g that time I heard much about the two

allou, or been chosen by her, but since the night when Nellie Ewing rode away from the door, never again to be seen, Mrs. Ballou had vetoed the evening

ost-office to fetch the widow's mail, and great was my surprise when the grim postmistress present

a capacious coat pocket, and my own letter in a

he letter was a local one, bearing only the Groveland mark. Could it be that Farmer Rutge

ble, unburdened my pocket of the wi

candle-the widow objected to kerosene

ry, containing o

as effectually as did Nellie Ewing and Mamie Rutger, you will

. I was betrayed, or discovered. But the enemy h

n foul play; and that enemy was still

was printed; the letters were smooth and even, but perfectly characterless. It w

again that night, but

of milk, I encountered Miss Grace Ballou. She was feedin

hicks, Chris?" she asked; "an

re the chickens and express m

nearer me, and sa

y letters for any one ex

etters for any one, except

gly, yet somewhat surp

for a second, and then she

about my asking you, Chr

ice as usual, and the next mornin

letters for any

re only paper

for Grace, which, a little to my surprise, was promptly handed over by her mother. Whethe

be at the station to-morrow, and Gra

pressed her satisfaction, and announced that I should drive with

her's proposition, that he should ri

putting ideas into Grace's head; and-he hated girls anyway. And hop

then scarlet, and lastly, flew at he

wn, ten miles distant, where Miss Holmes would

ly dressed, and very self-possessed in manner;

ccompanied them while they went about making certain purchases that Mrs. Ballou had charged her daughter not to forget, and then he assisted them into the carriage, w

Ewings, and also of Mamie Rutger, and as she had not been in the vicinity since these young ladies had vanished, what more natural than that she sh

er never once passed their lips. Indeed, save for a few commonplaces, these two young

ght came, a feeling of humanity prompted me to buckle the saddle upon a young ho

rse, it was fully dark; and I rode slowly through the gloom, thinking that Groveland was ambitious indeed to bring the mail every day from a railway ten

y, I was suddenly transformed into an actual, crippled John Gilpin. From out the blackness of the hedge came a flash and a sharp repo

lash and a sharp report; my horse bounded und

racle that I did not lose my seat, for at first I reeled, and feeling the flow of blood, feared a loss of

bductor or destroyer of the two missing girls, had been very near me; that but for the unruly beas

hed his own barn-yard gate, and then he stop

eading my horse into the inclosure, I went straight to the house. I knew wher

here she invariably read her evening papers in solitude

n, either of anger at my intrusion, or of fright at sight of

o be silent, and closed the door carefully. After

coin money in the cattle trade, can surely keep a se

ed, starting slight

, and I have been shot to-night by the hand that has st

comprehended the

own easy chair. "And don't talk any m

I asked, de

ptuously; "I bl

tle in spite o

thing," I said, resignedly. "But I

ed, shortly. "Now be still; it

t obedient to her co

and towels, and from her own especial closet, soft linen rags. She bathed, s

n all was done, and I had been refreshed with a

ing yet, no doubt, and all dressed in sad

id, and hurrie

oments she

harm done," she announced, sitting

is all. Now, I will t

ssible, I told my stor

suspected; may I leave with you the task of telling

," with

or little I am injured. Can your woman's wit help me? I wan

surgeon, I think. There is a train to the city to-morrow at seven. I will get up in the morn

I exc

nly way. And now, would you

nd put it in her hand. She read

t heed this war

eed this warning?"

ed to find out

sly. "Now, go to bed, but first l

ed, as I rose to receive her assistance. "And I don't s

my shoulder and my hand touched

o, and pointin

one without letting Fred know it; he is always with me

ll silver-mounted six-shooter; "it is

w how to us

se it, if ever, thi

he said, qu

dreamed how effectively

ee, we drove out of the farm yard,

ardened hand reluctantly, and watched her drive away, thinking that she was the only really sensible woman I had ever