The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-08-23
CHAPTER XVIII.


point opposite the clearing. He
whistled shrilly three times, and after
an interval OF waiting heard the
splash of oars and presently saw
| skif steal out of the gloom.
Who's there?" 1t was Bess who
/ asked the question.
Darlington" he answered.
Lucky you amt met the other
+, mani" she said as she swept her skin
alongside the bank.
Lucky for him, you mean. I'll take
the oars" added Darlington. as he
entered the skiff.
Slowly the clearing lifted out OF the
| darkness, then the keel boat became
d1st1ngu1shable; and Darlington
checked the skiff by a backward
stroke of the oars.
Helloi" he called.
There was no immediate answer to
his hail, and he called again as he
sent the skiff forward.
What do you want?" asked a surly
voice
You want Slosson!" quickly
prompted the girl in a whisper.
Il want to see Slosson!" said Car
rington glibly and with confidence.
Who be you?"
Murrell sent you," prompted the
girl again, in hurried whisper.
"Murrell-" And in his astonish-
| ment Darlington spoke aloud.
Murrell?" cried the voice sharply.
sent mel" said Darlington quick
! ly, as though completing an untin-
| ished sentence. The girl laughed nerv-
! ously under her breath.
Row closter." came the sullen
command, and the Kentuckian did as
he was hidden. Four men stood in
the bow of the keel boat, a lantern
was raised aloft and by its light they
looked him over. There was a mo-
ment's silence broken by Darlington,
who asked:
Which one of you is SIosson?"
I'm Slosson," answered the man
with the lantern. The previous night
Mr. Slosson had been somewhat I'M
der the enlivening and elevating in
f1uence of corn whisky, but now he
was his own cherries self, and rath-
er jaded by the passing Of the hours
| which he had sacrificed to an irk'
I some responsibility. What word dc
| you fetch from the captain. brother?''
| he demanded.
Miss Malroy is to be taken down
river" responded Darlington.
/ Slosson swore with surprising flu.
ency.
Say, we're five able-bodied men
risking our necks to oblige him! You
can get married damn sight easier
than this if you go about it right-l've
done it lots of times" Not under.
standing the significance of Slosson's
! allusion to his own matrimonial ca.
reer, Darlington held his peace. The
tavern-keeper swore again with I'M
| impaired vigor. You'll find mighty
few men with more experience than
me- he asserted, shaking his head,
But if you say the word"
I'm all for getting shut of thts!"
answered Darlington promptly, with
/ a sweep of his arm. Il call these
| pretty close quarters!"
Still shaking his head and mutter-
!
and mounted the bank, where his
slouching figure quickly lost itself in
the night.
Darlington took up his station on
the fiat roof of the cabin which filled
: the stern Of the boat.
IF I'd only pushed my quarrel with
himi" he thought bitterly.
He heard Slosson's shutting step in
the distance, word or two when he
spoke grufiy to some one, and mo-
ment later he saw Betty and the boy.
their forms darkly silhouetted against
the lighter sky as they moved along
the top of the bank. Slosson, with
] out any superfuous gallantry, helped
his captives down the slope and
aboard the keel boat, where he locked
them in the cabin, the door of which
fastened with hasp and wooden peg.
You're boss now, pardner!" he
said, joining Darlington at the steer.
ing oar
We'll cast off then" answered
Darlington.
Thus far nothing had occurred to
mar his plans. If they could but quit
the bayou before the arrival of the
man whose place he had taken the
rest would be, if not easy Of accom-
plishment, at least within the realm
of the possible.
Il reckon you're a river-man?" OBJ
served Slosson.
'All my life"
The line had been cast Off, and the
crew with their setting poles were
forcing the boat away from the bank.
All was quietly done; except for an
occasional order from Darlington no
word was spoken and soon the I'M
wieldy craft glided into the sluggish
current and gathered way. Mr.. Slos-
son, who clearly regarded his relation
to the adventure as being of an off,
cial character, continued to stand a
Carringtons elbow.
CTO BE CONTINUED)