Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-10-21

rived at the spring they found their
possession of its lyric seclusion undis-
puted. After. they had ensconsed
themselves comfortably upon the seat,
Miss Merton opened the book which
an instant later cry of chagrin.
How utterly stupid of mel" she
said. showing the page to her cousin.
its the wrong story
"Oh. never mind." said Miss Dens-
more.
But 1 do mind!" cried Miriam ut
was SO perfectly foolish of me not to
look. | knew the two novels had ex-
actly the same covers. I'm going
back for thes other. You'll not be
afraid to stop for, few minutes
alone 90
Why do you trudge back through
all the heat? 1t isn't worth while
Not that | glancing about her
little NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. l shall
be left alone"
st was SO absolutely silly OF me
that I'm going" said Miss Merton,
and she hurried up the slope
Rossiter, in the meanwhile, had
picked his way with much caution
through the thicket, gained the
more open wood, though everywhere
there was considerable underground.
and come out upon the logging-road
He walked on for perhaps a hundred
PAGES, when he emerged into a little
glade where the rillet from the
spring joined a larger brook. Here
fallen tree made so inviting a rest
ing-place that he seated himself, in
tending to resume his wanderings af-
ter few moments. AS he glanced
aimlessly about him he spied small
hickory sapling of arrowy straight
ness which he fancied he would like
for staff; accordingly he took from
his pocket the large knife with which
Jack Parmelee had supplied him for
cutting hop-vines, snapped back the
single blade, and approached the min
iature tree. He had bent it over and
made the first incision when a wo-
mans scream-unmistaka cry of
terror = penetrated with startling
clearness the forest quietude, and it
came from the direction of the
spring. So quickly did Rossiter leap
back that the boughs of the released
sapling had no time to whip his face.
Into his pocket went the knife--he
was sorry afterward he had not kept
it in his hand-and he raced up the
wOo0road with the speed of the run
ner who overcame ATLANTA. When he
had compassed half the distance be-
.ween the glade and the bend another
f1111 Of fY.1<r
it seemed to him, than the first. In
vain he strove to quicken his pace.
He was already sprinting at the top
of his bent. Just before he reached
the turn he was conscious that some
one was running towards him, but
who it was he could not see, owing to
the underground. He heard gasps of
labored breathing. and then Miss
Densmore appeared before him, wild
eyed, her hair half unbound. her face,
despite her eXertions, as pale as
bleached linen. Behind her, not more
than ten feet distant, his repellant
countenance exultant. rushed man
''Whiskers!"
The girl on the instant recognized
Rossiter, and a moan of despair es-
capped her. She slackened her speed
for just breath in her uncertainty,
and Dawson's outstretched hand al
most gripped her shoulder. Then it
flashed upon her who this was before
her, and with "a glad cry she sprang
towards him. Intent upon the girl.
her pursuer had given Rossiter no
heed, and suddenly found himself in
that young mans grip and was hurled
backward with such force that he
stumbled and fell upon the sward.
You damnable hound!" the pole
puller cried, standing over him with
clenched fists.
"Whiskers'' made no response, but
returned Rossiter's Infatuated gaze
with disgusting leer
''Get up!" commanded the young
man.
The vagrant rose slowly to his feet.
let his eyes rove furtively first to one
side and then to the other, as though
it were his intention to take to his
heels, and then suddenly sprang with
an enraged snarl at Miss DeEsmore's
rescuer.
Want her yerself, do We, Charlie?
BY God, We sh'n't have her!"
So sudden was the onslaught that
Rossiter would have been overborne
had he not suspected some such move
ment on Dawson's part and been in a
measure prepared. He shifted his
position slightly to meet the attack,
and swung out with blow which,
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