The Ozark spectator., 1917-01-10
CHAPTER IV-Continued.

With the closing of the doors behind him, in the dim light he distinguished at the other end of the room the high platform and desk where the judges were to sit, when the court had been transferred from old Vincennes. Be hind the high-backed desk he would be absolutely concealed from view. it and settled down to what promised to be wait of several hours. Above him q square of azure showed through the unfinished roof. The afternoon was warm. David was more tired than he had realized. He grew drowsy, nodded slept.
 When he awoke, without raising his head, his ears caught the murmur of voices that had seemed to run through his dreams. All the light had faded from the room. star shone through the unfinished roof high above him. The voices ran on at his ear. He could hear them more plainly now.
 Money? Why. I tell you. man. there's barrels of 1t waiting at Mall den." The voice was impatient, q guttural harshness checked with an effort to whisper; sometimes 1t rose as though its owner could with difl- culty constrain himself to caution.
 Barrels of 1t, tell you. Heaps O good dollars like maize in the Indian villages"
 "But do you think he Is with us?'
 David could scarcely repress start at the second voice.
 The first speaker grunted contemp- tuously. And with blood on his head? You're as sure of him as you are of me-"
 The voice that answered was one of hearty friendllness.
 ''There. there, Captain Girty, no of- fense. But you'll admit that l was sent over to treat with you md you only. And now you propose the name of this man. You must admit. Cap tain Girty. that there's a bare chance he would prefer Yankee to an Eng fish commission"
 The man addressed us Girty swore irritably.
 American? He hain't no more American than l be. You promise him q nice berth with the kings con- mission and protection and he'll take it."
 And if he refusesY
 "No ones the wiser. I'll cut his throat easy enough"
 David thought the husky giggle which accompanied the words would have graced Satan.
 "Well, we'll meet him tonight, then. Where do you say he's to be found?" "We'll meet at the forge at the cor ner of Oak lane and Walnut-Israel Butts smithy. He slips in and out when he pleases."
 even meet there at midnlght?"
 Whereabouts. Give me time to git some O this liquor. We don't git good wine every day In the wilderness" And the backwoodsman chuckled again wheezily.
 David heard the faint shuttle of the British agents steps as the two moved away. The second man must be bare foot. he thought. Then came the just audible sound of the closing doors and he was alone. He rose and hastened through the growing darkness like a tattered ghost. He had still another rendezvous with traitors to keep that night.
 With n grunt portly passer-by felt his impact as he turned the corner; 1t was Cranmer himself. lingering on the way to his inn.
 Why, it's David" he exclaimed with bluff friendllness. "How are you. young manY He crushed David's cold fingers in mighty grasp. My boy" he went on sturdlly, i've seen noth- Ing in this town all day long but drunken backwoodsmen. don't think they're folk you can depend on. l stick to old John Wesley. rest his honest soul! I'm Methodist, nm. even in a town where there's none to preach. I'm hurrying back to my daughter, and then we'll have family prayers together. Won't you join us?"
 He beamed on David with the ex- pression of one ready to suffer the h. Quisition. But David stared at him in silence with strange look and then abruptly turned away. What a fool he had been 10 trust these Gran. mers for a moment! He caught him. sclf--Lydia. for aught he really knew. WAS innocent of her fathers intrigues.
 
 On the corner of the lanes called Oak and Walnut the blacksmith shop of Israel Butt. n low barrack of logs. showed no gleam of light from the in- terior to the chance passer-by. Da- vid. hidden In the dark passaseway at