Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-09-20

hist, MISS MOLLY, HIST Y sAlD
VOICE
well look for 1t; it's comm 10 him." he
said menacingly as he slouched heavily
fran the room.
The rougher element of Four Corners
were used to depending upon their rifles
to eke out an existence, meager enough
at best and in the lifetime of old Mr..
Cornish, the former owner of the great
estate, their depredations had been
practically unchecked, but now new
order of things prevailed. Old Mr.. Cor
nish was dead, and the villagers re-
garded the son who had succeeded him
with suspicion and the gamekeeper he
had appointed with sullen hatred.
The villagers were not alone in their
disapproval of Dawson.
you are making a mistake in ap-
pointing him." the doctors daughter
had declared, her brown eyes resting
on the tall young man beside her.
II don't see why" Robert Cornish
had returned stubbornly. Something
has to be done to preserve the game
These fellows are a lawless set, shoot
ing in season and out and running the
preserves. Besides'-his voice rung de-
tcrminedly-"it is my property"
Yes" she admitted, land yet they
have so little 1t doesn't seem quite fair
they should have no rights
"But I'm willing they should do a
certain amount of hunting" he pro-
tested, "only they must observe the
game laws, and they must also realize
that it is my property, not theirs"
''Do they know you will allow them
a certain amount of game?"
Robert Cornish shook his head. 'Not
yet. Dawson advised cutting them of
short until they learn to realize the es-
tate is private property. When they
understand shooting is privilege, not
right, they will give less trouble"
Molly shook her head doubtfully.
81 know them better than you do"
she said "They are lawless and ig=
norant, but there Is more good tn
them than you believe. and Dawson
isn't the man to deal with them.
wish you would talk to them your
self" she went on.
There was a brief silence.
81 will-if you WISH" he said impul-
slvely. IT will do it tomorrow"
But on the morrow two unforeseen
things happened. Robert Cornish was
called suddenly away on an urgent
business trop and Dan O'Connor bag
ged the quail.
1t was the evening after the excited
discussion at the store that Molly,
prompted by an unusual feeling of
restlessness, crossed the room to the
window and, stepping out on the ve-
randa, wandered down into the moonlit
garden. Robert Cornish would be back
that night, but of course 1t was no
vague hope of meeting him that bright
ened her eyes or led her through the
gate into the road, made light as day
by the full moon overhead.
Hist Miss Molly, hist!" said voice
close at her ear.
She started violently as small, un-
kempt figure crept through the hedge
and stopped short In her path.
"Don't go on, miss" said the boy,
with much excitement. Don't! They
are waitin' fer Dawson below, an
maybe they might do ye some HARM"
"Waitlng? For what? To shoot
him?" asked the girl breathlessly.
Eyes, miss. The wagon has gone to
Windsor Bend to meet him, an when
1t comes blackwell, they're waitin',
miss, down In the hollow"
But it isn't Dawson the wagon has
gone to meet" said Molly in horri-
fed whisper ''It is Mr.. Cornish
II guess it won't make no difference
to them, miss, whether it's Dawson or
the master himself. They're bent on
blood"
The boy darted through the hedge.
leaving the girl, white and Mortified, in
the middle of the road. For mo-
ment she stood as If stunned. Then
her mind leaped riotously to the
chance of escape "If l can reach the
Windsor road through the cross path"
she thought desperately, Il may be in
time"
She turned through a broken gap in
the hedge, into field beside the road,
and, breaking into Il quick run, rushed
through the wet grass into the thicket,
over a high bank. into tangle of