The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-02-17

other pOsSlnle mlhhhpa' NtllhlnB the J
lane on the left, he slackened his pace |
and tremor ran through him Here /
the way was dark with high hedges on
each side,
lie tested the stick he carried and
found that Il was tough and heavy
enough to do terrific damage In a
hand.to.hand combat Clutohing the F.
small end as he would a baseball bat /
Barton took the middle of the road
and peered closely at the hedges on
both sides
Suddenly, there was noise on his =
right and something dashed out across
mis- path. He swung his club. but Il
only famed the air A few seconds
later a patch of moonlight some dis.
tance in front revealed the flying form
of a badly frightened rabbit,
Barton laughed TO himself. I'D bet.
ter save my energy for bigger game,
ne mused, the sudden BIT Of excite
ment relieving the tension
He walked faster now and In q hun
dred yards more came around It turn
IAlal up hll Ant AlAA lAA saw Inv lAfnA'NN 20
residence Of Mrs. Hunt, from which
he had been barred, and he knew he
was near the bridge where he was to
find the rainbow and its accompanying
treasure.
AS he came out into an opening
space he stopped as II halted by an
invisible force. At one swing he sent
his heavy stick far from him. On the
bridge, stood a girl dressed In SHIN
mering white. She was looking away
from him, but in n moment she turned
slightly and the moonlight revealed
her profile.
"Heavens!" he gasped, Can III
be?" 4
He could hardly trust his sense Of
sight, and he shivered as If he were
looking at a ghost. Then she moved
her head again giving a clearer view
of her face There was no mistaking
her now-it was Margaret Kenton
At that instant Barton felt the force
Of the axiom that often the last peri
son in the world a man cares to meet,
no matter how fair she may be, is
the girl who has just sweetly told him
NO" and shown a decided prefer.
ence for the other fellow" Was
Margaret, in her love of conquest, still
leading him on to worse humiliation
and disappointment? Had she gone
so far as to compare herself with a
rainbow and the treasure at its foot.
and to map out a unique program just
to bring him into her bewitching pres
ence again?
The only answer was Yes" and
Barton started to turn back and slip
away without being seen. But sud
den resistless impulse took hold of his
muscles and sPnt him straight out to
ward the girl. She heard him coming
and turned. At a glance she recog-
nized him.
20, Dick, it's you, is it?" she cried
delightedly. I'm so glad, was afraid
you wouldn't find me-"
Now it was no longer a guess-he
knew it was she who had sent him
the messages. He caught the old
hirtatious CLINT in her eyes and
steeled his heart against her
you don't seem a bit glad to see
me- she pouted.
Margaret, what does this mean?"
he demanded. ignoring her comment
What does it mean?" she cried. |
why, Dick, don't you see? 1t means
that you've found me, and-and that
I've found you But ! was afraid |
wasn't going to- When l shook my
head and encouraged Harold Aiken |
just to test you a bit what did you
do but take it all in dead earnest and |
rush off for good"
Barton was fairly stunned by her
audacity He had always felt that she
was a flirt Of the most dangerous type, |
but he never dreamed she would carry !
her Wiles to the extent Of having the |
whole neighborhood posted simply to
attach him once more to her chariot |
wheel at such a romantic spot
He looked steadily into her tair
face and brown eyes that regarded |
him so pensively. you beautiful lit.
lie devil" he thought hardly able to
keep from putting his arm about her
You used to be clever, but now you're
a marvel!"
When he spoke his emotion almcst |
choked back his words.
Margaret, why couldn't you have .
been satisfied to let me alone?" he
r1aod d1d s,y}rby ~, oor+l, Ji1 ,,C,,. ,.,+
some girl to write me these notes that /
have carried me all over the naIga /
borhood after you?"
From his pocket he took the accu
muated messages that had brought
him to her She glanced at them
then she gave him a startled look
Why did | get some girl to write
them?" she repeated
Yes, Margaret, why did you?' he
begged. q don't think you wrote
them yourself, for l know your hand.
writing too we'll"
"Of course, Dick, I didn't write them
Then for mercys sake who did?'
Barton demanded fercely.
Surely don't know, Dick" she re.
piled with a puzzled frown, unless it
was one of the Hunt girls-Mary very
likely
Mary Iunt?" he gasped
"Why, yes Didn't you get a card to
the dance tonight? You must have for
you got the notes that told you where
to find mel"
Then the solution of the mystery
dawned on Barton.
"l%o, 1 never got the card" he said
at must have been sent to my old
address in town and failed to reach