Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-08-05

the sheriff doesn't find you here when
he arrives he'll think you are in the
neighborhood surely. and he'll stop to
search tie village. That will take him
until morning. The next station north
Is Newboro = fifteen miles. We have
over an hour in which to make it. VIII
you take the chance?"
"Yes-any chance. l haven't really
done anything wrong-and if / can es-
cape"-
"Quiclz, then. Go over to that shed
on the other tracks and wait"
The girl disappeared, and Morton
sauntered into the waiting room. 1--WE
q bad headache and decided Id better
not travel. VIII the hotel be open?"
''Open until 50 comes ill.,"
"Much obliged. Good night"
Morton picked up his satchel and
doubled across tie tracks to where the
girl was waiting.
Hurry. There's not 1nuch time to
lose" he said. He had noticed that
afternoon hand car on a siding near
the street and went to it.
"Help me to push it," he directed
Easy, though The agent must not
hear"
Together they showed the car gently
along the rails and into the darkness.
Far OF they heard the whistle of the
sheriff's train.
Morton waited until it Numbered up
to the station. Now he cried, 1--WE
must push ahead. Their noise will
drown ours"
They jumped aboard and, grasping
the levers. started off and in a moment
were swinging northward under the
stars. with the station lights growing
fainter in the distance.
The pumping was hard, for the grade
was uphill. and for half an hour moth
ing was heard but the clanking stroke
of the levers, the pounding Of the
wheels and the iabored breathing Of
the man and woman. The girl looked
exhausted, and Morton felt as though
there was q glowing furnace in his
chest. How long could he last out? he
wondered. Then he felt the car run
easier, and then-they had reached tIsp
crest Of the grade and started down
ward. Morton looked at bis watch. /. 1t
was - o'clock.
1--WE make 1t now" he said ,"You
rest"
The girl sank YEARLY upon the plat
form, while the car sped through woods
and meadows, ratified over bridges and
rumbled past walls OF rock.
81 wish / could ever-thank you,'' she
said, looking up, her face clear in the
soft starlight.
-You have thanked me-many times"
But / mean In words. don't know
what would have done ifyou had not
helped me. May 1 tell you why am
running away
'sYou needn't unless you wish. I
know you've done nothing wrong. You
couldn't"
II want tpteil you. I couldn'f beHr-
at sleast-I mean l want. you to under
stand. It wasn't wrong don't. think
youth say It :ras wrong You see, my
UlOlu6l SlAcu u AcW@S2Ay0 oAV sshsas VIZ
loved her so,-and my sbepfather hated
me. He was cruel to- the and cruel to
her even at the last. After. she Was
buried he was worse tlan ever, and
yesterday he told me must leave his
house. was glad to go-only too glad.
I asked him tor my mothers Little trim.
kets things she had had as girl,
few little bits Of jewelry my own IA
Their had given her and her picture.
She told him on her deathbed they were
to be NINE But when asked kor~them
he refused me; said the hw gave, the1ns
to him. I told him would take them,
and he threatened me with the ta1 il
/ did; told me he would have me dag
ged through the streets Nike common
criminal.
To-day he left tho house Tor a mo-
ment, and broke open his desk and
took them and ran away. I thought l
could reach the city before he could
catch me, and, once there, he would
never find me, and could live happily
alone"
The girl hid her face and cried. Nor
ton longed to comfort her, but he felt
1t was best to let her have her cry out.
"You are going alone to the city, with
no plans. no money. knowing no oner