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the Worth | TJfc LOVE STORY %f A GRAY JACKET By Randall Parriih i Author? r* ILLUSTRATIONS BT ARTHUR R. WILLIAMSON 1 turned toward w>*rn the little gtaat bsd been Bitting, but bo was not to be soon. However, tbs sound of my voice aroused Marls to s full sense of ear danger, nor was she a woman to u sei t?te in Auch emergency With n single stride she crossed the nar? row room, caught tbs white-faced hero ?IPs Heeses," the Said Harshly. by the collar of his shirt, dragged him tgaouilniously forth from beneath the table where be had sought rsfuge. eeeok him as shs would shake a toy dog. until his teeth rattled, and than flung him out of the door leading into the back shed. It waa dona so oy> seditiously that I could only gasp. "Now later thsr hole with ys, Jed Bungay?you as yer dorgs," aha panted furiously. "An' you uns foliar bim. I reckon I'm able tar handle that lot out tnar. even If it should bs Rad Lowrle aad his gang." Catching firm bold of Mrs. Bran nan's band I sprang down the single step and closed the door tight behind us. Jed had scrambled to his feat, and rubbing blmsslf vigorously with one bsnd. utilised the othsr to drag' outward a rough cupboard, which ap? peared to be a portion of the house Itself As It swung open there wss re? vealed behind It a falr-atsed openlug eitending Into the face of the hill. It was a most ingenious srrangement, doubtless finding frequent use in those troublesome times. Its presents par tlally esplslned how Jed had thus far escaped the conscription officer. Into this bole we entered one st a time, and wbsn the heavy cupboard had aeon silently drawn back Into place, found ourselves enveloped in such total darkness as to make any move- J moat a dangerous operation. I felt the clasp of ray compaaion's hand tighten, snd knsw that bar whole form was trembling from lntsnse eicite "Do not permit the darkness to alarm you," I wbisperad soRly, bend lag down as I spoks until I could feel her quick Ireathlng against my cheek. "Our visitors srs not likely to remain longsr than will be necessary to get somethlLg to eat. Thsy need never suspect our presence, snd all we have to do Is to wait patiently until they move on I only wish I could disco, it something upon which you might sit down." "Pray do not think ma a coward," she soswered. ' but I have heard of this man Lowrte in the Fedsrsl camps, aad I would rather die than fall Into bin haada ' I had heard of hire also, and of his outrageous treatment of women The toeuiory caused ma to cdaap my hand warmly over hers, and set my teeth hard "It mar not prove to be Lowrle at all." 1 said soberly: "but all these gantry are prstty inu.n alike. I fear. However, I promise that you shall never fall alive Into the hands of sny of their breed " Before she could answer ms other tksn by a slight nestling closer in the darkness. Bungay whlapersd: This ysra hols, Csp, leads dowa ter the right, an' comes out in a sort o' gully 'bout a hundred feet back Thar's light 'aough ter aee ter walk by a'ter ye turn the corner, 'bout twenty feet or so. Ton uns kin go on down tear If ya'd rather, follerla' ther dorgs, but 1 reckon ss how I'll stay right yore an' sorter see how ther ol' woman comae out. M<Where, where was Roderick then? One blaat upon hl* b?uTle horn Were worth s thousand* nen ' If you uns like ter see a durned good flgbt maybe ye better stay tew- ther ol woman Is plssn If she once glta her dander up " His voice was eiprssstve of great eapswieUoea, aad 1 bad reaaou to be liave bis fatth tu Maria would be Justified Before any of us, however, had time to change our positions we heard the fellows cooie stamping roughly into the cabin. The thin slabs which divided ui scarcely muffled their loud voices. "Well, old woman." exclaimed one in voice 10 gruff as to seem almoct as* mined, "pretending to be alone, are you, with all those dishes Bitting out on the table; just been eaten off, too. Have n't seen no strange paity along the road this morning, have ye?" "Nary a one," said Maria, and I knew from her voice she was standing close beside the fireplace. "Are you Mrs. Bungay?" "I reckon I am, If It's any o* ygr business." "Don't git nifty, old woman, or we're liable to give you a lesson in polite? ness before we leave." The leader dropped tbe butt of his gun with a crash on the floor. "Where Is the lit-1 Ue sneak, anyhow?" "Whet do you want of him?" "Want him to go 'long with us; we're hunting some parties, and need a guide. They tor us up the road a bit be knew every Inch o' these yere mountings." There was a pause, as If Maria was. endeavorlr* to decide at to the hon? esty of the sneaker. Her final answer proved the mental survey had not proven satisfactory. "Wal, I reckon," she said calmly,! "at you uns Ml be more likely ter find him down 'bout Connersvllle." "Then shut's all these yere dirty dishes doing oj the table7" "Hod sum Ya ikee officers yere: they Just rode on Iowa tber trail at you unr cum up." "Like bell!" ejaculated the fellow with complete loss of temper. "Set here, old woman, we're too old birds to bt caught with any such chaff. We'll take a look around the old tb#> bang anybcw, and while we're at it you put something on the table for mt and my mattt to eat" The voice and manner ware rough, but I waa impressed with a certain ac? cent creeping Into the man's speech bespeaking education. More, in spite of an appartnt effort to make It to, hit dialect waa not that of tboae moon taint. Even aa he uttered these ittt wordt, throwing into them a threat more In the tone than the language. I became aware of a thin ray of light pene? trating the aeemlngly solid wall jutt in front of me, and bending silently forward could dimly distinguish the elliptical head of Bungay aa he applied one aye to a tmall opening he had industriously made between the logt. Oratplng Mrt. Brennen firmly by the hand ao that we should not become separated, I crept across the Interven? ing blacknett, and reached hit side. "Holy smoke Cap." tbe little man muttered in tuppresaed excitement, as he realised my presence, "it's a goln' ter be b'ilin' hot In thar mighty toon. Mtrlar't tteam It a rltln'." He silently made room for me. and, bending down to aa to bring my eye upon a level with his, I managed tc gain some slight gllmpte of the tcent within the cabin. Mrt. Bungay stood with her back, to the fireplace, an iron skillet firmly gripped In one hand. Her face was red with indignation, and there was a look In her eyes, together with a defiant tet to her chin, which prom-1 teed trouble. In front of her, care letsly renting on the table, hit feel1 dangling in the air, wat a sturdy looking fellow of forty or to, wlthi red. straggling beard covering all the lower half of hit face, and a weather? worn black hat pulled to low as al? most to conceal his eyes. His attire1 was nondescript, as though he hadj patronised the Junkshop of both armies. In bis belt were thrust a re?| volver and a knife, while withlu easy reach of hit hand a mutket leaned | agalntt a chair. Two others of the party, younger men, but even more roughly dressed than their leader, were lounging between him and the door. Bungay chuckled expectantly. "0 Lord! if they only git the o!' gal Just a little more riled," he whis? pered hoarssly, jumping up and downj on one foot in his excitement, "they'll hev tber fight of their life." "Do you know the fellows?" I atked. "Is that Red I,owrie?" He shook his head. "Never laid eyes on any of 'em afore, but ye bet they're no good. Reckon they're a part o' his crowd." The man who posed as the leader of the party picked up the empty cof? fee-pot beeide him and shook It. "Come, now. Mrs. Bungay he com? manded, "I tell you we're hungry, so trot out some hoecake and fill up this pot. unless you want to reckon with Red Lowrle." The woman stood facing him, yet never moved. I could see a red spot begin to glow In either cheek. If I had ever doubted it, 1 knew now that Maria possessed a temper of her own. "You ain't no RnU Lowrle," she re? torted The fellow laughed easily. "No more 1 ala't, old woman, but I reckon we ain't so durn far apart when It comes to getting what we go after. Come, honett now, where It the little white-livered cur that runt thlt shebang ? ' Whatever Maria might venture to call her lord and master in the privacy of home, It evidently did not soothe her spirit to hear him thus spoken of by another. "If .led Bungay wus hum," she aa swered fiercely, her eyes fairly bias? ing, "I i" < kon you would n't be sprawl in' oa thet thar table fer long." "Wouldn't I, now? Well, old hen. we've fooled here with you about as loag as I csre to. Bill, go over there I tug pUt seats ef that Bacoa ou to fry If she doesn't get out of the way T'll give her something to jump for.'* And he patted the stock of his gun. instinctively I drew my revolver, snd pushed its black mussle into the light under Jed's nose. "Shall 1 give him a dose?" I asked eagerly. "Not yit; 0 Lord, not yit!" he ex? claimed, dancing from one foot to the other In excitement "Let ther ol' gal her a show. I reckon she's good fer ther whole three of 'em, less they shoot." Bill came up grinning. He evident? ly unticlpated some fun, and as he reached oui a grimy hand for the slab of bacon, took occasion to make some remark. What it was I could not hear, but I noted the quick responsive flash in the woman's eyes, and the next instant with a crash she brought the iron skillet down with all her strength on top of the fellow's head. Without even a groan he went plunging down, face foremost, in front of the fire. In another moment shs was battling like a wild fury with the other two. It waa a Quick, intense struggle. The man near the door chanced to be the first in, and he received a blow from the skillet that most assuredly would have crushed his skull bad he not dodged; as It was It landed upon his shoulder and he reeled back sick and helpless By this time the fellow with the red beard had closed upon her, and wrested the sklllst from her hand. Struggling fiercely back and forth across the floor,. Maria tripped over the body of the dead dog and fell, but as she did so her fingers grasped the red beard of her antagonist. It yielded to her hand, and bare of faoa, save for a dark moustache, the man stood there, panting for breath, above her. Then suddenly, almost at my very aai, a voice cried, "Prank! Frank! I am heral" CHAPTER IX. I In the Handa of the Ins my. In the first surprise of that unex? pected joyful cry ringing at my very ears all my senses seemed confused, and I stood motionless. Then 1 heard Bungay uttar a smothered oath, and knew he bad wheeled about in the darkness. Unable to distinguish the slightest outline of his figure, I was yet Impressed with the thought that ha was endeavoring to muffle the girl, to prevent bar uttering a second cry. Impelled by this Intuition I flung out my arm hastily, and by rare good luck It came in contact with his hand. "None of that, you little cur!" I mutr tared sternly, unmindful of his efforts to break away. "No hand on her, mind you! Mra. Brennen, what does this mean?" She made no attempt to answer, but I could hear her now groping her way through the darkness toward the place of our entrance. Bungay detected the movement also, and made a violent effort to break loose from my grip, thst he might hurry after her. "You lit go o' ma," he cried ex* cltedly, "er, by goll', I'll uae a knife. Sha ll give this whole thing away If she aver glU out." For answer I hurled him backward with ail my strength and sprang after the fleeing woman. But I was already too late to stop her, even had that bsen my Intention. With strength yielded her by desperation, she thrust With a Crssh She Brought ths Iron Skillet Down With Ail Hsr Strength. j aside the heavy cupboard, and as the light swept in, sprang forward into the rude shed. With another bound, gath? ering her skirts as she ran, she was up the steps and had burst into the outer room. A moment Ister I also stood in the doorway, gazlug upon a scene that made my blood like firs. The fighting had evidently ceased suddenly with her first cry. Maria stood panting In one corner, the dead? ly skillet again in her hand, her hair hanging In wisps down her back. Still unconscious from the blow he had re calved, one fellow lay outstretched on the floor, his head barely missing the hot ashes of the fireplace; while his companion nursed his bruises and scowled from a safe refuge behind the table. The unshaven faces of several others of the gang were peering curl oualy in through the open door I know now 1 aaw all this, for the picture of It la upon the retina of memory, but at the moment every? thing 1 appeared to perceive or hear occurred tn the centre of the room. The man who had posed as the lead? er stood there alone fncing us. his expression n strange mixture of amazement and delight. He wna n powerfully built mnn, with keen gray eyes deeply aet In their sockets. His right hand rested heavily upon the hilt of a cavalry sabre, the scabbard I of which was concealed beneath the folds of the loug brown coat he wore. \ Aa Mra. UTsauau burst Uuuugh the doorway he stepped eagerly forward, hia eyee brightening, and they met with clasped hands. "Is It possible-?KdIth?" he cried, ai i: the recognition could scarcely ho credited. "Oh. Frank!" she exclaimed, eager? ly, "It seems all too good to be tree. How came you here?" "Hunting after you, my fair lady. Did you suppose you could disappear as mysteriously aa you did last night without my being early on the trail? Have these people injured you in any way?" And he glanced about him with a threat In his gesture "Oh, no, Prank," hastily ; "every one has been most kind. It was a mere mistake. But how strangely you are dressed! how very rough you look!" He laughed, but still retained hie warm clasp of her bands. "Not the pomp and circumstance of glorious war which yon expected, girl?" he aaked lightly. "But we have all sorts of conditions to meet down here, and soon learn in Rome to do an the Romans do." (TO BE CONTINUED.) Till: COTTON PLANTED. Report Shows Difference Between June and July. Washington, May 19.?The area planted to cotton in the United .State? last year and which was under cul? tivation at the end of June was 669, 000 acres more than the department of agriculture estimated in its pre? liminary report in July. A special in? vestigation waa made by the depart? ment, and with the assistance of the Census bureau's report on the quantity of cotton ginned, it reached the con? clusion that the area planted was 34, 766,000 acres instead of 34,097,000 acres the preliminary estimate. The area picked is estimated at 34,283,000 acres, indicating that the area aban? doned was less than 1.4 per cent. The revised figures will be used by the department in making its cotton acre? age estimates this year in July. Revised estimates place the acreage yield at 190.9 pounds instead of 193.2 1 pounds as preliminary estimated. S. C. a I. CLOSES SESSION. Sum ter Hoys Do Well, Winning Sev? eral Prizes. Edgefleld, May 20.?The graduat? ing exercises of the South Carolina Co Educational Institute were held in the college auditorium on lost even? ing. There were twenty-one gradu? ates in the literary department, five in bookkeeping and eight in steno? graphy and typewriting. Miss Ruth Cain of sumtrr read an essay on "Margins," Miss Katharyn Campbell of Augusta, on "Mirrors;" Miss Nell Jones of Edgefleld on "The Power of Music,'' and Miss Ida Lou Morgan of I Edgefleld on "Power oi Natural. Beau? ty." Hr. Hey ward Burgess of Sum? mer delivered an oration on "The Cause of Political Strife in South Car? olina." Mr. Edens, M., of Kumter was awarded a gold medal as the best drilled recruit. Mr. Edens, C, of Sum ter won the O. Sheppard medal aa the best drilled cadet. The medal for the best drilled private was won by Cros? by, D. of Chester. The medal given ; bp the cadet corps v^a tvou by Ivil jgore, A., of Orlando, Fla, State Senator B. E. Nicholson de? livered the literary address which I was an intellectual treat to all pres? ent. ! Ex-Governor J. C. Sheppard deliver? ed the diplomas to the graduates In a short, well chosen speech. He then I spent some time in eulogizing Col. Bailey and faculty and tpoke of the I great benefit the town of Edgefleld had derived from the S. C. C. I. and its ennobling influence. He said in conclusion that he was sure that he expressed the sentiments of all the well thinking people of the town In saying that it was with a feeling of j great regret and loss that they saw the Institution moved from their 'midst to Greenwood at the dose of the present .session. 1??-" jar AVAL CADETS TAUGHT A LES? SON. i, Unusual IVna.lty Imposed on 23 for Infraction of Regulations. - i Annapolls, Md., May. 20.?Punish? ment of rather unusual nature was today meted out to twenty-three mem bera of the third class at the Naval Academy. The youths had joined in a petition to the Secretary of Com? merce asking him to intercede in a case of a classmate who had been found deficient in his conduct grades. As their action was In violation of naval regulations, tho offenders in? stead of enjoying the usual shore I liberty during the summer cruise, are t.? undergo special Instruction in the regulations, When they return to the Academy after the cruise they are to be denied the usual summer vacation atoi will have to pass an examination in the .subjects they have been study? ing on durklg the cruise. Secretary) of the Navy Daniels, ir. referring the matter to Superintend? ent Gibbons tor action, severely cen? sured the younw men I -?.?? kT. R." TO PUSH LIBEL SUIT. Publisher Charge*! That Colonel Curses, Me* and Get* Drunk. New York, May 21.?Theodore Roosevelt will leave Saturday for Marquette, Mich., to press the libel! suit he has brought against George', Newett, publisher of the lshpemlng Iron Ore. Mr. Roosevelt will he accompanied hy many men of national note, among whom are Robert Bacon, ex-Secretary [of State; William Loeb, Jr., Glfford Pinchot and Jacob Rlis. The cause of the libel suit was a statement published in the iron Ore, a trade journal, to the effect ihat "he (Roosevelt) curses, lies and gets drunk frequently and all his friends know this." i The defense will try to prove that Mr. Roosevelt was drunk when he made one of his three speeches in Duluth. The Colonel announced today that he expects to spend his vacation this summer in Arizona. He will leave here early in July, taking with him two of his sons, and will hunt four or five weeks In the Southwest, most of the time in Arizona. The trip is to be purely a pleasure trip. LOYAS TO THEIR GOVERNMENT. | Claimed Japanese Do Not Care to Be? come American Citizens. San Francisco, May 2U?Of fifty Japanese born in Honolulu and eli? gible to American citizenship, only fifteen have availed themselves of the opportunity, according to the state? ment of Gilbert D. Metzger, a Hono? lulu contractor, who arrived today. "It has been my observation,' he said, "that Japanese are absolutely loyal to their own government and do not care to become American citizens or permanent residents even When they may." The Hawaiian Islands have a pop? ulation of Japanese laborers estimat? ed at 75,000. ARMOR PLAN CROOKED. Daniels Denounces Plan CmhI by De? pertinent in the Past, ^ Washington May 21.?Responsi? bility for Price agreements among manufacturers furnishing armor nlate for American warships was placed dl* rectly upon the navy department itself today by Secretary Daniels. In a statement following his announce* ment yesterday of his Intention to submit a plan for a government armor plate plant, the aecretary declared the policy of the department in dividing plate contracts among all bidders at the lowest figure ottered "makes all pretense of competitive bidding to get the lowest market price a fares that can not possibly deceive any one ac? quainted with the facts." Mr. Daniels said he was glad the resolution for an investigation of this matter, introduced recently by Sena? tor Ashurst, was before congress and that it only anticipated a formal state? ment which he proposed to prepare requesting relief from "an intolerable situation." GREAT RUSH FOR CHINESE LOAN - '1 Everybody Anxious to Lend Baby Republic Money. London, May 21.?So great was the rush of the public to secure a por? tion of thf new Chinese loan, whk-h was opened for subscription today that the issuing banks closed their lists at 11 o'clock this morning. Then it was announced that the loan had been largely over subscribed. It was quoted at 1 per cent premium by sellers. i Germany's Share Over-subscribed. Berlin, May 2a.?The portion of the Chinese loan alloted to Germany was heavily over-subscribed today, the entire amount issued being cover? ed by non-negotiable subscriptions alone. The Contestants and How They Stand District Number One. f*ff* This district Includes all territory within the incorporate limits of the City of Sumter. At least two prises will go to this district with opportunity of winning one or both of the grand prises. Miss Kathryn Stubbs, 11 Washington ?? .101.290 Mrs. Richard Wilder, Magnolia St.. ?? ?.?* 9Ml* Miss Georgia Beetham, S. Salem Ave. ?* ?. 63.695 Mrs. Jullau D. WUder, Magnolia St.. 69.660 Miss Mabel Myers, w. Bartlette St.. 46,026 Miss Boucher DeLorme, Bartlette St.*.? ?? 7,030 District Number Two. District Number 2. All territory north of the Columbia branch of the Coast Uno R. R., on the west of Sumter and tbe Darling* ton branch of the Coast Line R. R. on the east of Sumter. At least two prises will go to this district with opportunity of Win? ning one or both of the grand prizes, Wstptii I'ltppr Mrs, Clinton Dixon. r 41,060 Miss Nonle Scarborough.? *. ?5 J 6T. CHARLES. Miss Juanita Wilson. 69,330 Miss Jennie McCoy.a* be ?? ? 38,160 Miss Bertha Tallons. 0,200 REMBKRT Miss Mary Harllee.. 100,760 Mrs. W. J. 8pencer.. ? ?1.090 Miss Juanita McLeod.?? m ?? . 66,260 OSWEGO. Miss Melle Brown. ?5,376 WEDGEFIKLD. Miss Bessie Ryan. 14,700 HAGOOD. Mrs. Crawford Sanders. 101.060 WISACKY. Mm. W. W. DesChamps.?. 16,400 SUMTER No. ft Mrs. Docla M. Josey. 96,060 DISTRICT NO. THREE. District No. 3. All territory south of the Columbia branch of the Coast Line R. R., on the west of Sumter and the Darlington branch of the Coast Line R. R.. on the East of Sumter. At least two prizes will go to this district with opportunity of winning one or both of the grand prizes. t ^ g | 1 ^ ^ tis * PAXVILLE. >?f|ft4ef|M Miss Pearl Prltchard.. ... mm ksj +m ad sss sss Oo.&.ft Mrs. Ben Pack. ?. ?? ?? ?? aa sat an f.oM PTNEWOOD. Miss Leo Broughton.. .. ?*'m ?? m M w ?? ??"??**? ?o.Hej Miss Bessie Geddings. ?* m ?-? O*3* MAYKSVIDLE. .. Mrs. J. H. Wilson.?. 68.130 Miss Minnie Chandler. 46.000 Mrs. Hugh Wltherspoon.?. 49,176 Miss Carrie Anderson.?. 7,490 REM3NL Miss Alma Felder.? 8,586 LYNCUBCRG. Miss Docla Keels. 86,026 DURWOOD. Miss Coro Truluck. 90,720 O&ANTA. Mise L. Bell Moore, R. F. D. 66.216 ELLIOTT. Mrs. J. O. itodgers. 90,126 SUMTER, lt. V. D. NO. L Miss Lessle Jones.????...??.? 22.090 TUHBEVILLE. Miss Pauline Jones. , tl $8 " 1 70,e30 BROGDON. Miss Kate Brogden.gjee sj as ? ismsi