A Daughter of Maryland.

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1119, 14 October 1904, Page 4

A Daughter of Maryland.

CHAPTER I-(Continued),

"I don't seo how Robert cnn go rocing atter those holf-wild dogs to day. "Why! it Beems more like midsummer than early autumn, Get me my book, Furah, and we will go down to our favourite catulpa, It looka dolioiously cool down there." " An' look I missus, I borrily h'lieve it am goin' to be cooler fer dat cloud soon bide dat bud." Annan saw with surprise that within a few minutes a dark rim of clouds had rison above tho mountain range. •' Thoie is going to bo a storm, Furah, and it is coming up rapidly. Toll Mrs Ralsion to see that tho house is put in order as soon as possible, I hope Robort will get homo before—my I- who is that coming up tge road at suoh break-neck speed."

"It'sS'posen Jones, missus 1 I sh'u'd know dat bob-up ob his'n cl'an outon sight," " Well, you hasten to Mrs Ralston with my message, and I will meet S'posen at tho gate. \Vhat can have happened that ho rides like that ? Perhaps Uobert- has met

with an accident, How I tremble!"

Though immediately losing sight of the road as sho ran down the pathway, she was enabled to mark the advance of tho ridor by the dense cloud of dust thatai;oso above him.

Aurun had barely reached tho gate between two gnarled old beeches guarding the entrance to tho grounds, when tho outcoming rider dashed furiously up to the spot. Catching sight of Mr Lancior he stopped the hoadlong gait of his horse with an abruptness that not only throw the animal baok upon hiß haunches but sent him flying heels oyer head to tho earth. "Whathas happoned, S'posen Jones? Hayo you lost what littlo black wit you had?"

" 'Scuae IH3, Miaeiß Orry; 1 'spect I did cut a fidget comin' up do road datway. Golly 1 dut air tura'lo did shako me up 'monsously, B'pec' 1 break my t'ick head one ob Jese days." He had uot himod that bis wild ride had any more serious object than a caprice ofhiß heedless naturo, aud with a breath of rolief she said: ( " What a lright you gave rnc, S'posen, riding as ii something had happened. On - such a day as this, too; you will ruin the horae, Tako him to the stablo at onco; and mind you that ho has a good groominc." S'poson Jones stood'for a momont ]<ko one bewildered, and several times he soerned about to speak: but linallv ducking his head ho started in the direction o( the stable, leading the overdriven horse by the rein. 11 What a thoughiless set (hoy aro!'' ex» claimed Miss Lancier, as sho started back towards the mansion. Dpon reaching the more elevated position in front of the mansion, she found that the storm cloud was fast enveloping Ibowestorn sky like the dark wavo of a wind-riven sea, At ono point tho dark, ethereal mass had broken apart and she foil to watchiug the jagged divisions, which Boon began to surge back toward oaoh othor, seeming to her vivid imagination the shadowy outline of two armies about to engago in batie, Sho fancied the bolder and partially dotached shapes were the captains of tho warring elements, when sho was aroused from her roverio by tho sound of heavy footsteps close behitrf hor, Looking swiftly around sho was surprised to find S'posen Jones confronting her, his dusky-lined visngo hav- ■ Ing an unwontod paleness and his eyes rolling fearfully. " 'Deed, Missus Orry, I didn't mean to. 'Twas dat tum'le dat cl'an knockod de sense out ob dis woolly hoad: 'deed 'twas." " What is it ? What hr.s happenod, S'posen 1 You look as if you had been /rightoned almost to death," "So I has, missus, so I bus. I spec' Uncle Eros' is cl'an doad obor de ribber by dis time, and Aunty, sho toll mo to ride like de win 1 an' fin' yo, an' dat yo' come to him tor wunst: He i?ot somfin' berry 'portant to say," "What do you mean, fj'poson? Is Uncle Frost worse ? Does ho want me to come and see hiui?"

" Dem's de borry words he used, missus. Yo' see ho took berry much wuss dig forenoon, an 1 don' lib bng, tfo says ho mus' see yo' ter wunut, I rid like de win' to git hynr."

"Why didn't you tell mo then?" " S cuso mo, Missus Orry. I don' spoo' 'twas dat tum'le an' dot look yo 1 gub me dat knocked de 'membranco out ob my woolly head, 'Peed I'se sorry—" Aurian stopped him with a wave of her hand. Uncle Frosl was a well-known person to hor, faoing a freo negro living along what was called " Wind iiiver Valloy." Notwithstanding (heir difforont stations in life, a strong friendship had existed betwoen them as long as she could remember. She had known of his illness, and had intended to visit him at tho first favourable opportunity. " You say Undo Frost is very much worse, S'posen, and that ho sont special I word for me to oome at onco."

" Dat's de solomn fac', missus; an' I cl'an forgit—" " Put tho bridlo and saddle on Mm o as quickly as possiblo and bring him to the door, whilo I get ready to stort. You aro to go with mo on Gyp," " Sart'in, missis; I'll havo Mazo hero ir. n jiffy, ducking his head and shambling away in the direction of tho stable, CHAPTER 11, ADVENTURE AND 10VE, Disappearing into the houso as sho gavo ber last ordor to b'poson, Aurian soon reappeared in hor dose-fitting riding habit and jaunty cap, looking it saemod moro beautiful than beforo, Shn was ploasod to find that tho sluggish African had acted with unusual celerity for him and that ho v/fts actually loading her lavouritohorso to tho door.

"Didn't I tell you to tako Black Gyp and coido with?"

'"Deed yo' did, Mirsus Orry; an' I' m gam' back artor him liko do win', as soon as'l ace yo' (air solf snfoly mounted," "You need not slop for that. Lot mo have Maze's rein. Now hasten and got Gyp and follow /no. If Robert (jots homo beforo 1 cotno back, Furali, tell him whoro 1 liavo gono, Holp Mrsllnlston look after the house in caso it rains, Tho clouds look brighter and thoy may break awav yot." She had already sprung lightly into tho saddlo, and touching the spirited Mazo lightly, sho was borne down tho pathway at a smart canter.

"How dat girl do ride!" exclaimod Furah. " I s'pec s miflin but she git her neck broken or twieted, ono ob deso diys, I wonder whar dat lazy S'poson gone now. Dia am do 'oasian wo'on I mus' settlo dat word wid him."

Sho must lmvo had an oxtondod search lor her darky lover, or tho settlement of " dat word had required a long argument. for it was fully fifteen minutes later when she ran into the house and ho rodo sway on tho back of Black Gyp In her anxiety to roach tho homo of Unole Frost, Miss Lancier did not |givo it second thought to her laggardly attendant but dashed down tho Sharpsburg turnpike at suoh furiona speed as to call upon her surpriaod looks of all whom she met or passed on tho way. But. leaving the

By J, Waldo Brown ssssss

main highway about a mile below Kyivnnia and'following tho rood loidinp along the windins, lonely valloy of Wind ltivcr, whero the way w»o almost constantly oTcrlmng on ihe one sido by frowning mountain ridges, and on the other fliinkod by tho deep rocky bank of the stroMn, now climbing stoep ascents, anon descending dizzy declivities, she was obliged to oiten slaclton Mazo's speed to a walk. Standing out in bold relief on tho left hand at the enteranco to this mountain defile wero huge rocks piled onoabovo another in such positions as to form upon a gigantic scale tho almost porfoct outlines of a human foce, no part being wanted to make up tho features of this ruggod countenance which had been named "The Stone Sentinel," and tho paßsway at its base "The Sentinel's Gateway. (To be continued