The Lamar register., 1912-05-08


bit.
Let go!" roaRod Murreli. and .
murderous light shot from his eyes.
Il don't know but should pull you
out OF that saddle and twist your
neck!" said Darlington holly. Muir
rel's face underwent a swift change.
You're bold fellow to force your
way into a lovers quarrel" he said
quietly. Carrington's arm dropped at
his side. Perhaps, after all. 1t was
CHATTER VI.
Betty Sets oue for Tennessee.
Bruce's first memories had to do
with long nights when he perched be-
side his father On the cabin roof OF
their keel-boat ard watched the stars
or the blurred line Of the shore where
1t lay against the sky. or the lights on
other barges and RATS drifting a.
they were drifting. with their wheat
and corn and whisky, to that COM
mon market at the rivers mouth.
Bruce Darlington had seen the day
of barge and raft reach its zenith.
had heard the 1rst steam packets
shrieking whistle. which sounded the
death-knell OF the ancient order.
though the shifting of the trade was
slow matter and the glory OF the old
did not pass over to the new at once.
but fingered stiu In mighty fleets OF
RATS and keel-boats and in the Ho-
meric carousals Of some ten thousand
of the half-horse, half-alligator breed
that nightly gathered in New Orleans.
After the reading of the warrant
that morning. Charley BALKAN had
shown Darlington the road to the
Forks, assuring him when they sep
arated that with . little care and
decent use Of his eyes 1t would -
possible to fetch up there and not
pass plumb through the settlement
without knowing where he was.
He was on his way to Fayetteville.
where he intended to spend the night,
and perhaps a day or two In looking
around, when the meeting with Betty
and Murrell occurred. The girls face
remained with him. It was face he
would like to see again.
He was still thinking Of the g1Yi
when he ate his supper that night at
Cleggett's Tavern. Later. in the bar.
he engaged his host in idle gossip. He
had met a gentleman and . lady on
the road that day! he wondered. -
he toyed with his glass. II It could
have been the Ferrisesf MountsdH
Yes. mounted. Then 1t was Ferris
and his wife-or it might have been
Captain Murreu and Miss Malroy.
Miss Malroy dill not live in that part
Of the country; she was Q friend OF
Mrs. Ferris. belonged in Kentucky or
Tennessee, or somewhere out yondsr
at any rate she was bringing her
visit to an en1, for Ferris had In
structed him to reserve q place for
her in the nor Inbound stage on the
morrow.
Darlington suddenly remembered
that he had tho ught OF starting north
in the morning himself.
The stage let at six, and as Car
rfngton climbed to his seat the next
morning Mr.. Cieggett was advising
the driver to look sharp when no
came to the b, rony road, as he was
to pick up pa ty there. 1t was Car
rington who Loo led sharp. and almost
at the spot VIII ere he had seen Miss
Malroy the day before he saw her
again, with Fe. r1s and Judith and .
pile of luggage bestowed by the way
side. Betty dil not observe him A.
the coach stoI ped, for she was in
tent on her fare yells with her friends.
There were h. ty words Of advice
from Ferris. prolonged good-bys to
Judith, ears-lisses-while . place
was being made for her many boxes
and trunks. c. irington gathered tha&
she was going north to Washington;
that her final destination was some
point either OF the Ohio O Missis-
sippi, and that her name was Betty.
Then the door slammed and the stage
was in motion again.
All through the morning they swung
forward in the heat and dust and
glare, and at midday ratified into the
shaded main street of a sleepy village
and drew up before tho tavern where
dinner was waiting them.
Betty saw Darlington when she
took her seat. and gave . scarcely
peroeptible start OF surprise. Then
her face was flooded with Q rioh col
or. This was the man who saw her
with Captain MurreIl ysstsrdayi
There was q brief moment Of irrsso-
L..