The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-08-16
CHAPTER XVII.
Sess Leads to Betty

Bess Leads to Betty.
Just where he had parted from
Ware, Darlington sat his horse. his
brows knit and his eyes turned In the
direction of the path. He was on his
way to plantation below Birard. the
owner of which had recently import
ed pack of bIoodhounds; but this
unexpected encounter with Ware had
affected him strangely. He still heard
party For a moment he hesitated.
IL the dogs were to be used with any
nope or success he had no time TO
spare. and this was the merest sus-
plclon, Illogical conjecture, based on
nothing beyond his distrust of Ware
La the end he sprang from the saddle.
and leading his horse into the woods.
led 1t to a sapling.
A hurried investigation told him
tnat nVe men had ridden In and out OF
tnat path. Of the five, all coming
from the south, four had turned
south again, but the fifth man-Ware,
IN other words-had gone north. He
weighed the possible significance of
these facts.
L am only wasting time!" he con-
fessed reluctantly, and was on the
point Of turning away, when, on the
very edge of the road and just where
the dust yielded to the hard clay OF
the path, his glance lighted on the
print of a small and daintily shod
foot. The throbbing of his heart
quickened curiously
Betty" The word ieaped from his
lips.
That small foot had left but the
one impress. There were other signs,
however, that claimed his attention;
namely, the footprints OF Slosson
and his men; and he made the in
evitable discovery that these tracks
were all confined to the one spot.
They began suddenly and as sudden
Iy ceased, yet there was no mystery
about these; be had the marks Of the
wheels to help him to sure conclu-
sion. A carriage had turned just
here, several men had alighted; they
had with them child, or woman.
Either they had re-entered the car
| riage and driven back as they had
come, or they had gone toward the
river. He felt the soul within him
turn sick
He stole along the path; the terror
OF the river was ever in his thoughts.
and the specter of his fear seemed to
fit before him and lure him on Pres
emily he caught his first glimpse OF
the bayou and his legs shook under
him; but the path wound deeper still
into what appeared to be an I'M
touched solitude, wound on between
the crowdirg tree forms, little back
from the shore, with an Intervening
tangle Of vines and bushes. He
scanned this closely as he hurried
forward, scarcely conscious that he
was searching for some trampled
space at the waters edge; but the
verdant wall preserved It's unbroken
continuity, and twenty minutes later
he came within sight OF Hicks clear
ing and the keel boat. where 1t rested
against the bank.
A little farther on he found the
spot where Slosson had launched the
sktff the night before. The keel of his
boat had cut deep into the slippery
clay; more than this the impress OF
the small shoe was repeated here, and
just beside it was the print of chtld's
bare foot.
He no longer doubted that Betty
and Hannibal had been taken across
the bayou to the cabin, and ne ran
back up the path the distance OF
mile and plunged into the woods on
his right, his purpose being to pass
around the sluggish water.
Here he paused and took stock or
his surroundings The two or three
buildings Mr.. Hicks had erected stood
midway Of the clearing and were very
modest improvements adapted to their
owners somewhat fippant pursuit OF
agriculture. While Darlington was
still staring about him, the cabin door
swung open and a woman stepped
forth. 1t was the girl Bess. She went
to a corner OF the building and called
loudly:
Joe. Oh, joel"
Darlington glanced In the direction
of the keel boat and an instant later
saw Slosson Chamber over Its side.
The tavern-keeper crossed to the cab
in, where he was met by Bess, who
placed in his hands what seemed to
be a wooden bowl. With this he
slouched off to one Of the outbuild-
ings. which he entered. Ten or If
teen minutes slipped by, then he came
! from the shed and after securing the
door, returned to the cabin. He was
again met by Bess, who relieved him
Of the bowl; they exchanged few
| words and Slosson walked away and
afterward disappeared over the side
| of the keel boat.
This much was clear to the Ken
| tuckian: food had been taken TO some
| one in the shed-to Betty and the
| boy!-more likely to George.
CTo BE CONTINUEDj