The Lamar register., 1911-03-29

would fly to his canoe and escape.
little later, perhaps that very night ii
fate played the game well for him. he
would return for Marion.
The sun mounted straight and hot
over his head; he padded more slow
w. 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 off the
coast until the approach of evening.
but changed his mind and landed, con-
cealing his canoe in spot which he
marked we'll, for he knew it 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.
He came out in the strip of dense
forest between the clearing and st.
James. worming his way cautiously
through the underbrush until he could
look out into the opening. single
glance and he drew back in astonish
ment. He looked again. and his face
turned suddenly white, and an almost
inaudible cry fell from his lips. There
was no longer a cabin in the clear
ingi Where 1t had been there was
gathered a crowd of men and boys.
Above their heads he saw thin film
of smoke and he knew what had hap
pened. Marion's home had burned,
But what was the crowd doing? 1t
hung close in about the smoldering
ruins as II every person in it were
striving to reach a common center.
Surely a mere fire would not gather
and hold a throng like this.
Nathaniel rose to his feet and
thrust his head and shoulders from
his hiding place. He heard a loud
shout near him and drew back quick
ly as a boy rushed madly across the
opening toward the crowd crying out
at the top OF his voice. He had come
out of the path that led to st. James.
No sooner had he reached the group
about the burned cabin than there
came a change that added to Nathani-
els bewilderment He heard loud
voices, the excited shouting of men
and the shrill cries of boys, and the
crowd suddenly began to move, thin
ming itself out until IT was racing in
a black stream toward the Mormon
city. In his excitement Nathaniel hur-
ried toward the path. From the con-
cealment Of a clump of bushes he
watched the people as they rushed
past him a dozen PAGES away. Be-
hind all the others there came figure
hot Char
he leaped from his ding-place. 1t
was Obadiah Price.
Obadiah" he called. Obadiah
Price!"
The old man turned. His face was
livid. He was chattering to himself.
and he chartered still as he ran up to
Nathaniel. He betrayed no surprise
at seeing him. and yet there was the
insane grip of steel in the two hands
that clutched fiercely at Nathaniel's.
You have come in time. Natl" he
painted joyfully. you have come In
time! Hurry-hurry-hurr
He ran back into the clearing. with
Nathaniel close at his side. and point
ed to the smoking ruins of the cabin
among the lilacs.
They were killed last night" he
cried shrilly. Somebody murdered
them-and burned them with the
house, They are dead-dead,"
''Who?" shouted Nathaniel.
Obadiah had stopped and was rub
bling and twisting his hands in his old.
mad way.
The old folks. Ho. no. the old
folks. of course. They are dead
dead-dead-"
He fairly shrieked the words. Then.
for a moment. he stood tightly clutch
ing his thin hands over his chest in a
powerful effort to control himself.
They are dead" he repeated.
He spoke more calmly. and yet
there was something SO terrible in
his eyes. something SO harshly vi
brant of elation In the quivering pas
sion of his voice that Nathaniel felt
himself filled with strange horror.
He caught him by the arm, shaking
him as he would have shaken a child.
Where is Marion?" he asked. Tell
me. Obadiah-where is Marion?"
The councillor seemed not to have
heard him. A singular change came
into his face and his eyes travelled be-
yond Nathaniel. Following his glance
the young man saw that three men
had appeared from the scorched
shrubbery about the burned house and
were hurrying toward them. Without
shifting his eyes Obadiah spoke to
him quickly.
Those are kings sheriffs, Nat" he
said. They know me. In a moment
they will recognize you. The United
States warship Michigan has Just ar
rived in the harbor to arrest Strang.
II you can reach the cabin and hold 1t
for an hour you will be saved. Quick
you must run"
Where Is Marion?"
AT the cabini She is at"
Nathaniel waited to hear no more,
but sped toward the breach in the
forest that marked the beginning of
the path to Obadiah's. The shouts of
the kings men came to him unheeded.
At the edge of the woods he glanced
back and saw that they had overta-
ken the councillor. AS he ran he drew
his pistol and in his wild Joy he flung