The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-04-07

The whir of the motor was rapidly ad-
vancing She could scarcely hope TO
escape unseen. Her wits sharpeneo
by her peril. she steered with swift de-
cision toward the overhanging bushes.
They parted. as her prov ran into
them, and. bending low. she found her
self shot into entire concealment Inc
whir of the approaching motor grew
loud. Quick as a fash June reached
for the telltale rope which had be-
trayed this hiding place and drew II
under cover of the matted bushes
Louder and louder grew the whir- II
was lust upon her. With her heart
beating SO that her ears were full OF
the sound of it. June peered out through
her leafy screen Grin Cunningham!
He circled the island in his swift little
cutter. his keen eyes searching every
where. He passed within ten feet OF
her She held her breath lest he might
hear it. and once as his eyes turned
full in her direction and she thought he
had certainly detected her hiding place
she almost screamed.
He passed on. however. and, running
his light little boat ashore, stepped out
and went up to the hut. the only pos
| sible place of concealment on the is
land June had swift debate with
herself. Should she leave her conceal
ment and. running her motor at its
quietest speed. slip away down that
other channel while Cunningham was
| in the hut? That debate was settled in
an instant. for up the other channel
slipped the swift little speed boat car
fylng Edwards and Gilbert Blye!
Blye's dark. handsome face was with.
| out its usual suave smile, and it wore
look of concern as, making quick
| landing. he hurried up to the hut, fol-
lowed by the plodding Edwards
1t seemed ages before they came
away. and they had apparently made
thorough search. for they even stopped
down as they came outside to peer I'M
der the stilted foundation amid the
rubbish which had accumulated there.
When they had gone away June re-
manned for q long time in her hiding
place, but finally she stepped from her
boat and crept from her concealment.
Thirst. inspired by the fever of her ex-
element, had driven her forth in
search of drinkable water.
There was cask of water in the hut.
brackish and stale, but it was water.
and she drank of it from a rusty old
tin cup which hung to it. She had just
set down the cup when her quick ears
detected a low. steady hum. She step
ped to the door, ready to make a dash
for her boat. but as she set her foot
upon the threshold she saw the dark
gray prov of n skiff protruding its
point around the bend of the lower
channel! She darted back out of sight
and, looking through a crack in the
board wall. saw in the skiff three
rough looking men and rough looking
woman. The skiff rode low in the wa
ter. and from under its tarpaulin fiaunt
ed fringe of celery leaves.
June laughed in relief. 1t was goo6
to see human beings who were not II
pursuit of her, who would befriend anC
protect her. and she had almost ruI
down to meet them when suddenl!
loud. angry voices came from the frai
little craft There was a bitter quarrel
in which the woman took shrtll part
and as the boat landed the woman
iumped out and stopped swiftly. Tn
: man with the scraggly mustache an'
a the scattered tufts of beard on his fac
n iumped ashore, cursing. The woman
raised up swiftly and, with shriel
e like a cat, jumped for the man with
t long knife glittering in her hand. Tn
d knife flashed down, and the man STAG
l. gered back The cleaning blade wa
{. raised again, but before it could dc
5 scend the huge. rawboned man, VIII
had Jumped from the boat, caught tn
woman'S arm.
June saw no more. She ran Wild
:. around the little hut. looking vainl
= for some place of concealment. A rust
= stove. a rickety table. some rule bencl
!. es. two straw pallets-that was al
= There was no other room, not even
;. cupboard. In the ceiling June's fral
- tically rowing eyes found trapdoo
? one of its boards loose. On the Woo
4 en- wall beneath it was series
cross sticks, and without hesitado
l. June ran up this rude ladder, shove
e the trapdoor aside and scrambled I'M
Il the attic.
J. There were voices below. The qua
N rel, whatever it had been about, ha
IT evidently been settled. for the woma
n was laughing. and so was the big, raw
4 boned man. June peered down throus
lie 9 crack in the ceiling boards. The:
s. two and the lean fellow with II
y hook nose were loaded with all the
< could carry The big man with Il
scar on his chin dropped his hea7
lie bags on the floor with a clatter. al
a the brass stopcock of a washDasi
Of rolled out of one of them. The woma
I'd carried silks and fine linens in h'
ID bundles, and the lean little fellow wi
| AS Il
o. posted their burdens on the floor Il
If. other man came in and sat heavily {
IL. a bench.
he "Well. Babe. you sliced me. all right
m he grinned. and, throwing off his Goa
ok he loosened his shirt at the neck al
ks barred his left shoulder. There was 6
ia. ugly wound near his armpit. and it WI
w bleeding profusely.
he June clapped her hand over b
m mouth to prevent a hysterical outer
NO while her senses swan. She was sc
a. ing phases of life that she little dreal
nd ed existed
he The woman made laughing rep
m and after the people exhibited difft
IF ent articles of jewelry, clothing. ct
n. they started cooking q meal.
"a The men were at the table an
od credibly short time They gulped thu
food. and then. tired and sleepy. tn
~ lay down on straw pallets for fe
IN minutes of honest rest. while the &C
80 and starved little runaway bride in t
- attic looked down with ravenous ey
- on what they had left. The odor of
- hot coffee made her feel faint Or
- terror kept her on the alert.
The important thing to June in