Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-30
The Frank A. Munsey Company

Uneasy. he turned toward the uooi-
way and made his way again INTO the
night. He walked TO where ms morse
stood waiting. unfolded the paper,
and struck match In an interval
before the wind famed OUT the flame
he saw that an ungainly mana haa
scruwled words in pencil. lie tried a
second match with no better results,
and with srunt of Impotence mount
ed his horse and rode, toward town.
In his Office he made 4 light. and
held the paper 10 its ray WIN hanas
that trembled-he Told himself, trem-
HE'D foolishly
The script was in an unfamiliar
hand, sprawIed ont in lines that lost
their parallels. He ran his eye 10 the
bottom and read the signature:
"B. Sears"
Then back again to the beginning
with Quickened interest:
Dear Friend Doc:
Il am getting ready TO make my
tracks away from this ranch because
you may be coming or sending some
body TO try to make me trouble. Don't
he foolish, Doc, because it won't get
you nothing and you might get hurt.
"YMl have been too white with me to
make me want TO get you in DANGER
40 send you this warning 10 tell You
10 be careful. You don't know moth
ing about this country or | would be
afraid OF YOU, but YOU can't shoot ana
You don kno where to 20 10 loon
for n mar who don't want 80 he found.
If YOU could shoot even like Bon
Mitchell. and knowed the country Ike
he does would be gone from here
long ago. But YOU don't.
Il am thinking the best joke is on
Mitchell | am glad you lei his slri
know, because ii may save you trou-
bic. because If you came would nave
10 shoot. she is a good girl and mas
lots of nerve for a woman but her
father sure is yellow coyote, and
that is why her helping out is such
4 good joke on him.
Il know you don't like me, but you
are white man Doc.
Yours resp'y,
\ b. Sears
Hardy's eyes fingered as though
fascinated on the signature again; his
hand went 10 his eyes and brushed
across them slowly, as though to re
lieye pain
she helped him out,' he vhis
pered. eyes held on The words
she helped him out. Ruth Rutl
MITCHELL"
With 9 low moan he sank into {
chair and lei the sheet OF paper fal
TO the floor
His powers of concentration wer,
utterly demoralized Thought atteI
thought wheeled before his conscious
ness in great swoops, 1t seemed. reel
ing along. just beyond his menta
grasp, like the phantasmagora o
awful nightmare His Overwrouah
nerves had reached The point where
they could accept no added strain aud
giving way, swamped him in swir
of hopeless suspicion.
Then gradually the sensation o
whirlng ceased. and the central ide;
OF it all began to loom lar"e
Ruth Mitchell had ahca Scars ;
warning which sent him on his way.
why had she done this? The ques
lion set him straight and rigid in hi,
chair.
He cot TO his feet and paced tn,
room swiftly, faculties once mor'
acute. working with The wondrou
speed Of thought
IL all rushed before him again II
orderly clearly defined array Ruth
frank admiration of Searss intrepid
ity. her familiarity with Kennedy
even in face of her hot assertion tina
The man was nothing to her; TIT
queer concern she had espresso,
when Hardy avowed his intention o
helping bring the outlay to an &C
counting; and ii brought him to
erasping stand--the presence of he
hound out on the prairie last nisht
Awful possibilities he conJured then
Was his suspicion of Kennedy found
ed? Was the man working secret.
with Sears? He seemed to know tina
Hardy made the ride TO Navin's iha
first night, for he had twitted him o
il. II might have been an innocen
" hazard, 10 be sure; but, again, know
edge might have been behind tn
thrust.
Kennedy held Little Foot In
strange power, and the Indian boy
why, he had carried the message iron