Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-30
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ment added to his faith in himself.
Before noon he would be on his way
to the Mormon kingdom, by nightfall
he would be upon it's shores. After
that
He examined the pistol that VIM
some had given him. There were Eve
shots in it and he smiled joyously as
he saw that 1t had been loaded by an
experienced hand. It would be easy
enough for him to find Strang. He
would not consider the woman-his
wife. The kings wife! Like fash
there occurred to him the incident Of
the battlefield. Was it this woman
the woman who had begged him to
spare the life of the prophet who had
knelt beside him, and whispered in
his ear. and kissed him? Had that
been her reward for the sacrifice she
believed he had made for her in the
castle chamber? The thought of this
woman, whose beauty and love
breathed the sweet purity OF flower
and whose faith in her king and master
was still unbroken even in her hour of
reputation fell upon him heavily. For
there was no choice, no shadow of al
Tentative. There was but one way
for him to break the bondage of the
girl he loved.
For hours he trod steadily through
the sand. The sun rose above him,
hot and blistering, and the dunes still
stretched out ahead of him, like win
nows and hills and mountains of gilt
tering glass. Gradually the desert be-
came narrower. Far ahead he could
see where the forest came down to
the shore and his heart grew
lighter. Half an hour later he en-
tered the margin of trees. Almost i'm
mediately he found signs of life. A
tree had been felled and cut into
wood. A short distance beyond he
came suddenly upon narrow path.
beaten hard by the passing of feet,
and leading toward the lake. He had
meant to rest under the shade Of
these trees, but now he forgot his
fatigue. For a moment he hesitated.
Far back in the forest he heard the
barking Of dog-but he turned in
the opposite direction. If there was a
boat the path would take him to 1t.
Through q break in the trees he
caught the green sweep of marsh
rice and his heart beat excitedly with
hope. Where there was rice there
were wild fowl, and surely where
there were wild fowl there would be
a punt or canoe! In his eagerness
he ran, and where the path ended, the
flags and rice beaten into the mud and
water. he stopped with an exultant
cry. At his feet was canoe. 1t was
wet. as though just drawn out of the
water, and freshly used paddle was
take q quick and cautious glance
about him he showed the frail craft
into the lake and with a few quiet
strokes buried himself in the rice
erase. When he emerged from it he
was half mile from the shore.
I, For long time he sat motionless,
looking out over the shimmering sea.
Ear to the south and west he could
make out the dim outline Of Beaver
island, while over the trail he had
come. mile upon mile, lay the glisten-
AA6 O0ASSs GO7ASWuCIc U0lW0Cu tuo
white desert sand and that distant
coast Of the Mormon kingdom Marion
was making her way back to bondage.
Nathaniel had given up all hope Of
overtaking her now. Long before he
could intercept her she would have
reached the island. When he started
again he padded slowly, and laid out
for himself the plan that he was to
follow. There must be no mistake this
time, no error IN Judgment no rash.
ness in hfs daring. He would lie in
hiding until duf.,. and then under
cover Of darkness he would hunt down
strang and kill him. After that he
would fly to his canoe and escape. A
little later, perhaps that very night IL
fate played the game we'll for him, he
would return for Marion. And yet, az
he went over and over his scheme,
whipping himself into caution-into
cool deliberation-there burned in his
blood fire that once or twice made
him set his teeth hard, FIRE that de-
fed extinction, that smoldered only
to await the breath that would fan it
into a fierce blaze. It was the fire that
had urged him into the rescue at the
whipping post, that had sent him sim
gle handed to invade the kings castle,
that had hurled him into the hopeless
battle upon the shore. He swore at
himself softly, laughingly. as he pad
died steadily toward Beaver island.
The sun mounted straight and hot
over his head; he padded more slow
ly, and rested more frequently, as it
descended into the west, but it still
lacked two hours of sinking behind
the island forest when the white wa
ter-rim of the shore came within his
vision. He had meant to hold of the
coast until the approach Of evening,
but changed his mind and landed, con-
cealing his canoe in spot which he
marked well, for he knew 1t would
soon be useful to him again. Deep
shadows were already gathering in the
forest and through these Nathaniel
made his way slowly in the direction
of St. James. Between him and the
town lay Marion's home and the path
that led to Obadiah's. Once more the
spirit Of impotence, Of action. stirred
within him. Would Marion go first to