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Show . : 1 ll GABRIEL A,Novelo:h; - . Reconstruction S T CDLLrVER B7 otl Chandler Harris J (Corvtlght. 13. by Jol ChanfllT Harris.) y"' ' ;j I Drldalbln could see neither the hou? nor th occupants of the veranda, but he could bear every word that was said.. If BTidalbin had , been at all fa- . i miliar with Shady Dale, he would have known that one of the speakers was Madame Awtry and the other , Mis V , Puella dlllum. " . r .'If was only a .few -weeks ago .that they told the poor child about her father," fa-ther," .said . Miss Puella. "I know it nearly, broke her heart." " - ' VWhy did they tell her at allT n- . quired Madame Awtry. Her voice had It In the Quality that attracts attention and compels obedience. : -; "Well, you know Manraret Is of age now. and Neighbor Tomlin. - who is made ua of heartand consciense '; f elt that It would be wrong to keep" her in Ignorance, but'he couldn't make up his mind to be the bearer of bad new so It feU to Fanny's lot." But It seems that Margaret already knew. Margaret bad known It all along and had only feigned ignorance In order not toWofry hr mother. 'I have known it frqm the 4 first.' he said.". 'Please" don't tell Nan.' V But Nan had known it all along and. i Fanny told Margaret so. It Is a pity about her father-. It he was what he ' should be, he'd be very proud of Margaret." Mar-garet." ' - . . . -' "His 'name was Brldlebln, or some- thing of that . klnd.was It , not?" Madan-e Awtry asked. L.. ' "Something like that." replied Miss Puella. "The world is fvill of trouble." she eald after awhile, and heivvoles was as gentle as tbe -cooing of a dove "so very full of trouble." ... . "The girl is In good hands." she can-tlnued. can-tlnued. after a pause, ."and she should be happy. Neighbor Tomlln and Fanny fairly worship her." - "Yes, she's in good hands, responded respond-ed Madame Awtry, "yet when , she corres here, which he Is kind -enough to do sometimes. lt-eerrs to me that I can see trouble in her eyes. It Is hard to describe, but It's such an expression as you or I would have if we were dependent, de-pendent, and something was wrong or frying wrong with tbore on whom we depended. But it may be merely my frrasrinaUon." - - "It certainly must be." Mlsa Puella declared, "for Uere is nothing wrong or going wrong with Neighbor Tomlln and Fanny." : . . CIIAPTEn XIX. -Continued. . "Why, even the children and the young men think I am a coward. It is the. most pecuUar mental delusion ever heard. The probability is that the young man who has Just delivered this . awful warning has laid a wager with some of his companions that he can fill me full of fright and prevent my golnjj to Butts'." - - . . . "Now, I don't, think that," replied I Boring, or Bridalbin- "I know these j people to tha core. That young man has probably heard some threat made against you, and he thinks he is doing the chivalrous thing to give you a warning. Chivalry! i Why, I . reckon that word has done more harm to this section, first and last, than the war Itself."- . . ; - . : "Or more probable still," suggested Hotchkiss. "he was simply trying ta find out whether I propose: to go to Butts' tonight. If I had some one to keep an eye on him. we might be able-to able-to procure some Important information disclosing a conspiracy against the ofH-! cers of the Government., A few arrest In this neighborhood might have . a wholesome and subduing effect."' ' "Don't you believe it," said Bridal-bin. Bridal-bin. "I know these people a great deal better than you do." ' "I know them a great deal better than I ca.re to." . remarked Hotchkiss dryly. "I have not a doubt that these conspirators will make an effort to frighten me. I have no doubt that they will make a strong effort to run me away. But they can't do It my friend. I feel that I hve a mission here, and here I propose to stay." "Well, I can keep an eye on Tolllver if you think It best." Bridalbin suggested sug-gested somewhat doubtfully. .."I know whre ha llyes.' ' . . "Do tbat. Boring." exola'm'ed Hotchkiss Hotch-kiss with grateful enthusluem.- "Come to the lodse about 9 or 9:30 and report." The "lodav" was the new name for the f'.d schoolhmiFe. and in that direction Hotchkiss turned, bis steps. CHAPTER XX. Bridalbln'rollows Gabriel. -Boring, or Bridalbin no one ever discovered dis-covered why he changed his name--fol-lowed along after Gabriel and was in time-to see him enter the door and close it behind him. The Lumsden place was somewhat In the open, but the trees.: where Bridalbin took up his position of watcher, made such dense and heavy shadows that it was almost impossible to distinguish objects more than a few feet away. .In these heavy shadows Bridalbin stood while Gabriel was supposed sup-posed to be eating his supper. There was a long period of silence, which waa Anally broken by voices on a veranda not far away. The owner of the voice were evidently carrying on a conversation which had begun inside. I To Be Continued Tomorrow. |