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Show ! J-l"l!'lAI.Ul.lf J-i-jmJL.'-'I1..1..,!.' '1.? Questitp of Coufage He nT Oip nliiuiilily of It nil, mill how much mure fciisiI lo It would lino In en In tnl'c I.ikIIoh'h iiffBT'tmii Hiiirnunil nip the house with -i pnvse if nrninl i ii n wliosc numbern nniiM lime nnde HHiMnncp on the Mirt of the mountain i'ii ti'eloRxniiil hviifi iniprolmhle Ami lmt inn llirre to lie i rui-d ntf.illiM sn. ti a safe nml praetlinl plan or pm riliire1 N'otliinf, or lenn tlinii n linifr. men j the diinonntration of i ! nliMiiise i irtnpin vicnl piolilt-m 'It n I, in i if, the npplleatinn of n lieioie lest nlncli lmd no ptnee uutslde the ifilni of Motion. And itli thin tlinii,' il it ne Hired to lilni that lie Intel urn i m ii i'sl planned tlicvliole tlilnft tiKin tin lines Unit would lime nmde It moat elTi etlve in o i.tory I And then tlie sujrflfcrtlon nf the enloltun llrht Ami I lie nlurmei! jnini(t womnn looldnp down upon the theatrical tnhlenu from her window etiine again, malting him, n k ivitli dlnRuit. looking lit It ft am any point of ilnw, I he romntitle project, ulilch was inor Hill n likely to rout hlin hlallfcln tlluex- enllnir. nB merely a fantnutio Iden of ptownfr limiKelf In aoiiie way n linlght iMthniit fear n mmlern tjpoof pop-'i pop-'i ni' nu dim Mil iiernomijrF ho went nnotii Hlnilui; impohsilile dro-onii and ili'einliowellin(r nn tholofric.nl (fl.inl. It wiim iilxiiid rldli uloua prermnhr-oils' prermnhr-oils' and from thin point In the nation nati-on lit the de-ieent to the Avcrium of terror ter-ror wnnenny. At tlieendof n half-hour lie fell flic premoniton iplnal chill lieraldinfr n leturn of the well-knoun yinptoniH in five inliiules more the iau; ni oa upon him, nml ho vns ntriirsrliiifr furiously in the (rrnipof hi familial di nion. blind, deaf nnd lielp-lens, lielp-lens, nltliepr flliei of liliilielnjjiitniln-Ini; liliilielnjjiitniln-Ini; Itwlf for fllfflit In an linpiilitetoirnl t hat lie turned and frraiped nt the roiiRh lwrk or tlm tree to keep himself from lieinjr carried ImxIII.m away by the w hlrl-wind hlrl-wind of tenor. 'I he nttnek did not last lonp, nnd about the time the blood began to tinple In hiit veliiHnfrnlii lie henrd the innlllwl trnmplinff of liorse npproaehliiK nloiifr thedustv rond. At the nlpunl the ery reeolleellon of hig late illnconipomirc wemed somehow to intilah Into the lluilio or n reinolo pnat; Ida imUea (iileVened and hli mntcle thrilled nhtli the vlhrntlonf an accumulating enere-v that unnfr joioiml anil leaped through thn leneiiriicHnd the throb-blnff throb-blnff nrterlea. Ilia riuirpenetl tfonaea were unnaltirnlly ncute; he heard the wooily clink of the rails ns the men mode a breaeh In the zigzag fence, then the smothered hoof-beataof the hornes coming across the cofl turf of the law n; ii moment later, in nn Intonnl of ullonce, he fancied he could nlmost henr the whUpered liutructlona ghc.ii to Jed. When the two mon emerged from tho deeper iilindow of tho grove ho wiw them o,ulte dlatlnctly In the starlight; they enmc. directly toward Ills hiding place, and when they paused within few feel of tho trees he could senrcoly restrain thoengcr ferocity thnt prompted prompt-ed him to rush out upon them. In the instant of hesitation he hud time to unto thnt one of tliem carried on nnnful of kindling wood; the mon gathered it into n firmer hold while they paused, and there vins n smothered tlnklo of breaking glass, mid the pungent odor of Ueiosene tilled thenlr. "What was that thnr noise?" nsked the other. "Hit's thnt thnr hlnmo' bottle o' coal-oil, coal-oil, that's whnt hit IajJiU'h dono bu'steil nu' run nil down luto'iny boots," leplled the first; nnd they mocd forward for-ward and disappeared behind the corner of the house. Jtliighraud kept them insight ne long iir he could, nnd then ran ncrosa to tho clump of laurels, going down on hla blind nml kiiecn nml staring intently into the gloom until he found them again, two dnrker blots of shadow crouching In tho nnglo formed by tho bay window In tho parlor. While ho was straining his e.ios to cntch the gleam of the nintch which w ould be tho Hlgnnl for their return, he did not henr the stealthy atcpsof n man who uns approached ap-proached him from behind, nor did ho know of Its presenco when tho gliding figure enmo ipilto ulofco nml stood with olubbed gun waiting for him to rise. The npjienmnce of the third brother upon the scene was due to tho fact that Ludlow linil chosen his position unfortunately unfor-tunately and so was nimble to see the men when they dismounted. Tor thla reason, ho wnlted until he was Biiro thnt the two IncendlnrlcH had stnrled for the hoiiso.nndthedelo) gave the holder of horsos time to yield ton sudden Impulse Im-pulse born of a deslro to know If his wnrnlng to Hester hnd accomplished Us purpose. Looping tho homes' bridles together nnd throwing them over tho branch of n tree, he followed nolsulowdy In the footsteps of his brothers; nnd coming out on the open lawn Intlinoto entcli n gllmpue of Itlngbrnnd ns ho ran across to the laurels, he cropt forward until he stood with upllf ted gun behind tlie unsuspecting sentinel. When Itlngbrnnd Itlng-brnnd rose at the flnsh of tho match, the poised rifle cut a quick circle In the nlr nnd dnsveuded w ith n blow that sent hlm'haelc to his knees with a thousand scintillating motes dancing before hla ejus; for n single confused Instant ho thought the end had come, nnd then he felt tho revivifying brenth of tho spirit of bnttlo which seemed to tniplro hi in with the reekloss nnd Invlnelblocourugo of his wmliko ancestors. Leaping to his foet, he fell upon his assailant with Irresistible fury; thero wns n sharp, breathless struggle, n fierce clutching for tindcr-liolds, and thon Itlngbrnnd sivung tho slight form of his antagonist over Ills bond nml dashed It, limp nnd helpless, ngalust tho bole of tho oak. Whllo thlsbltofby-plny wnsgolngon behind the Inurrls, another Inclilon too- cured which furtlior disarranged King- brand's plans and loft Col. Latimer and i Henry In doudt as to what thoy should I do. Whon tho older llynum stpoped to I light tho pllo nf kindlings, Hud started buck townnl tho ambush alono; and as I the first matoh went out, tho younger brother had tlmo to ronch tho eluitip of laurels before Jeff could find nnd light nnother. Seeing tint one of tho men l . ;.IIS.I1 il I St. ..I. . r, L. -! i;iienr. the r -lom loiidhlssoiiliothlies-i loiidhlssoiiliothlies-i ited, and Hud eonftonted l.ingbrniul nit ns the Inllir Tionreil hltnself i urn the Kinpple w Itli .ted 1 here wns io time for ilHIbrr.itioti, nnd. renllu..' ilmt lii" inonnti'iiifiy ciiild nn' use lili- l(ll lit tie e lU.irtttS lie '"l I r IllnlScIf upon the ii' Leon'ov tnl-ji'g hlil un-mines un-mines nml tuiowu," I in brnrlly jlisl is br k'i! blase fiprang up 1 1 side tl,r 'mill" and n liowl of ngotn rnng out oe !he still nlr of the niglit A single 'l.imcri'i. lied the rouse nf both 'I ben in ii ten ble pietui'eof n n inwrnpprfl in n wini'mg sheet of I' me nm' niniiini' tnwnrtl him -n veil nip- litiniui "lib 11 iiijr fi nm Iii-tiI to font and 'iring its lu-ri arms finpi.i illinsl, inn such a crisis tIiou"ht and action i ne Jlinking hlnself , e fiom He gui ,i of th 'Inif- ''ie young broliii r. Cngbrnml ipileti ! Ii in v ith n -liii-Ie id ,i)i . nlr 1.1 , -ili i, the butt t "I Cie pistil', Ike ne' Inst int he hnd ' ipi id i.if shrlcklnfr n In mid unit i n mlllng it mir nnd oi.m hi tl e dump .ri 1' i I lie i o'niii l ui ! inrviini i o It is i II oei iiiic! I' i ml liie.v ir bind i ng. led and lluilwl i n l.udlow i ui d li in I'lio coloi 1 1 m t Henry in nrou the negio senunts. with or-' ill is io (- t the horscii 1 1 0 the f.iii't w i' ! ii nt onie, and Hi"ii nnawetl lutli ',m i, giil'ieiiilaioiiiKl thel'iirncd piii i ii ii I ui'lo'i i vim i nl his 1 1 1 -liirli i I i I i I lr i i lb' 1 nti run. ' I em m lu' past 'ii 1'," lie siild.ipiiet-ly siild.ipiiet-ly "Hew did II happiu"" llltiglnii id nnswi ted "It was kero-: sriie. He had li buttle in Jiln pocket, mid bioke It just as they passed me. Hit tin inr'ryiug an in infnl of wood " Ludlow glnnifil at the olhir two: "I missed my mini, but 1 we jou haio him. How did jon I an tinge it?" "I didn't manage it. It wns managed for me," replied llliiKlirnml.-lowering his volee at the found nf n slight'lione nl one of thciippt'i wlndowsof thuniun sion. " hen 1 got upon inv feel behlml the lnurel there, some one knocked n e ilnwii with n eluhlieil fun; I tried It again, nnd Itiieii'llii fi II ,w lust nN Ilie oilier enine iii. I closed with Unit one lo keep him from using his i ilie; uni! iih we fell, I K.iv (lie third muii in n blne " Henry's post hnd liecn m.irest totln liny window, mid be told h im ,leff bud tried twice to light the kindlings, mid how tin blarn hud emelom m m In' was making tho third nil in it While ho was telling nbout It, I front door of the house, wns oprm I fiom within nnd theioloncl left the groupnnil stood foi nome minutes talking Mull t nine one in the hull. Presently lie called out: " i ill didn't get hurt, did you, .Mr. I, i mill.'" '.Not woith mentioning," was the reply, re-ply, and ltuif'hraiHj was suftlclenllv human o giw place to the hoH thai llo'l'Thi'l'i u oim thing of the struggle, strug-gle, nml f ii jolec in the thought tint lie i niiMitj hnd proinpletl the inquiry. 'I tic doer dosed iigaiii when the wugon wnu di-ncti up. and the oolunel helped the others to lift the Injmed man to the bedof stmw In the deep bo. When he hnd been mndo us comfortable in. posslbl-. the two others were swung-tip swung-tip lieliiud and tied soenrcly; anil the colontl, Ludlow nml I'lngbnmd drove down Jo Tregnrthun with tholf prtoon-cr. prtoon-cr. Tho colonel said llltlo until the wagon stopped on Its return to "The taurels" to set tho two joungar men down nt Ludlow's gate; then ho rpso and held out his hiiml to Itlngbrnnd. "t reckon you 'picelnto how 1 feci, Mr. Itlnglimnd, nn' I'm inlghty proud to nekncnvleilg my obligations, nn tho obligations of the m hole fuiu'ly, to you, Kb. We-nll nln'l gwlne to fo'got this henh night the louges' day thnh'H rt ljitlmcr llvln'," the roloncl's Idiom grew stiougir under the influence of emotion "an' 1 wnnt to say l Ight tieah nfore Tom Ludlow, sell, that ns Inugns thnh isn Lnt liner 1U in', h 'II be proud to tell his ehtld'en nn' his grnudchlld'en that we nil nre beholden to jou, sell, for ouh lives nn' for oiih propeit." Illngbrnud saw thiough the thin mask of grnmllloqueuce, nnd hnstened to assure the colonel thut he wnsonl) too glud to have been In tlmo. "Only don't call it nu obligation, loloncl," ho lidded; "the motlvewns purely wlllsh--in n wny that you'll linrdly uuikrstnnd If I tried toevplaln It." The eolnni I said much more to tho some piiriswe, nnd would not lenvo them until lie hnd extracted n promise from ltlngbinutl to extend his vUtt. When they h id 11 nn 1 1 v hidden him gooil-nlglil, nnd Ludlow wnn opening the liouiio door with his latch-key, It'ngbrand suid: "If you hive me, Tom, let me sleep nil day to-inonow If I can: I'm nbout deiid on my feet," i 'm XIII. AV8WF.ni VARIOl'B. Itlngbrjtid slept next dny until nftcr noon, coming down ton very hiteillnner feeling us if ho had elrciimnnilgnted (he globe In the wrong direction undso I nt ,i day out of the euleudar. Mrs. Ludlow, h.iilug slaked the Imperative thirst of her curiosity at the vi II nf her hiisbniid's Information, spnrcd hint the task of recounting his ndveutuies nt length; but sho mniiaged to mnkc him ghe n icrv fair description of the lint-lie lint-lie at "The Laurels" from the point of view of the t hlef actor tht'K i it. i ut'ili'ss-U ut'ili'ss-U Igiining his modi t cmlenvMH to dwill I ''I upon his run achicin-iiji achicin-iiji uti SI i listened with bvi U nppre-ii nppre-ii it mi mi1 nigneomieal littlehriiunee of nn idtiloio scout ob he concluded. "And l in ihoiight'-shan't I pour yon nuothi r i u,i of te?" "lli ink yon j what were you about lo say ? ' "I dnl uivll. 1 asked If you would lime anolhi i cup of ten." "No, bill uboulw hat Tom thought " "Oh' Tom thought you'd i It i i Ight along till totuoiiow mornlug." she ie pllid, with unblushing effronter) "And that lemliiib, me Henri's hi en do-Mi tu liittnre ufter you nr I I told him you'd unyyvur iispcilsni 'Tho taurels' this iifteriHion " "How did miu know I would?" "I knew i ou'd do any thing I proniitml for j on." "Will (sini e you've eouimltteii yourself,) your-self,) I i up o v I'll hine In ("ii." "Oh, pit n i' don't!" she iiiged, teus-lugl.v teus-lugl.v "It' i' louf, long i nlk. ami it's so drt.idliilh hot, I'd p-o biuk to lusl ii'fuln if I vi i i," von " "nl nm ui'ii Miitr ripiitniion fol1 truth in ii i i in ' tli il n iM Is very i n 1 1 i n ul mi m ' i i i -il It In. I ' l i no not t" I lien, with illplonintb' abruptnesu: Itaveu'i von nu, tiling to tel me before I tail ' ' inii nskid me that question last night nnd I'll make you the same i answer: you limy give Hi i r my Inv e "Tlinnli you so nuuli ' I'titii tm ill go ' n k to vew York to i now." i "I'erh.ips you will, mnl peihaps the I v oild innie to-niiend istenlny. I think one Is about ns probable as the o' her." I "Oh' then you ftnOvr of some goo I reason why I should stnv." ' "Yrs, the let nf rcHsons: you'ie not j nble to travel, yet." ) ItlngbrHiid laughed nnd reached for hla ', n ".lust watch tne elluib that hill, mill then yoti mny repentat leisure," he sold. An li nir Inter he wns comfortnhlv i Uililished upon the verniidi ol the oloni I s home, lomifiiifr ini.ilkl-v Ise in the library onsy-'linii wh i h i!i lei had in 'ited upon dmggliigout forlilui Thrv bud licen talking nbout the feuil. Ins imprisonment In I In cave, and nil tne exiiting events of the past few ilivs; sinl lllngbrsnil lid be, n t iv In," with a palpable effort nt ingenuousness to bring the uonnrsation nroiind In ensy nml grtiilmiteil approaches to the subject neniest his lieurt. On the long walk up the inoun-tulii inoun-tulii he hnd fnrnonst tho manner of these approaches with such strict thlellly to detail that he now found It Itnporslble to brenk awn. frutt. the entanglement of aet Sif e. lies ,ind supposed sup-posed nimwcra, nnd etery fie liiuilinv-or liiuilinv-or seemed to Involve him moic hopelessly. hope-lessly. Ilvcn tho uerversity of Innni-niate Innni-niate objects ndiletf'lo his helplessness. Ilo-v could jne 'e!' upon wrloiis nib. 1ects from the lnuy rostrum of nu ensy-ehalr ensy-ehalr whose high bock took awny tho Inst vestige of one's dignity ?- ami when he sat up the comfortable hollow of the low sent brought his knees mid hlr. chin together In an attitude that wns iiutlictn ally insdequuie to the rciiiire. meuU of the case. Once or time he hid trie) to tflse. but Hester liatl pro leslwl playfully, saying that he m tst consider blmsolf nn invnlid, if milv for that nf ternoon. To iu!,l to his em bsriaasment, she left lirro.viicii .ind j neiraii to wtomti r up and unit he v rr- lomlfi in ifeMfc of him, snipping dead 1 leaves frtim if ivy on the wiling as she talked. 1 Ha wntchetl Ijer furtlrelj Wltlle th" sttneof WfJJBUtei0Pth' ovtrn,'1 Joss stretches of frsek wherein titer i vere no clostjhgs or it 'etifi, unt the subtle Inioifcntion of her I cut began to mhke his repUci lrrehiniit At last she stopped Jitit n,5io" e tin chair nnd leaned over tlm niliip to rt eon- n MBivderlng f it.".;, "f ivy vi'nl she stoe it', i v ith hui lirek 1 er bin, he bnji i ""I iitthi'i'i1 Iille.i .i i 1 1 lice unl i. ml abruptly 'Mes iit tor, 1 love v.ni very n'n h " Hlie rienvtieil lierself liiilantlv. nn' he saw the snpproiinl hiu itei in br-cyrs br-cyrs an she turned townnl him. It IVOR on bin feet In (I I norm nt. "M tiMimi r, I leg jour nautili. iudisil I do It vvomi'i nt .ill wbnt 1 memit- o! , horrors, vi h it nm I aylng!- tdilmni it, only l didn't In tend snying it Ju- that way. l'liose don't lnugb nt im . It'll break mj henrt; I'm di-ueniilly i urncst. If I do talk llko un iu.brcil . Hester deer do von lots ine Just a Utile, nml will you bo injr Wife f" Uc wns holding liar hand now, an 1 look lug down into her far with n i uppeol in his eyes that rmHo atone 1 for tho halting speech, nm' alic hid In . face on his shoulder, Buvlug:- 'Oil, I'll so glml!" "tllott nf what. Heater?" he aake I, ilrovvlng her closer to him. Her fneo wan siilViiavd ylt1i blush' s when she raised It shyly tnltts, but tl o merrlmunt still twinkled In her eyes. ' Olatt of vs bst, )Ifurl'M b sakad. drawlno1 liar filoiar to lilm "(Jlad that you found It Impossible to be quite correct; you don't know-how know-how much it makes mo" the Inst two words w ere whispered la tl lapel of hi coat, but he heard them and folded her In his arms. After the rupluroiiM interval; lie asked: "Ami (lid you think I was vi rv louventlonal?" "I Usui to, the people ill your stories iilvvnv- tin I i do just th' light thing nt tin nrflit tune. 'I el I ine did yon i vei mnl e one of J our heroes '!? SB)'-ilmg SB)'-ilmg ITe hl.e you dnl n fevv minutM I'K" ' "Heaven foibid!" he answered, far- vcntly; "but then one onn always lioag- lne letter things than ho can do" There wns another uloqinut tutorial, ' end then she looked up igaln. 'Wftj) thnt whnt you lucunt to tell me tho night you went nwny?" "lnrtly, lint there was something that preventetl im eomctlung thnt, pcrhnpn. should hnve mud me keep silent to-day ou rt meml er w lint we were saying nlwiut jnrrou.il eoiirngt: 1 thought then that I was n born run-nrd, run-nrd, nml I'm not entirely miie of the contrary yet." She held him off at nrm'fllenfrlli nnd looked at him vvitli lov nr pinlr kin-tlllnglnhcroenutifnleycH kin-tlllnglnhcroenutifnleycH "I t Isllkeyott to talk that way , lift' r wluit on dnl Inst night father has told nie i II nbout it: nnd, liesldt.i, I suw you li i- lo save ihnt man's life at the liak of our. win and ufler he had tried to kill you. ts'" "That was nothing but eoiiuiion hu-mnnlty," hu-mnnlty," he atiswcn.il quleth. "ou don't know how I hml to cling to thnt treo there to kee,i from i milling nnuy just befon" the llj uumit ibde up." "1 don't believe a sltnrle word of It," she nsscrted enlinly, to he letl litr to n sent on the wide nml iu settle uttheend of the lertiiidii, in I then n sutltleii glinni of eoiiuiion stMlS, came to Jilm In the thought thai pi'rlmpn It might be wise not to argue the point with her, then or ever. They ware man led iu the little church in Tregnrthen n week dUer the trln I of Jcil nml lliitld llyniun, and the Ludlow s gave lliti'i it 1'lni" bit i-fast i-fast in the t nA little dining loom of the house on tht hill 1 "forr tin y stnit-t'd stnit-t'd on then lourm v 'mri'ivv nil. It ng limml ivn in his loom, liurrlidlv packing pack-ing Inn vain is, nml Ludlow i. n up to tell hltn thnt time wus still i1eniy of time in whiih lo entcli tin train. " ben an ion I'liiiiing i outh og.iln. Hufli?" be nskeil, pacing th. floor of the small npnrtment with his hantis in his pockets "Oh, I don't know; whenever Heiter gets homesii U I t-uj nse " "Well, I t.in't piomlie vou a tight or n wedding the 1 1 ' I time you cmne, but we'll try to k"cp vou InteieMeil In nomcwoy. By the way, I uh, It was generous of y ou not to prefer a churgn of murder agnlnst those fellows for trying to kill you In the cave." "It wns quite unnecessary; n thirty-year thirty-year sentence Is severe enough to satisfy sat-isfy ft, more vindictive person than I ujfjSr nsptre to lie. Ilesldes, you forgot for-got that it was .foil who did tlie shoot-'lug. shoot-'lug. and his fnto wns sufLlcleiitly horrible." hor-rible." "It was, indeed; and thnt makes me think- I saw tho sister nt the trial. I wondei whnt Ium become of her?" "She bin. gone to her nut le in Texas." 'Ale you ture of thnt?" "p foi 1 i,i ui her." ' "You?" ' ' Yes. "nd she didn't try to kill jou be-foie be-foie she It fl ' ' 'Oli. no, she wns too sorrowful to Ibink of tengennee. Besides, I think she did me the Justice to believe that J iu letl fitiili " Ludlow purieil his lips nnd whistled soflly, com inning his restless march while Itinglirauil fastciidl the last ntrup. Suddenly he stopped hi ills walk and regarded the younger man with n look of qnlrrlnji' eui'cslty "Hugh, what's become of that little fad of youis shout personal courage and such things?" "I told you once that 1 hoped I had left It in the hole ou the mountain. I think it is still theie," was the quiet reply, re-ply, and they went down to tlie waiting bridnl party. The nccomraodatiau train swung slowly nround the curve below Tregttr-then, Tregttr-then, and tlie intervening spur of the mountain shut out the last view of the flttle villnge nnd Itn rmokirg furi-aee Ttlngbrand closed the w indow w hen the clndcrn began to blow In, and, looking nround the dingy Interloi of tho ear. thought of thnt other eventful journey taken in the t.auie vehicle. He bent low aril the small pink ear nt hi i shoulder shoul-der and whispered: "Do you know win rt I tli st begun to love you, Hester" "No," she ausivered, drawing her veil down so thnt she could blush eon-fortutih eon-fortutih "It wns right here; you were slttlug in this uiy sent, only It wns turned the other wny I saw you get on tho train ut riiilwauee, uml ran after you like n school-boy. That won the beginning of it." And the end Is not vet. Tllh n.xn. |