Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-10-27

him on the mainland. Tell him to 60
-go!"
She turned again, and Nathaniel
stood like a statue. hardly breathing,
until the sound Of her feet had died
away. Then he walked swiftly up the
foot path that led to Obadiah's. He
forgot his own danger In the excite.
ment that pulsatcd with every fiber
OF his being, forgot his old caution
and the fears that gave birth to It
forgot everything In those moments
but Marion and his " great happi-
ness. Neil's absence meant nothing to
him now. He had held Marion In
his arms, he had told her OF his love,
and though she had accepted 1t with
gentle unresponsivcncss he was
thrilled by the memory Of that last
look In her cycs, which had spoken
faith. confidence. and perhaps even
more. What waB that something she
would tell him If he got Nell safely
away? IT was TO be- a reward for his
lOyalty-hc knew that, by the
half fearing trcmblc of her voice, the
gobbing catch Of her breath. the
strange glow In her eyes. With her
brother away she would confide In
him? Would she tell him the secret
OF her slavcdDm tie Strang?j Ma.
thaniel was conscious Of no madness
In the wild hope that filled him; moth.
ing seemed impossible to him now.
Marion would meet him at midnight.
She would go with him to the boat.
and thcn-ah, he had solved the prob
lem! He would use no force. He
would tell her that Neil was in his
canoe half IA mile out from the shore
and that he had promised to leave
the island for good II she would go
out to bid him good by. And once
there. a half a mile or "A mile away, he
would tell her tina, he had lied to her;
and he would give her his heart to
trarnple upon to prove the love that
had made him do this thing. and then
he would row her 10 the mainland.
1t was the sight Of Obadiah's cabin
that brought his caution back. He
ann upon II 10 suddenly that AN ex.
clamatiOn Of surprise tell unguardcd
from his lips. There was no light to
bctray life within He tried the door
and found II locked. He pccrcd IN
Al the windows. listened, and knocked,
and at last concealed himself near
the path. cOnn1rft that the little old
councillor was sen a. st. James. For
an hour he waited. From the rear II
(ll,nIinh 'u hTTHI Z. ,,rryIuy ff.t,r.u l,,l
toward the lake and Nathaniel fol.
lowed II, now as warily as an animal
In search Of prey, For half "A mile
II tOok him through the forest and
ended at the white sands Of the beach.
In neither direction could Nathaniel
see "A light. and keeping close in the
shadows Of the trees he made his
way slowly toward st. James. He had
cone but n short distance when he
saw n house directly ahead OF him,
"A single CLEAN OF light from a small
window telling him that It was In.
habitcd and that its tenants were at
home. He circled down close to the
water looking for a boat. Ills heart
lcapcd with sudden cxultation when
he saw "A small skin drawn upon the
beach and his Joy was doubled ut find
Ing the Oarp Htill In the locks. II tool
him but Il moment to shove the light
craft into the sea and Il minute later
he was rowing swiftly away from the
land.
Nathaniel was certain that by this
time Neil had abandoned his search
for the captured TyphOOn and was
probably padding In the direction Of
st. James with the hope Of inter.
ccpting him he pulled an eighth of a
mile from the shore and rOwed slowly
toward the head of the island. There
was no moor, but countless stars
glowcd Ia n clear sky and upon the
open lake Nathaniel could see for a
considerable distance about him. For
another hour he rOwed back and forth
and then bcachcd his boat within a
dozen rods Of tho path that came down
from Obadiah's.
II was 10 o'clock. Two more hours!
He had tried to suppress his excite.
mcnt. his apprehension. his eaKerness.
but now an he went back into the
darkness OF the forest they burst out
anew. What II Marion should not
keep the tryst? He thought OF the
spies whom Nell had said guarded the
glrl'H homeland OF Obadiah. Could
he trust the old councillor? Should
he coniide his plot to him and ask his
assistance! AZ the minutes passed
and these thoughts REQUIRED again
and again In his brain he could no.
keen the ncrvnuauoaH from RroWiul