The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-12-05

Of a new day gave her first real
glimpse Of the surrounding dreariness
rs she stood looking out through the
grimy glass Of her single window, de-
pressed and heartsick. The low.
rolling hills, bare and desolate.
stretched to the horizon, the grass al
ready burned brown by the sun. The
town itself consisted of but one
short, crooked street, fanked by
rough, ramshackle frame structures,
two-thirds OF these apparently sa-
looms, with dirty, Tapping tents sand
wiched between, and huge piles of
tin cans and other rubbish stored
away behind. The street was rutted
and dusty, and the ceaseless wind
swirled the dirt about in continuous,
suffSSating clouds. The hotel itself,
4 little, squatty, two-stoyied affair,
kroaned to the blast, threatening to
collapse. Nothing moved except
wagon down the long ribbon of road.
and a dog digging for bone behind
n nearby tent. 1t was so squalld and
ugly she turned away in speechless
disgust.
/, The interior, however, offered even
smaller comfort. A rude bedstead, one
leg considerably short and propped up
BY a half brick, stood against the
board wall; a single wooden chair was
opposite, and a ay-spesked mirror
hung over a tin basin and pitcher. The
floor sagged fearfully and the side
walls lacked several inches of reach
ing the ceiling. Even in the dim
candle light of the evening before. the
bed coverings had looked so forbid
ding that Molly had compromised, ~
ing down, half-dressed on the outside;
now, in the garish glare of returning
day they appeared positively filthy.
And this was the best to be had;
she realized that, her courage failing
at the thought of remaining alone
amid such surroundings. AS she
washed, using a towel of her own after
a single glance at the hotel article,
and did up her rebellious hair, she
came to a prompt decision. She would
20 directly on-would take the first
stage. Perhaps her father, or whom
ever he sent, would be met with along
the route. The coaches had regular
meeting stations, so there was small
danger of their missing each other
Even if she was compelled to walt
over at Fort Dodge, the environment
there could certainly be no more dis
agreeable than this.
The question of possible danger was
dismissed almost without serious
thought. She had seen no papers
since leaving st. Louis, and the news
before that contained nothing more
definite than rumors OF uneaslness
among the Plains Indians. Army OIL
GERS interviewed rather made light OF
the affair, as being merely the regular
outbreak of young warriors, easily
suppressed. On the train she had met
with no one who treated the situation
as really serious, and, II 1t was, then
surely her father would send some
message of restraint. Satisfied upon
this point, and fully determined upon
departing at the earliest opportunity,
she ventured down the narrow, creak'
ing stairs In search of breakfast.
The dining-room was discovered at
the foot of the steps, square box OF
Z place, the two narrow windows look
ing forth ON the desolate prairie
There were three tables. but only one
was In use, and, with no waiter to
guide her, the girl advanced hesitating
ly and took seat opposite the two
men already present. They glanced
up, curiously interested, staring at her
q moment, and then resumed their In
terrupted meal. Miss McDonald's crit
ical eyes surveyed the unsavory-look
ing food, her lips slightly curved. and
then glanced .nquiringly toward the
men. The one directly opposite was
large and burly, with irOn-gray hail
80 hoard ahout SiYty wears OF age