Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-08-06

ieit III tnere was pursuit IL Woulu DC
safer far ashore. Just as the sun
broke through the mist We came unex.
pectedly to the mouth OF q small
stream leading into the main river
from the south. So thoroughly was 1t
concealed by a thick growth OF bushes,
that we would have slipped by, had l
not been skirting the shore closely.
seeking some such opening. headed
the canoe straight In, pressing aside
the branches to gain passage. n
found beyond q narrow creek. up which
We managed to paddle for several hun
dred yards. Then stepped over.
board, and dragged the light craft still
higher, until l discovered a place OF
coneeaiment behind q huge rottins
log.
here we ieft 1t, Rene and ! bearing
Win us the guns and u small store
OF provisions. had q cane for
BRADY and. with It's help. he managed
70 get along slowly. although sight OF
MS race made my heart ache. Thus In
single ME we waded up the tiny
stream, until We attained q ledge OF
rocks wnere our rect wouid leave NO
uah. over nese we toiied. helping
eacn other, until we came to b up
iana' mo an open forest, carpeted
WIN autumn leaves. BY this time
braoy was Toe exhausted to 90 further,
SINKING neipiessiy on the ground. Rene
aiso looked worn and heavy-eyed. n
l mao no neart to urge them on. We
ATE sparseiy OF what 1000 we had. but
BRADY barely touched his portion l
wrapped MIN IN u only blanket. and
q e tnree oi.us slept
IL was the gray dawn when mademot-
seiie awoke me, shaking me soundly
ere could be aroused. That some
tnins was wrong l perceived instantly
rom Inc expression OF her face. and
SAT up, giancing hastily about, expect
ing the approach OF savases.
What Is IT."
He is gone. monsieur! Monsieur
Brady 10 gone"
GONE! You mean left camp. Why
that Is impossible; he could barely
walk"
But he is not here. monsieur" she
insisted. See; 1t was there he lay. I
will tell you all l know. l woke up in
the night and thought Of him. Of how
hard 1t was for so strong a man to be
so weak and Ill. Then ! got up and
went over quietly to be sure he was
all right But he was awake, mon
sieur, staring up at the sky with eyes
wide open. He saw me, and said he
was nervous and could not sleep. No.
he told me he was not In pain, but
complained OF being cold. l spread
more leaves over him, and he said that
was better. Then-then he took my
hand and kissed 1t, and begged me to
go back and-and lie down. He was
very nice n gentle, and smiled at
me. So l went back. and crept Into
my leaves, ana tried TO sieep. He did
not move. yet J lay there q long while
thinking. THINK cried q little. mon
sieur. for l feit SO sorry. AT last l
slept again. 1t was Just a little light
when awoke once more, M my frst
memory was OF him. ! went over there
and-and ne was gone. couid see
where he a rested In the leaves, and
the blanke on the ground, but-but he
was not there. sought TOT MIN, out
there was no traceTnothing. 80 !
came n woke you.
was on my feeI a ieeilng OF dread
tugging at my a reit tnat a.
ready knew what mad happened, yet
could not tell her-not now, not unui
l was sure.
He could not have gone far, Rene"
1 said hastily. Perhaps to the river
for a drink. Come, we viii see.
The ground about d camp a
been 30 trampied by Zee that, at
nrst, ! could not PICK up the IRAN.
Finally. taking a wider circle, ! came
upon softer soil and the imprint OF his
moccasins. knew tney were MS De-
cause OF one foot dragging, and the
impression OF MS cane. They leo down
TOWARD the river. ana ! roiioweo SWIFT.
~. the girl close oehind, until we STOOD
"
tran ended mere. explored the oank
for some distance up I'M down, out
without result. There were tears
glimmering In n eyes, as l came
back-she also was beginning TO un-
derstand. a word waded
out into the water. ana swan across TO
the other shore. Tner was nothing
there-no sign, no mark OF any de-