Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1911-12-14
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- Copyright BobbsMeran Company AWBMUHg2Xu1
CHAPTER xxx Continued.
Bobbs. Merrill Company
Copyright. 1911

+. Z
CHAPTER xxx Continued.
Presently the distant clatter of hoofs
was borne to Wares ears-only that;
the miracle of courage and daring he
had half expected had not happened.
Murrell, for all his wild boasting, was
like other men. like himself His
bloodshot eyes, slid around in their
sockets. There across the sunlit
stretch of water was Betty--the
thought of her brought him to quick
checking terrors. The whole fabric
of crime by which he had been bene.
fited in the past or had expected to
profit in the future seemed toppling in
upon him., but his mind clutched one
important fact. Hues, if he knew
of Betty's disappearance, did
not connect Murrell with it.
Ware sucked in comfort be-
tween his twitching lips. Stealing
niggers! No one would believe that he,
planter. had a hand in that, and for
a brief instant he considered signaling
Bess to return. Slosson must be told
of Murrell's arrest; but he was sick
have been prepared for him. he could
not know; and the impulse to act for
sook him.
He smote his hands together in. a
hopeless, beaten gesture. And Muir
rell had gone weak-with his own eyes
he had seen it-Murrell-whomf he
believed without fear! He felt that he
had been grievously betrayed, in his
trust and hot rage poured through
him. At last he climbed into the sad
die, and swaying like a drunken man,
galloped off.
When he reached the river road he
paused and scanned it's dusty surfacs
Hues and his party had turned south
when they issued from the wood path.
No doubt Murrell was being taken to
Memphis. Ware laughed harshly. The
outlaw would be free before another
dawn broke.
He had halted near where Jim had
turned his team the previous night
after Betty and Hannibal had left the
carriage; the marks of the wheels
were as plainly distinguishab1e as the
more recent trail left by the four men.
and as he grasped the significance of
that wide half circle his sense Of in
jury overwhelmed him again. He
hoped to live to see Murrell hanged!
: He was so completely lost in his
bitter reflections that he had been un-
aware of a mounted man who was
coming toward him at swift gallop.
but now he heard the steady pounding
of hoofs and, startled by the sound,
a 11t %h1 h1v
man drew rein at his side.
Ware, he cried. ..,,s......,r-7,.s.s.s
t. "How are you, Darlington 2. sssid the
planter: &s' ;>~ q te@G 81,
"You are wanted at Belle Plain" be-
gan Darlington. and seemed to hesitate.
"Yes-yes, am going there at once
-now-" stammered Ware, and
gathered up his reins with shaking
hand. H.
you've heard, l take it," said Car
rington slowly. .... r.
"Yes," answered Ware, in hoarse
whisper. "My God, Darlington, I'm
heart sick: she has been like daugh-
ter to mel" he fell silent hopping
his face.
81 think understand your feeling, -
SAID CdlIllSLOh, 6lVAA6 H1iA I" -lCNCi
glance. H-' .Sv'
"Then you'll excuse me- and the
planter clapped spurs to his horse.
Once he looked back over his shoul-
der; he saw that Darlington had not
moved from the spot where they had
met. .z
At Belle Plain, Ware found his
neighbors in possession of the place.
They greeted him quietly and spoke in
subdued tones of their sympathy. The
planter listened with an air of such
abject misery that those who had
neither liked nor respected him, were
reused to q sudden generous feeling
where he was concerned, they could
not question but that he was deeply
affected. After all the man might have
side to, his nature with which they