The Falls City tribune., 1909-03-12

-, - lA@'
stood taring. TIE eut,ae 8 rsom the
ground to the hetsh# of l. t'at. was
walled up with a mass Of thorny
branches, interviewer with yet thorn
Ter creepers.
"How's that for a front door?" he
demanded.
Door,"
Yes"
But it's SO big. I could never
move IT,"
"A child could. Look He grasped
a projecting handle near the bottom OF
the thorny mass. The lower half OF
the door swung up and outward. the
upper half in and downward. See,
it's balanced on a crossbar In the
middle. Come on in"
She walked after him in under the
now horizontal door. He gave the in
ner end a light upward thrust, and the
door swung back in its vertical circle
until it again stood upright in the
opening. From the inside the girl
could see the strong framework to
which was dashed the facing of the
thorns. 1t was made of bamboo and
strong pieces Of branches, bound to-
gether with tough creepers.
Pretty good grating, eh?" remarked
Blake. when those green creepers
dry, they'll shrink and hold tight as
iron clamps. Even now nothing short
of a rhinoceros could walk through
when the bars are fast. See here
He stepped up TO the novel door
and slid several socketed crossbars
until their outer ends were deep in the
holes in the tree trunk, three on each
side.
"How's that for a set of bolts?" he
demanded.
"Wonderfull Really, you are very,
very clever, But why should you go
to all this trouble, when the barrl-
cade-"
well, you see, it's best to be on the
safe side
But it's absurd for YOU to go to all
this needless work. Not that | do not
appreciate your kind thought for my
safety. Yet look at your hands,
Blake FASTENED to put his bleeding
hands behind him.
Go and wash them at once, and III
put on a dressing
NO. thank you. Miss Jenny. You
needn't bother. They'll do all right"
You must, 1t would please me-"
why. then. of course But first,
| want TO make sure you understand
fastening the door. Try the bars your
self"
She obeyed, sliding the bars in and
out until he nodded his satisfaction.
Good" he said. Now promise me
you'll slide EN- fast every night
IF you ask it. But why"
II want TO make you perfectly safe"
Safe? But am | not ecu with
Look here, Miss Leslie; I'm not go
ing to say anything about anybody"
Perhaps you had better say no
more, MIR. Blake"
That's right. But whatever hap
pens. you'll believe I've done my best,
won't you?-eyen if I'm not "a Prom
Use me straight, you'll lock up tight
every night
Very well, | promise responded
the girl, not a little troubled by the
s~trangeness of his expression.
That night Miss Leslie dutifully
fastened herself in with all six bars,
She Weakened at dawn, and FASTENED
out to prepare Blake's breakfast. but
she found herself too late. There
were evidences that he had eaten and
gone off before dawn. The stretching
frame of one of the antelope skins
had been moved around by the fire,
and on the smooth inner surface OF
the hide was a laconic note, written
with charcoal in a firm, bold hand.
Exploring inland. Back by night,
if can"
She bit her lip in her d%isappoint-
ment, for she had planned 10 show him
how much she appreciated his absurd
but well-meant concern for her safety.
As it was, he had gone off without a
word and left her 10 the questionable
pleasure Of a tete-a-tete with Win
thrope. Hoping to avoid this. she hur-
ried her preparations for Il day on the
cliff. But before she could get off,
Winthrope sauntered up, hiding his
yawns behind a hand which had re
gained most of its normal plumpness.
His Y was at once caught BY the
charcoal note.
"Ahi" he drawled; really now, this
is too kind of him 10 give us the pleas
ure of his absence all day.
"Ye-es?" murmured Miss Leslie.
Permit me to add that you will also
have the pleasure of my absence. l
am going now"
Winthrope looked down, and began
to speak very rapidly: Miss Gen
e%yieye, Il wish 10 apologize. I've
thought it over. I've made a mistake
IL mean, my conduct the other day
was vile, utterly vile, Permit me to
appeal to your considerateness for a
man who has been unfortunate-who,
| mean, has been-er-was carried
away by his feelings. Your favorins
of that Observation-Disclosures
so angered me that that I"