Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-08-07

ths vona. srok Q hAsey s.es forward
a.. srs,s as.1s tie exrtAt,- Arzsuns
e<- seas yas: 70 vA<rs sss eoalt gaia
q vsev czosteL HAz,ta pressed ser
lack vt;A o-e had 1ian;t,g hiEsef
s,zA-siy e-.c-e cAs v1ssos. Sac ne,
Ia syss srt.e.z,iy.
! rs mistaken tAis tine" she &C
f-o.ie:sst a-Avfas away. hut I'd
Ike 70 srcw -hy yo1 we're 80 anxious
% preve,; NJ lookt,s oct Do ye1
E-ow vhoz thosss; yc- lad tnsrer
A yoa ,lease.- re3oicf-g that the
gt-i kae ESCAPED eoc.c<-
TIA: httis s,.p o. q Molly. Yea
zAte h.t With he: Al riss- aa9 she
e=-tzi1ly co-g Ike ne. Vel delight
.ul as Il = 20 nee: yoz again, J must
- go.-s SAe tzrrst ssay, ard then
p&-s=. 70 add over her shoulder:
-Doar !oz thiak u vogl3 - .zst as
SAFE 70. yoa 10 attecc 70 ycgr o-r
business. Sergeant HAnh--
-A-1 Is, yos aionec-
Exactly: and 10: ne aloae- ! Al
hardly the sort Of woman ]; % safe 10
10 reEsnbe that
He waited. notionless, uzti assured
tha; size Tad yAsset 6o~u the sall as
far a. ;h4 door o. the dininsroou-
The sound o. shuGias chairs evi-
dereec the breaking ~ o. the party.
In preparation TO return TO the ball
room u Miss NcDonal6s absence
we're 70 escape observation. she would
have 70 slip out now sr6 re!oin the
others as they left the house. lie again
turner ic<a the Light ani held back
the curtain.
The way is clear nov. Miss Molly"
There va1 10 response. no move
ment He stepped outside. thinking
the girl must have failed TO hear him
The porch was empty. He stepped
from one end to the other. making
sure she was not crouchlng In the
darkness. scarcely able 10 grasp the
fact OF her actual disappearance. This.
then. vas why Mrs. Dupont had failed
to see any one when she glanced out
But where could the girl have gone!
How gotten avay' He had heard no
sound behind him; not even the rustic
Of a skirt 70 betray movement II
was not far TO the ground. i've or six
feet, perhaps; II would be perfectly
safe for one TO lower the body over
the rail and drop. The matted prairie
grass under foot wogld render the act
uoiseless. No doubt that was exactly
the way the escape had been accom-
plished. Alarmed by the presence OF
those otksrs. suspecting that the wom
an within would insist on learning
| whom Hamlin was attem pting to con-
ceal. possibly overhearins enough Of
their conversation TO become fright
ened at the final outcome. Miss Nc
Donald, In sudden desperation. had
surmounted the rail. and dropped 10
the ground. The rest would be easy
to hasten around the side OF the house.
and slip in through the front door.
| Assured that this must be the full
explanation, the Sergeant's cheerful.
ness returned. The company OF Off.
GERS and guests had already filed out
through the hall; he could hear voices
laughing and talking In the street, and
the bsAd tuning up their instruments
across IN the dance hall. He would 70
over and make certain of her pres
ence. then his mind would be at ease.
He passed out through the desert
hallway. and glanced In at the din.
ing room, where a number of men were
gathering up the dishes. Beyond this
the barroom was crowded, a riffraff
lined up before the sloppy bar. among
these q number In uniform-unat.
tached officers who had loitered be-
hind to quench their thirst. Hamlin
drank little, tut fingered a moment
Just inside the doorway. to observe
who was present. Unconsciously he
was searching for Dupont. half In.
clined to pick quarrel deliberately
with the fellow or with Connors. deter.
mined II he found the little rat alone
to frighten whatever knowledge he
possessed out OF him. But neither
worthy appeared. Having assured him
self OF their absence, Hamlin turned
to depart. but found himself facing a
little man with long hair, roughly
dressed, who occupied the doorway
The hooked nose. and bright eyes
peering forth from mass of un
trimmed gray whiskers. we're familiar
you keep the Junk shop down by
the express Office, don't your"
Yep" briskly. scenting business In
the question. I'm Kaplan; vot could
do for you-hey?"
Answer a question II you will
friend DO you recall selling a haver
sack to a traveller on the last stage ou,