Putnam patriot., 1912-05-17

and the specter of his fear seemed to fit before him and lure him on Pres ently 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 un- touched solitude, wound on between the erowding tree forms, little back from the shore, with an intervening tangle of vines and bushes. lie 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 its 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 skin 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 1t was the print of Q child's bare foot.
 He no longer doubted that Betty and Hannibal had been taken across the bayou to the cabin, and he ran back up the path the distance of q mile and plunged into the woods on his right, his purpose being to pass around the head of the expanse Of sluggish water to point from which he could later approach the cabin.
 But the cabin proved to be better defended than he had foreseen; and as he advanced, the difficulties of the task he had set himself became al- most insurmountable; yet sustained as he was by his imperative need, he tore his way through the labyrinth Of trailing vines, or fioundered across acre-wide patches of green slime and black mud, which at each step threat ened to engulf him in their treacher- ous depths, until at the end of an hour he gained the southern side Of the clearing and a firmer footing within the shelter of the woods.
 Here he paused and took stock of his surroundings. The two pr three buildings MT. Hicks had erected stood midway of the clearing and were very modest Improvements adapted to their owners somewhat fiippant pursuit of agriculture While Darlington was still staring about him, the cabin door swung open and a woman stepped forth It was the girl Bess. She went to a corner Of the building and called loudly:
 Joel 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 caD- 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 tif- 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.
 He waited now for the night to come, and to him the sun seemed fixed in the heavens. At Belle Plain Tom Ware was watching it with a shuddering sense of the swiftness of its flight. But at last the tops of the tall trees obscured it; it sank quickly then and blazed a ball of fire beyond the Arkansas coast, while it's dying glory spread aslant the heavens, turn ing the Hanks of the gray clouds to violet and purple and gold.
 With the first approach of darkness Darlington made his way to the shed. Hidden in the shadow he paused to listen, and fancied he heard difficult breathing from within. The door creaked hideously on its wooden hinges when he pushed it open, but as it swung back the last remnant of the days light showed him some dark object lying prone on the dirt floor. lie reached down and his hand rested on a mans booted foot.
 "George-" Darlington spoke softly, but the man on the floor gave no sign that he heard, and Carrington's ques- tioning touch stealing higher he found that George-if it were George-was lying on his side with his arms and legs securely bound. Thinking he slept, the Kentuckian shook him gent ly to arouse him.
 "George?" he repeated, still bend ing above him. This time an inartic- ulate murmur answered him. At the same instant the woolly head of the negro came under his fingers and he discovered the reason of his silence. He was as securely gagged as he was bound.
 Listen, George-its Carrington-I am going to take off this gag, but don't speak above whisper-they may hear us!" And he cut the cords that held the gag in place.
 How yo' get here, Mas'r Ca'ing-