Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-05-21
CHAPNER XVII

| Kate had come out with some vague
| idea of making last struggle for her life
| and freedom. With the courage of de-
spair she came straight down to the ave-
| nue. to the sole spot where escape seemed
possible.
Good mornin', Missy" cried Stevens,
as she approached You don't look extra
bright this mornin', but you amt as bad
as your good guardian made me think
You don't seem to feel no difficulty in get
tin about"
There is nothing the matter with me-
the girl answered earnestly. Il assure
you there is not. My mind is as sound
as yours"
That's what they all says" said the
ex-warder with a chuckle.
But it is so. | cannot stay in that
house longer. | cannot, Mr.. Stevens,
cannot. My guardian will murder me.
lie means to. | read it in his eyes. He
as good as tried this morning. TO die
without one word to those | love-with
out any explanation of what has passed
that would give a sting to death"
We'll, if this amt outragis!" cried
the one-eyed man. perfectly outrags Go
ing to murder you. says you What's he
a-gon' to do that for:"
He hates me for some reason. ! have
never gone against his wishes, save in
one respect, and in that l can never obey
him. for it is a matter in which he has
no right to command"
Quite so.' said Stevens, winking his
one eye II knows the feeling myself"
why won't you let me pass?" pleaded
Kate You may have had daughters of
your own. What would you do If they
were treated as | have been? If | had
money you should have it, but l have
none. Do, do let me go! Perhaps when
you are on your last bed of sickness the
memory of this one good deed may out
weigh all the evil that you have done
See. here is my watch and my chain
You shall have that if you will let me
through
Lets see it," He opened it and exam
ined it critically. Eighteen carat-it's
only a Geneva though. What can you e1-
pect for Geneva?
And you shall have fifty pounds when
get back to my friends. Do let me pass,
good Mr.. Stevens. for my guardian may
return at any moment
See here. missy" Stevens said solemn
ly. 'dooty is dooty. and | wouldn't let
YOU through that gate. As to this ere
watch. if so be as you would like to write
a line to your friends. I'll post it for you
at Bedsworth in exchange for it, though
it be only Geneva"
You good, kind man." cried Kate, all
excitement and delight. Il have a pencil
in my pocket What shall | do for pa
per-" She looked eagerly round and spied
a small piece which lay among the brush
wood. With a cry Of joy she picked 1t
out. 1t was very coarse and very dirty,
but she managed to scrawl a few lines
upon it, describing her situation and ask
ine for aid Il will write the address
upon the back" she said when you
get to Bedsworth you must buy an en-
velope and ask the postofice people to
copy the address on It,"
81 bargained to post it for the Geneva
be said. II didn't bargain to buy envel-
obes and copy addresses. That's a nice
pencil case Of yourn. Now I'll make a
clean job of it if you'll throw that in"
Kate handed it over without a murmur.
At last a small ray of light seemed to be
finding its way through the darkness
which had so long surrounded her. Ste
vens put the watch and pencil case in his
pocket, and took the little scrap of paper
on which so much depended. AS Kate
handed it to him she saw over his shoul-
der that coming up the lane was small
pony carriage, in which sat a buxom lady
and very small page. The sleek little
brown pony which drew it ambled along
at a methodical pace which showed that
IL was entirely master Of the situation,