the quiet that had fallen on the waiting +crowd, and from time to time anxious and +impatient glances were shot toward the closed +doors, through which the jury were to come.</p> + +<p>The gray evening shadows without, presaging +the approach of night, perhaps the prisoner's +doom, silently crept into the room, +mingling with the gloomier shadows within +the building. Presently the janitor came and +lighted some ill-smelling lamps, one upon the +Judge's desk, the others clinging to the grimy +walls, and soon these lights began to struggle +through the smoky chimneys, striving against +the deepening shadows in unequal battle, as +the good frequently combats with the evil in +our natures.</p> + +<p>At last, after interminable hours of suspense, +it seemed to the waiting girl, the slow +tramp—tramp—of the jury down the stairway<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> +from the room above, struck her expectant ear +like the doleful tread of a funeral procession. +Nearer and nearer came the sound, then the +courtroom doors were thrown open, and the +twelve men entered, two by two, and quietly +took their places in the jury box.</p> + +<p>The Judge had laid aside his paper, and was +leaning attentively on the desk, while every +neck was craned forward in eager expectancy. +A profound hush fell, and each ear was bent +to hear the verdict, whose grave import many +already guessed. Those in the rear of the +room were tiptoeing and peering anxiously +over the heads of the ones in front, while a few +who had been waiting on the outside of the +building now hurried in and pressed quickly +forward.</p> + +<p>Sally sat immovable, her hands clenched +tightly in an agony of cruel suspense, her +heart-throbs sounding in her ears like funeral +bells, her face immobile as stone. She had +given one swift, piercing look toward the jury +as they entered, as if to read in advance the +verdict they had brought, and the grave, stern +faces she saw froze her very heart with the dire +import of that verdict. From the jury her eyes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> +had centered on the prisoner, who had lifted +his head, and was calmly awaiting the words +that were to give him freedom, or—he dared +not think further—life had suddenly grown +very sweet to him.</p> + +<p>The clear voice of the judge broke in upon +the profound silence that had fallen on the entrance +of the jury:</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, have you found a verdict?"</p> + +<p>"We have," the foreman answered.</p> + +<p>"The Court is ready to hear it."</p> + +<p>The foreman stepped forward, and, clearing +his throat, began to speak: "Your Honor +we, the jury, find the prisoner is"—</p> + +<p>A slight commotion made itself manifest at +the door of the courtroom. The judge cast +an inquiring glance in its direction, and rapping +sharply on his desk cried out:</p> + +<p>"Silence in Court!"</p> + +<p>The noise increased. A voice was heard +calling, "Hold! Hold!"</p> + +<p>At the sound, Sophronia turned quickly and +looked in the direction whence it came. Billy +West was calling out, and pressing through the +crowd, holding aloft a legal-looking document<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> +which he waved excitedly toward the +judge.</p> + +<p>"Hold, your Honor!" he cried again. "Stay +the proceedings of the Court! An innocent +man is on trial! I have here a sworn confession +from the one who killed Squire Bixler. +It was Steve Judson. Steve was shot about +noon to-day by Jade Beddow, who was also +killed in the fight. Steve sent for me to come +an' bring a notary public along.</p> + +<p>"Here is Steve's dyin' statement. Squire +Bixler owed him some money and refused to +pay it. Steve went to his house that night to +collect it, and in a quarrel that followed, he +stabbed the Squire. Milton Derr had nothin' +to do with the crime. He's innocent!"</p> + +<p>The excited messenger strode forward and +thrust the paper he carried into the outstretched +hand of the Judge. A wave of surprise +swept over the courtroom, and the murmur +of voices grew louder until it finally broke +into a loud cheer of victory for the prisoner.</p> + +<p>After the introduction of this new testimony, +the jury promptly retired, and in a few moments +brought in a verdict of "Not guilty."</p> + +<p>In all the confusion that arose with the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> +clamor of many voices around him, Milton +Derr seemed to hear but one faint voice close +to his ear, to feel the pressure of one gentle +hand alone, to look into but one pair of tender, +truthful eyes—all the rest was but a blurred +and indistinct memory.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXI" id="CHAPTER_XXXI"></a>CHAPTER XXXI.</h2> + +<div class="center">Ten Years After</div> + + +<p>"Sally, those awful Night Riders are around +again."</p> + +<p>"No, Milt, you don't really mean it?"</p> + +<p>Sally looked up quickly from her sewing +across the hearth to where her stalwart +husband sat with crossed legs, making of his +swinging right foot a make-believe skittish +horse for Milton, junior, age three.</p> + +<p>"Father, what does Night Riders mean?" +asked a young girl of nine or ten standing near, +who had her mother's fair complexion and +richly tinted hair, but her father's dark and +expressive eyes.</p> + +<p>"They are men who band together and ride +through the country at night for the purpose +of forcing people to do certain things that the +band demands. The members usually go +masked so that they may not be recognized."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then they must be wicked men," continued +Alice frankly, "if they are so afraid they +will be seen. Did you ever see a Night Rider, +father?"</p> + +<p>"A long time ago," answered Milt soberly, +but with a mischievous twinkle in his eye as +he glanced across at his wife, "and he was a +pretty sorry sight, I must say."</p> + +<p>"Has ma seen one, too?" persisted Alice, +with the insistence of childhood.</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear, when I was a girl and lived with +your grandma before she died, at a toll-gate +just down the road apiece, I saw a Night +Rider then."</p> + +<p>"What was he like?" questioned Alice, +deeply interested, "Was he scary looking?"</p> + +<p>"No," said her mother hesitatingly, "I +thought him rather good-looking at the time," +and she smiled over at her husband.</p> + +<p>"Was he as good-looking as father?" asked +Alice, following the glance with her keen +young eyes.</p> + +<p>"Nothing like," affirmed Sally emphatically, +and then she and Milt both laughed.</p> + +<p>"What are the Night Riders after now?" she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> +inquired some time later, after the children +had gone to bed, and the two sat talking by +the fire. "There are no more toll-gates to be +raided."</p> + +<p>"It's the tobacco question now, instead of +free roads, and it's becoming a very serious +one."</p> + +<p>"I knew that in some parts of the old Blue +Grass State the tobacco growers were having +considerable trouble, but I hadn't heard that +mischief was brewing in this quarter."</p> + +<p>"Yes, the trouble is spreading generally +throughout the tobacco growing regions of +the State. Successful raids have been made on +several cities and towns, and the large independent +warehouses burned; buyers for some +of these houses have been severely whipped, +and in some cases ordered to leave the State. +Troops have been ordered to several points +to protect property and maintain order, and +the Governor has been called upon to suppress +the lawlessness that is abroad."</p> + +<p>"Why, this is worse than during the toll-gate +troubles," said Sally.</p> + +<p>"Much worse," assented her husband. "The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> +loss of property is very much greater. Barns +have been burned filled with tobacco, and hundreds +of plant beds scraped, and a promise is +being exacted from the growers not to produce +a crop this present season. It's a sort of triangular +war in which the grasping Trust—the +pooled Tobacco Association and the Independent +growers, all figure," added Milt.</p> + +<p>"And have you agreed to pool your tobacco?" +asked Sally, when the serious situation +had been more fully discussed.</p> + +<p>"No, I think I have the right to dispose of +it as I see fit. I am a free man, and live in a +free country, and I don't intend to be coerced. +I have sold my last year's crop to an independent +buyer, and will begin delivering it +sometime within the next few days."</p> + +<p>"I hope there'll be no trouble over it if you +do," said his wife earnestly. "I have had +quite enough experience along the line of +night riding to last me for several years to +come."</p> + +<p>"I scarcely think any attempt will be made +to intimidate <i>me</i>" asserted Milt confidently. +"In some places threatening letters and warnings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> +have been sent to persons who have fallen +under the displeasure of the band, but nothing +of the kind has occurred about here."</p> + +<p>"Don't you think it would have been a wise +plan to let the growing of tobacco alone until +these troubles are settled?" inquired his wife.</p> + +<p>"No, I do not. They are trying to force the +farmer to cut out his crop of tobacco this year, +but—as I have said before—this is a free country, +and it seems to me a man should be allowed +to grow what he chooses on his own land."</p> + +<p>"It would seem so, and yet when to do this +is to invite trouble, it appears to me that the +wisest thing would be to leave the matter +alone."</p> + +<p>"I hate to be driven against my will," +argued Milt. "I have set out to raise a crop of +tobacco this season, and I don't want to back +down. That is why I have put my plant bed +in the garden near the house, so I can protect +it, if necessary. I think, though, there need +be no uneasiness along this line."</p> + +<p>The next morning on going to his barn, Milton +Derr found tied to the barn-door a bundle +of switches and a crudely written note to which +was fastened some matches and a cartridge.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 409px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-286.jpg" width="409" height="600" alt="Derr found a bundle of switches and a crude note on his +tobacco barn door." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Derr found a bundle of switches and a crude note on his +tobacco barn door.</span> +</div> + +<p>The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> note ran as follows:</p> + +<p>"Milt derr, you'r bein watched, we have an +eye on you, we hear you air goin' to turn +dumper an' sell yore crop to independents, also +air fixin' to raise another crop. Better not, +these three things air for sech as you. Yore +weed may go up in smoke before it's ready for +the pipe. Go slow.</p> + +<p> +N. R."<br /> +</p> + +<p>Milton Derr slowly read over this illiterate +note some two or three times before he seemed +to gather its full meaning, then he carefully +folded it up and put it in his pocket. Surely +someone must be trying to play a practical +joke on him by sending such a communication +as this, and yet, taking into consideration the +numerous rumors of happenings in other localities, +this ill-spelled epistle possessed all the +ear marks of a genuine note of warning from +the terrible Night Riders.</p> + +<p>"I must keep this from Sally," he muttered, +"at least until I can get my tobacco safely delivered, +and it's up to me to deliver it at once, +before the Night Riders conclude to pay me a +visit, as this note intimates they may do in the +near future."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Sally was not so far from wrong after all, +when she said trouble would come of this," he +added. "When once I can get my crop safely +delivered and out of my barn, there is little further +danger to apprehend."</p> + +<p>Acting on this supposition, Milt immediately +after breakfast began preparations for removing +his crop, and with the aid of two hired +men was ready by noon to start for the point of +delivery some miles distant, telling his wife +that he would return sometime during the +night.</p> + +<p>After supper Sally sat down to do some +mending, and among other things to fix the +pocket-linings of the coat her husband had +laid aside for a heavier one during his long +drive, and this note of warning, which he intended +to keep from her knowledge for the +present was the first thing she came across +during her self-imposed task.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXII" id="CHAPTER_XXXII"></a>CHAPTER XXXII.</h2> + + +<p>On reading the threatening anonymous missive +which her husband had put in his pocket +and forgot to change to his other coat, Sally +quickly found food for disquieting thoughts. +What if the Night Riders should learn that he +was away delivering his tobacco, and were to +come during his absence? Still, if they intended +coming, she hoped that it might be on +this special night while her husband was away +from home. She did not fear for herself but +only on his account.</p> + +<p>Then she fell to wondering when her husband +had received this warning—there was no +date on the note from which to learn. Milt +had made no mention of its receipt, even when +he was talking about the Riders to her the +night before. This silence on his part, and the +fact that he had so suddenly decided on delivering +his tobacco at once, won her to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> +belief that the threat was a thing of very recent +occurrence, perhaps of the past few hours, and +that to it was due his present haste to get his +barn empty before any unwelcome nocturnal +visit should be made.</p> + +<p>Suppose the Riders had spies out, and were +aware of the fact that her husband was even +then delivering his crop to independent buyers, +and should try to capture him on his way +home. A great uneasiness took possession of +her at this thought, and after several futile attempts +at sewing, she finally let the garment +drop to the floor, and with clasped hands sat +staring intently into the fire, and listening anxiously +for some sound betokening her husband's +return. Every now and then she went +to the front door, and looked anxiously out. +The early spring night was crisp and cool and +the stars shone brightly. Each time there was +no disturbing sound to mar the deep stillness +that greeted her, and after listening awhile, +she went again within doors and sat down by +the fire.</p> + +<p>The night slowly wore on as she sat there listening, +almost in the same spot where the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> +Squire had sat ten or twelve years before, as +he, too, listened anxiously to hear the approaching +hoofbeats that would advise him +the Night Riders were on their way to attack +the New Pike Gate, and that the desired capture +of his nephew was but a matter of brief +delay.</p> + +<p>On the third or fourth trip to the front door, +Sally heard the sound of approaching horses, +not the ones that Milton and his men had used +for the hauling of the tobacco, but a small cavalcade, +coming rapidly down the road. There +was a certain familiar ring of the iron shoe on +the hard surface of the pike, that struck a sudden +key-note of fear in her bosom as she listened. +She remembered that ominous sound +as she rode alone to the old stone quarry the +night that Milt was put on trial as a traitor. +Perhaps the band was still inclined to look +upon him as one, although the evil influence of +Jade Beddow was no longer to be feared.</p> + +<p>Sally found herself mentally tracing the approach +of the cavalcade along the public highway +from the direction of the hill country +whence it came. Now the horsemen were galloping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> +along a level stretch of road some distance +away, then there was a curve and the +sound diminished, and presently almost died +away as a deep cut in a hillside was reached.</p> + +<p>Again it grew clearly distinct, increasing as +the horsemen drew nearer the avenue gate. +Would they pass on by? The listener fervently +hoped that this might be the case, but no, +close upon the hope, there was a brief cessation +of hoofbeats, then she heard the click of the +avenue gate-latch as the cavalcade came +through. The Night Riders were again a +thing of actual reality. Her first thought was +one of thankfulness that Milt with his rash impetuous +nature was not there to defy or enrage +them, her second a regret at her own utter +helplessness. She closed the door softly, locking +it, and went into the room where she had +been sitting. She remembered also to close +the door between this room and the smaller +one beyond, in which the children were +soundly sleeping, then she stood still waiting.</p> + +<p>The subdued sound of horsemen coming +down the avenue and circling around the house +reached her acute ears, and soon upon this +came a clear sharp "Hello!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 408px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-293.jpg" width="408" height="600" alt="The tobacco Night-Riders call on Milt Derr." title="" /> +<span class="caption">The tobacco Night-Riders call on Milt Derr.</span> +</div> + +<p>She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> went slowly to the window, and raising +it, partly opened a shutter and looked out.</p> + +<p>"What is wanted?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"We want Milt Derr. Tell him to come +out."</p> + +<p>Sally was on the point of saying that her +husband was not at home, when suddenly there +flashed into her mind the thought that perhaps +she might be able to pacify them and send +they away before Milt should return.</p> + +<p>"What do you want of him?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"We want to talk over the tobacco question."</p> + +<p>As Sally glanced back into the room and saw +Milt's coat lying on the floor where it had +dropped from her idle fingers, a scheme +quickly popped into her head that she resolved +to put into execution.</p> + +<p>"All right!" she answered, "I will call him +and have him dress and come out."</p> + +<p>Some minutes later the front door opened +and the muffled figure of a young man in a +large overcoat, and with a hat slouched over +his face, stepped out into the starlight.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Show us your tobacco beds," a voice demanded.</p> + +<p>The figure nodded assent and went slowly in +the direction of the garden, while several of +the masked horsemen followed close upon its +footsteps.</p> + +<p>When the garden-gate was opened, the figure +silently pointed to a long white stretch of +canvas running the length of the north boundary +fence, and protected by it.</p> + +<p>"Tear off that canvas!" demanded the +leader, and as the covering of thin cotton was +stripped from the bed, two or three of the +horsemen rode up and down it, crushing the +young plants and grinding them into the yielding +soil, then a portion of the frame of the bed +was dragged the entire length of the bed, +scraping from its surface whatever plants had +escaped the trampling iron hoofs.</p> + +<p>When this had been accomplished, the torn +canvas was gathered up by the horsemen, and +the silent guide ordered to lead the way to the +tobacco barn.</p> + +<p>On reaching it, two of the riders dismounted +and went within, carrying the cloth with them, +but soon they reappeared.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 410px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-296.jpg" width="410" height="600" alt="Dressed in her husband's clothes, she led them to the +tobacco barn." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Dressed in her husband's clothes, she led them to the +tobacco barn.</span> +</div> + +<p>"The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> barn is empty, the tobacco has been removed," +they announced to the leader.</p> + +<p>"Empty, is it?" he answered with an oath, +"then fix it so it will not shelter another crop."</p> + +<p>The men went inside again, and soon a dull +light began to glimmer through the cracks between +the boards, rapidly growing in brightness +as the flames began to fasten over the dry +surface of the wooden framework, aided and +fed by the tobacco sticks that were being piled +like fagots high upon the spreading blaze. +Short tongues of flame leaped upward, and +crept out here and there along the blazing +walls, while spirals of copper-colored smoke +began to uncoil into the night like fiery serpents, +scattering myriads of sparks in their +trail.</p> + +<p>The scene began to light up weirdly, throwing +a ruddy glow against the sky, and bringing +into sharp relief the surrounding objects. The +horses and their masked riders stood boldly +out like statues of ebony from the background +of bright light.</p> + +<p>"Boys, give the dumper twenty-five lashes!" +cried the leader.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span></p> + +<p>The two men afoot, who had fired the barn, +started toward the motionless figure that had +looked on helplessly and silently, keeping as +much in the shadow as possible. Almost at +this moment a slight commotion was heard in +the direction of the barn-lot gate, and several +masked men came through the gateway, bringing +with them a prisoner.</p> + +<p>"Here is the dumper who has sold his tobacco!" +they cried. "He is just getting in +from delivering it. We took him off the +wagon just now."</p> + +<p>"What fellow is this?" demanded the leader +looking in the direction of the shrinking figure +the two riders were about to lay hold upon.</p> + +<p>Sally, throwing back the heavy coat and +pulling the slouch hat from her head, answered:</p> + +<p>"It is I. A woman."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXXIII.</h2> + + +<p>For a brief while only the crackle of the +flames, eating their way through the dry oak +framework of the barn, disturbed the silence +that followed this unexpected declaration, then +a murmur of surprise ran from horseman to +horseman, while Milt broke into astonished +speech:</p> + +<p>"Why, Sally, what are you doing dressed up +in my clothes?"</p> + +<p>"My fear for you made me bold. I didn't +want them to know you were away delivering +your tobacco, for fear they would follow you, +and so I tried to make them think I was you," +she answered falteringly, and then, her courage +ebbing low, woman-like she began to cry.</p> + +<p>Whether the sight of her tears, or the pluckiness +of her attempt at passing off for her husband +appealed the stronger to the leader of the +Night Riders I cannot say, but the captain of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> +the band turned suddenly to Milton Derr and +said:</p> + +<p>"I think we have shown you in strong +enough terms that we do not approve of the +stand you have taken on this tobacco question, +and have made it perfectly clear that there +must be no more tobacco crop grown by you +this coming season.</p> + +<p>"The crisis in the tobacco situation is near at +hand. If all the growers will agree to control +the production and pool their crops they +can soon control the prices as well. It is such +dumpers and renegades as you that have delayed +the victory this long, but despite your +stubbornness and the many difficulties you +have helped to throw in the way, the victory +will surely come, and the long down-trodden +grower will conquer.</p> + +<p>"For the sake of your wife here, we are going +to omit a part of the punishment you deserve, +but I cannot promise as much if we have +to pay you a future visit. To your horses +boys!"</p> + +<p>The men afoot quickly vaulted into their +saddles, the little cavalcade wheeled about and +like shadows, horses and riders soon faded into +the night, red-tinged with the glow of the +burning building.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 405px;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span> +<img src="images/ill-301.jpg" width="405" height="600" alt=""Revenge is sweet!" said Derr. "No, no, Milt! You are +unharmed, that is all I ask."" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"Revenge is sweet!" said Derr. "No, no, Milt! You are +unharmed, that is all I ask."</span> +</div> + +<p>As<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> the ring of hoofbeats grew fainter and +fainter along the highway, Milton and Sally, +hand in hand, stood watching the fire gradually +die down, and the swarms of sparks grow +less and less as they floated off into the darkness, +then the two slowly went to the house.</p> + +<p>"The villains! I'd like to hang the last one +of them!" cried Milt in a sudden outburst of +wrath as the full extent of his losses dawned +upon him.</p> + +<p>"Hush! Milt, I am more than satisfied that +things are no worse," answered his wife gratefully.</p> + +<p>"But my barn is burned and my plant bed +destroyed!" exclaimed Milt.</p> + +<p>"You are unharmed, and that is all I ask."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to get even with them for this +night's work, and I will," he announced vindictively.</p> + +<p>"No! no! Milt, you must do nothing of the +kind," declared Sally. "Let the matter rest +just where it is. Remember, you are looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span> +from just the opposite standpoint from which +you looked a few years back. It is now <i>your</i> +property that is being destroyed, and not other +people's. This makes all the difference in the +world. You must not be too severe on these +Night Riders, for my sake, if for nothing else. +You see," she added coyly, "I married one of +them myself."</p> + + +<div class="center"><br /><br /><span class="smcap">The End.</span></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE STANDARD</h2> + +<h1>DOMESTIC SCIENCE COOK BOOK</h1> + +<div class="center">By WILLIAM H. LEE and JENNIE A. 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