Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-12-05

OF new day gave her a first real
glimpse OF the surrounding dreariness
as she stood looking out throueh the
/ grimy glass II saer single window de-
/ pressed and heartsick. The low.
rolling hills, bare and desolate.
stretched TO the horizon, the grass al
ready burned brown ~ the sun. The
town itself consisted of but one
short, crooked street, danked bg
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 ruttea
and dusty. and the ceaseless wind
swirled the dirt abealt in continuous.
sufocating clouds. The hotel Itself.
a little, squatty, two-slo
eroaned TO the blast, tlre Ia
COLLAPSE. Nothing moved a
wagon down the long ribbon Of road,
and a dog digging for a bone behind
a nearby tent 1t was so sQualid 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 tiy-specked 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, tie
bed coverings had looked so forbid
ding that Molly had compromised "
ing down, half-dressed on the outside;
nov, 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 q prompt decision. She would
go 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 ii she was compelled to wait
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 uneasiness
among the Plains Indians. Army Off
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, if it 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 yentured down the narrow, creak-
ms SlaiS III sedlSH Oh breakfast.
The diningroom was discovered at
the foot of the steps, square box of
place, the two narrow windows look
ing forth on the desolate prairie.
There We're 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
no, curiously interested. staring at her
a moment, and then resumed their in
terrupted meal. Miss McDonald's crit
zeal eyes surveyed the unsavory-look-
ing food, her lips slightly curved, and
then glanced :nquiringly toward the
men. The one directly opposite was
largo and h,1rIy ,,,;4I -;