Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-07-16
She cast her despalrihg eyes Up and

she cast her despalfihg eyes up and
down the river, then at the wilderness
on either shore, but 1t was as silent
ard unpeopIed as If 1t had been Great
ed that morning. She must have time
She would temporize, pretending to
yield, and then betray him. to the first
conner. a promise exacted under du-
ress would not be binding.
I'll go quietly" she said In faint
voice.
IL knew you'd see that I'm acting
square. Come! Get the cramp out of
yourself while make pot Of coffee"
He held out his hand to assist her,
and she accepted 1t, but stumbled as
she rose, for she had been crouchcd in
one position for several hours, and her
limbs were stiff. He caught her and
swung her ashore. Then, instead Of
putting her feet to the ground, he
pressed her to himself roughly and
kissed her. She gave q stifed cry and
fought him off, but he laughed and
held her the closer.
mo, no. nor she gasped, writhing
like wild thing, but he crushed his
lips to hers again and then let her 60,
whereupon she drew away from him
painting, disheveled, her eyes wide and
filed with horror. She scrubbed her
lips with the back Of her hand, as II
to erase his mark, while he reached
into the canoe and brought forth an
AK. q bundle Of food and coffeepot
Then, still chuckling, he gathered a
few sticks of driftwood and built q
fire. She had q blind instinct to fee
and sought for means Of escape, but
they were we'll out upon the bar that
stretched distance of 300 feet to the
wooded bank. On one side of the mar
row spit was the scarcely moving,
half stagnant water Of tiny bay or
eddy; on the other the swift, gliding
current Juggling at the beached canoe,
while the outer end Of the graveled
ridge dwindled down to nothing and
disappeared into the river. An instant
later, when he turned to the clearer
water of the eddy to fill the coffeepot
she seized her chance and sped up the
bar toward the bank. The single I'M
der foot and her noisy skirts betrayed
her, and with an oath he followed. 1t
was an unequal race, and he handled
her with rough strong hands when he
overlook her.
"SOl You lied to me! Well, Pm
through with this foolishness. If
you'll 60 back on your word like this
you'll 'bawl me out before the priest,
so I'll forget my promise, too, and
you'll be glad Of the chance to marry
me-"
"Let me go~ she painted. "I'll mar
ry you. Yes. yes, I'll do it, only don't
touch me noww
He led her back to the fire, which
had begun to crackle. She was so
weak now that she sank upon the
stones shivering.
That's right Sit down and behave
while | make something hot to drink.
You're all in" After a time he con-
tinued as he busted himself about his
task: "Say, you ought to be glad to
get me. I've got lot Of money, or ]
will have, and once you're Mrs Run
Mon nobody II ever know about this
or think Of you as a squaw."
He was still talking when the girl
sprang to her feet and sent shrill
cry out over the river, but instantly
he was up and upon her. his hand
over her mouth, while she tore at it,
screaming the name Of Poleon Doret
He silenced her to q smothered, Sob
bling humble and turned to see, far
out on the bosom Of the great soilcd
river, q man in q bark canoe. The
craft had just swung past the bend
above and was still long way off, so
far away, in fact, that Necia's signal
had not reached 1t, for its occupant
held unwaveringly to the swiftest
channel. his body rising and falling in
the Smooth, unending rhythm Of a
master boatman under great haste, his
arms uphung now and then as the
paddle gIinted and flashed across to
the opposite side.
Runnion glanced about hurriedly.
then cursed as he saw no place Of
concealment The Peterborough stood
out upon the bar conspicuously. as did
he and the girl. But the chance re-
NAMED that this man, whoever he
was, would pass by, for his speed was
great, the river mile in width and the
bend sharp. Necia had cried Poleon's
name, but her companion saw no re-
semblance to the Frenchman in this
strange looking voyager. In fact, he
could not quite make out what was
peculiar about the man-perhaps his
eyes were not as sharp as bers-and
then he saw that the boatman was
naked to the waist. BY now he was
drawing opposite them with the speed
Of a hound.
Ire BIZ CONTINUED