Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-06
''DoC!''
BY
BY HAROLD TITUS.
Author OF TO the Victor"
Copyright
The Frank 4. Munsey Company
The Frank A. Munsey Company

Observation-Disclosures. ::s..,.s.:ss.ss:t.a
He crOuched. eXpectant of attack,
and yet he went forward with an as
Surances his progress was slow, but
about It was something inevitable, far
stronger than caution. He was bold,
with boldness that recognized no
such thing as caution, and he was
crsel with the glittering cruelty born
of greed
Two steps--t hree-the foot slipped
a trifle In the Shiny footing Even
such details Ellis Hardy saw. Four
Ska halfscore strides he made
Then. above the sigh OF the uncar.
ing wind, rose a voice in single
word:
Dad"
Clear cut, unwaverine. far.carrying
1t was--the mellow, full voice of
strong woman, and in its tone was a
minglins of quick, decisive warning
and high appeal.
from directly under Hardy, and the
shock of hearing ii in that place at
that moment sent him backward "a
step. he knew not why: just for relief
from the tension, perhaps.
With the cry step on the stairs
which led upward from the street,
resounding hollowly. and with The step
The mounted watcher lost his stiff
ness, threw himself TO one side in the
saddle. and brought the sun.hand
down it'll Jerk
But he did not shoot Stopped, as
if bahl Il; gathered mis- ridle-i in in
alarm. as thoush in prepa aiton .or al
emergency.
The man with the rifle gave no
heed-just poised and teetered back
and forth with mawkish unreality.
minding his business, friehtful in his
preparedness.
And the third, Advancing on the
bank, kept on as though he had no
ears TO carry warning or sense Of
judgment in which TO weigh it's i'm.
pofT, or as though he trusted all to
. those others.
Just those first steps on the stai@s
ana the sounds ceased and the wind
seemed to abate consciously Tor the
coming of the scream
II sounded again, that voice, utter
ing the same word in quick repeti.
ton.
Dad. Dad Dad
Mounting with each appeal until toe
last was almost a shrek. saved from
tone.
Then The steps, humping quickly
unevenly, as though some one OF
balance raced up the stairs to regain
And out in the street somewhere
sounded Il dull, flat crash---the yap Of
rifle.
Hardy's first impulse was to stef
back to his window and strive to Sc,
more OF the action, for he had uncon
sciously moved 10 the middle of III,
room. Bus the hammering of the feet
heraldins the approach Of some one
held his gaze on the glass Of his Office
door.
She came through it without pause
turning the knob quickly hut withou
rattle, entering the room with a hast,
step and closing the door behind he
without delay, yet softly. as though
she feared some one might he listen
ing 10 detect her in the action.
Then she stood an instant, bot
hands behind her and still on IN
knob, her back close against tn
door.
Even in the surge of conflictin
emotions whipped to fury by III
flash-like events Hardy felt thri
travel to the ends Of his being al sigh
Of the girl
She wore the same hat, but now
was pushed far back on her brow
hair, as though quick gesture G
dismay had set it so. Beneath tn
heavy coils of hair her eyes glowet
wide set, deep, and startled to ihei
larthest depths, and The face abor
them, so eloquent in line and feature
was blanched a dead white.
Her lips were parted, and betwee
them her breath came and wer
swiftly and far from regularly.
A crimson kerchief about he
throat, rumpled and half pulled lro'
the protecting collar of hor JACKIE
emphasized the pallof of her face
did not conceal the splendid shaft I
her neck, small but full, its curve
suggesting virile strength ut no COZ
OF delicate beauty.
For the instant she