Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-02-26
CHAPTER NJ.

CHAPTER NJ.
II was late when Col. Meredith reached
Windy Gulch that night, hut he found
Dorothy waiting for him in his room,
her face marvelously like his own In Its
expression of cold, set severity. She
gave him no smile, no conventional
words of greeting as he entered. did
YOU win the case?" she abruptly de-
handed.
swell, rather" he dryly returned.
smiling gocd humoredly at her tense
eagcrness, us he supposed on his ac-
count. 1T was foregone conclusion.
They had not shred of evidence to
offer"
sowing to the fact that Mr.. Neil ano
his principal witness were kept away
The colonel stared slightly, struck by
n certain Oddly in the tone. THAT cut
no figure Mt ALL" he shortly declared.
"They had no case. 1t was bunco game
from first to last, rs have told you be-
fore. But now that your curiosity Is
satisfied, perhaps you will spare me fur
tlier discussion Of the matter tonight,
Dorothy. You ought to have been IN
bed an hour ago; and for longer than
that / have been wishing that wcrc,'
emphasizing the statement by weary
yawn. Good night"
"Just one minute" she stonily stil'-
ulated, locking her hands more tightly
together rs she stood before him. II
don't want those men TO be unjustly
blamed; l want 70 tell you that / did
IT,"
"Did what, in heavens rame?" cjacu-
lated her father impaticntly, looking Mt
her us though half sus2ecting that she
had taken leave Of her senses.
Twent up to the mine this afternoon
and told the men that you had sent
word that Mr.. Neil was to be released
"You dido" On the instant the sleepi-
ness had vanished from the colonels
face, and the intcrjection was sharp as
the crack of n whip; but his tone was
Jelly calm as after moments pause, he
tremendously added: "Sit down,
please; and perhaps you will he good
enough to explain yourself"
81 did not know about it until ! was
coming up from dinner" she said, in II
dull, narrative tone; II had been writ
ing letters in my room all the morning.
and OF course heard nothing; but the
minute they told me, recalled the con-
versation in this room yesterday and
,,rInreNna1 ttt 4 ehnul1 mot hnra
meddled; / should have lived through
the disgraceful knowledge that you
were accessory to such crimc-l could
have borne II somehow IL had not hap
pened to remember what you told me
about the pumps that first day i was
up at the mine, when you were show
ing me about and WAS asking so many
questions. You said IL the pumps
stopped, the mine would fill with water
In "a hours. could not sit here-how
could I?-thinking that through the
Vaccinations OF that wicked McCrcady,
you might even ut that moment be in
directly conniving at murdcr!-l nj
most went mad with the thought OF II!
until l could stand II no longer; and
then l ordered my horse and rode up
there"
''And made precious fool Of your
self" calculated the colonel. savagely.
"There was not the slightest danger
of the fellows drowning. and II your
head were not so full of dime-novel
sensationalism, you would have known
better than to suppose TINT ] would
take chances of anything like that. |
thoughtlessly exaggerated when l said
that "a hours would I'LL the mine; the
lower levels did fill, for n fact; but he
would have been safe in the 100-foot
level for Mt least 80 hours longer. He
had blankets and plenty TO eat. 1t
may be that he found the situation
not altogether to his mind. but, II so,
Il only served him right. lie came
sneaking around, trying to bride my
men to go back on me, hoping to get
me in some sort OF hole, and instead,
slipped into one himself-a case Of bitter
bit. As for your posing US his deliv-
erer-" he stopped short. rs though
fairly choked with anger at the thought.
"Nobody could regret the pose more
than /; but 1t seemed TO be forced upon
me-" returned the girl, quietly, rs she
rose. Snow that have explained the
matter, however, need not keep you
out of bed any longer"
"Wait," exclaimed her father, sharp
", as she started toward the door. Il
should like to know how>your precious
protege took his deliverance. Did he
appreciate the situation? and did he
thank you prettily?" the last words
replete with biting sarcasm.
For the first time Dorothy's calm
seemed shaken. She glanced toward
the door a. though half disposed to
20 away without answering; and when
she spoke II was with obvious effort.
II was not there when be came out
o. the shaft; Of first II seemed hs
though could not face him, as though
must sink 10 the Garth In shnmcdf
bat felt his eyes upon me; but after
ward waited for him outHide-I felt
7 had to-and told him that Il was all
\ mi1tale-thnt you had nothing TO
10 With ~" her voice. which had bean
n||fTipe eeescd Fptlrfly ritll berl