The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-01-17

IL the dOBs were 10 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 or Ware.
In the end he sprang from the saddle.
and leading his horse into the woods.
tied II 10 a sapling.
A hurried investigation told him
that five men had ridden In and out OF
that path. or the five, all coming
from the south, four had turned
south again. but the NTH man-Ware.
In other words-had gone north. lie
weighed the possible significance OF
these facts.
Il am only wasting time!" be 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 70 the hard clay or
| the path, his 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 or Slosson
and his men; and he made the in
evitable discovery that these tracks
were all confined 10 the one spot
| They began suddenly and as sudden
ly ceased, yet there was no mystery
about these he had the marks OF the
wheels to help him TO a sure conclu-
! sion. A carriage had turned just
here, several men had alighted; they
| had with them a 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 lie 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 un-
! touched solitude, wound on between
| the crowding tree forms, a 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 it 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 it was the print OF child )
! bare foot.
lie 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 a
mile and plunged into the woods on
his right. his purpose being to pass
around the head of the expanse or
sluggish water to point from which
! he could later approach the cabin.
But the cabin proved 10 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 or
trailing vines or tloundered across
acre-wide patches OF green slime and
black mud. which at each step threat
ened TO engulf him in their treacher-
Gus depths. until at the end OF an
hour he gained the southern side OF
the clearing and a tirmer footing
within the shelter of the woods
Here be paused and took stock or
his surroundings. The two or three
buildings Mr.. Hicks had erected stood
midway OF the clearing J-ld 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. II was the girl Bess. She went
to a corner OF the building and called
! loudly:
Joe, 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 cab
in. where he was met by Bess. who
placed in his hands what seemed 10
be a wooden bowl. With this he
slouched OF 20 one OF the outbuild-
ings. which he entered. Ten or fif-
teen minutes slipped by, then he came
from the shed and after securing the
door. returned TO the cabin. lie was
again met by Bess. who relieved him
OF the bowl. they exchanged few
words and Slosson walked away and
=. .terward disappeared over the side
of the keel boat.
This much was clear 10 the Ken
tuckian: food had been taken 10 some
~ a, tho ehod-fo nasfv and thf