Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1911-12-07

ycould pound 'em over the nead villa
1.-THE oars-the least little thing skins
you when you're in the water" but
this murderous fancy Of his failed 70
Interest Betty.
! Presently they heard sherrod and
Bunker come up from the shore Win
George. Slosson Joined them and there
was a brief discussion, then an 1nterval
OF silence, and the sound of voices
again as the three white men moved
back across the field In the directlon
! OF the bayou. There succeeded 9
period OF utter stiffness. both In the
cabin and In, the clearing, somber
hush that plunged Betty yet deeper IN
despair. Wild thoughts assailed ner.
Thoughts against which she struggled
with all the strength of her WILL
| In that hour OF stress Hannibal was
sustained by his faith In the Judge.
He saw his patrons powerful and pic.
turesque intelligence applied to solving
the mystery of their disappearance
from Belle Plain: 1t was inconceivaole
that this could prove otherwise tnan
disastrous to Mr. Slosson and ne en-
deavored to share the confidence he
was feeling with Betty, hut there was
something SO forced and unnatural IN
the girls voice and manner when sne
discussed his conjectures that he quick
| ly fell into an awed silence. AT last,
and 1t must have been some time after
midnight, troubled slumbers claimed
him. No moment of forgetfulness
Scame to Betty. She was waiting for
what-she did not know! The candle
burnt lower and lower and finally went
out and she was left in darkness, but
again she was conscious of sounds
from the room below. At first IT. was
only a word or sentence, then the
guarded speech became steady mono
tone that ran; deep into the night
eventually this ceased and Betty fan-
cied she heard sobs.
AT length points of light began to
tshow through chinks In the logs. Han
Hibal reused and sat up, rubbing his
eyes with the backs Of his hands.
4 Wasn't you able to sleep none?" he
inquired Betty shook her head. He
looked at her with an expression OF
troubled concern. "How soon do you
reckon the Judge will know" he
asked.
every soon now dear" Hannibal
was greatly consoled by this opinion.
Miss Betty, he will love to find
Ius-"
"Hark! What was that?" for Betty
had caught, the distant splash of oars.
Hannibal found chink in the logs
through which by dint of much squint-
inx he secured partial view of the
bayou.
They're fetching up keel boat to
1.-THE shore, Miss Betty--it's whooper!"
/ he announced Betty's heart sank,
she never doubted the purpose for
(which that boat was brought into the
bayou, or that 1t nearly concerned
herself.
Half an hour later Mrs. Hicks ap-
peared with their breakfast. 1t was in
vain that Betty attempted to engage
her in conversation, either she cherish.
ed some personal feeling of dislike for
her prisoners, or else the situation In
which she herself was placed had lit
tie to recommend 1t, even to her dull
mind, and her dissatisfaction was ex
pressed in her attitude toward the
girl. s y .,y M 4
| Betty passed the long hours of morn.
ling In dreary speculation concerning
what was happening at Belle Plain. In
the end she realized that the day could
70 by and her absence occasion no
alarm: steve might reasonably sup
pose George had driven her into Ra.
leigh or to the Bowens' and that she
had kept the carriage. Finally all her
hope centered on Judge Price. He
would expect Hannibal during the
Imorping, perhaps when the boy did not
arrive he would be tempted to go out
lto Belle Plain to discover the reason
LOT his non.appearance. She wondered
what theories would offer themselves
Ito his ingenious mind. for she sensed
something of that indomitable energy
which in the face of rebuffs and laugh.
ter carried him into the thick of every
lsensation.
i At noon, Mrs. Hicks, as sullen as in
1.-THE morning, brought them their din
liner. She had scarcely quilted the loft
when a shrill whistle pierced the sill
ence that hung above the clearing. 1t
was twice repeated, and the two WON!
en- were heard to go from the cabin.
Perhaps half an hour elapsed, then a
step became audible on the packed
:, earth of the dooryard; some one en-.
Itered the room below and began to as
lcend the narrow stairs, and Betty's
fingers closed convulsively about Han
Inibars. This was neither Mrs. Hicks
nor her daughter, nor Slosson with his
clumsy shuttle. There was brief
pause when the landing was reached
but It was only momentary; hand
lifted the bar the door was thrown
|open, and it's space framed the figure
LOT man. It was John Murrell.
Standing there he regarded Betty in
silence. hut deep-seated fire glowed
in his sunken eyes. The sense of pos
session was raging through him. his
temples throbbed. a fever stirred his
blood. Love, such as 1t was, he un
doubtedly felt for her and even his
giant project with all its monstrous
lrami1cations was lost sight of for the
moment. She was the inspiration fol
4 it all, the goal and reward toward
which he struggled.
! Betty" the single word fell softly
Il from his lips. He stepped into the
room. closing the door as he did So.
The girls eyes were dilating with a