Out of a Labyrinth

"So much fer his big words; them'

o much fer his big words; them's the

ken for that of unmasked guilt. But his face told another story; blank amazement was all it expressed for a moment, then a gleam of comp

hose tools, fellow?"

e ye hid 'em, I reck

hundered the doctor

airs on me; ye know well

y, and straight from the shoulder

man nearest Briggs, "wher

Carnes, who answered quickly, an

onor, foreninst the wi

ehind me, and looking over m

he said, coming up beside me. "Wil

g the stable and dragging Carnes with him. When he had ascertained the exac

a sarcastic curl of the lip. "I am cu

o his feet, and who caressed a very red and s

hit. If you'll walk into my house I'll give you a pla

call. The well-trained animal came straight to its

y the sight of those earth-stained tools, and the general verdict was that "Bethel was bluffing, sure." When he emerged again from the sta

surgical aid, still grasping in his hand the pick, and followed by Car

mental employment of some sort, passed

have set my house in order. Those vand

I glanced in and saw him, not engaged in "setting his house in order," but sitting in a low, broad-backed chair, his elbows resting on h

both puzzled me. I went over to Jim Long, who ha

going to te

ewhat gruffly. "'Twon't be

he garden. Tom Briggs and his party had found a spot where the soil had

exploring ones, a new element of

resolution, then the father, seeing the work going on in the garden, uttered a sharp exclamation, and started hastily toward the spot, where,

lf standing together near the rear door of the house, and Jim still sitting aloof, the only ones now, save Dr. B

cations, oaths; and above all the rest, a cry of mingled angu

one of them holding something up to the view of the rest.

sat stolidly smok

d looked back. Dr. Bethel had flung wide open the shutt

g excitement of the searchers. They had found a tiny pair of shoes, and a litt

ckening horror, the father called upon them to find the body, and to aid hi

e workings of a mob, know how swiftly, mysteriously

cause of one their common cause, and forgetting personality, be

threats, imprecations

t party, joining them by threes and fours. These made some effort t

rascally

ng hi

m out o

g's too

r and fea

out; brin

a hold

cried one of the most earnest s

d toward the house I looke

l view, but Jim Long had disa

nce again through the house and cellar, a number of Briggs' cronies be

acle to their search,-the rear door was closed and barred agains

, swinging on one broken hinge; but the doctor's

can not enter my house, at least at present. You

and then the foremost of th

rty. I will allow my house to be inspected again by

the leader of the party, "we are too man

protect my property?" and he suddenly presented in the face

back, but they rallied again

single-handed; an' ye won't

aid Jim Long, as he suddenly appeared in the

he doctor's property, and he ran his eye

can't come in. Three of us can repea

n the last speaker of th

est make a rifle howl. Never saw me shoot, did ye? Now, jest

head, began a rapid retrograde movement, and, as Jim slowly raised his rifle to his should

e, "illyusterates the sooperiority of mind over matte

and then a sudden unnatural stillness, told of some new occurrence

y; all silent, and, seemingly, awe-stricken. Thus for a moment only, then a low

hay they had found th

ced open, and it was evident, from the position of the body

er, and his more thoughtful friends, took instant possession of the little coffin, the wrath o

active, and his two or three allies clamored loud

on was, according to a peculiar law governing the average human nature, the loudest to clamor for summar

ther fellow, who doubtless had good reason for doubting

opportunity afforded itself. Over and again, in various ways, Trafton had been helplessly victimized, and no

t the majority of the mob seemed united in their c

te, I turned to Harris, the younger

I said, "and come with me. They

rom the front. The doctor and Jim were still a

countenance locked in im

aid, nodding his head towa

air by the window, putting one in

eople by attempting to defend me. I assure you I am in no danger, and can deal with them sin

ow sill and leaped lightly out, f

g, discontentedly. "I'll stay in the fort till the enemy opens fire," and he dr

door, and arrived upon the scene just as Bethel, with his two hands in his coat pockets, halted midwa

an undertaking. His voice was drowned by their clamor, and as many eager hands were outstretched to seize him in their hard, unfriendly grasp

e opportunity. Advancing until he stood almost before Dr. Bethel

tantly, and, drowning the clergyman's voice under a chorus

the window, rifle in hand, and coming to the rescue.

ifle in hand, "Your medicine ain't the

remptorily, "we want fair play here," and he drew a pi

drew my own weapons

d, "let's give Dr.

the foremost of the raiders drew back, others advanced, and w

re was a breathless silence and then J

ook a here; ye mean bluff, we mean business. An' you chaps as has been supplied with

then a babel of voic

a fierce oath,-a cry of "stop," uttered in a clear fe

his assailants, and Carnes still grasped the pistol hand of Tom Briggs

the rescue, was Miss Adele Manvers. The other a tal

made a terrible mistake. Dr. Bethel was with my father from sunset last night until one hour ag

t to be questioned. The crowd fell back in manifes

pion ceased speaking and, seeing that her words had been effective, drew nearer to Mr. Harris, flushing and pali

im. "Dr. Barnard is half frantic since hearing of this af

en, kept near the group about the doctor; but out of view. I had noted the sudden flash of his eyes, and the lighting up of his face, when the fair unknown came among us.

d to have withdrawn into herself, and the fearless cha

ere, and I saw Mr. Harris now making good use of the opportunity these two fair women had ma

is, the earnest entreaty of Miss Manvers, and, more than all the rest,

are my keys; will you act as my stewa

d compreh

, grimly. "Don't ye have any uneas

ladies, you had better go at once; those fellows i

ends, I consent to retreat," said the besi

le pony ph?ton, owned by Miss Manvers; an

nard home; I intend to walk, and

ittle carriage, and, after a few words addre

few gracious words to Harris, the elder, smiled at Jim Long,

Gainsborough hat. "You can't never tell where they're goin' ter appear next. It makes a feller feel sort a ornary, though, ter have a couple o' gals sail in an' do m

s whimsical complaint, "wh

d's only darte

saw her

d must a had one of his bad turns this morning, so's he couldn't git out, or he'd never a

sticuff bout with Tom Briggs, and hastened to interpose; not through solicitude f

w that Carnes was engaged in a fisticuff bout wit

ave been drinking too much, I am s

ake; and ain't it all bekase I hild up his fist fer fear the blundherin' divil

air," I retorted, with additional sternness; "and so long as you remain in my service you

suppose?" sna

d, turning away from the two, with all th

hake! Seein' as I'm to be afther howldin' myself above yees in future, I won't mind yer airs

hat Carnes would not leave the premises so long as there remained anything or a

o I believed, th

deep laid plot, of which this affair

s in love with the

he treasure-ship jewels was

like myself; whether to warn him and so risk bringing myself under suspicion, or to let matters take their natural course a

courageous, quite capable of being more than he seemed. He was not a man to be s