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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 1887)
r.mt i. WILLAMETTE FAKMEfi ; SALEM, OKEGON, AUGUST 19, 1887 SNOW BOUND AT EAGLE'S BY BRET HABTE. lOopyrlgbted by Houston, Mifflin A Co., and published by arrangement with thom. The wounded man dank bock ton sitting position. "I Manuol your monl'MionsUd grimly, "Yw." Tlio two men oxcbangel glances. "Marked on bit left cheek and drink a good deal f" "Yes," mM Kate, finding ljcr voice "Whyl" Tho amused look camo back to tho man's eyes. That kind of man Isn't wifo to wait for. Wo mutt lako our own horse, Ned. Are you ready f "Yes." Tho wounded man again attempted to rise. Ho fell back, but this tlmo qulto heavily. Ho had falntvl. Involuntarily nnd simultaneously tho three women rushed to bin side. "Ho cannot go," Mid Kate, suddenly. fit ZWj it U lV 7711 JvWUssBWrifl' I " I'ou cannot (o,B tuld Knte, suilttrnt (. "Ho will ! Iiettcr In a moment." "Hut only for n moment. Will nothing In duce you to chango your mind I" An If In reply n midden guit of lud brought n volley of rnln against thn window, "That will," mM tho trniiBr blttci ly "Tlierolnr "A mllo from hero it In mow; and More we could reach thn Summit with thesu horses tho road would I luiMuahle." Ho made a slight geHturo to himself, as If accepting nn Inevitable defeat, and turned to hi comanlon, who km slowly reviving under tho active ministration of tho two women. Thu wounded man looked around with n weak smile. "Thin Is ono nay of going off," ho mild faintly, "but I could do I hi sort of thing as well on tho road," "You can tin nothing now," uM hU friend, decidedly. "Ik-fore wo get to Iho (lato tho road will Ixi luqiasNihlii for our horses." "For any horses!" asked Knto. "For any horse. Kor any man or Nat, I might my. Where wo cannot get out no ono ran got In," ho added, nt If nnswrrlng her thought. "I am afraid that you won't seo your brother to-morrow morning. Hut I'll m-onuoltcr, u I can do so without torturing blm," he Mid, looking anxiously at tho hol less man; "bo's got about hi sham of aln, I reckon, and the lint thing I to get him easier." It was tho longest spwvli bo bad made to her; It wn tho Hot tlmo ho hnd fairly looked her in thn face. His shy rest Insane had suddenly given way to dogged rrlgnatlon, lex abstracted, but scarcely moro flattering to hU entertainer. I.lfilng hi companion gently in his nrius, at If bo had Imvii a child, bo rensccuded the ttiiln-ase, Mr. Scott and the hastily summoned Molly following with iivrrlhiwlng solicitude. As soon m they w ero alone In tho mrlor Mrs. Halo turned to her sisters "Only that our gucsta seemed to Im ax anxious togo now a ) on wore to wck tb.mi)ir I should lutvti U-n shix-ked nt your Inhospitably. What ha i-ome imr jmi, Katef Thtoxi nro the very ople .Mm havo reproached inn so often with lint Mil;; rl i enough to." "But wlmiinitlicyr "How do I Lnnwf There l your bivlher litter." She usually sxkenr her luisUiinl iitMolm." 'Mil slight thlftlug uf relationship iiml a sxiitllillity to tho feiuinliui inlml win. signiH taut, Kiile was it llltlo frightened mid iv inorM'ful. "I only meant you don't even know their names." That wasn't necessary fur giving ili.-m a lied and bandage. Do you supple tlio good Samaritan ever asked the wounded Jew's mime, ami rani win l'Vllo mil not cxi-nto himself lnvnuto tho thieve bad taken thn ir limn' caul caMif Do tho diiwtioun, 'In niMi of mvldi'iit,' In jour nmbuhiueo rule., ixndi 'Kii-kt lay tho ktiltVivr on hl lutek an iuimliv liN nnu and family ixmniHiloiu'l lklden, mi can call ono '.Nisi' and llio oilier '(livige.' If . ou like.' "Oh, you know what I mean," Mid Kati, Jrivlevimtly. "Wblnli In lieorgel" iHUV U tho vumniUil man," Mild Mrn. llalo; "not llm ono who talkinl to you mom than bo did to any one elwe. I tutko the or man wa frightened and ixiid iIImiiUviI in jour eye," "I lli John eiv heiv." "1 don't think o bavo nil) thing to fear in hUntiM-niv fivui men mIkwj only wlti it to get anay fnini u. If it l a inutllon of m privty, my dear Kate, mn'ly thero li the Vrewm-e of mother to uvvent any wandal although really her own conduct with the wiHiudod one u not atniva kiitjiloiou," kho addiil, with that noel miwblevoiMUNh that wmed a ivtuiii of her lot glrlluxkl, "We mut try to do the Utt wo can with them and for them," klm kiI.I dvldelly, "and iiiii lime I'll v if I can't anango Jolin' nm for them." "JoliuVt iikimr t)h, mjither U Jieiftvtly KitUtl.sl, imUwl, nggted It. UV largvr and will bold two Uil, for Wed,' tho friend, iiuikt attend to blm at night. And, Kate, don't you think, If yon'ru not going out again, you mlglit ilinugo your nMiiint'f It ilo. ery well mIiIIm wonr-1 ! ue'' Well," said Kate Indignantly, "a lam not going Into bis room" "I'm not so uro about that, If wo can t get n regular doctor, llut ho l very rextluis, nnd wanders all over tho house like a timid and ajwlogctlc opanlel." "Who!" "Why 'Nod.' Hut I muitgo and lookafter tho patient. I mippow thoy'vo got blm Mfo in his bed again," nnd with a nod to her sis ter ho trlpixxl up stairs. Uncomfortablo and crabarrossod, ho knew not why, Knto sought her mother. But that good lady was already In attendance on tho patlont, and Koto hurried past that baleful center of attraction with a feeling of loneli ness and strangeness sho hod novcr cipo- rJcncod before. Kntcrlng her own room sho went to tho window that first and last rcf ugo of tho troubled mind and gar.cd out. Turning her eyes In tho direction of her morning's walk, sho started back with n senso of being dazzled. Hho rubbal llnt her eyes and then the rnln-dimmed pane. It was no Illusion! Tlio wbolo lntulscajH', so familiar to her, was ono vast tlold of deail, colorless whltol Trees, rocks, oven dlstanco Itself, bad vanished In thoso fow hours. An oven, shadowlews, motionless whlto sea fllleil tho horizon. On cither sldo a vast wall of snow seemed to shut out tho world llko a shroud. Only tho green plateau Iwforo her, with Its sloping meadows and fringes of pines and cottonwood, lay alono Ilka a summer Island In this frozen sea. A sudden ilcslro to vlnw this phenomenon moro closely, nnd to learn for herself tho limits of this new tethered life, completely possessed her, and, accustomed to net upon her Independent Impulses, sho seized a hooded waterproof cloak nnd slipjiwl outof tho house liniicrcclvod. Tho rain was falling sU-adlly along tho descending trail whero sho walked, but boyontl, scarcely a mllo across the chasm, tho wintry dlstanco licgan to confuso her brain with tho Inoitrlcablo swarming of snow. Hurrying down with feverish excite ment, sho nt last camo in eight of tho arching gronllo xrtals of their domain. Hut her first glanco through tho gateway showed It closed as If with n whlto jwrtcullN. Kato rcmem licrcd that tho trail licgan to ascend beyond tho arch, and know that what ho nw waj only tho mountain sldo sho had partly climbed this morning. Hut tho snow had crept down Its (tank, and tho exit by trail was prac tically cliHcd. Breathlessly making her way liack to tho highest part of tho plateau tho clIlT behind tho house that hero desceudod ab ruptly to tho raln-dimmcd valley sho gazed nt tho dizzy depths In vain for hoiiio undiscov ered or forgotten trail along Its fnco. Hut n slnglo glanco convinced her of Its Inaccca slblllty. Tho gateway was Indeed their only outlet to thu plain Mow. Sho looked Iwick at the falling snow beyond until she fancied sho could seo In tho crooning and recrosslng linen tho moving meshes of a fateful web woven around them by viewless but Inex orable lingers. Half frightened, she was turning nwny, when sho Knvlviil, a fow paws distant, tho ftguro of tho stranger, "Neil," also npinrcntly nbsurlicd In tho gloomy proupwt. Ho was wru,xil In tho clinging foldn of n black seraH braided with silver; tho broad (lap of a slouched hat lieatcu lmck by tho wind ex Kcd tho dark, glistening curls on his whlto forehead. Ho was certainly very handsome nnd plcturcMiuo,nnd that apparently without efTort or consciousness. Neither was there anything In bis costumo or npcnruiico In cousNtent with Ids surroundings, or even with what Kate could judgu were bis habits or iKxItlon. Nevertheless sho Instantly de cided that bo wat too haudsomo nnd too plo turoMjue, without Misjicctlng that her Ideas of the IfmlUof lUfiscullnolicauty were merely rsonal oxperleiuiv As ho tunuil away fiiu thocllir they were brought face to face. "It doewu't look very encouraging over there," ho said, iuletly, as ir tlieiuiivitiilileui'ssor thu situation boil re lieved him of hN piv loin (.Jiy ni-Ni nnd effort; "It's oven woivi than I cxccted. Tho snow niiM linvo N-gun thero Iil-I night, and It looks as If It meant to stay." Ho toiil for ii moment, uud then, lifting Ills eyes to her, saldi "I upmsoyou know what tliU niemitl" "I don't iiuderKtaud you." "I thought not. Well! it mean that you nn aliMilutely cut oir hem from tiny comnui- ilicntloii hi InteiiM.nv witli any ono ouUlde of that imvnii Hy thN tlmo the suow Is llvo fivt ibvp omt the only trail by which onu fun m m uud out of that gateway. lam not alarming you, I Ih)h, for thero It no rial physical danger, n place like this ought to U well giiiTUiintl, and ivrt.il'ily It M'lf-sup-IKirliug so far as tho moro uei-cmltiiii and eeu iiuufoits aiv couivniitl, You have wood, water, i-attlo and giimoatyour iin maud, but for two week nt lent you are completely Ivilated." "Kor twowtvk,"Ntld Kate, giMwmg uile "and my bintlierf" "Ho knows all hv this limo and Is pmln blv aasnrcil at I am of the vifety of bit family " "For two weeksctiutluuisl Kate, "iniw. Mel You don't know my biotherl Ho will find tomu way to get to us." "I hope so," rrtunutl tho stranger, gnive ly, "for what It Hilblo for him it wlblo for at," Then you mv anxious tn g't away," Kate could not help Kiyiug. "Very." The reply was not dlMVurttvus in manner, but was so far from gallant that Kate felt a new and incoiuUteut rcscntuicuL Before she couM Niy anything bo aildetl, "And I hopo j on will rememlHT, whatever may hap pen, that t tlid my lvl to avoid ktaying here longer than was mvnonry to keep my friend fiuu lilenllug to death in the road." "Certainly," mild Kate, then added awk wardly, "I liow bo'll Ixi Iwtter kxuu" She wat kileut, nu.l then, ipiiekeuiug her uci), sUd hurritsily, "I mut tell my kUter this iliivulful newx" "I think ho U pivuitl for It, If thiv it anything I can do to help j on 1 Iiojm jouwill let me know, Vi hap4 I tuav lie of some mtv Ice. I shall legiu by exploring the trails to-iuon)w, fm- the lxt sei Uv wecaudo jou kkbilily is to take inux-hi 01T; but 1 can' carry a gun, and the wixslt aiv full of game driven down from the uiounlalitx lt m show you something you may not hae noticed." He Moppetl and pointed to a sinall ".T-:iof IkKcim: tbrubUTV mid sraiiitemi tno opposite mountain, wmen etui nfuuuim black against tho surrounding snow. It seemed to bo thickly covered with moving objects. "They nro wild animals driven out of tho snow," said tlio stranger. "That larger ono Li a grizzly; thero Is a panther, wolves, wildcats, a fox, and somo mountain goats." "An ill-assorted party," said tho young girl. "Ill luck makes them companions. They are too frightened to hurt ono nnother now." "Hut thoy will cat each other later on,"Kold Kato, stealing a glanco at her companion. Ho lifted bis long lashes and met her eyes. "Not on a haven of rcfugo" CHAPTEU IV. Kato found her sister, as tho stranger bad intimated, rully prepared. A hasty Inven tory of provisions and means of subsistence showed that thoy bad umplo resources for a much longer Isolation. They tell mo It Is by no means nn uncom mon caso, Kate; somebody over at some body's placo was snowed In for four weeks, and now It appears that oven tlio Summit house Is not always accessible. John ought to have known It when ho bought tho placo; In fact, I was ashamed to admit that ho did not. But that Is like John to prefer his own theories to tho cxpcrlenco of others. How ever, I don't supposo wo should even notlco tho privation except for tho malls. It will bo a lesson to John, though. As Mr. Leo Mys, ho Is on tho outside, and can probably go wherovcr ho likes from tho Hummlt ex cept to como here." "Mr. Leol" ochood Kato. "Yes, tho wounded onu; nnd tho other's namo Is Falknor. I askod them In order that you might bo proiicrly Introduced. Thci-o wcrovery respectublo Kalkners In Charles town, you remcmlicrj I thought you might warm to tlio namo and jierhaps trnco tho con nection now that you aro such good friends. It's providential they nro here, as we haven't got a horso or a man iu tho placo slnco Man uel dlsapjiearod, though Mr. Kalkner Mys bo can't bo for nwny, or they would bavo mot him on tlio trail If ho had gono toward tho summit." "Did they say anything moro of MauucU" "Nothing; though I am Inclined toagreo with you that bolsn't trustworthy. But that ng&ln Is tho result of John's Idea of employ ing native skill at tho expense of retaining natlva habits." Tho evening closed early, and with no diminution In the falling ralu nnd rising wind. Kalkner kept his word, nnd unosten tatiously performed tho outdoor work In tho bam and stables, assisted by tho only Chi nceo servant rumnliilng, nnd under tho ad vice and supervision of Knto. Although ho seemed to understand horses, sho was sur prised to find that he liotrnyed n civic Ignor ance of the ordinary details of tho farm and rustlo household. It was qui to Imposslblo that sho should retain her distrustful nttl tudu or ho bis rrsorvo In their enforced com- jwinlonshlp. They talked freely of subjects suggested by tho situation, Kalkner exhibit ing a general knowledge mid Intuition of things without wade or dogmatltm. Doubt ful of all versatility as Knto was, sho could not help admitting to herself that his truths were nono tho lesatruo for their quantity or that ho gpt at thom without ostentatious processes. HU talk certainly was moro pic turesque than her brother's and less sulslu lug to her faculties. John had nlw ajii crushed her. When they returned to tho house bo did not linger Iu thu parlor or sitting room, but nt onco rejoined his friend. When dinner was ready In the dining room, n little moro dolltieratoly arranged and ornamented than usual, the two women were somewhat sur prised to ivcolvo an excuto from Kalkner, liegglng them to allow blm for the prvwnt to take his meals with tho juitlent and thus save tho nmwklty of another attendant. "It Is all hyiics, Kato," said Mm. Hale. confidently, "nnd mut not lio Hrmltted for a moment." "I'm sure I should lw qulto willing to stay with the ioor boy myself," said Mrs. t?oott, simply, "and toko Mr. Knlkuer'a placo while bo dines." "You nro too willing, mother." Mid Mrs. Halo ixrtly, "and your 'isjor laiy ,' as you call blm, will never seo '." again." "Ho will never seo any other birthday," re torted her mother, "unlets you keep blm moro quiet. He only talks when you're Iu tho room." "1V wants some lellef to his friend's long fiu-o and mustaches that make him look prematurely iu mourning," Mild Mrs. Hale, Ith n slight inereiisn of iiiilnmtlon, "I don't pivs to Wave them too much together. After dinner we'll adjourn to their room and lighten it up a little. You n lut come, Knto, to look at tin patient and counteract tho Uile fill elicit of my frivolity." Mr. Halo' Instincts were truer than her mother' cxrIcnco; not only that the wounded niii' eye Ihviiiiio brighter under the provocation of her presence, but It was evident that hi naturally exuberant spirits wernnsirtof hit vital strength, nnd were absolutely essential to hi quick ivcovcry. Kncoiinigvd by Kalkner' grave and practical assistance, which she could not Ignore, Kate ventuivd to make an examination of Ieo' wound. Kven tohr unpincticrd eye it was less serious than ill Urst appeared. The great los of blood had Ix-en duo to the laceration of certain small vivoU Mow the knee, but neither artery nor lioue was Injureik A re currence of the hemorthage or fever was thu only thing to txt feared, and thio could be averted by luind&glng, ivk and simple nursing. The unfailing good humor of tlio patient under this manipulation, the quaint origin ality of his speech, the freedom of hit fancy, which was, however, always controlled by a tvitaiii instinctive tact, lcgan to affect Kate nearly at it bad the other. Sue found her self laughing over the work khe bad under taken iu a pure wn of duty; she Joined in the hikinty produced by IeVi affected terror of her surgical mania, and offered to undo the lis ndagitt in search of the thimble he de clared she had left in the wound with a view to further experiments. "You ought to broaden your practice," be kuzgesuxl. "A good deal might be made out of Ned and a piece of up left carelessly on the first ktepof the staircase, while moun tains of surgical opportunities lie In a hum ble orangu judl ioii.h- eipitvd. Only I mMMWi y s "I'ou otigAf to broaden your practice." warn you that jou wouldn't find him ns do cile as I am. Decoyed into a snowdrift and frozen, you might get somo valuable expe riences In resuscitation by thawing him." "I fancied you had dono that already, Kato," whispered Mrs. Hale. "Freezing Is tho now suggestion for pain less surgery," said Lee, coming to Kato's re lief with ready tact, "only tho know led go should bo moro generally spread . Thero was a man up nt Strawberry fell under n sledgo load of wood In tho snow. Stunned by tho shock, bo was slowly freezing to death when, with n tremondoiu effort, ho succeeded in freeing himself nil but bis right leg, pinned down by a small log. Ills ax happened to hove fallen within reach, and n fow blows on tho log freed blm." "And saved tho poor fellow's life," wld Mrs. Bcott, who was listening with sympa thizing Intensity. "At tho expenso of his left leg, which he had unknowingly cut off under the pleasing supjiotltiou that It was a log," returned Leo, demurely. Nevertheless, in a fow moments ho man aged to divert tho slightly shocked suscepti bilities of tho old lady with some raillery of himself, uiul did not again Interrupt tho even, good humored communion of the party. Tho rain lioatlng ngnlnst tho windows nnd tho flro sparkling on tho hearth seemed to lend j a charm to their nccullar isolation, and It ' was not until Mrs. Scott rote with a worn-' ing that thoy wcro trespassing upon tho rest of their patient that thoy discovered that tho evening had sllpjxl by unnoticed. When tho door nt lout closed on thu bright, sympa- I tlwtle eyes of the two young women and tho motherly licnedletlon of tho elder, Kalkner walked to tho window, and remained silent, ' looking into the darkness. Suddenly he. turned bitterly to tils companion. This U Just li II, George," George Iv. with a smllo ktill ou his boyish fisec, lazily moved bis bead. "I don't know! If It wasn't for tbo old woman, who It tho one solid chunk of abso lute goodness here, oxjwctlng nothing, want ing nothing, It would bo good fun enough! These two women, cooped up in this house, wanted excitement. Thoy'vo got It! That man Halo wanted to show off by going for us; bo's had bis chance, and will have It again More I'vo done with him. That d tl fool of n messenger wanted to go out of his way to oxchango shots with mo; I reckon he's the most Mtlsfled of the lot I I don't know why you should growl. You did your level best to get away from here, and the result is that little I'urltnu is ready to worship you," "Yca-but this playing It on them-George this " "Who's playing Iti Not you; I 6eo you've given away our names already." "I couldn't He, and they know nothing by that," "Do you think they would lo happier by knowing Itl Do you think that soft little creature would bo as happy as she was to night If she knew that her husband bad been Indirectly tbo means of laying mo by the heel here! Where is tho swindle! This hole in my legl If you had been five min utes under that girl's d d sympathetic fingers you'd bavo thought It was genuine. Is It In our trying to get nwoyl Do yon call that ten feet drift in tho pass a swindle! Is it in the chance of Halo getting Imck while wo'roheref That's real enough, isu't it I I My, Neil, did you over give your unfettered Intellect to the contemplation of that!" Kalkner did not reply. There was on In terval of silence, but ho could seo from the movement of George,' shoulder that be was shaking with suppressed laughter. "Kuucy Mrs. Hale archly Introducing her husband! My offering him a chair, but be ing Ml tho tlmo obliged to cover him with a derringer under the bedclothes. Your rush ing In from your xaeeful pastoral pursuits in tho barn, with n pitchfork in one liamt and the girl In the other, and dear old mammy sympathizing all round and trying to make everything comfortable, " "I should not Ixi MIvo to co It, (Seorge," said l-alkuer, gloomily. "You'd manage to pitchfork me and those two women on Hale's horso and ride away; that' what you'd do, or I don't know you! fxik here, Neil," ho added, moro seriously, "tho only swindling was our bringing that note heiv. That was your Idea, You thought it would remove suspicion, ami as you be lieved I was bleeding to death you played inni gnmeiornil it wns wortu to save me. ou might have dono w hat I asked you to do "propped me up In the bushes and got away yourself. I was good for a couple of shots yet nnd after that wlint mattered! That night, the next day, the next time I take th road, or a year oenee! It will come when it will come, all the same!" He did not speak bitterly, nor if lax his sinlle. Kalkner, without speaking, slid hU liaud along the coverlet. Loo grasped it, and their hands remained clasped together for a few moments iu silence. "How is this to end! We cannot goon here in this way," Mid Kalkner suddenly. "If we cannot get away It must goon. Look here, Ned I don't reckon to take any thing out of this houso that I didn't bring in it, or isn't freely offered to me; yet I don't, otherwise, you understand, intend making myself out a d d bit better than I ant. That's the only excuse I have for not making mytwkt out just what I am. I don't know the fellow who' obliged to tell every one the last company he wat In or the last thing he I dsl' Ho you suppose even thete pretty little I women toil us their whole storyl uo you fancy that this St. John in tho wilderness is canonized in his family! Perhaps, when I take the liberty to intrudo In his affairs, as ho has In mlno, ho'd seo he Isn't. I don't blaino you for Mng sensitive, Nod. It's natural. Whon u man lives ouLsldo tho re vised statutes of his own stato ho Is apt to bo awfully fine on points of etiquette in his own household. As for mo, I find it rather com- Ifortablo here, Tho beds of other jieople's making striko mo as being moro satisfactory than my own. Good night." In a. fow momenta ho was sleeping the peaceful sleep of that youth which seemed to bo his own dominant quality. FMkner stood for a little space and watched him, following tho boyish linos of his cheek on tho pillow, from the shadow of tho light brown lashes under his closed lids to tbo lifting of his short upper lip over his whlto teeth with his regu lar respiration. OMy a sharp accenting of tho lino of nostril Wul Jaw and a faint de pression of tbo templo betrayed bis already tried manhood. Tlio houso bad long sunk to reposo when Kalkner returned to tho window, and re mained looking out Uon tlio storm. Sud denly ho cxtlnguiscd tho light, nnd passing quickly to tho bed laid bis hand upon the slccjier. Leo opened his eyes Instantly, "Aro you awake I'1 "Perfectly." "Somebody Is trying to get Into tho house I" "Not him, chl" Mid Leo gnyly. "No; two men. Mexicans, I think. One looks like Manuel." "Ah," Mid Leo, drawing himself up to a sitting iKwture. "Wolll" "Don't you seel Ho believes the women aro Mono." "The dog d-d bound!" "Speak resx.vtfully of ono of my people, If you please, and hand mo my derringer. Light tho cntidlo again oral open tho door. Let thom get In quietly, They'U como here first. It's his room, you understand, and If there's nny monoy It's hero. Any way, thoy must pa.it here to get to tho women's rooms. Lcavo Manuel to mo and you tako care of tho other," "I see," "Manuel knows tho houso and will coma first. When ho's fairly In tho room shut the door nnd go for tho other. Hut no nolso. This Is Just ouo of tho sw-evtost things out If It'M ilonn proiierly." "But you, UcorgoP "If I couldn't mnnago that fellow without turning down tho bedclothes I'd kick myself. Iluth. Steady now." He lay down nnd shut his eyes as if in natural repose. Only his right band, caro lecsly placed under his pillow, closed on the handle of his pistol. FMkner quietly slipped Into tho pu.ssago. Tho light of tho candle faintly illuminated tho floor and opposite wall, but left It on clthor sldo in pitchy ob scurity. For soma moment tlio silence .was broken only by the sound of tho ruin without The recumlient figure In bed seemed to bavo ac tuMly succumbed to sleep. Tho multitudi nous small noise of a house in reposo might have been misinterpreted by cars less keen than the sleeper's; but when the apparent creaking of n far off shutter was followed by the sliding apparition of a dark head of tan gled hnlr at tho door Leo had not been de ceived, nnd was prtqiared as if be bad seen it. Another step and tho figure entered thu room. Tho ihxir closed Instantly behind It, Tho sound of u heavy Iwdy struggling ogMnst tho partition outsldo followed, and thon suddenly censoiL Tho Intruder turned and violently grasped tho handle of tho door, but recoiled at a quiet voice from tho bed. "Drop that, uud como here." Ho started Imck with an exclamation. Tho sleeper's eye were wide open; the sleeper's extended arm and pistol covered him. "Slloncol or I'll let that randlo shine through you." "Ye, captain!" growled tho astounded nnd frightened halfbreed. "I didn't know you were here," Leo raised himself nnd grasxxl tho long whip In hit left hand and whirled It round hi bend, "U'lKloudryup!" The man sank Imck against tho wall In silent terror. "Open that door now softly." Manuel obeyed with trembling fingers. "Ned," said Leo in a low voice, "bring blm in hero quick." Thero was n slight rustle, and Falkncr np- ixttrvd. Kicking In nnother gasping figure, whoso eye were starting under tho strong grasp of the captor at his throat. "Silence," said Lee, "all of you." There was a breathless pause. Thu sound of a door hesitatingly opened iuthopaisago brokn the stillness, followed by thu gentlo voice of M rs. Scott. "Is anything the niatU!" Ieo made, a slight gesture of warning to Kalkner, of menace to the other. "Every thing's tho matter," he called out cheerily. "NcdS managed to half pull down the house trying to gut at something from my Mddlo bags." "I hope he ha not hurt himself," broke in another voice mischievously, "Answer, you clumsy villain," whispered Leo, with twinkling eye. "I'm all right, thank you," responded Kalk ner with unaffected awkwardness. There wo a slight murrouriugof voices, and then the door was heard to close. Lee turned to Kalkner. "Dlor.n that hound and turn him loose out side, aad make no noise. And you, Manuel! tell blm what his and your chance are if bo shows his black face here again." Manuel cast a single, terrified, rupplleat Ing glance, more suggestive than words, at hi confederate, as Kalkner shoved him be fore blm from the room. The next moment they were silently descending tho stairs. "May I go too, captain f entreated ManueL "I swear to God" "Shut the doorl" The man obeved. Conticued Next Week.) .i .a,.