The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-05-21

f1vely an emOtlOn OF rare Interest III
the hunted man, she dared not con-
front her father with her tell-tale face
Nance iii ss.t 80 10 btd Il. her usua!
:i2uc. She could Rot s!sc9 thinking
81 he handsome. manly young fellow
who had fallen under the ban of the
Killers. She had watched her father
and his hired man piling the packing
cases on the great hayrack truck,
full load for Mayville. Then the hired
man went to his home nearer the VIII
lage to get his supper and have a
lunch put up to last him through his
long trip.
Suddenly Nance bent her ear and
listened. A scraping sound echoed
from overhead. She thrilled as 1t was
| followed by a distinct groan. Her
heart stood in her mouth as she took
up lamp and went up the loft stairs.
| A quick suspicion had come into her
| mind. 1t was verified as, seated upon
the floor. she made out Knowlton.
"Oh, / am so glad" she cried spon-
taneously and then flushed with con-
A1oACA- mt0lA, ludL JOu AAfC CS-
| capped those cruel men,"
Knowlton was pale, one limb was
bandaged from the knee down, but
he smiled with swift appreciation of
,.a kindliness of that gentle nature.
II was just trying to find something
that would do for a crutch," he ex-
! planned. II feared / Nigh; compro-
l p.i0a 20 hu hpra
where l stole In early this morning.
| I must get to Mayville and get some Of
the buckshot picked out of my limb.
| My wounds are not serious, but cam
not stand on the foot unsupported"
Yes, you must get away, and must
| help YOU" spoke his practical little
/ friend. meditatingly. "Oh, have it !"
First to see that the bandages were
In place, then food and water, and
then, Nance supporting him, he was
helped down the back stairs to the
| truck, the cover of rear-most box
removed, and within he ensconced him.
SELF.
you are an angel Of mercy" he said
feelingly. as he kissed the fair hand
Aao o0C(OiCQ lAltls 4Nah(C oCA bAiO
cover lightly on the box, securing only
two nails.
| Inside of three hours you will be
within the safety zone" she spoke. I'm
eight at Mayville. am so gladp
She returned to her room, but only
to watch and wait until the hired man
returned. In the distance she caught
the echo Of some ribald crew In the
town engaged In drunken frolic, and
shnddered. She heard the truck
| wheels CRATE over the stony road lead
ing to the river ford. Insensibly she
drifted into slumber, her head ON the
window sill. to start up wildly an
hour later as the voice of the hired
man came up to her from the yard
| below.
He had two horses, wagonless, and
he was shouting excitedly for her ia
Their. who came hurrying out to him.
whats the troublef Where's the
wagonT" cried Duryea sharply.
Burned up, boxes, truck and all.
met Blair and his crowd. roaring drunk.
| They tipped over the wagon set the
boxes on fire, and are now dancing
about the ashes like fiends and boast
ing that they have taught you les
son for siding with that stranger,
Knowlton. who escaped them"
With wall Of terror unutterable
Nance Duryea sank to the floor sense
less. She was like some crushed flow
er. when she came downstairs the next
morning. Amid his troubles her IA
Their failed to notice the haunting ter
rOr In her face. She was too stricken
and anguished to tell him of the fate
Of the man she had befriended.
You're to get ready to have the
hired man take you to Mayville at
once" her father told her. II shall
follow. It's getting too hot to hold US
down here"
She was like one In a dreadful
trance all the way to Mayville. Her
aunt noticed the cloud that hung over
frame and spirit like a pail. Nance
for several days was confined to her
room under the care Of a physician.
She came downstairs weak and at
tenuated. The horror of that night at
home, 1t seemed, would never leave
her.
She was reclining at an open win
dow, In an invalid chair one day, when
a man. aided by erutch, passed along
the street. 1t was he!
"Oh, 1t cannot be !" she cried. "Mr.
Knowlton; oh. come into this house."
"Just out of the hospital Bert
Knowlton told Nance, "and bent on
going back to Crofton to thank you, If
fifty Killers stood In the way.
"But you were burned up"
"Quite the reverse. I was nearly
drowned" said Knowlton. 1.-THE box
was in fell of the load as the wagon
crossed the ford. I hoated for I'VE
miles, managed to get ashore. and
But you have been illf
She burst into tears Of relief and
gladness, and and then her story, and
then
In the tender eyes Of the lonely girl
beside him, Bert Knowlton read
token Of love that assured him that
that there was no shadow Of another
parting.