Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-05-29
The Swamp Secret
Copyright, 1894, by Robert Ronner's Sons.
CHApTER XIV

great CONSERVATION in the Boone house
hold when the absence of Mamie and
BhOda was discovered on Sunday morn
ing.
Mrs. Boone had passed a somewhat
sleepless night, and rose early. She busted
herself getting breakfast, wondering,
meanwhile, why Mamie did not come
down as usual TO help her.
Poor gall | s'pose she was jest beat
ont with what happened las night, =
thought her mother. Il don't wonder,
Rnther. l be, myself III let 'em sleep
till breakfas' is ready"
At last the meal was on the table, and
she went to the ladder leading to che
attic where Mamie and Rhoda were
supposed to be asleep, and called:
Come. girls, time you was up. It's
pas seven O'Clock, an breakfas' is reddy
an waitin' Be spry now. Mis- Hol-
dredge, air you UP yit?'
Yes, Mrs. Holdredge. who had occupied
the room belonging to Mamie, was up
and dressed and came into the kitchen
presently.
II didn't hear the girls a-stirrin' after
you'd called EN-" she said. 1T mus be
they sleep sound this mornin'."
Mrs. Boone went to the ladder and call
ed again.
No answer
Its curtis" she said. mamie amt
never hard to wake up"
She went up the ladder till she could
see into the attic
No one was there. The bed had not
even been slept in.
ooh. Mis- Hoidredge. they amt here?'
she cried. did you hear 'em come in
las night?'
No, Mrs. Holdredge had heard nothing
Of them.
Il do bleeye they must ha' stayed til
Ezry's, after all said Mrs. Boone. 'I'll
run right oyer'n' see You set down an
be eatin', Mis- Holdredge, afore the, Wit
ties git cold. I'll be right back"
But inquiry at Mr.. Porter's failed to
elicit any information regarding the
whereabouts of the missing girls.
'Hain't seen 'em sence about ten min
utes after you an Miss Holdrcdge lef'
las night" said Samanthy. Mus be
they took it intu their heads to go tn
Stevenses', though what should possess
'cm ia go there at that time o night /
cant see. You run right back home,
Mis- Boone, an I'll go over to the Ste
vcnses' an see Il they're there"
SO Mrs. Boone returned, with dismal
forebodings, while Samanthy started ont
on a search for the runaways.
"Fust its bosses they're a-huntin' an
then it's gals" said Samanthy, with a
SILVER rs she looked toward the barn
anu thought Of the dead man lying inside,
Them words o. the elders las night
was awful comfortin'. He don't think
] was tn blame, an bcin an elder. il
seems 5 eff he ought tn know, eff any
body"
The dew had fallen heavily, and Sa-
manthy thought it advisable TO so around
by the main road rather than by the
'cross-lots path through the, bushes. As
she came to the forks where she vas to
turn she looked down the hill, and away
. the foot of it she saw two females.
Marcy on usv' she exclaimed. Can
that be them? 1t looks like EN-, fer sar-
ain. What on airth d "a took EN- that
way? I'll wait till they come up"
She sat down on a log and waited.
Fer the lands sake, girls, where hev
We benz" she shouted, as soon as they
were within hearing distance.
Hunting horse thieves" answered
Mamie, who, though tired, was in the
hest OF spirits. Everybody else had
gone into that business and we'd thought
we'd see what we could do at it"
wall, l hope ye'vc found en- said
Samanthy.
I'VE have" answered Mamie. THAT
is, we know where they are, and the men
have gone after them, and we expect
they'll get them. Oh, Samanthy, I've
seen Dick. and il we hadn't got there just
as we did they'd have hung him. They
had him strung up over a limb when we
got in sight
20 Lord. You scare me-" cried sa-
manthy
said Mamie.
Rhoda corroborated her statement
Then Mamie went on to tell what have
already told the reader
The hand o. the Lord is in it, sale
Samanthy, solemnly Praise His holy
name"
Rhoda wondered if Samanthy WASH
going to get the power"
About nine o'clock Mrs. Boone looked
out and startled Mrs. Hoidredge witt
the announcement that "Samanthy'd go
en-"
II was almost sure they'd been stole
long with the bosses" she said, and be
gan to cry. And the returning wander
crs found her in tears.
Again their story had to be told, to ,
running accompaniment Of 20 Lordsn
and For the lan's sake!" and "Who'C
"a thought itg' from Mrs. Boone an,
Mrs HoIdredge.
..See here" said Samanthy. Not
word o. this mus git TO the singin teach
ar Ef it does he'll be li'tin' out afor,
The men git back
II was agreed that not a word of wha
had been done should be told to any one.
This compact having been enforced b.
repeated cautions on her part, Samanth!
went back home.
"Where was theyy asked Mrs, Por
Ter.
II lest got to the forks O. the roa,
when | see 'em a-comn'," was Saman
thy's reply. Its curi's how gals vii
act. a skylarxin' round nights, when the!
arter be abed Ell they was my gals IL
rarn EN- suthin' they'd be likely to re
member spell"
Wayne was listening for her answer Z
Mrs. Porter's question.
There. | wonder il you can max
anything out o thatg' said Samanthy
with glance in his direction. EFF 70,
can we're welcome to-
CHAPTER NNVI.
The attendance at camp meeting o.
Sabbath morning was much smaller thai
!, had been on the day before, there be
ing but few men present. but Whist
lacked in numbers it made up in zeal.
I'm determined TO do what | can t
make this a day long to be remembers
in sll the region round about. said tn
elder. TO Samanthy. Il want yen all {
help me. he told the friends who gath
cred about him when he came upon IN
camp grounds. let us pray for show
- of grace. brothers aud sisters, goo
hig shower of ii, and not 4 little sprinl
ling"
The hrst exercises OF the morning wer
love feast" Have any Of my reader
ever attended oneg IL is a meeting j
which all rise and speak freely. tellin
sA... h.,,,as nj AafNrTOinn films an