The Night Riders

charming framing for her fresh complexion and pretty face, concealing it just sufficien

o of wavy hair escaping from its confines down her shapely, curving neck and throat

for her to perform, hoping the while that before the girl should be ready to start the Sq

e, quite grateful for the Squire's tardiness, and partly amused

eritage, the fresh morning air caressing her cheeks brought forth a bloom as soft and delicate as the rose of a summer dawn, while her spirits, whi

arm as it went, while in a softer strain came the gentle lowing of cattle from a pasture near at hand, and in the tal

breath-and looked back. The picture that she saw was one of serene beauty, with wide stretches of fallow fields, bathed in the

e, and over these shadowy sentinels, standing a-row, the purplish haze of autumn h

d paused. As she looked toward her home the Squire's old buggy came in sight around a curve of the road and stopped at the gate. Her mother came out and presently pointed in

she muttered, grimly smiling at the thought.

st certainly overtake her before her destination was reached. There was a smaller hill beyond, and toward this she now set out briskly

appily suggested itself as she reached a low stone wall running for some distance along one side of the road. She lightly climbe

another sound fell on her alert ear, as if a horseman were riding from the direction of the town. The person on horseback and Squire Bixle

a brief greeting, the

rogress have

an, in the peculiar drawling tones suggestive of the hill count

ire impatiently, with a ripping

's made up his mind to come to the next meetin' p

band propose doing?

t free

ow

ied that long enough. They're goin' to take thing

retorted the Squire, impetuously. "However, keep your eyes and ear

u posted, but it's r

to get the young rascal in the clutches of the law," added the speaker, with

at least get him in so tight a place that it will

d, I'd at least like to run him aw

innin' the gal," said the ho

the girl," answered the other with a touch of resentment manif

to overtake some one?"

re, evasively. "I was just thinking that there

re's no toll to pay," said the other,

as well over the intervening hill before she ventured from her hiding place.

o be some secret and illegal organization. No names had been called, yet a sudden subtle intuition warned Sally that she was, in point of fact, one of the interested parties to the conversation just