Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-11-11
CHAPTER XVIII.

the rain was falling heavily and there
was no cabin accommodation above.
II learned the code, you know, COM
ing over" he confided to Betty. won
der what they're saying? Listen"
Johnny's knowledge was not very
extensive. He deciphered the words
"Tyoga," great haste" make all eff
forts to save life," and II. H."
well, we're on the trail of the story,
anyhow" he cheerfully unused. That
ought to be some consolation"
ALI night the three were crowded N
n space not big enough for two of
them. The yacht made good time, and
when it finally stopped with jolt,
Meta sought them out and bade them
go ashore.
They were landing at the wharf Of
what might have been a conventional
English seaport country place. At the
end of driveway, over which every
body limped except City Editor Bur
ton, who Benoni had left tethered in
the yacht, rambled pretentious house
Of Gothic architecture. A modern
glass covered piazza was built along
one side of the place, and as they
mounted the steps Betty recognized
within this enclosure Tyoga in cap and
apron, in charge of a pair of children,
approximately 9 and 10 years old. The
boy was the larger Of the two, slight
dark lad, with petulant expression
and awkward movements. Later Betty
saw this awkwardness was caused by
a deformity of the hip. The girl was
palmer of face than her brother, but
her figure had the perfect symmetry of
all wild things that live in the open
air.
Tyoga was mending a white gar
ment, but at sight of the pilgrims she
dropped her work and went forward to
greet them. leaving the children star
ing after her.
She bowed before Betty and the two
other Americans. kissed Meta warmly
on the cheeks, and embraced Benoni
passionately. When these two were to-
gether the relationship of mother aud
son was easily discernible.
"Ah, so you came safely away" she
sighed. in a relieved manner. II was
so alarmed. Hamley came home this
morning. He and the old man had a
dreadful argument They are upstairs
now 1t has been frightfuL But you
must not mind. do not know what
! am going to do with the children
They are getting so old now. can't
put them off with fairy tales any long
er. It is racking" She turned to Bet
ty. 'Tm glad your friends found you
Poor child! The strain on you has
been terrible. but the snarl is nearing
its end. You shall soon see."
The interior of the house was as con-
ventional as it's exterior. Betty, Larry
Morris and Johnny felt that the Pc
numbra Of mystery was at length be-
ing pierced by the return Of reason.
''But IL Mr.. Wayne finds these peo-
pie here he may kill Them" objected
Benoni.
HE shall not see them" assured
Tyoga. Nor Hackleye. neither. They
and the children must all be out OF
sight before he comes down stairs
Since she is dead Hackleye cannot
abide the sight of the children any
more. And all her things-he wants
them out of sight down here. yet he
lives in her old rooms. Take them tC
the north wing, Meta, and will brine
the children"
The north wing had four bedrooms
a sitting room, and small alcove. i
was done in English chintz. and severa
canaries sung and swung in the win.
dows. In Betty's room had been placed
garments more conventional than thos'
she wore, and a dozen little toilet con
veniences, not the least welcome o
which was box of hairpins in assert
ed Sizes She fingered long at he
drossing-why shouldn't she have dom
so? In all this time she had not beef
SO near the accustomed luxuries o
life. The bath tub was delight, tn
brushes, creams and powders brough
back visions of civilization, and ever
the makeshifts for fashionable clothing
were a comfort. True the skirt lat
out was plainly Tyoga's and needed
dozen reefs and tuclxs; but for a walls
there was an old-fashioned polonaise
and this was better suited to Betty
size. When she was finished she real
ly felt proud Of herself, and awaite
the reunion with the boys in the sit
ting room with great anticipation
They had Jared better in the matter
clothes, though Johnny's trousers wer
too long and Larrys were at half-mas
while they criticised, commented, an
compared the children burst in upo
them. The boy limped quietly in bu
the girl stormed through the door
like a whirlwind.
"Where you live when you were
little girl?" she flashed at Betty. "Di
they always have something dom
around that you couldn't see into?"
"Of course they did," said Betty
"Those things always happen whe
you're children"
rBut 1 don't believe It was like It /
here" persisted the child. Her
things are so funny. they make yo
creep If you don't want to. You needn'
scewl, brother. you know It's true. Any
body can see it. And why did thes
people come here in those skin clothes
And why has Tyoga been so worried
And why won't papa see u.s. and wher
Is mother? Do you--oh, tell med
you think our mothers dead?" tn
child cried, fingi0g herself in Betty
lap. we had the Ioveliest mother, an
she's been gone for so long!"
''What was your mothers name
aear7' questioned Betty. though sh