The Night Riders

itchen with the supper dishes, for on court days this meal was always a late

. When she came into the house after he had ridden on, the seal of secrecy being the price the Squire required of her for the informati

e the contrary. Indeed, her face bore the unmistakable impression of an impending disast

ing troubling you," insisted S

he other grudgingl

at's the

n a person don't know what minute they're liable to lose the very sh

ch danger?" asked

the speaker gave a most gloomy shake of h

something seriou

showin' what's on m

don't you say wha

how is a person to do?" asked Mrs. Brown in dire perplexity. Her p

," said Sally emphatically; "I'm not a c

, "and that, too, when you'd be sure to find it out in a mighty little wh

e girl. "Then it's some

ed her mother with exa

've quite as much right to know as you

o make you uneasy any sooner than was necessary. That

the girl with shrewdly feigned graciousness. "So

ow much he really thinks of

ng to me the other day about the raiders; what did he have to say to you?" she a

d be badly frightened if you knew

girl excitedly, no

ition. "You partly guessed it, though. I didn't tell you out and out." She came a little closer to

oes he

me, but he's fou

s?" cried her hearer i

t of the impending raid. "We'll likely have the roof burned over o

er mother's evident distress of mind. "There's another s

danger in the thirst for further knowledge of this generous offer. "Has the

she added to herself, with a pretended flare of courage that was far from real. "What does the Squire t

own now to get men to come an' guard the gate, an' he hopes to ketch the las

irl impulsively as a sudd

urning on her daughter in quick wrath. "Is Milt Derr one o

ble it would bring to a lot of innocent people," she hastened to explain. "Of course these raiders have friends and kinfolks, likely some of 'em acquainta

a of you takin' up for them miserable law-breakers, an' them tryin' to burn the very roof

e right," persisted Sally. "I sa

. Brown, "you, that's dependin' on a livin' by takin'