Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-01-09


Believing Chips father had taken
her out OF the wilderness, or more
likely upstream to ind n place with
these campers, he had come here TO
seek her. To find her here, as he of
course did. only convinced him that
his suspicious were true and that her
father had thus meant to rob him.
Two determined impulses now fol-
lowed this discovery: First, 10 make
the girl he had bought = prisoner,
carry her into the woods. and then,
when the chance came. revenge him
self on MCGUIRE. No sense Of law, or
decency even. entered his calculation.
He was beyond such scruples, and
what he wanted was his only law.
The fear of rifies. which he knew
were plenty enough ut this camp. was
the only factor 10 be considered. For
days he watched the camp from
across the lake, hoping that the girl
he saw canoeing with a boy so often
might come near enough for him to
make a capture. Many times, when
darkness served. he padded close to
where the cabin stood. and once land.
ed and watched Il for hours.
Growing bolder as the days wore
on. he hid his canoe below the outlet
of the lake and taking advantage OF
this outcropping slate ledge with its
many assures. secreted himself and
watched.
But some shelter, at least TO cook
and eat In, he must have, and this he
found in a distant crevasse of this
same ledge, and from this he sneaked
along back OF II until he could hide
and witch the camp below. From this
vantage'point he saw that the girl no
longer went out upon the lake, but re-
manned near the cabin; then, later, he
noticed the two men leave the lake one
morning. This encouraged him, and
now he grew still holder, even de-
scending the ridge and watching those
remaining at the cabin. from a dense
thicket.
From this new post he saw that but
one man seemed on guard. and almost
was he tempted TO Shoot him from
ambush and make n dash to capture
his victim. Cautious and cunning, he
still waited a chance involving less
risk.
And now he saw that certain duties
were performed by these people; that
one man and the boy always started
the morning FIRE; that the girl invari.
ably went to the landing alone for wa
ter, at about the same time. Here for
the moment she was out OF sight from
either cabin, and now in this act of
hers, he saw his opportunity to land
from his canoe near this spot before
daylight, and hide in the bushes firing
ing the shore here and below the bank,
watch his chance and seize and gag
her before an outcry could be made.
To tie her hands and feet and to push
the other canoe out into the lake, thus
avoiding pursuit until they could get a
good start was an easy matter.
II was risky. OF course. She might
hear or see him In time to give one
scream. The old man who had said
foolish things to him, and now SEEM
ed 20 be on guard, would surely send
bullets after him as he sped away:
but once out of the lake, he would
be safe. II was a dangerous act; yet
the other two men might return any
day, and with this In prospect. this
wiley half-breed now resolved to act.
Old Cy was up early that fatal
morning. Somehow a sense of i'm.
pending danger haunted him. and call.
ing Ray. he unlocked the cabin door
and began starting the morning FIRE.
He wanted TO get breakfast out of the
way as speedily as possible. and then
visit this ridge. feeling almost sure
that he would find where this half.
breed had been watching them.
When Ray came out, and before the
hermit or Chip appeared, Old Cy hur.
ried over to the ice-house, and now
Chip came forth as usual. and with
out a word TO anyone. she took the
two pals and started for the landing.
Il was, perhaps, ten rods to this. down
a narrow path winding through the
scrub spruce. The morning was fair.
the lake without a ripple.
Above the ridge. and peeping
through it's toppingof stunted ar, came
the first glance OF the sun, and Chip
was happy.
Old Tomah, her one and only friend
for many years. was here. A some.
thing Ray had whispered the night be
fore, now returned like a sweet note
of music vibrating In her heart. and as
II to add their cheer. the birds were
piping all about.
For weeks the cheerful words OF one
of Rays songs had haunted her with
its catchy rhythm
Uncle Ned,
He died long go. long go"
They now rose to her lips as abe Deared
the lake, Here she halted, filed a
pail, and set II on the log landing.
From behind a low spruce one evil
1 a.