Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1908-05-07

Carson. Cadwalladeh met him; they
seemed: to have business ;togetheh.'''
Oh The long-drawn exclamation
Nassa all, Of stella's reply and. he hoped
she would ask mo questions. S1
You must shut those sweet peepehs
ofayo's sharp .afteh suppeh; get right
smart OF sleep tonight, 10 you must
start home early in the mawning."
Gideon--where do you suppose ho
IL, Uncle Billy?' .5 4: IL.
He had dreaded the words. Honey,
why do you pesteh yo'self about Gid
con? If Vincent's doing business with
anotheh man, both of them C. p. gfel-
lows, how can Gideon get in any devil
try?" .--,s.-...., ia. 49, ...-.s
Stella was not treasured. But,
Uncle Billy, Phineas Cadwalladers no
protection; he hates Alfred. And why
didn't we see Gideon on the way? He
must have come in ahead of us-must
be here now, and II could only get
word from Alfred!"
"Shall 1 telegraph for your
She shrank back. ooh, no. He
sages over the wires"
I'll fix that. He won't know yo're
heah." "
THAT will be good; thank you. I'm
such trouble to you, Uncle Billy!
And my trip has been quite useless"
she added YEARLY.
mot useless, honey. You brought
me luck-won the race for U.S."
She smiled. Il hope III bring you
more luck. I'll 90 home with you to.
morrow"
That's right. child. Goodbye till
mawning. Have sweet dreams"
"Good-bye?" she echoed wondering
ly. Aren't you going to stay here
tonight? Take me in; to supper 81. =,
He WINGED before her steady eyes,
and lied heroically. II have q heap to
do shefo' Ill he ready for the trip
home; and l won't have time to SEQ
you again. Eat q good suppeh, child,
won't you? Have you money to pay
for it,"
"Not a two-bit piece, Uncle Billy.
You pay for me, won't you? And book
me. too? I'll have it for you when We
get home"
She was surprised by his silence and
nervousness. He opened his purse
quickly, and forced some money upon
her, his embarrassment increasing as
he looked furtively through each open
door while pressing her hand shut
over the coin. "Take that" he whis-
pered. "You must pay yo' own bills, and
book yo'self, honey. Don't ask me
why!" he added as she opened her lips
to speak.
Instantly he was gone, leaving her
to puzzle out the matter for herself
But the need for assembling her re-
lations with Uncle Billy, whom she
had known longer than any one living
save Gideon, did not dawn upon her.
Supper alone was less an ordeal
than she had expected. On her return
to her room she met the hall boy and
ordered pen and paper She had bare
ly seated herself to write when a dis.
patch Interrupted her; it was ad-
| dressed to William Dodge, and was
from Alfred at Carson City. Am de-
tanned here. Will be in Colfax on the
thirtieth."
In the reaction of relief she wrote a
short, almost happy letter to Alfred,
sending it to post by the hall boy The
next day they faced homeward. No
other passenger shared the box seat
with Stella; and leisurely, little shy
ly, she told Uncle Billy of her plans for
school, and received his advice, heart
felt if not always wise.
At Dutch Flat she stopped to visit
an acquaintance, timing her home.
going for Uncle Biuy's next trip, hop.
ing vainly that Alfred would be with
him. It was indeed a home coming!
Days only she had been away; they
seemed weeks. Sally B., Viola, Vic
Wah, even the dog, greeted her over
poweringly. Suddenly she realized
with a heart-wrench her leaving it
would be.
Here's letter for you,". Sally B.
said, when Stella was at last free. 1T
came yesterday"
She took it, but paled with quick
fear when she saw the strange hand
writing. She fastened to her room.
There was neither date, address, nor
signature; but the message was cruel.
"Stella Anthony: Alfred Vincent's
life is in your hands. Send to the ad-
dress below within one week after
October 30 your written word that
you will marry Gideon Ingram, and
Vincent shall 60 free. Refuse to do
this and he shall die. Return this let
ter with your answer, or it will not
avail" d.
In the postscript were directions for
! address; but Stella did not read them.
She thrust the sinister sheet out Of
sight in her pocket; yet the words
burned in her brain, written there for
lever. Motionless, she gazed at the
wall in q useless endeavor to think. Il
Darkness fell. Still she stood there,