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Show 2fe MEREDITH NICH0jSJJfiiU SYNOPSIS. Tlimnns Ardmore and Henry Mnlno Grlswold stumble upon Intrigue whon tho governors of North nnd South Carollnu uro reported to htivo quarreled. Grlswold allies himself with Harbara Osborne, daughter of the governor of South Carolina, Caro-lina, whllo Ardmore espouses the cause of Jerry Dangerneld, daughter of the gov-crnor gov-crnor of North Carolina. Theso two ludles nro trying to till the shoes of their fathers, fa-thers, whllo tho latter aro missing. Both states aro In a turmoil over ono Apple-weight, Apple-weight, uii outlaw with groat political In-I In-I (luenco. Unaware of each other's position, posi-tion, both Grlswold and Ardmore sot out to inako the other prosecute. Both havo forces scouting tho border. Clriswold captures cap-tures ApplowelBht, but Jerry llnds him and takes him to Ardsley. her own prisoner. pris-oner. . Grlswold and Harbara, while Investigating In-vestigating tho outlaw's disappearance, meet Ardmoro. and Jerry, tho latter reveals re-veals tho presence of Applewelght at rdsley. Ardmoro arrests a man on his property who says he Is Gov. Osborne. Meanwhllo another nmn Is arrested as Applewelght by tho South Carollnu mil-'tla. mil-'tla. CHAPTER XVI. The Flight of Gllllngwater. "It will ho better for mo to break tho newB to Col. Gllllngwater," said Jerry, "and you must go nnd and meet the troops yourself, with Mr. Cooko and that amusing Mr. Collins. There Is no telling what effect my tidings tid-ings will have on Rutherford, or what ho will decide to do. Ho, has never before been so near trouble as he Is now. and I may havo to give him his first aid to tho Injured when he finds out that tho South Carollnn troops aro on Raccoon creek, nil ready to mnrch upon our sacred soil." "But suppose your adjutant general shouldn't go back to his troops after he sees you, then what am I to do?" "If you don't see him by ton o'clock you will tnko porsonnl command nnd exerclso your own discretion ns to the best method of landing Applewelght In a South Carolina Jail. After that wo muBt find papa, nnd It will bo up to him to satisfy the newspapers and his constituents with some excuso for his strango disappearance." Collins had come from Raleigh on tho evening train, and ho had solemnly solemn-ly assured Ardmoro that tho present state of nffalrs could not bo maintain-'ed maintain-'ed another 24 hours. Ho had exhausted ex-hausted all his professional resources, nnd tho North Carolina newspapers of all shades of opinion were clamoring for tho truth, and woro Insisting thnt. for tho honor and dignity of tho state, Gov. Dangorfield should show himself In Raleigh. "We've got to find Dangorfield or bust. Now, where is thnt eminent statesman, Ardmoro? You can't toll mo you don't know; but If you don't, Miss Dangorfield docs, and sho's got to toll." "Sho hasn't tho slightest lden, but if tho newspapers find out that he's really and truly missing, ho will have to show up; but first wo'vo got to take Applewelght off that case of Chateau Bizet and lodge him In tho Jnll at Turner Court House, and let Gov. Osborne Os-borne havo tho odium of incarcerating tho big chlof of tho border, to whom ho Is under tho greatest political obligations." ob-ligations." "But it's all over the country now that Osborne hasn't been seen In Columbia Co-lumbia since ho and Dangerfiold had that row In Now Orleans. Crnnks aro turning up everywhere, pretending to bo governors of various states, and old Dangorfield Is seen on all tho outgoing out-going stonmors. There's been nothing like It slnco tho kidnaping of Charley Ross." Ardmoro drow on his rldlng-glove rofloctivoly, and a dolighted grin II-lumlnntod II-lumlnntod Ills countenance. "I caught a lunatic down on tho Raccoon this afternoon who snld ho was tho governor of South Carolina, nnd I locked him up." "Woll, ho may bo Osborno," remarked re-marked Collins, with journalistic suspicion. sus-picion. "And ho may bo a Swiss admiral or tho king of Mars. I guess I'm a governor gov-ernor myself, and I know what a governor gov-ernor looks liko and acts llko you can't fool me. I put this Impostor where he'll hnvo a chance to study astronomy as-tronomy to-night." "Then ho isn't on that case of Chn-teau Chn-teau Blzot with Applewelght?" "No; I locked him In a corn-crib until un-til I get tlmo to study his credentials. Como along now!" Ardmoro, Collins nnd Cooko rodo rapidly away through tho wldo gates of tho estato along the Snpphiro road, over which, by his last bulletin, tho ndjutant general of North Carolina was marching his troops. Thoy had loft Cooko's men with Paul's forostors to guard tho houso and to picket tho banks of Raccoon in tho Immediate neighborhood of tho camp of the South Carolinians. "I guess thoso follows can hold 'em till mnrninir." said Cooko. "Wo'vo cot to clean up the whole business by tomorrow to-morrow night. You can't hnvo two states at war with each other this way without slinking up tho universe, and If federal troops come down hero to straighten things out it won't bo funny." They hnd ridden about a mllo, whon Cooko checked his horse with an ox-clnmatlon. ox-clnmatlon. "Thero's somebody coming llko tho dovll was after him. It must be Gill-lngwntcr." Gill-lngwntcr." They drew rein nnd waited, tho quick patter of hoofs ringing out shnrply in tho still night. The moonlight moon-light gave them a fair sweep of tho road, nnd thoy nt once saw a horseman horse-man galloping rapidly toward them. "Lordy, tho man's on flro!" gasped Ardmoro. "By George, you're right!" muttered mutter-ed Collins, moving nervously in his saddle. "It's a human sunburst." "It's only his gold braid," explained tho practical Cooko. Seeing three men drawn across tho road, tho horseman began to check his flight. "Men!" ho shouted, ns his horso pawed tho air with its forefeet, "Is this tho road to Ardsley?" "Right you aro," yelled Cooko, and thoy woro awaro of a flash, a glitter that startled and dazzled tho eye, and Col. Rutherford Gllllngwater thundered thunder-ed on. They rodo on nnd saw presently tho lights of camp-fires, and a little later wero ceremoniously halted at the roadside road-side by an armed guard. It had been arranged thnt Collins, who had onco been a second lieutenant lieuten-ant in tho Georgia militia, should bo presented ns nn. officer of tho regular "Nono other than tho great Applo-weight!" Applo-weight!" responded Collins. "Tho governor hns him in his own hands at Inst, and is going to carry him across tho border nnd Into a South Carolina bastllo, as a llttlo pleasantry on tho governor of South Carolina." Tho militia officers gnvo tho necessary neces-sary orders for breaking tho half-formed half-formed camp, and then turned their attention to the entertainment of tholr guests. Ardmoro kept track of tho time, nnd promptly nt ten o'clock Collins Col-lins roso from tho log by tho roadsldo whoro they had bocn sitting. "Wo must obey tho governor's orders, or-ders, gentlemen," snld Collins courteously, courte-ously, "and mnrch nt onco to Ardsloy. I, you understand, nm only a courier, is mm Belaboring the Mules Furiously. army, dotallod as Bpeclal aldo to Gov. Dangorfield during tho onenmpment, nnd that In case Gllllngwater failed to return promptly ho should tako command com-mand of the North Carolina forces. An open field had been seized for tho night's camp, nnd tho tonts already al-ready shono white in tho moonlight. Tho threo men Introduced themselves to tho milttln officers, and Collins ox-pressed ox-pressed tholr regret that thoy had missed the adjutant goncrnl. "Gov. Dangerfiold wished you to' movo your force on to Ardsley should wo fall to meet Col. Gllllngwater; and you hnd better strike your tonts and bo in readiness to ndvanco in enso ho doesn't personally roturn with orders." Cnpt. Collins, as ho had designated himself, apologized for not being in uniform. . "I lost my baggage train," ho laughed, laugh-ed, "nnd Gov. Dangerfiold Is so anxious anx-ious not to miss this opportunity to Lnottlo tho Applewelght enso that I hurried hur-ried out to meet you with thoso gentlemen." gen-tlemen." "Applewelght!" oxclnimed tho group of officers in nmazoment and your guest for tho present." "If you plonso," nsked Cooko, whon the lino had begun to movo forwnrd, "what la thnt wagon over thoro?" He pointed to a mule team hitched to a quartermaster's wagon that n negro was driving into position ncross tho rough field. It was piled high with luggage, a pyramid thnt roso black against tho heavens. Ono of tho militia officers, evidently greatly annoyed, bnwlcd to tho driver to got back out of tho way. "Pardon me," said Collins politely, "but is thnt your personal baggago, gentlemen?" "Thnt belongs to Col. GllllngwalliT," romnrked tho qunrtermnstor. "Tho rest of Us havo a Bult-caso apiece." Tho pyramidal baggage wagon hnd gained tho road behind them, and lingered lin-gered uncertainly, with tho driver asleep and waiting for orders. The conspirators wero about to gallop forward for-ward to the hend of tho moving column, col-umn, when Collins pointed ncross tho abandoned camp-ground to whoro a horseman, who hnd evidently mndo a wide detour of tho advancing column, rodo mndly townrd tho baggago wagon. "The gentleman's trying to kill his horse, I should Judge," murmured Ardmore. Ard-more. "By Jovo!" "It's ailllngwater!" chorused tho trio. Tho rider In his haste hnd overlooked over-looked the men in tho road. Ho dashed dash-ed through tho wido opening in tho fence, left by tho militiamen, took tho ditch by tho roadsldo at a leap, wakened tho sleeping drivor on tho wagon with n roar, and himself leaped upon the box nnd began turning tho horses. "What do you think Iio'b doing?" asked Cooko. "He's 'in a hurry to got back to mother's cooking," replied Ardmoro. "Ho'b seen Miss Dangorfield and lenrned thnt war is at hand, and he's going to got his clothes out of dnngor. Lordy! Listen to him slashing tho mules!" "But you don't think" Tho wngon had swung round, and already was in rapid flight. Collins howled in gleo. "Como on! Wo can't miss a show llko this!" "Leave thq horses then! Thoro's a hill the.ro that .will break his neck. Wo'd bettor stop him if we can!" cried Cooko, dismounting. Thoy throw their reins to tho drivor of tho wngon, who had boon brushed from his seat by tho Impatient adjutant adju-tant general, and wns chanting woird-ly woird-ly to hlmsolf at tho roadside. Tho wagon, plied high with trunks nnd boxos, wns dashing forward, Gllllngwater Gll-llngwater belaboring tho mules furiously, furi-ously, and, hearing tho shouts of strango pursuers, yelling at tho team llMLH in a volco shrill with fear. IXiil "Como on, boys!" shouted Ardmoro, 1 thoroughly aroused, "catch tho spy H nnd traitor!" fl LH The road dipped down into tho shad- I H dow of a deep cut, whoro tho moon's 1 aLH rays but feebly penetrated, nnd whoro i H tho flow of springs hnd softened the fal surface; but tho pursuers woro led on H by tho rumble of tho wagon, which H swung from sido to sldo perilously, H tho boxes swinging about noisily and H toppling thrcntcnlngly nt tho npcx. H Down tho shnrp declivity tho wagon H plunged liko n ship bound for tho hot- H tho ( H Tho pursuers bent gamely to tholr H task in tho rough rond, with Cooko H slightly In the lend. Suddenly ho laaH shouted wnrnlngly to tho others, as 'H something roso dnrkly abovo thorn lH like a black cloud, nnd a trunk fell IH with a mighty crash only n few feet jLLI nhcad of thorn. Tho top had been ,H shaken off in tho fall, and into it bond 'H first plunged Ardmoro. H "Thero's nnothcr coming!" yelled H Collins, nnd a much lnrgor trunk ,H struck and spilt upon a rock at the jH roadside. Clothing of mnny kinds H strewed tho highway. A pair of trou- scrs, flung florcoly into tho nlr, caught H on tho limb of a tree, shook froo llko H n banner, nnd hung thero somberly etched ngnlnst tho stars. H Ardmoro crawled out of tho, trunk, H screaming with delight. Tho fra- .H grnnco of toilet water broko freshly 7 upon the. H "It's his ammunition!" bawled Ard- H more, rubbing his hend whoro ho hnd 1 H struck tho edge of a tray. "Ills scont L JH bottles nro smashed, nnd It's only by DH tho grnco of Providence that I haven't H cut myself on broken glass." H They went down tho road, stum- H bling now and then over a bit of H debris from tho vanished wngon. 'H "It's llko walking on carpet," ob- iH served Cooko, picking up a feathered lLB chapeau. "I didn't know thoro woro fH so mnny clothes in nil tho world." jLH They nbnndoncd tho Idea of farther pursuit on reaching a' trunk stnnding IJM on end, from which n uniform dross- jjfH coat drooped sadly. I H "This Is not our trouble; it's his ( trouble I guess he's struck a smooth- '"VaLI cr rond down thoro. Wo'd bettor go iH back," said Cooke. llil In n moment they hnd cllmbod the lfl hill nnd wero In hot pursuit of tho ad- 'fl jutnnt general's abandoned army. (TO BE CONTINUED.) "rH |