The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-01-13

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Man on Guard.
warned not to look at her, but he
couldn't help himself.
81 hope you are not going to shoot
anybody with that gun"
mo, maam.' sai..
"Then put 1t down." ttE|Et
He did so. 'S-'ftTyr
Come here!"
He approached close to her.
"Will you do me favor?"
"Yes, ma'am." He had to say it.
"Promise?"
81 want you to wait in this room In
the most comfortable chair and not
leave it for an hour. VIII you do
that?"
The man was completely hypno-
| tized.
Come, Tommy" said Celestia.
They closed the parlor door after
them and slipped cautiously out OF
the house.
But there was no need of caution.
The platform along the stockade
was lined with Kehr's men, and the
attention of these was engaged with
matters outside the stockade and be-
yond.
"By George!" exclaimed Tommy.
"They must be expecting an attack
They ran across the open space to
the main gate of the stockade, and
: were halted by sentry. Fortunately
the pass word of the night before had
not been changed. Celestia gave it,
and asked the man to open the gate.
He had orders to let no one leave the
stockade.
! He found himself looking into a
pair of profound eyes, that somehow
or other seemed to muddle his brain.
"You must open it-for me-"
He hesitated, then turned slowly,
and began to tumble with the some
what complicated fastenings of the
gate. A few moments later Tommy
and Celestia were in the open.
About two hundred yards distant
was the grove, surrounded by stone
wall, which Kehr had not razed with
the rest of the timber. 1t was swarm
ing with men.
J Celestia turned the color of ashes.
And without word she darted to-
ward the grove as fast as she could
run, followed by Tommy.
Cries to stop reached them from the
top of the stockade, but they ran on.
"Shall | bring them down, sir?'
mo" said Kehr. Damn them!
His face was convulsed with rage
and disappointment. He saw Celestia
spring to the top Of the stone wall and
begin to speak to the men who
swarmed in the grove. And his fury,
| knew no bounds. But mingled with
it was a cold streak of caution. He
had but to make certain signal with.
his arm, and the men in that grove
and Celestia and Tommy and the
stone wall and the grove itself would
fly heavenward in one awful discharge
of dynamite; but that signal he dared
not give.
Listen to me-" Celestia was crying,
"and believe me. You've got to be-
lieve me. You think you are sheltered
here. The whole grove is mined. One
spark of electricity and you will all
be blown to pieces"
The men hestitated, and looked at
her in wonder. Tommy came to her
aid.
do you think Kehr would leave
tbs cover for your benefit? It's a
trap. II you've got any sense at all.
you'll get out before you are blown
out"
Kehr. watching from the stockade,
saw his victims beginning to escape
They left the grove in twos and
threes, sullenly but not slowly. Ce-
lestia still standing on the top OF the
wall had turned and faced the stock
ade, her hands on her hips.
So standing the sun shone full upon
her, and she cleaned with a bright
ness and glory that seemed hardly TO
belong to this earth.
Even Kehr was moved. True cour-
age always moved him. And In his
flinty heart there was a certain sense
Of relief. 1t would have been horrible
to blow so many men to pieces-dogs
aad fools though he honestly thought
them.
ITO BE CONTINUED)