Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-10-16

she would avail herself OF the brief
respite he could offer her. Had the
reaction from her fright rendered
her incapable of fleeing? He did not
dare look about as he leaped agilely
now this way and now that, eluding
the raging creature who pursued him.
but he thought that she might still be
crouching not far away, too exhaust
ed to fly, gave him intense agony OF
mind.
Suddenly Dawson turned from him
with an oath, leaped the adjacent
rivulet, and plunged into the wood.
But little more than so yards distant
Rossiter was aware of Miss Dens-
more's retreating figure. He too
crossed the little stream at bound.
Dawson flung look back over his
shoulder. In the race he had per-
haps Is feet the advantage, but Ros-
sitter was the more nimble, and the
gap between them speedily narrowed.
Soon the two men were not more
than FIVE feet apart, and then Daw-
son tripped and sprawled head1ong.
The root upon which he caught his
foot, like wary wrestler, flung him
sideways. His crown crushed
against a tree-trunk, and he collapsed
into an inert mass. The pole-puller,
thinking him dead, bent over him, to
discover that he was only stunned.
STOPPING above the repu1sive and
evil face, an itching crept into Rossi-
ter's fingers to seize the hairy throat
and choke out the foul life once for
all. Then question smote him, and
he started back. Would the path he
had followed until so short time
previous ever have led him to be-
come such a loathsome thing? He
shuddered. With this later thought
that which had cried murder" in
his ears slipped from him. Now he
recalled Miss Densmore, and glanced
quickly about. A score of yards away
stood the girl, her figure tense, her
eyes burning upon him in the green
gloom. He fastened towards her.
''Is he dead?" she asked, almost
in whisper, as he drew near.
NO" he returned, land more's the
pity!-though perhaps I shouldn't
say it,-he's only stunned"
She made no reply, but began
walking forward by his side INSTEAD
lily. He saw that she was shaking
from head to foot, and he did not
know what to do OF say. Would she
bear up? he wondered. It was sheer
grit that was keeping her from Civ
ing way, that was evident. Why
didn't her cousin appear? Where was
she all this time? If she had re-
turned to the house for any reason,
it was taking her unconscionably
long to make the trip there and back,
it seemed to him.
All at once Miss Densmore turned
her drawn face, into which the blood
now flowed, towards Rossiter.
"Oh, I can't thank you," she be-
gan, there are no words"
He cut her short.
''I did nothing" he said. "Fate, or
whatever you like to call it, protected
you. But how did you chance to be
alone?''
.'Miriam-Miss Merton-went up to
the house for a book. We had come
down to the spring at the wood-edge
to read, and by mistake she brought
the wrong novel. She insisted on go
ing to change it,
Sylvia! Sylvia!" a voice, In which
there was a note of alarm, cried at
this juncture.
Eyes, here I am responded Miss
Densmore, and an instant later she
and Rossiter stepped into the log
ging road a short distance from the
spring and it's shielding willow-tree,
beneath which Miss Merton was
standing.
ITO Be Continued