Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-27

ny trees that twisted and strained as
thoush in agony of warning.
He shrank from stepping between
these DanteSQue sentm"ls through that
;ombre portal His mind went to the
lantern which he knew lay in the boat
only few feet away, But he had come
80 far by stealth and silence. Steal,h.iy
and silently he must 90 on. He real
ized il was his wisest campaign
against that which conspired death be
yond the frantic trees.
With an effort be stepped forward
Little by little he conquered his re.
vulsion. He entered the path. Again
the light failed 10 reach him The
darkness was like a cloak. II suffocai ed
In spite of the keen wind tearing past
him he could scarcely breathe.
He had no illusions. He knew ne was
IN daneer-a danger all the more IC he
feared because it was uncharted. He
slipped his revolver from his POCKET
His other hand he carried outstretch-
cd before him. Painfully he crept %
The path, momentarily expecltnt C
the enemy's first move.
His half serious remark TO Anderson
about firing this piece of woods cane
back TO him. A match dropped in he
dry mderbrush at The will Of tlls wind
bn -
destruction. Let the enemy make is
first move let him feel the symptoms
of an oVerpow ering lassitude, and he
would drop that match, he would
Weld he woods TO that cleansing { II.
flagration
But the enemy was wary. It.; attack
Gid nor come. Almost gaSping 70,
breath he went on, pushing back h
darkness with his outstretcheG h9nd
as swimmer cleayes the water. So
lie knew he must have conc half
way. He realized he must be in The vi
Unity Of the place where Jake and
'iony had been caught, yet he Conlin
uel unimpoded.
Just beyond, however, he felt re.
turn Of the impression that had un.
neryed him in the coquna house. that
Anderson had described AS always
lurking there in the dark halls. He
knew he was not alone in the forest.
There was some presence behind him
in the path He had heard no sound
save the tearing of the wind, but he
Vas sure His retreat had been cut off
He took his match box from hls
pocket. II he should sense anythins
ahead of him, if he found himself
lemmcd in he would fire the woods
There would be light enough then K
disclose the nature of the attack
But while the feeling Of a presence
in the rear persisted he received nj
warning from the front. He knew the
ruins must be near. In the semi.circl,
Of The slave quarters he would fee
safer, He would be able TO see the
giJ from there, 10 study it, perhaps
to detect its source Only a few steps
more
He stumbled. The underbiusl
snatched at his legs. He was off the
path, He stopped abruptly, his throat
contracting, on the point of striking
his match. But saving thought came
TO him. He turned TO the right. TIL,
blue light played family there. He I'M
derstood. He reached the end of The
path. Instead Of turning with i
through the ruins he had plunged
straight ahead into the thcket.
Carefully picking his way he re
gained the path and ran between III,
ruins into the semi.circle. He hat
passed unmolested through the danger
Gus forest. He looked around The ligh
flickered now above the double row
Of trees that lined the avenue. 1t hat
grown very faint. While he looked a
| IT, puzzled, at a loss, II faded out. TIL,
wind seemed to gather greater
strength as though the passing Of thu
light had unleashed its last restraint
Miller was bewidered. Had his in
itiative, indeed, made itself felt ant
/ driven the solution beyond his reach
A reaction swept him. At the momen
when he had fancied his hand at TIT
throat of the mystery he was sudden
! ~ left as helpless as ever In burs
Of irritation he questioned If he, a
well as the Andersons, was not th,
victim Of some gigantic hoax. Iii
| brushed the question aside. There ha,
been no triciery about the girls emo
| ton or her fear for him.
He thought of going on the the plan
taton house, OF arousng Morgan, o
telling him of the injury TO the girl
wrists. of her terror, and Of her warn
! ing: vet that mi ght involve her in dill
! ficulties he could not foresee, Shout,
he then retrace his steps through tn
forest and return empty handed 10 lh
c0quina house?
In the first place he did not want (,
70 back through the forest before da,
light. He had keyed himself to Ia
strain of traversng II when he ha
!