The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-12-04

man alone 6r even two men, had com.
mitted this crime, and the sole sur
vivor disappear so completely with the
prisoners. DEP Had turned each detail
over and over in, my thought, while
I worked, yet to but little purpose.
The only present solution Of the prob
fem seemed to be- our return to that
hidden basin where our boat lay and
then remaining there in concealment
until the darkness Of another night
rendered it safe to once more venture
the river. - '''''.f 't'''+' rct
I spoke Of this to ner, as I finally
approached where she rested on the
eager and -glad 60 escape from
1allememqriessof that jsombers cabin ]
ma a 3Sst seft. - " y q " - ~
"You-you are no longer so conf
dent" she said; "your pan has
II am afraid it has," I admitted.
'.for it was Used altogether On the
! s$istance Of Xmos Shrunk. he ls mo
longer alive, and do not know where
to turn for guidance. Thereswopld
seem to be danger in every direction !;
the G 9say G 9g %l ISin which way Lies
4d firf4G@pn begin 8 . to regret youresttempt
ligNe." sipmplsjyely. $50 faras that
goes would do It all over ag&5h. Your
safety means more to me now than-
ever Jbef9reyAyou gmust believe that"
"Why should II All I have brought
you is trouble. I can read I'm your!
face how discouraged you are. You
must not think I do not understand.
do understandyperfectly. What you
Nave dOhe hasj been only response
to impulse: merely undertaken.
through Sbiutof adventure Them
then why not let 1t end here. and
Sam and Il can go on TOTO whatever
is before us? 1t is nothing TO YOU"
:, "Y9pi actually believe would con-
sent to THAR" 7 asked in startled sur
prise at the vehemence Of her words.
'"That could prove such a c1r?" -
, eBpt-}yhy not? 1t would not be
eowataly act at all. could not
Blame YOU, for I have no Claim on
syonf ssfSice-never have HAD You
have done thousand times too much
already; you have risked honor, repu-
tation, and neglected duty t6said my
escape; and-and am nothitgs to you
can be nothing" ass -rAi
Nothing to me?" V o'A.
Certainly not. Why spaak like
that2 Have you forgotten again that
II am "a slave.a negress?& Think,
Lieutenant Knox, what 1t wo03n mean
to. YOU I'd .bd Caught in my cempany |;
to be oyertoken while attempting. to
assist nd in'lasaming from mf haster.
Now no one dreams Of such6a thing,
)snd bo, onsJsvep need dreaM. You
have had your adventure; l&it end
here 1 shall bP, grateful tqsHou al
ways, but-bGt-T cannot bearto drag
you, deepef INTO this mire." O sds
u "}ousordef ne'to leave yqss" l!a
II cannot order; am slAfe. My
only SHtfege5B to request, 6yge, i'm,
plore. can. merely insist thee it win.
be- best -fbest JfofIus both-fo you, to,
60. Surely you also must realize that
this is true?" "A
"You have been brooding byer ali
this" said gently, Sitting h68 alone,
and thinking while we work9Qs I am
not going to answer you now There
is no need. Nothing can be d0he until
night, whatever we decide up1S. You
kwill ga BACK with us to the bdat?'ai
Eyes; simply cannot staytAereu--
her )eydsIwTflsrjng toward tn cabin.
ft6dk the lead on the retpSp, find
ing: the path easy enough to willow In
-the'fdffiieht 6fldAy. The SINCERE hon
esty of her plea-the knowledge that
she &ettA1R hedit it-only SSfvedy to
draw me closer, to strengthe61my de
s,erniipmi0h>hnS b desert. Her face
was ever before me as l adveaced--a
! brafely I patbetif' face, wopderfully
womanly in its girlish contcdr-ap-
peaIhg, to every impulse Of " man
hood. T admitted the truth M what
she said-it, bad been largely1ov Of
adventure, the rash recklesS1ess of
youth, which had brought M here,
But tliis MAS my Inspiration n6longer.
deeper, more worthy, now hen me to
the task. What this was I Made no
attempt to analyze-possibly Vdid not
dare-but, nevertheless, the 41ere con-
ception of deserving her in the midst
Of this wilderness was too utterly ire!
pugnant for expression. No, not that |:
whatever happened it would Never be
that. V
The last few rods Of ouH Journey
lay through thick underbrusbe and be-
meath the spreading branchesof inters
|lacMg 9ets. Suddenly I (emerged
Eupoa th4 hsnH of the creek. dEith the
ride f6g Wharf directly befofV me. I
stopped transfixed, staring afthe wa.
ter-nothing else greeted pK eyes;
both the boats were gone. " 81
This unexpected discoveryf hme to
me like a blow; the verx1 breath
seemed to desert my lung asisI
star down at the vacant stu I'm. We
= Z.