Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-19

Mad With Terror, She Pulled the
Trigger.
gretful Of having permitted herself to
drift into this position, yet not in the
least knowing how to extricate herself.
Hawley took everything for granted,
her very silence convincing him of her
acquiescence. With throbbing pulse,
Hope felt the small revolver hidden
within her dress, undoing button so
that, In emergency, abe might grasp it
more quickly. Hawley felt the move
ment, the trembling OF her arm.
You are afraid, Just the same" he
said. pressing her to him lover-like.
Darkness always gets on a woman's
nerves"
Yes, that and loneliness" resent
ing his familiarity do we need to
go any farther? Surely, we are alone
here"
only a few steps; the ravine is
yonder. and We can sit down on the
rocks. | want to smoke, and we will
be entirely out Of sight there"
He helped her down the rather
oughly concealed below the prairie
level. Feeling about with his hands
he found the surface Of a smooth rock,
and seated her upon It. Then a match
fiared. casting an instants CLEAN
across his face as he lighted his cigar.
Blacker than ever the night shut down
about them. and he CROPPED for seat
beside her. She could perceive Just
one star peering through q rift OF
cloud. and in her nostrils was the
pungent oNor OF tobacco With little
shiver of disgust she drew slightly
away from him. dreading what was TO
. come One thing alone she felt was
In her favor-However familiar Haw-
ley attempted to be, he was evidently
not yet sufficiently sure of Miss Mac
laire TO become entirely Offensive. She
might not have frowned at his love
making, but apparently he had not
yet progressed sufficiently far in her
good graces to venture to extremes
Hope pressed her lips together, de-
termined to resist any further ap-
proach of tho man. However,, his
earliest words were relief
Il reckon, Christie" he said slowly
between puffs on his cigar. tho lighted
end OF which family illumined his
face, you've got the idea have
brought you out here to make love.
Lord knows I'd like 70 well enough,
but just now there's more important
matters on hand. Fact is, my GIRL
we're up against little back-set, and
have got to make a shift IN our plans
"A mighty quick shift, too" he added
almost savagely.
II don't think | understand"
mo, Of course. you don't You i'm
agine all we've got to do in a matter
of this kind IL 70 step into the near
est court, and draw tho money Ono
trouble Is. our evidence isn't complete
we've got to ind that woman who
brought you up"
Oil" said Hope. not knowing
what else to say.
Yes he went on, apparently sat
isfied with her exclamation. "Of
course, know she's dead, or at least.
you say So but we haven't got enough
PROOF without her--not the way old
Waite promises to fight your claim.
and so we've got to hunt for a substi.
tute. Do you happen to know any old
woman about the right age who would
mako AFFIDAVIT for you? She probably
wouldn't have to go on the stand at
all. Waite will cave IN as soon as he
knows we've got the evidence"
He waited for an answer hut che
hardly knew what to say. Then she re-
member06 that Keith insisted that
Miss Naclaire had 10 conception that
there was any fraud in her claim.
No, l know no one. But what do
you mean2 l thought everything was
straight? That there was no question
about my right TO inherlt?"
We'll. there isn't, Christie" pulling
nercely on his cigar. But the courts
are particular; they have got to have
the whole thing in black and white. l
thought all along could settle the en-.
tire matter with Waite outside, but
the old fool won't listen to reason
saw him twice today"
"Twioe7" surprise wrung the word
from her.
Yes; thought had got him on on
q false scent and out Of tho way, the
drst time. but he turned up again like
a bad penny. WHAT'S worSs, he's evi.
IDENTITY stumbled on to . BIT Of legal
Information which nalpss Il safer for
us to disappear 1ut1l We can got the
links Of our chain forged. He's taken
the case tato court already. and tho
sheriff Is here tryin' to find me SO as
~ r-1~,s Ae pspais. Two got to skip
I'D AA