The Winslow mail., 1913-09-27

ner mead past TO where 6ho coulu gain
a view outside. Hanlin pressed her
back with one hand, planting himself
squarely before the window. She met
his eyes spitefully.
II was mistaken this time" she ac-
knowledged drawing away, "but I'd
like to know why you were so anxious
to prevent my looking out Do you
know whom l thought you had there?"
AS you please" rejoicing that the
girl had escaped notice.
THAT little snip of a Molly. You
made hit with her all right, and she
certainly don't like me. Well, delight
ful as it is to meet you again, l must
be going" She turned away, and then
paused to add over her shoulder:
Don't you think it would be just as
safe for you to attend to your own
business, Sergeant Hamlin?"
And let you alone?"
Exactly; and let me alone. l am
hardly the sort of woman it is safe to
play with. 1t will be worth your while
to remember that"
He waited, motionless, Until assured
that she had passed down the hall as
far as the door of the dining-room.
The sound of shutting chairs evi-
denced the breaking up of the party
in preparation to return to the ball
room. If Miss McDonalds absence
were to escape observation, she would
have to slip out now and rejoin the
others as they left the house. He again
turned down the light, and held back
the curtain.
THE way is clear now, Miss Molly"
There was no 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 crouching in the
darkness, scarcely able to grasp the
fact of her actual disappearance. This,
then, was why Mrs. Dupont had failed
to see any one when she glanced out.
But where could the girl have gone?
How gotten away? He had heard no
sound behind him; not even the rustic
of skirt to betray movement. 1t
was not far to the ground, five or six
feet, perhaps; it would be perfectly
safe for one to lower the body over
the rail and drop. The matted prairie
grass under foot would render the act
the way the escape had been accom-
plished. Alarmed by the presence of
those others, suspecting that the wom-
an within would insist on learning
whom Hamlin was attempting to con-
ceal, possibly overhearing enough of
their conversation to become fright
ened at the final outcome, Miss Nc
Donald, in sudden desperation, had
surmounted the rail, and dropped to
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 band tuning up their instruments
across in the dance hall. He would 90
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 number Of men were
gathering up the dishes. Beyond this
the bar-room was crowded, riffraff
lined up before the sloppy bar, among
nj
tached officers who had loitered be-
hind to quench their thirst. Hamlin
drank little, hut fingered a moment
Just inside the doorway, to observe
who was present. Unconsciously he
was searching for Dupont, half in
clined to pick a quarrel deliberately
with the fellow or with Connors, deter
mined If 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
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, were 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
l do for you-hey?"
Answer a question IL you will,
friend. Do you recall selling hauer-
sack to a traveller on the last stage out
for Santa Fe in June?"
vel, do no; vas he big fellow?
Maybe de Won vat vas killed-hey?"
"Yes; his name was Moylan, post
sutler at Fort Marcy"
Maybe dot vos it. Why you want
to know-hey?"
mo harm to you, Kaplan," the Ser
geant explained. only / picked it
up out there after Moylan was killed,
and discovered by some writing on the
flap that it originally belonged to
friend Of mine. l was curious to learn
how it got into your hands"
The trader shrugged his shoulders.