The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1918-01-30
ZZZZE Wz2lz2 III

hdu SlllOu lulO NILS.
Mallory had tolerated him rather
scornfully, but today she smiled upon
him.
Dustin helped himself to a cigarette
and made himself comfortable.
She set herself to win him. He was
immensely flattered at her awakened
interest. When she called him by his
first name. he wagged all over like a
pleased puppy.
It came to him after time that she
was considering him for a confidential
mission. He assured her eagerly that
there was no trouble too great for him
TO take if he could be of any service
to her. Their heads were close in
whispered talk for a few minutes at
the end of which Dustin left the room
with his chin in the air. He was a
knight Grant in the employ of the
most attractive woman north of fifty
three
When Elliot took the dOwn-river
boat he found Oliver Dustin was a fell
low passenger. The little man smoked
an occasional cigar with the land agent
and aired his views on politics and af-
fairs social. He left the boat at the
big bend.
Not till week later did Elliot re-
| turn up the river. He was asleep at
the time the Sarah passed the big
bend, but next morning he discovered
that SeIfridge and Dustin had come
aboard during the night. In the after
noon he came upon a real surprise
when he found MeteetSe and her little
/ boy COlmac seated upon a box on the
7 lower deck where freight for local
/ points was stored.
His guess was that they were local
passengers. but wharf after wharf
/ slipped behind them and the two still
/ remained on board. They appeared
| to know nobody else on the Sarah,
. though once Gordon met Dustin just as
/ he was hurrying away from the Indian
/ woman.
lIeteetse transferred with the other
/ Kusiak passengers at the river juno
/ ton. The field agent was not the only
one Oh board who wondered where
she was going Selfridge was con-
/ sumed with curiosity, and when she
/ and the boy got off at Kusiak, he could
restrain himself no longer. Gordon
saw WaIiy talking with her. Meteetse
! showed him an envelope which evil
IDENTIFY had an address written upon it,
/ for the little man pointed out to her
/ the direction in which she must go.
Since leaving Kusiak nearly. two
weeks before, no word had reached
Gordon of Sheba. AS soon as he had
! finished dinner at the hotel, he walked
out to the Paget house and sent in
| his card.
Sheba came into the hall to meet
! him from the living room where she
/ had been sitting with the man she eX,
+ 0ected to marry next week. She gave
/ q little murmur of pleasure at sight OF
/ him and held out both hands.
81 was afraid you weren't going to
/ get back in time. I'm so glad" she
told him warmly.
He managed to achieve q smile
/ "Whon is the great day."
/ ''NeXt Thursday. OF course we're
! as busy as can be. but Diane says
A ring at the door interrupted her
Sheba stepped forward and let in an
Indian woman with a little boy cling
ing to her hand.
"You Miss O'Neill?' she asked.
eyes"
From the folds Of her shawl she
drew a letter. The girl glanced at the
address, then opened and read what
was written. She looked up, puzzled
first at the cOmely, flat-fOOted IndiaI
woman and afterward at the handsome
little brOwn-faced papoOse. She turned
TO Gordon.
''ThiS letter says 1 am to ask thi:
woman who is the father of her boy
What does it mean?'
Gordon knew instantly what il
meant. though he could not guess whC
had dealt the blow The impulse Il
spare her pain was stronger in hin
than the desire that she should know
the truth.
"Send her away" he urged. Dom
ask any questions. She has been sem
to hurt you"
A fawnlike fear flashed into the star
tied eyes. ''TO hurt me"
81 am afraid So"
"But-why? 1 have done nobody
any harm" She seemed to hold ever
her breathing in suspense.
perhaps some of MacdOrald's enc
miles," he suggested.
And at that there came a star-flasf
into the soft eyes and a lifted tilt Of
/ the chin cut fine as a cameo. She
turned proudly to the Indian woman
"What is it that you have to tell me
: about this boys father?"
= Meteetse began to speak. At the
: first mention of MacdOnald's name
Sheba's eyes dilated. Her smile, hel
, sweet, glad pleasure at Gordon's arr
val, were already gone ike the fi;,n,
: Of blown candle. Clearly her hear
: was a-fiutter, in fear d she knew no
/. what. When the Indian woman tolC
> how she had first crossed the path o