Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-10-20
CHAPTER Vi--ContInued.

He would go to the councillors, Hnv.
ing once decided, Nathaniel turned I'm
the direction Of the town, avoiding the
use OF the path which he and Oba.
diah had taken, but following in the
forest near enough to use It as a
guide. He was confident that Arbor
Croche and his sheriffs were confirming
their man hunt to the swamp, but In
srite Of this belief he exercised ex.
RENE caution. stopping to listen now
and then. with one hand always near
his pistol. A quiet gloom filled the
forest and by the tree tops he marked
the going down OF the sun. Nathanicl's
ears ached with their strain of listen.
Ing for the rumbling roar that would
tell or fascy's attack on st. James.
Suddenly he heard n cracking In the
underbrush ahead Of him, a sound that
came not from the strain of listening
for the rumbling roar and in a mo
Inent he had lodged into ~cOnccalmnnt
OF tho huge roots Of an overturned
tree. drawn pistol In hand. Whatever
object was approaching came slowly,
M II hesitating at each stcp-a eau
tious. stealthy advance, Il struck Ma.
thaniel, as he cooked his weapon. hi.
rectly In front of him, half "A stopc's
throw away. was II dense growth of
hazel and he could see the tops of
the slender bushes Bwaying. Twice
this movement ceased and the second
time there came IA crashing of brush
and n faint cry. For many minutes
after that there was absolute silence.
Was II the cry of an animal that he
had heard-or of II man? In either
case the creature who made 1t had
fallen In the thicket and was lying
there as still as II dead. For a quar-.
tor OF an hour Nathaniel waited and
listened. lie could no longer have
seen the movement of bushes IN the
gathering night gloom of the forest
but his ears were strained to catch
the slightest sound from the direction
OF the mysterious thing that lay with.
In less than a dozen rods OF him.
Slowly he drew himself out from the
shelter of the roots and advanced step
by step. Half way to the thicket a
stick cracked loudly under his foot
and as the sound startled the dead
quiet of the forest with pistols shot
clearness there came another cry from
the Tense hazel. a cry which was
neither that of man nor animal but OF
u woman; and with an answering
shout Nathaniel sprang forward to
meet there in the edge OF the thicket
the white face and outstretched arms
OF Marion. The girl was swaying on
her feet. In her face there was a
pallor that even In his instant's glance
sent a chill OF horror through the
man and as she staggered toward
him, half falling, her lips weakly
forming his name Nathaniel leaped to
her and caught her close In his arms.
In that moment something seemed to
burst within him M food his veins
with fire. Closer he held the girl. and
heavier he knew that she was becom.
ing In his arms. Her head was upon
his breast, his face was crushed in
her hair. he felt her t~hrobbing and
breathing against him and his lips
quivered with the words that were
bursting for freedom In his soul. But
first there came the girls own whis.
pered Observation-Disclosures Is Neil?'
"Ho is gone-gOne from the island!"
She had become "A dead weight now
and SO he knelt IN the ground with
her. her head still Upon his breast.
he. eyes closed. her arms fallen to
her side. And as Nathaniel looked