Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-08-29
cHAPTER XVII.



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 Bfrard. the
owner OF which had recently import
ed a pack OF bloodhounds; but this
unexpected encounter with Ware had
afected him strangely. He stiil heard
party For moment he hesitated; i
II the dogs were to be used with any
hope Of success he had no time to
spare, and this was the merest sus-
picion, illogical conjecture, based on
nothing beyond his distrust OF Ware
In the end he sprang from the saddle.
and leading his horse Into the woods,
tied 1t to a sapling
3 A hurried Investigation told him
that i've men had ridden in and out OF
that path. OF the ive, all coming
from the south, four had turned
south again Jbut the nth man Ware.
In other words4-had gone north. He
weighed the possible significance OF
these facts.
I 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, hiss glance lighted on the
print Of small and daintily shod
foot. The throbbing Of his heart
quickened curiously
Betty" The word leaped 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 Siosson
and his men; and he made the In
evitabie discovery that these tracks
were all confined to the one spot.
They began suddenly and as sudden.
ly ceased, yet there was no mystery
about these; be had the marks. Of the
wheels to help him to q sure eonclu-
sion. A carriage had turned just
here, several men had alighted; they
had with them child, or a 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 crowding tree forms, little bach
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 trampleo
space at the waters edge; but the
verdant wall preserved its unbroker
continuity. and twenty minutes latel
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
skiff the night before. The keel Of his
boat had cut deep into the slippery
clay; more than this, the impress o.
the small shoe was repeated here, ant
just beside it was the print OF child't
bare foot
He no longer doubted that Betty
and Hannibal had been taken across
| the bayou to the cabin, and he raI
back up the path the distance of 6
mile and plunged into the woods OF
his right, his purpose being to pass
around the sluggish water.
Here he paused and took stock O
his surroundings. The two or three
buildings Mr.. Hicks had erected stood
midway Of the clearing and were verJ
modest improvements adapted to theil
owners somewhat fippant pursuit o
agriculture. While Darlington wal
still staring about him, the cabin dool
swung open and a woman steppet
| forth. 1t was the girl Bess. She wen
TO a corner OF the building and callet
| loudly:
Joe! Oh, Joel!
Darlington glanced in the direction
of the keel boat and an instant latel
saw Slosson Chamber over Its side
The tavern-keeper crossed to the cab
| in, where he was met by Bess, wht
placed in his hands what seemed t
be a wooden bowl With this hi
slouched OF to one Of the outbuild
ings, which he entered. Ten or iii
teen minutes slipped by, then he came
from the shed and after securing thu
door, returned TO the cabin. He wal
again met by Bess, who relieved hin
Of the bowl; they exchanged q few
words and Slosson walked away ant
afterward disappeared over the sid,
of the keel boat.
This much was clear to the Ken
tuckian: food had been taken to som.
one In the shed-to Betty and tn
l F.!