Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders Among the Kentucky Mountaineers

egan talking to the man with his fingers in the deaf and dumb system. The s

h?" demand

ummy," apologized Hippy. "A

you wish?" questioned Grace pl

uh first. W

hrough the Kentucky Mountains partly for

busi

ed Grace. "Won't you sit down and rest before

' to answer

nk not

swer. Ah'm the dep'y Shereef of this 'ere deestric'.

"Next thing we know, the Lord High Executioner will

uestione

m Gray, whereupon Grace waved her han

be

y he doesn't speak English," said Emma in a voice loud enough fo

y, sir. Our purpose in visiting these mountains is a proper one. We are violating no law, have committed no crim

y. Hippy had risen and was s

o' these mountings right smart or Ah'll

" Grace smi

nded as if about to shake hands with their caller, but as he neared the

taineer's ear, at the same time turning the man ab

nd don't forget to keep that rifle pointed away from the

sprang away a few paces, then, suddenl

saw the man turning, and the bullet went over Hippy's head, and incidentall

ippy somewhat callous to bullets, as well as an expert in ducking. In the present instance, Lieutenant Wingate made so many ducks and dives, side-slips and Immelman turns

coming, which might be due to land somewhere near them. Not one of them had a weapon handy, nor would they have dared use them had weapons

the harmonica and dived head first into the bushes w

not find him. Believing, perhaps, that he had hit his victi

red Grace Harlowe, springing up and starting away on a zigzagging

et, had run back to the tethering ground, where the ponies and

ce where the tents were pitched and the campfire was burning, they separated and crept

nded a cautious voice a

ou wounded?"

trying to get

mp. We agreed not to go beyond the edge of the clearing so there might b

. Hark! Did y

shot on beyond where T

elled," cried Lieutenant Wingate. "I hope it is that pesky mosquito tha

sman and knows how to creep up on one without making a sound that a human being could hear half a dozen

with his ears muffled, failed to hear her coming, nor had she given th

, for the second time that night bowling G

e nearly frightened me out of my wits. The firi

n the mountaineer. Either he had been hit or he was still stalking the camp, and she must

emanded a low, guarded

you gave me a start tha

e aw

ou who sh

n in his shoulder, I think, spinning him clean around and dropping him. He was up and staggering away in a few sec

away," said Gra

he fellow, and was about to put a bullet through his leg when the r

nor do I know who did

back, calling out to the Over

Grace as the two emer

ng the critter?"

?" demanded Tom Gray, each askin

, and another laugh when both me

ington?" aske

y. "Hope the kid hasn't gotten in

ped on his neck and he uttered

n?'" observed Emma Dean. "We know who stepped on Laund

only our first day out and we have involved ourselves in a maz

eputy sheriff out of our camp," wailed Nora.

king about now is why the mountaineer came here to order us o

Tom dear," s

ton by the ear. "I found Laundry hiding in the bushes. Sit down there and behave yourself, Little Snowdrop,

he spectacle man walked up rubbing his hands and sm

o suddenly?" demand

horse and get my store-my g

urred after Long's departure, to all of which he listened attentively. "Somebody, we do

ry mysterious," answ

eda were regar

fire to-night, if you haven't any

n with the lieutenant and myself. There is room for three in our tent

heat it up inside of me and use it later to sell my goods. A promoter, you kno

a pneumatic pillow which she

believe there is much choice," said Grace. Then, in a lower voice: "I hope you

re talking about," he added in a louder tone, observing that

h Long observing her with twinkling