Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-14

10 the whip and fairly craVsed. Mary
Ign. tired, gave way to passionate con-
planning. Dallas folded Il blanket in
the bottom of the wagon and coaxed
her sister to lie down upon il, her
face shielded by the seat. TO further
dishearten the elder girl Ben and Bet
ty showed signs of sore footedness.
Guided out upon the grass they trav-
eled better.
1t took three precious hours to gain
the summit. The afternoon was then
far gone. Across the wide valley dark
clouds We're piling upon the western
| "ange. They added TO it's height and
! argured the days early closing. When
| the Throat gaped alongside, the fieecy
horizon had rolled still higher, and be-
meath it the setting sun showed
| through like a harvest moon. blood red
Swiftly the day withdrew and the
stars came out. Then the breeze hull
| ed and mist rose from the coulees
| wooded bottom. From ii came the
| tremUlous call'o of an owl. Dallas slip
| ped TO her feet and welded the black
| snake vigorously.
l
| length. The sudden jolt awakened
Harylyn. She got to her knees and
| there were the cottonwoods with the
| laden boughs.
| "Spunky little sister, encouraged
the elder girl and helped the other to
| tie seat
The road was so dark now that il
1 on IN Of ST. y
who was no sooner overridden than
he rose again in the lead. This was a
! BEGINNING for all manner of fears.
| Dallas fought her own, But she could
not conquer them. for they enlarged
enormously and changed to Il promo
milton that ran riot.
Listening and watching, she had SUI
fered the previous night. Yet that suf-
| fering was nothing compared To the
agony that stole into her heart and
held it'll she forgot Marylyn's pres
ence. She seemed To see a figure
skulking through the dusk about the
shack. 1t entered the lean-to and
crouched in hiding. She saw it come
forth again, keeping close to the logs
It's eyes shone in the dark
Her father was beside the door
where she had left him. He was gaZ
ing straight ahead. as if he expected
the enemy to approach only from the
front. as if he had no thought OF
treachery. His figure was relaxed wea
rily. His face was drawn. But his
eyes-like the others-were strangely
luminous.
All. the figure was creeping toward
him noiselessly step by step.
go In! Go in, daddy
The cry was torn from her. though
, she stroye to keep it back. The straiI
OF the past night and day was telling
Frantically she begged Ben and Bett,
) TO hasten. Knowing home was not far
. they obeyed her voice and present.!
. were setting back in their collars t,
block the descent of the wagon. weri
splashing through the bacEwater Il
the coulee crossing and jerking thei
load out upon the level. Eastward tn
shack stood out dimly in the starlight
They made for il at n trot.
,, But all at once they stopped and be
, gan stepping this way and that, as
ready to leap the tongue. Dallas an
Marylyn recoiled, forsaking the sea
for the shelter of the box.
There was a moments wait in still
!, ness as vast as the prairie The mules
!. sided to the left. shifted their lon
ears nervously. The girls listened. til
A.. younger shielded by the elders arms.
/. Then across the bend from the do
: serted houses of Shanty Town SOUND
: ed the long, soul chilling howl of
dog.
4 (To be Contfnued).