The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-05-10

the hunted man, she dared not con-
front her father with her tell-taie face.
Nance did not go to bed at her usual
hour. She could not sleep thinking
Of the 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 10 his home nearer the vii
lage to get his supper and have
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 distinct groan. Her
heart stood In her mouth as she took
up a lamp and went up the loft stairs.
A quick suspicion had come into her
mind II was verified as, seated upon
the floor she made out Knowlton.
"Oh, / am so glad" she cried spon-
taneOusly, and then flushed with con-
fusion. II mean, that you have es-
capped those cruel men,
Knowlton was pale, one limb was
bandaged from the knee down. but
he smiled with swift appreciation of
the kindness of that gentle nature.
II was just trying to find something
/ that would do for a crutch," he ex-
! planned. ~ feared 1 might compro-
mise your father by remaining here.
where ! stole in early this morning.
| must get to Mayville and get some OF
the buckshot picked out Of my limb.
My wounds are not serious, but l can
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
! that had succored him. Nance set the
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. 1 am so glad!"
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
| shuddered. She heard the truck
wheels CRATE over the stony road lead
ing to the river ford. Insenslbly 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
ther, who came hurrying out to him.
"What's the trouble? Where's the
wagon?" 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.
ther 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 shah
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 pail. Nance
for several days was confined to her
! room under the care Of 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 a crutch, passed along
the street. 1t was he!
"Oh it cannot be !" she cried. "Mr.
Knowlton; oh, come into this house"
Gust 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. "The box
1 was in fell off the load as the wagon
crossed the ford I foated for five
miles, managed to get ashore, and
But you have been ill?'
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 a
token Of love that assured him that
that there was no shadow Of another
parting.
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