Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-10-28
CHAPTER XIV


tepid ooze beneath her feet. 1t was
the first time in days that the rain
had not been falling. A haze still over
spread the desert and the air seemed
full enough of rain to have dripped If
you had squeezed it. But Betty didn't
care. Her long brown hair, still dull
and satiny as a pecan shell, despite u
the havoc of fever, sea wind and south
ern sun, dangled below her waist in
TWO thick braids, and was parted with
never a sign of a ripple over her broad
white forehead. Betty's hair under no
provocation had ever been known to
curl. 1t was nice, straightforward hair.
Her gown was prolongation of Meta s
tunlc' and skirt of fine white linen,
low OF neck, devoid of sleeve and
clasped at the shoulder with two fash
ing diamond buckles that Meta picked
up somewhere around the castle. 1t
was fastened at the belt by a wide Cir
Ole OF cut and uncut diamonds curl :
ously and Unfortunately mixed. Bet
ty had long since ceased to take any
interest in diamonds, for she had had
more of flashing pins and gee-gaws
thrust on her by the admiring Meta
during her stop in the castle than she
had ever dreamed of owning. Betty's
skirt, though much longer than Meta's.
was very well above her ankles and
with City Editor Burton as ar. appre-
clat1Ve audience Betty was practicing
barefoot dance as she had seen an
ultra Questionable exponent of barefoot
dancing prance upon a very esthetic
stage.
Just watch, City Editor Burton"
she laughed. "Just watch! Here is
where am expressing joy! Note the
glow of the drapery, Burton, my boy,
and the marvellous way in which the
dancer sticks her toes into the ooze-
Oh, there's a thorn. Now, City Editor
Burton, I'm about to be captured and
cast away on a desert isle-watch me
see this gesture in grief-City Editor
mine-l send a message-see-I well
come pigeon-see, there, City Editor
Burton. 1t brings me message from
from-oh, Meta, Observation-Disclosures
johnny"
Burton bayed a prodigious roar, Meta
tumbled from the house with a small
rifle in her hand as Betty, barefooted,
dishevelled, sprang into the arms of
Larry Morris, and let him hold her
very tightly and kiss her forehead
again and again, while red-headed
Johnny Johnson grabbed her hands al q.
ternately and danced around so reck-
lessly that City Editor Burton howled
louder than a simeon. Betty and Larry
were too rapt for words. Not so the
incorrigible Johnny.
Get on to the Isadora Duncan rig."
he chortled, land this animal here
your lap-dog, Betty? What do you call
him?"
City Editor Burton" mumbled Bet
ty, extricating herself from Larry's
arms, and both the men roared.
Wouldn't like to see old Burt's
face if we could only ship him the
brute" said Johnny. TT would be worth
getting hung fort"
Meta, when she had recognized Lar
ry as the original of the portrait in
Betty's locket, lowered the little revol .
ver which till this moment Betty had
not known she possessed. AS Meta
turned to go into the house Betty call
ed her back, and putting her arm
around the black girls waist she said:
Larry, dear, she has been good to me:
this Is Meta" Larry put out his hand
and the black girl half abashed, took
1t silently.
Meta" echoed Johnny. where's
Benoni? Is she his?"
Johnny whistled, and a man came
through the brake-he came like a
whirlwind, and when he saw the black
girl by Betty's side a savage ven oe
triumph, mingled with the grief that
is born of joy. rang out from both their
threats.
His wife," said Larry, quietly. HE
brought us here. He and the pigeons,
Betty, dear, it was so like you to think
OF the pigeons!"
"Oh, then my messages did some
good; those blessed birds, those bless
ed birds!" exclaimed Betty. 81 never
knew what became of them How did
you find the way?H
I'VE followed Benoni; he knew the
way best" answered Larry.
His wife," said Betty, aghast. "And
she never told!"
Johnson and Larry both laughed. IF
that isn't the woman of it. You'll hold
that up against her all her life, 1 sup
pose"
well. I don't care" said Betty.
Anyway, I'll bet know one thing you
boys don't. know who killed Csrisse
Wayne"
"Who?" asked both boys, in breath.
We'll, then, 1t was the man who
loved her best" replied Betty.
"Oh, what's his name 2" asked john
ny.
Il don't know" said Betty, "but II
must have been her husband, Of
course"
Fell down on your assignment"
sneered Larry. mo story's any good
without names!"
The lion stretched his shrunken
gums over his rickety teeth and yawn-
ed slightly.
'Mademoiselle." said Meta, an.
preaching, you had better come in out
Of the wet-it is going to rain again!
Look at the sky"
Meta, do you speak English p re.
preached Betty. with a mental resume
OF the weary days that sha had aDant