Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1912-09-05

point of view she had frank liking
for handsome, stalwart men. Caven.
dish was neither, but none knew bet
ter than Polly that where he was most
lacking in appearance he was richest
In substance. He carried scars hon
orably earned in those differences he
had been prone to cultivate with less
generous natures; for his scheme OF
life did not embrace the millennium.
Thank God, you got here when
you did" said Darlington.
I'VE was some pushed TO time, but
we done it," responded the earl mod
estly. He added. What now?-do we
make landing?"
"No-unless 1t interferes with your
plans not to. l want to get around
the next bend before we tie up. Later
We'll all go back. Can count on
your
you shorely can. | consider this
here as sociable a neighborhood as
ever struck. 1t pleases me well.
Folks are up and doing hereabout."
Darlington looked eagerly around in
search Of Betty. She was sitting on
an upturned tub, pathetic enough
figure as she dropped against the wall
of one of the shanties with all her
courage quite gone from her. He
made his way quickly to her side.
La" whispered Polly in Chills and
Fever's ear. IF that pore young thing
yonder keeps widow it won't be be.
cause Of any encouragement she gets
from Mr. Darlington. If ever seen
marriage in a mans eye l seen it in
his this minute!"
"Bruce!" cried Betty, starting up as
+! Darlington approached "Oh, Bruce,
l am so glad you have come-you are
not hurt?" She accepted his presence
without question.
I'VE are none of us hurt Betty" he
said gently, as he took her hand.
He saw that the suffering she had
undergone during the preceding
twenty-four hours had left it's record
on her tired face and in her heavy
eyes. She retained a shuddering con.
seriousness of the unchecked savagery
of those last moments on the keel
boat; she was still hearing the oaths
of the men as they struggled together,
the sound Of blows, and the dreadful
silences that had followed them. She
turned from him, and there came the
relief Of tears.
There, Betty, the danger is over
now and you were so brave while it
lasted. l can't bear to have you cry!"
Il was wild with fear-all that time
on the boat, Bruce" she faltered be.
tween her sobs. Il didn't know but
they would find you out. | could only
wait and hope-and pray"
81 was in no danger, dear. Didn't
the girl tell you | was to take the
place of a man Slosson was expect
ing? He never doubted that | was
that man until light-a signal it
must have been-on the shore at the
head of the bayou betrayed me-"
Where are We going now, Bruce?
| Not the way they went" and Betty
glanced out into the black void where
the keel boat had merged into the
gloom.
mo, no-but we can't get the raft
back upstream against the current.
so the best thing is to land at the
Bates plantation below here; then as
I soon as you are able we can return to
| Belle Plain" said Darlington.
, There was an interval broken only
by the occasional sweep of the great
steering oar as Cavendish coaXed the
raft out toward the channel. The
thought of Charley Norton's murder
rested on Darlington like a pail
Scarcely a week had elapsed since he
quilted Thicket Point, and in that
week the hand of death had dealt
with them impartially, and to what
end? Then the miles he had traversed
in his hopeless journey up-river trans
lated themselves into a division of
time as well as space. They were
just as much further removed from
the past with it's blight of tragic ter
ror. He turned and glanced at Betty.
He saw that her eyes held their steady
look of wistful pity that was for the
dead man; yet In spite of this, and in
spite of the bounds beyond which he
would not let his Imagination carry
him, the future, enriched with sudden
promise, unfolded itself. The deep
sense Of recovered hope stirred with
in him. He knew there must come
day when he would dare to speak OF
his love, and she would listen.
IT'S best we should land at Bates
place-we can get teams there" he
went on to explain. And, Betty,
wherever we go Wen go together,
dear. Cavendish doesn't look as II he
had any very urgent business Of his
own, and l reckon the same is true
of Yancy, so 1 am going to keep them
with us. There are some points to be
cleared up when We reach Belle Plain
some folks who'll have a lot to ex-
plain or else quit this part of the
state! And l intend to see that you
are not left alone until-until have
the right to take care OF you for good
and all-thats what you want me to
do one of these days, isn't 1t, dar-
ling?" and his eyes, glowing and in
| 6pifaIv fandar dwaIf ~, har Cd