Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-10-11

ulu EeAut 10 return VIII yOut 4AEs
O'Dowd," she said distinctly. There
must be no struggle, no bloodshed.
Anything but that"
O'Dowd spoke out of the darkness:
you forget that I have your own word
for 1t that yen be a dead woman be-
fore the day is over. Wouldn't it be
better for me to begin shooting at once
and spare your soul the everlasting
torture that would begin Immediately
after your self-produced decease?"
A little cry of relief greeted this
quaint sally. "You have my word that
1 viii return with you quietly if"
"Thunderation |" exclaimed Barnes
wrathfully. what do you think am?
A worm that"
Easy, easy. me dear man." eau
toned O'Dowd. "Keep your seat.
Don't be deceived by my internal Irish
humor. 1t is my way to be always po-
lite, agreeable and-prompt. I'll shoot
in a second if We move one step out
side that cabin"
"O'Dowd, you haven't the heart to
uAdS hSE OuCh W Luul DSuSb VI q j..
"Hold hard Well come to the point
without further palavering. Where
are We dragging her yourself, We ras-
calf"
''To a place where she will be safe
from insult, injury, degradation"
''Well, have no fault to find with
We for that" said O'Dowd. "Bedad,
didn't believe you had the nerve to
tackle the job. You may be interested
to know that up to the moment left
the house your absence had not been
noticed, my dear Miss Cameron. And
as for you, my dear Barnes, your
visit is not even suspected. How the
divil did We do it, Barnes"
"Are you disposed to be friendly,
O'Dowd| dema2ded Barnes. IF you
are not, we may just as well fight it
out now as later on"
"You are not to fight !" she cried in
great agitation. "What are you doing?
Put it away! Don't shootp
ais it a gun he is pulling?" inquired
O'Dowd calmly. "And what the deuce
are you going to aim at. me hearty2 I
have a bulrs-eye lantern with me.
From the luxurious seat behind this
rock 1 could spot We in a second. Hav-
ing said as much / now propose arbi-
tration. Would We mind handing over
that tin box in exchange for my po-
lite thanks and a courteous goodby to
both of ye?"
eve have no box, of any description,
Mr.. O'Dowd," cried she triumphantly.
"Thank heaven, he got safely away !"
do you mean to tell me you came
away without the-your belongings,
Miss Cameron" exclaimed O'DOwd.
"They are not with me-" she replied.
Her grasp on Barnes arm frightened.
"Oh, isn't it splendld2. They did not
catch him.. He"
"WiI you both swear on your sacRad
honor that We haven't the jewels in
your pOssession%
Unhesitatingly," said Barnes.
81 swear, Mr.. O'Dowd."
"Then," said he, II have no time to
waste here. / am looking for tin
box. beg your pardon for disturb
ing you"
"Oh, Mr.. ODowd, 1 shall never for
get all that you have"
"Whist, nowl There is one thing
must insist on your forgetting COM
| pletely: all that has happened in the
last FIVE minutes. What am doing,
Mr.. Barnes, would be my death SEN
tence If it ever became known"
ut shall never be known through
me, O'Dowd. I'd like to shake your
hand, old man."
"God bless you, Mr.. O'Dowd," said
the girl in a low, small voice, singular
ly suggestive of tears, "SOme day
may be in. position to-"
"Don't say It'll You'll spoil every
thing If you let me think you are in
my debt, Bedad, don't be so sure
sha'n't see you again. and soon."
"Tell me how to find Harris Tavern
old man. I'll"
"No, I'm dashed If I do. You ought
to be grateful to me for not stopping
you entirely, without asking me Il
give you a helping hand. GoOd-by
and God bless you. I'm praying thai
We get away safely, Miss Cameron. 81
long Barnes. If you were a crow and
wanted to roost on that big tree il
front of Harris Tavern, dare sa!
you'd take the shortest way there b!
flying, as. straight as a bullet from thu
mouth Of this pit. following your ex
tremely good-looking ose."
They did not wait for the break o
day. Taking O'Dowd's hint, Barnes
directed his steps straight out from
the mouth of the quarry and pressed
confidently onward. In answer to
question she informed him that Their
were no fewer than twenty-five men ii
Green Fancy, all of them shrewd. reso
lutte and formidable.
Il cannot, for the life Of me, Sc
why they took chances on inviting m
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