Show I 1 iff 1 CI l OW avci acl v irem I 1 qa 16 C D 1 1 idiocies a i 0 d es lt 1914 9 ip V COM PATa T CHAPTER XV continued twenty die miles and over a very rough mountain road did I 1 not confidently expect to find oliver there I 1 should not let you undertake this ride hut but the inquiries I 1 have just made lend lead rno me to hope for the beat results a 0 0 ahat th thair t T h ats the tha cry of a loon how awful do they often cry like that not often in the reuther shuddered mr black regarded her anxiously had he be done one wrong to let tier her join blin lu fit this strange ride shall we go back and wait tor for broad daylight lie he asked no no I 1 could not bear the suspense of wondering whether all was waa going well ft ell and the opportunity being given you of seeing and speaking to him wo we have taken such precautions chosen so lato late or should I 1 sa bay y so early it a start that im sure we have outwitted the raan man who Is so watchful of us its out but it we go back wo we cannot slip away from him again and oliver will have to submit to a hum humiliation Illation it ft Is our duty to spare him and the good judge too I 1 dont caro care if tho the loona loans do cry the night Is beautiful and it was had bad their hearts been in tune to enjoy it A gibbous moon had risen and inefficient as it was to light up till the recesses of tho the forest it 11 the treetops and brought out the difference between earth and sky the road known to the horses it not to themselves extended like a black ribbon ter ier t er their heir eyes iut but the patches of light which fell across it at intervals Inte nals took from it tho the ter erupted gloom it ft must have otherwise had mr air sloan who was as at once their gulde guide and host promised that dawn would bo be upon them before they reached the huge gully which was the one dangerous dring erous feature of the road their guide had prophesied truly heralded by that long cry of the loon the be dawn began to reveal itself anti and tha world of the mighty for et was upon them thein with its night gone out not the th romance of their errand or tho the anxiety which both felt as to its fulfillment full sight brought full realization however they might seek boek to cloak the fact they could no longer dis disguise gulso from themselves that the object of their journey might not be acceptable cep table to tho the man in hiding at tempest lodge reuthers faith in him was strong but even her courage faltered as aa she thought of the disgrace await ing him whatever the circumstances or however he might look upon his bis fathers imperative command to return but she did not draw rein and the three continued to ride up and on suddenly however sir mr sloan was seen to turn his head sharply and in another me moment ment his two companions heard him say cay we are followed ride hide on and leave me to take a look instinctively they also glanced back before obo obeying ying they were just roand ron d ing the top of an abrupt hill oad bad cr pecked to have hae an uninterrupted vi vv of the road behind but the masses of foliage were pro as yet too thick for them to see bee much but the autumnal red and yellow spread out below them 1 I hear bear them I 1 do not see them remarked their guide two horses are approaching illow how far ar aro are we now from roin the lodge A halt half hours ride we are just juat at the opening of the gully you will join us soon an AB quickly OB as I 1 make out who aro are on the horses behind us reuther and the he lawyer lamer rode on ifer her creeks hail had gained a slight blight flush but wise abe looked unmoved ulmo ed ito was waa less at care than she elie for he had bad adsa la ss to fostair so stair him the gully gull when w hen they came to it ri proved to bo be a formidable one it was vot not only deep but precipitous and for awo vo miles they rode along its edge r jy ir saw no letup let up in the steepness on ne side or of the almost equa equally lly abrupt rise ilse of towering rock on the other her it was reuthers cra first experience of so precipitous a of climb and under other circumstances she might have been timid but in her present heroic mood it was all a part of her great creat adventure and as such accepted the lawyer eyed her with growing admiration ilu hy had not miscalculated her bor pluck As they were making a turn to gaiu gain the summit they heard mr sloans voice behind them drawing drafting in their horses they greeted him eagerly when lie he appeared were you right are we ve followed 17 hats as nay may be I 1 hear or see flee anything more I 1 waited but nothing happened so BO I 1 camo came on 0 ilia hla words were surly and his bis looks tour leour they therefore tho forbore to question him further especially as their keenest interest Int enst lay ahead rather tharl than behind them they were nearing lodge As it broke upon their view gerebed like an eagles eyrie on irlie idie crest of it a rising peak they ire viz a fund after a snort short con sult sul atlon tation mr air sloan wended bended ts r is way up alone lie ile was a well knon roan man throughout tho the whole region and would be likely to gain admittance it if anyone could but all wished the hour had bad been less early however somebody was up in the picturesque place A small trail of smoke could bo be seen hovering above its single chimney and promptly upon air sloans approach a rear door swung back bach and an old man showed himself but with no hospitable intent on oil the contrary he be motioned the intruder bock back and shouting out some very decided words lorils resolutely banged the door shut mr air sloan turned slowly about dad luck ho he commented upon joining ills his companions that was deaf dan lies hes got a warm nest here and lies hes determined to keep it no visitors wanted was what he shouted and ho he even hold out his hand when I 1 offered him V t e letter give me the letter said reuther lie wont leave a lady standing out in the cold mr sloan handed banded over the judges message and helped her down and she in turn began to approach the place As sho she lid did so she eyed it with the curiosity ot of a hungry heart it was a compact structure of closely cemented stone built to resist gales and harbor a would bo be recluse even in 1 an I adirondack winter mr air sloan had been repulsed from I 1 diio a west floor door sho she would try the east oliver if oliver it ft were was probably asleep but sho she would knock and neck knock and knock and if deaf dan did not open his master soon would out but when she found herself in face of this simple barrier and was waa lifting her hand to the door it suddenly flow flew open and a man appeared before her CHAPTER XVI found and lot lost it was oliver oliver and with signs upon ahli dinv of a nights work of study or writing but oliver her lover once but bw ow just a stranger into whose hand site she must put this letter she tried to stamm out he errend but the sudden budde pallor the starting eyes the hole shocked almost ter terrified rifled appearance of the man she was facing stopp her slip she forgot tho the surprise the incredulity of mind with which lima hs would naturally hall hail her presence presen cn at hla his door in a place so remote ind abd of such inaccessibility lity she only naw daw that his hands bands had gone up and out at sight of her and to her sensitive soul this looked like a rebuff which while expected choked back her words and turned her faintly lushing flushing check scarlet it Is not I 1 burst from her lips lans in incoherent disclaimer of his possible thought irn im just a messenger meg your father it Is you quickly ills his hani ban passed across his eyes how thew the ills his glance following hers fell on the letter which she now remembered remember red to hold out its tho copy of a telegram she troublingly explained as lie he continued to gaze at it without reaching to take it you could not be ba found in detroit and as it was important that you should receive this word front from your father I 1 undertook 0 to o deliver it ft I 1 remembered your fondness for this place and how you once said that this is where you on gouid like to write your books and so BO I 1 came on a venture but not alone mr black to Is with me mid and mr diack who what ile he was still stating staring at hla his fathers letter and still had made lo 10 offer to take it 11 read this first said she 4 then ho he woke to the situation he took the letter and drawing her inside it the door while he read it she trembling very miry much did not ilire dare to lift tier her eyes to watch its effect but she was cona conscious clous that his back anti and not ills his face was turned tier her way and that the moment was still stillest st one of her whole life then there came a rattling nolle noise as he crushed the ietter in ill his hand tell me what ft hat this means said he but he h did not turn hla his head as he be made this request re auest your father must do that was her gentle reply 1 I was only to deliver the letter I 1 came we came thus early because we thought wo we feared w we e should get no opportunity later to find you here alone there beem 8 em to bo be people nu nn the road whom w whom hom you might feel eel obliged to entertain and as your rather father cannot watt wait ile ha had wheeled about ills ilia face I 1 hers it wore a look she lid did not understand and which made him seem a stranger to her involuntarily she took a stop back 11 1 I must bo be going now sald said she and tell fell her physical weakness weak noga triumphing at last over her will power berls oliver where Is gilve ull vcr r these were reuthers Ho uthera first words ns as coming to herself ft nhe he perceived mr air black bending helplessly over her the answer was brief almost alanl alanison dlack black was cursing himself for allowing he her to como to this house houam alono alone lie was here a moment ago when he be saw you begin to div give signs of life he slid out how do you feel my my doar dear what will your mother say but oliver she bho was on her feet now she abe had bad been lying on some sort of couch ile he must oh I 1 remember now af mr diack black we must go I 1 have hava given him his fathers letter we are not going till you have something 1 to cat 1 no mot a word ill why lid did his bis eye wander to the near test window and his words trail away into el lonco lenco reuther turned about to sw sq e oliver was waa in front conversing earnestly with mr sloan As they looked ho he dashed back into the rear of the house and they heard his voice rise once or twice in some ineffectual commands to his deaf servant then there came a clatter and a rush from the direction of the stable and they saw him film flash by on a gaunt but fiery horse and take with long bounds the road up which they had just labored ile he had bad stopped to equip himself in some measure for his ride but not the horse which was waa without saddle or any sort of bridle but a halter strung about his nock neck this was light flight or so it appeared to mr sloan ns as lie he watched the young man disappear over the brow of the hill what mr glack black thought was not so apparent lie he had no wish to dis courage reuther whose feeling was one of 0 relief as her first word showed oliver Is gone we shall not have to hurry burry now and perhaps it if I 1 had bad a few minutes in which to rest she was on the verge of fainting again and then alai ou on dlack black showed of what stuff he w made in III ton en minutes lie he bad bustled about the halt half de sorted building and with the aid of the dazed and uncomprehending deaf mute managed to prepare a cup of hot tea and a plate of steaming eggs tor for the weary girl after such an effort reuther felt obliged to eat and she sha lid did seeing boeing which tho the lawyer left her for a moment anti and went out to question their au guide ide wheres reB the young lady this from mr sloan gating eating something come in and have a bite and let the horses eat too the young fellow went off pretty quick eh ya as tho the drawl was one of doubt but quickness dont count t A small tr trail III 0 of f smoke hovering above its 8 single chimney past fast or slow lies hes on his way to capture it if what ou on want to know what we are ar followed then there are men ou on the road two as I 1 told you before lie ho cant get by them if what he wants to do but I 1 thought they fell back we bear thorn them after you joined us nu they come on they have to this Is tho the only road down the mountain and its ono one youve got to follow or go tumbling over tho the precipice all got to do Is to walt alt for him and what I 1 tried to tell him but he just shook his arm at mo me and rode on lie ho might better have waited for company mr air dlack black cast a glance behind him saw that the door of the was almost closed and ventured to put another question what lid did he ask you 0 o lie be came out here bore why we had chosen such an early hour to bring him his fathers message sloan replied and what did you ou say waal I 1 said that there was another fellow down my way awful eager to sm see him too find and that you were mortal anxious to get to him first that was about it it ft sir yes yea and how did he tako take that ile he turned white and asked me just what I 1 meant then I 1 said that some one wanted him pretty bad for early as it 11 was this stranger was up as soon as aa you and hail had followed us into the mountains and might show allow ur up any time on tho the road at which he ha gave me a then plunged back into the house to got his hat and trot out his horse I 1 never saw quicker work rut but its HB no usa ho cant escape ca po those men thoy they know it or they w havo have topped stopped where they od d waiting for him mr dlack black recalled the ho aspect of the GU bully ily and decided that mr sloan waa vas right there thera could be but one end to 10 this adventure allyer would be caught in IL n manifest effort to escape and tho the judges cup of sorrow and humiliation milia tion would be full ile he felt the shame of it himself also the folly of his own methods and of the part he had bad allowed reuther to play beek beckoning to hlo hit host boat to follow him he be turned toward the house dont T bention your fears to the young lady said be at least not till we are well 1 I past 1 I I 1 the g gully y 1 I shant mention anything dont you be of that and with a simultaneous effort difficult for both they assumed a more cheerful air an and d briskly entered the house i it was waa not until they were well upon the road back that reuther ventured to speak of oliver she was riding as tar far from tho the edge of the precipice as po possible isible in descent it looked very tory formidable to her unaccustomed eye this Is IB a dangerous road for a man to ride bareback she remarked im terrified when I 1 think of it mr dlack black why did he go off quite so suddenly Is there a train he Is anxious to reach mr air sloan Is there a train yes yea miss there Is a train 1 which he be can got get by riding 1 fast ive known it donel then rhen he Is excusable yet her anxious glance stole ever and again to the dizzy verge toward which she now unconsciously urged her own horse till mr air dlack black drew her aside A half hours further descent then a quick turn and mr air sloan who had ridden on an before them came galloping gallop hastily back mr air black hastened to meet their guide what now he be asked have they come together have the detectives tec tives got him no not him only his horse the animal has just trotted up good godt godl the childs instinct was true ile ho has baa been thrown no mr sloans mouth was close to the lawyers car theres another explanation if the fellow Is game and anxious enough to reach the train to risk his neck tor for it theres a path he could have taken which would got get him there without his coming |