The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-03-05
who's there?' inquired Dextry

through the door, to gain time. sud
denly. without word. the girl glided
to the hot blast heater. now cold and
empty. which stood in corner Of the
room. These stoves, used widely in
tie north. are vertical iron cylinders
into which coal Is poured from above
She lifted the lid and peered in to
find 1t a quarter full Of dead ashes,
then turned with shining eyes and
parted lips to GlcniSter. He caught
the hint. and in an instant the fOnr
sacks were dropped softly into the
feathery bottom and the ashes raked
over. The daring maneuver was al
most as quick as the fash Of woman's
wit that prompted 1t and was carried
through while the answer 70 Dextry' s
question was still unspoken.
Then Glenister opened the door care
lessly and admitted the group Of men
We've got a search warrant to looS
Trough your house" said voorhees,.
What are you looking for"
Gold dust from Anvil creek"
"All r,ght-search away"
They ra~@uE secured the premises,
covering pch. paying no hetsl
to the rasI=d them with
ind!fferi .,es, Tor to the old man.
who gla 1T Their every movement.
Gleniste. was care'esS!y sarcastic. al
though e Kept DIS Eight arm free.
while beneath his sansfroid was a
thoroughly trained ac":::::esS.
Mcnamara d:-ac+sl The search with
a manner wholly lacking in his former
mock courtesy 1t was - though be
had been sorrrd by the gil Of defeat.
The mask had fallen off now. and his
character showei-insistent, overbear-
Ing. cruel. Toward the partners he
preserved n cortemptuGus silence.
The invaders rlnsacked thoroughly
while dozen times the helrts of
Cherry Malotte and her two compan-
ions stopped, then lunged onward. as
Mcnamara or Voorhees, approached.
then passed the stove. At last voorhees,
lifted the lid and peered into its dark
interior. At the same instant the girl
cried out sharply, flinging herself from
her position while the marshal jerketi
his head back In time to see her das.,
upon Dextry.
Don't. Don't" She cried her sp
peal to the old man. Keep cool
You'll be sorry. Dcx-they're almost
through"
The officer had not seen any move
ment on Dextry's part. but doubtless
her quick eye had detected signs OF
violence. Men Imara emerged, glover
ing. from the back room at that mo,
ment
Let them hunt" IT,, girl was saying
while Dextry stared dazedly over hel
head. They won't find anything,
Keep cool and don't act rash"
Voorhees, duties sat uncomfortably
upon him at the best. and. looking at
the smoldering eyes of the two men,
he became averse to further search
in powdery household whose mem.
bers itched to shoot him In the back.
1T isn't here" he reported, but the
politician only scowled, then spoke for
the first timel directly to the partners
"I're got warrants for bothf you,
and I'm tempted to take you In, but I
won't. I'm not through yet-not by
any means. III get you-get you
both" He turned out of the door. fol-
lowed by the marshal, who called of
his guards, aud the group filed back
along the walk.
Say, you're jewel, Cherry. You've
saved us twice. You caught Voorhees,
just in time. My heart hit my palate
when he looked into that stove, but
the next instant I wanted to laugh at
Dextry's expression"
Impulsively Glenister laid his hands
upon her shoulders. At his look and
touch her throat swelled. her bosom
heaved and the silken lids futtered
until she seemed choked by very
food Of sweet womanliness. She
blushed like little maid and laughed
a timid, broken laugh. Then, pulling
herself together, the merry careless
tone came into her voice, and her
cheeks grew cool and clear.
"You wouldn't trust me at first, eh?
Some day you'll find that your old
friends are the best after ALL"
And as she left them she added
mockingly:
Say, you're a pair of shine des-
peradoes. You need a governess."