Lower coast gazette., 1913-03-22

For answer he picked her up III hia
arms. She threw her arms about his
neck and chung to him, her hair
brushing his cheek. In sight OF the
hut she whispered:
"Wait! Let me down Q minute"
She stood leaning against him. her
full, ripe lips teasingly near. For q
moment as he looked into her faith
omless eyes, Bedight felt the weak
ness of man for woman coming over
him. To combat 1t, he moved farther
away, supporting her at arms length.
ut would be well to leave me ut the
cottage and go back for help. Look
inside, please, while l lean against
this BIRCH" she directed.
There's probably q burglar in the
woodboy or a man under the bed"
he said laughingly, as he started
toward the cottage.
The mayor stood for q moment
upon the threshold and then entered.
As his form disappeared within, there
appeared around the corner of the
cabin a man-the game warden OF
Lakeville. In a twinkling he had
slammed shut the door and thrown
a great bar across 1t from without.
"There, darn We; told ye I'd git
ye!" he beloved with radiant POM
posity. i. .
Bedight turned angrily as thu door
closed and realized too late that the
warning given along the trail had not
safeguarded him. He was a prisoner.
Peering through the dirty window
pane, an aperture not large enough to
permit the passing Of a mans body,
he saw Miss Farnsworth leave the
tree against which she had been lean
ing and walk leisurely toward the
hotel.
With the realization that the girl
had deliberately led him into the
hands Of the enemy. he gritted his
teeth and then, at the thought that
perhaps Jackie Vining had planned
this coup de main. Bedight felt a
queer sinking of certain hopes that
heretofore had buoyed up q heart
yearning to take high hurdles. No
a woman may keep a man in hot wa
ter on general principles of love. but
to throw him in Jail is treachery, ard
when a woman reaches that point she
Is like the woman scorned-a perfect
fury.
The room in which Bedight found
himself was big and rough like some
Of the words the mayor said before
his n CT the ladlcrous returned.
Then, in full possession of the humor
Of the situation, he sat down on the
side of the bunk and grinned. A man
can grin when the joke Is on him, but
ne selds.a becomes boisterous under
the circumstances unless he is in pub
lie, where it Is always good taste to
prove his good fellowship by blatant
laughter.
That the game warden had gone for
help there was no doubt. Remember
ing the slap which Bedight had ad.
ministered on the day Of their first
meeting, that worthy did not desire
to take fuf her chances.
"But If. Mics Yining planned the
trap, why did not the warden bring
enough help with him to arrest me?"
This was the question tho mayor
asked hinself-and gave it up. He
had nc way of knowing that the war
den had scat word to the sheriff to
be on hand-but that functionaE was
at the moment marooned on an island
five miles from the village with ample
food sent by q kind providence III the
light of the moon, but with 10 boat
by which he might navigate the inter.
yening waters.
An hour passed, during which time
Bedight had satisfied himself that
wood choppers cabins in general and
this one In particular were built with
the express purpose Of being better
jails than those possessed by the or
binary hamlet in the north country.
lie was securely con%fined--and he
was in to stay until some one chose
to liberate him.
A "oice from without suddenly gave
him hope. 1t was q voice he knew
well-the voice Of Jackie Vining.
"Mr. Bedisht," queried the voice.
"are you there-inside the cabin?"
mo, Miss C%onsplrator," replied the
mayor, yindictively. I'm up on the
roof playing solitaire"
"Wil you tell me which of the
girls was with you last night?" de-
manded Miss vining. "1f SO, I will
let you out"
"Oh, I like 1t In here" replied the
mayor, enthusiastically. "It's a nice,
quiet place, no hooks to bait, no
mound builders to ~excavate. no run
away horses to catch, no balsam to
pick, nothing to do but relax and
think OF the perfdy Of ones fellows
feminine gender"
I'm glad you like It," responded
the Judge" with Q wholesome flavor
in her voice. land I'm sorry to advise
you that the warden and reinforce
ments are about due. Wouldn't 1t be
wiser to help me protect q thought
less girl and go free than to be con-
trary and go to jail?"
Il like the jail at Lakeville even bet
ter than this" responded the prisoner
affably. 1T Is light and airy and has
easy exits In case Of fire or ennui."
"very wefl." she replied, repent at
leisure"
The mayor listened. She was go
Ing away.