Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders Among the Kentucky Mountaineers

ore break of day, lighting the cook-fire that Washington had laid for him. Wisp

l a march on me, didn't you?" she chid

hat was why I said

away without my getting up to see you off, did you?" she

is an indication of what you folks may have to contend with up here. The Kentucky mountaineer is not a gentle animal. He is a man of almost

and that the whistle of a bullet is not a new nor a particularly terrifying sound to us. I hope you wi

y-I-I did

s blankets within a yard of you, neatly folded, and a slip of paper pinned to the top

so and

ht. About the man Jeremiah Long, who calls himself the Mystery Man, I ha

nd before breakfast, too. I am proud of y

o me until a few moments ago. There is something mysterious

r face took on a th

ped out of camp. I do not believe he went far, but that where he was he could see and hear all that was going on. Later he must have hurried around

nly. I am grateful for what he did for us, of course, but, Grace, I do not wholly

emiah will play an important part in our operations up here in the Kentucky mountains. We won't get worked up over him at present, anyway. To change the subject, I haven't told you that Elfreda has adopted Little Lind

out big and she will be a very rich girl by the t

s,

h him to the tethering ground, first having seen to it that Tom's pack contained sufficient food to last

l her companions. By the time they came out she had breakfast ready for them. Washington, who slept in a

a burning house in the night. If you are, the house and yourself

kled Emma Dean hoarsely, for the chill of th

my Nora ever listens to her husband is when he talks in his slee

w ye can't talk in your sleep because

The girls regarded Grace inquiringly when she informed them that their lat

and stolen away," observe

ld," differed Hippy. "He folded his blankets and hiked

ere is the next camping place?" questi

s 'bout er whoop an'

at?" chuckled

tilting her nose up, her head inclined over her right shoulder, a characteristic pose for

d Elfreda Briggs. "Were you a man, some one surely would flatten it f

ing abused by my companions," retorted E

e said they must make an early start, not knowing how far it was to their day's destin

foot-paths and we can make no

laying his new harmonica. The going was slow and tedious and the Overlanders were tired when they halted for a rest and lunch

nt screeching of the harmoni

ise!" roared

inging up, shaking her head to

he was shifting and shuffling uneasily. "Ah seen his face. He war a peekin' through the b

reaming," s

me on de nose an' waked me up. Ah seed de man

u 'sawed' him, Wash," said Emma Dean, who ha

es

wards the spot i

ntil I have had a look," begged Grace,

a well-marked trail where the bushes had been brushed

rutinized the ground, and, with a f

t?" she

They had followed Grace and Hippy and were eagerly p

y have left in the moss is unmistakable. This looks as if he had rested his

ft boot. By looking at the impression of the right boot you will observe that it sunk in deeper, meaning, probably, that he threw his weight

Sherlock!' How do you

ng to follow out this trail a little way. Pe

accompany her, but G

ut for the camp. If I need y

Elfreda. "What is to be gained? Not

o, so you might as well save you

re so stubborn,

lost to their sight in a few seconds, moving on through the tangle of bu

Briggs. "We surely have ma

e," reiterated Hippy. "Keep your e

ning with his heavy army rev

questioned Anne. "Grace said

ep quiet and listen. Stop that noise!" warned Hippy as Wash struck a chord on his harmoni

startled the

a listening attitude, but before the words had left his lips, in fact, instantly

t's a service revo

ree more shots in quick succession, two o

ed Nora Wingate.

there was nothing in his movements to indicate that his knees were shaking. Hippy Wingate knew no fear, as befitted a man who had