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Show • ) 100 n o :E n u c Ir . '· penrod. Upon examination, it 'vas found that a bullet ha<l passed through the collar of l\Ir. Palmer's coat but he 'vas unhurt . ' "It "r:ts 1\-likc," he remarked, but he offcrecl no conjecture as to the probable n1otivc of the as:aulL, nor diJ he propose pursuit. This incident renewecl the a.,..o..., ·itation and alann of the ladies, and detained the colonel still longer. At length he started homc' varcl. During his absence fro1n Roebuck events had happ ened 'vhich it is necessary now· to recount. On Sunday afternoon his daughter, Julia, 'vent two or tbrcc n1Hcs from home to visit a poor "\YOn1nn 'vho wns sick. Fin ling the won1an quite ill she rctnained wiLh her until it 'vas growing dark. '"l"'hen, 1nonnting her h orse-her favorite tc Arab "-she started homeward alone. IIcr road 'vas little more than a briclle-paLh, and led through the skirt of a wood by the spring which 'vas called the Poplar Spring, and ·which, it may be remCinbered, l\1ike had appointed as the place 'vhere Jake and Onto 'vero to 1neet hin1 nbout tho same }Jour that Jnlia 'vas riuing hon1e. The spring rose j u~t beside the path and flo,ved acros. it. When J nlia 'vas pa . .ing it her horse dropped his he:-tu to drink, and .·he pern1itteJ hi1n to stop. "\Vhile he was drinking three negro n1cu stepped into the path. Ono of thCln seized the bridle; the other t'vo po~te<l them~ Rcl \·es at each side of the horse. Each of them cnr .. ric<l a clnb. They said nothin\1'. She was surprised, bnt she ·was not accustomed <t=>o fear negroes. E i von their for1nidable nppearnncc and n1ovmnent did not deprive her of courage. Instantly dra;wing her re~n, she ·Lruek Arab sharply ·with her riJing-switch, mtcndiug to break away from the fellow 1-vho held tho llOETIUCIC. 101 bridle. The hors? t;prang forward, but the negro held fast, and threw hun back on his haunches. "You better be quiet," he then said. She leaned forward and struck hi1n across tho face ·with hm· Rwitch, saying, "Begone ! ho,v dare you?" IIo winced, bnt still held the bridle. "Better be quiet, I tell you agin, 1\liss Fa.i1fax ; yon shan't be hurt ; close up dar, boya; don't let her git away." "vVho are you~" "l's Pahncr's 1\liko. I don't keer 'vho kno·ws me, but I 'von't tell you ·who clcse other fallers is." " What arc you going to do 'vith me ~" "Jis take you to a safe place." "For what purpose ?" l\fikc made no reply. lie sot the party in 1notion, turning from the road into the pathless 'vood, hin1sclf holding the bridle and tho other two men walking close by the sides of the horse. They ·went on silently for some time. '~I:'heir progress 'vas slo,v among the trees and thickets. Their course led them into the deepest part of tho forest. Julia, ignorant of theh· design and of her destination, a prisoner of three black mfiians, could not 'vholly resist the Jepressiug influence of these alarn1ing cirClun. tanccs. In the glo01n of night and of the 'vildcrncss her hnagination 'Yat5 filled with frightful visions of coming danger. She wakhcd in vain for so1ne opportunity of escape. ''everal tin1es she atten1pted to converse with her capLo. rs and to learn her probable fate. Bnt they Jnaintamecl a sullen and 01ninons silence. Still her natural courage was not quite subdued. By a vigorous cilort she kept her faculties in reaclinc. s for an mucrgcuey or an opportunity, in spite of the quick ~ating o.f her |
