The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-02

to make inquiries regarding the rort,
over the range, seriously advised her
not to make the journey alone.
You should not attempt it. unpro,
tected," she warned Eleanor. THE
country is wild and infested with vi
cious half-breeds and even outlaws"
but Eleanor was fearless and willful.
She equipped herself in stanch walk
ing trim. and noontide saw her pass
ing down a lonely mountain gully and
recognizing marks in the landscape
described to her which indicated that
she was nearing Crofutt pass. Sud-
denly, turning past dense thicket,
she recoiled with a start as tawny-
skinned woman darted directly in
front of her.
The stranger, a half-breed squaw,
was slovenly, half-intoxicated and VI
cious looking. Her eyes glowed as
| she made out the small netted hand
bag suspended from the belt that
Eleanor wore She thrust out her
hand. seized 1t and tore It loose. e.
eanor put out a OBTAINING hand, for
the bag contained some money and
valuable jewelry.
The squaw Produced q keen-b laded
knife and showed her teeth. Then
she quickly uncoiled stort lariat
from her waist Eleanor read her pur-
pose. to bind her hand and foot
and leave her helpless while she fed
safely with her spoils
Eleanor sought to defend herself.
She stopped suddenly. seized a heavy
stick lying in the path, swung it
around and swept her despoiler on
her feet. With an angry snarl the
squaw regained her feet, but Eleanor
| fed precipitately. She fancied she
heard a masculine voice shouting cut
after her, but she feared an accom-
plice Of the squaw and terror lent
! fleetness to her actions.
Eleanor deviated from the gully.
seeking shelter in rushing up side
path. At the top she paused breath
| less. A view of the spot where she
t had been robbed was now shut out
from her view. Eleanor made out a
| cabin, its door open. She rushed
through the aperture and sank to a
chair in a rudely furnished room,
nearly at the point OF fainting.
Her eyes opened wide as, wander
ing about the room, they fell upon a
picture on a stand. It was her own
Near to it was tiny vase and in
| this. as If replaced fresh every morn.
ing was a mountain daisy. her favorite
flower.
She recalled having her picture
taken the year before in this very
district by travelling photographer
Was this one printed from the same
negative? Lest in anger. half-guess.
ing the truth, she started up as stall.
wart form crossed the threshold. II
was that scamp" Warren Brill.
He greeted her with manifest re.
preston and respect. She wondered
II Fate was in all this, as he told OF
witnessing the robbery, Of recovering
the booty from the squaw.
81 found this on the ground" he
explained. and he handed Eleanor
with the handbag the letter she had
received from her father the day
previous. There was a queer twinkle
in his eye. She flushed deeply
1T is just year lacking three days
since your father loaned me the r1ones
to purchase the old mine, Miss
Wynne," he said 1t turned out q
heartless swindle but my defeat urged
me up to new efforts to make amends
to my generous hacker I struck &
new rich prospect. See" and he ex
hibited receipts from the trarch min
for over fifty thousand dollars.
Brill saw her safely back to town
He saw her, too. every day after tina
during her stay. Then, the last eve
ming but one. he told his love.
Dear papa" spoke Eleanor, hcme
returned a week later, after thei
greetings were over, you asked M
to find that scamp, Warren Brill, TO
you
Yes, Eleanor
Well, / have brought him with M
to explain all about his terrible du
plicity."
And Eleanor went into the hallwa,
and beckoned to Warren Brill, an,
led into the presence of her amaze
sire her future husband.