Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders Among the Kentucky Mountaineers

inging up the rear of the line just ahead of Washington a

d Grace as she burs

, and it was not until then that Nora Winga

, where are you?"

lose our heads. Spread out and search the clearing. First, tie

s pony. She found his rifle in the saddle-boot and his revolver in the holster suspended from the pommel. This dis

and fell off," declared Emma, after they

her hands. "Grace darlin', help me think. I ca

t his pony was lagging?" questio

it was twenty or

ed by coming in contact with an overhanging limb, though I

nd try to find him

here in charge of the camp. Get your rifles out and be on the alert. This affair looks

riggs

ed Grace. "You girls stay right here. Do not attempt to

rom the clearing they met Washington, whom Grace directed to go on and wait for them in the

side of the trail as we came along," said Grace, after they had left

spect somethin

here he left the trail. Does not Hippy's disappearance strike you as being a stran

es

yes open and move slowly. Should we find nothing there, we will w

She then laid a restraining hand on her companion's arm, and there they

to the bushes, to one side of the disturbed spot, and there Grace got down on her knees and examined the ground with infinit

you going?" a

n't k

ing only when she came to a spot where the brush had been trampled down ove

lue, and, after stepping over to the brook and gazing a

w?" aske

camp. We must hold a consultation. I do n

trampled down the bushes beside the trail, and that a horse has been st

iled Grace. "Come with me and

edge of the trail where they had

of their hobnailed boots. They stood facing each other, just as you and I are doing

too fast for me, Grace Harlowe. Are you gif

so plain that all you have to do, to understand, is to look at the

o

how easy it would be to do that without being discovered, the foliage being so dense over the trail. After unhorsing him they at least dragged him b

thing," reminded Miss Briggs, somewhat

here." Grace stooped over and, thrusting a hand into the bushes,

ognize it,

t!" Gasped

t!" gasped

ed over the head with the butt of a revolver, and the blow cut right through the felt. No wonder

is concerned, and marvelous so far as your visualizi

nk we shoul

n. "I should advise telling her all except about the hat. We can conveniently forget about the hat. He

nk so," inte

nsisted M

tell the story to N

time, as it might be useful as evidence. They then starte

da, without giving Grace an opportunity to speak, launched for

nd Emma slipped a com

ld live with him very long. I don't see how you ever stood it so long as you have

shly uptilted nose of the irrepressible Emma Dean. Nora laughed an

very well that you have one in mind. If they haven't killed him, my Hippy will yet beat those scoundrels at their own game. Any man who has fought duels w

ts separated from the party, the Overlanders were to go into camp at or as near the point of separation as possible, and wait ther

right here?

es

going to try to find

le time, so, with the approval of you fo

nd at once. That, too, was what Grace Harlowe would have liked to do, but she be

w the trail of thos

bilities are that they were sharp enough not to leave a plain trail where they came out. For instance, they could easily dismount their prisoner on a rocky footing wh

"My wheels are all turning t

t," prom

. While he was busying himself at this, the girls held a further conference. At it

hen on down the stream until she came in sight of a rocky clearing, where she belie

g that the spot would be watched by those responsible for Hippy's disappearance. She was not desirous of ta

the girls was posted outside the camp, secreted in the bushes, to prevent a su

at the opposite end, which, as she pointed out, would leave their tents in a shadow after dark, for there were a few

bedtime, eyes and ears being strained, not only

d to-morrow, what

," announced Elfreda. "If she does no

ing inadvisable," answered Grace quietly. "Elfreda, you

at a bed of coals might remain for some hours after the flames had died out, Grace and El

to be heard by one a yard away; in fa

w minutes of one when, as she gazed at the ill

whispered Grace. "It may have been

ground between the two gi

it?" whis

ke a section of a tree limb. Something white is

ith emphasis. "Sit tig

ace Harlowe sat almost motionless until the skies began to a

e had observed to fall. An old newspaper sheet was wrapped about it. This

g on the lower margin

round and eagerly read the wo

working in your behalf. In the mea

rien

eries that surrounded them, yet, as they pondered and discussed it, the message seeme