The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-05-10
The Danger
Zone
o0
BY Florence Lillian Henderson
- -
Copyright, 1918. Western Newspaper Union }

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright, 1918, Western Newspaper Union-)
"You can't see IL my way, NanceT
II am sorry 10 say can't, Levi. !
fear never Will"
Fear. 81" scOrned Levi Blair,
with dark scowl. ''Its well enough
to be polite. but I'd speak the truth
II l were you. There's someone else,
that's what's the trouble, and I'd like
10 run across him. And | have dim
Idea who IL is. He's keeping close,
and he'd better. for he's wanted, and
IL he's caught the crowd will surely
settle him."
you have said quite enough spoke
Nance Duryea with flashing eyes.
Don't you dare to come here any
more" SLAM! And Levi Blair found
the closed door between himself and
the object of his love. He shook his
fist at an imaginary rival and went
his way.
The Duryea house was connected by
covered passageway with the little
one-stOry and loft workshop where
John Duryea made boxes. He had
originally been cooper. but there was
no demand for barrels or kegs in the
| district since the moOnshiners had
been driven into exile. At Mayville,
twenty miles away, however, a small
shoe factory'had been started. Labor
was cheap and there was local tan
merry, and the shoe people had given
Duryea a permanent and quite profit
able contract to supply them with ship
ping cases.
The value of the contract and the
necessity of business expansion had
about Influenced Mr.. Duryea to remove
to Mayville, and Nance hailed the pros
pect with delight. There was nothing
at CroftOn to attract young girl. The
men were rough and uncOuth. the wom-
en- led q humdrum, slavelike life and
the town and the district was domnat-
ed by a fierce, law-defying group, IA
mlliarly known as "The Hillers."
They were called that because at the
appearance Of anyone in collision with
the law the moOnshiner up among the
mountain ranges welcomed the refu-
gee to shelter and protection.
The advent of stranger was always
hailed with suspicion. The rough ele-
ment looked for an excise officer or
government spy invading their terri
tory in every newcomer, and when
Bert Knowlton, a young lawyer from
distant city appeared in the interest
Of client relating to large tract of
coal land, he was advised by the local
head of justice as follows:
"Get through your job quick as you
can and stay in nights"
"Why? What's the particular dan
ger? inquired the self-possessed
young man rather coolly.
You're hitting the gang, that's the
particular danger" responded the tav-
ern keeper. "As you know, the squat
ter rights Of the tract in litigation rest
with the Widener family and they're
strong and powerful with the folks
hereabOuts They'll block you. l warn
you, and If you stick too close and too
long, it will be load of buckshOt some
dark night"
II shall try to take care of myself"
said KnowltOn with his habitual COM
posure, and went on his way, unde-
tered and unafraid.
BY the merest chance once or twice
he had met Nance Duryea. The first
time was when he overlook her in a
sudden rainstorm, and his umbrella,
as he escorted her home, afforded her
timely shelter. She was duly impress
ed with this neatly groomed, clear-eyed
young man, whose courtesy and atten-
tions made her remember him.
1t was the next afternoon just about
dusk when loud voices and a general
commotion in front of the house called
her to the front door. She was start
led to observe her father with set face
and wrath-filled eyes confronting half
a dozen rough-looking men, one Of
whom was holding a bloodhound in
leash, Levi Blair was the leader.
search my house." John Duryea
was shouting, and his honest face fair
ly bristled with indignation and resent
ment. "Why, I'll wing the first dast-
ard who crosses the threshold"
That's all right, John Duryea,"
spoke Blair, "but our dog has traced
the blood marks in this direction. We
are after that spy, Knowlton, and we're
going to get him. He wounded two
of our men and he escaped, but with
a good dose Of buckshot in one leg"
''You coward" cried Nance, stepping
into plain view. 'How dare you insin-
uate that Mr.. Knowlton came here.
My father scarcely knows him by sight
and I have not seen him for two days.
Double craven you are, to hunt down
g stranger who comes here among us
on legitimate business"
"You can go your way" spoke Mr..
Duryea. II have always been neutral
in your affairs, attending strictly to
my own. I'll tell you this, though:
some day you'll go too far and the po-
lice down at Mayville will come up