Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1919-07-24
Local Color
By AGNES C. BROGAN
Copyright. 1915. By Western Newspaper Union,

II had been nm adventurous after.
noon, Betty, after her weeks Of quiet
welcomed the change. Few IN the little
town were aware that Mrs. FulsOme's
/ niece on visit" was In reality the
Elizabeth Blair Of new literary fame.
: But then, Betty had not mingled with
| the society folk on the hill. This was
not the purpose of her stay In the
strangely divided township. She had
come with Il view of gaining local
color and material for her latest serial.
She had been duly warned upon her
arrival against going unattended into
that region known as Stokes Hollow.
and dlGided by running stream from
the aristocracy Of the hilltop.
Aunt Fulsome's house was placed
tempolizingly between the two. And
1t was the weird desolatlon Of Stokes
Hollow, which Immediately won Bet.
tvs interest, while the upper man
sions were to her but tiresomely alike.
| Many times she had ventured as close
to the dividing stream as old Nell
| MOulu hNA oNlL " OC AAANNA'
And from her seat on the mares back,
the unconventional young author could
look across to the shabby buildings
upon the forbidden side.
Her adventure of this afternoon had
| been caused by curiosity in that d.
rectiOn. Old Nell, urged to cross the
stream showed her indignant refusal
! by an unexpected turn about and run
away, from which Betty had been res
cued by an astonishingly handsome,
modish young man, who OPPORTUNITY
| appeared from among the bushes upon
the disreputable side of the stream.
Betty, thinking things over palpltat-
ingly after leaving Nell safe in her
stall, retraced her steps almost to
| the former scene of disaster. The
young man who had actually risked
his life to save hers, and to whom in
her confusion she had neglected to
express appreciation, had vanished
from sight as mysteriously as he had
appeared.
Betty had mentally scoffed at 'love
at first sight," even while she penned
charming tales of its possibilities. But
this handsome young hero had left
her with a yearning in her usually
Indifferent heart Wistfully, Eliza.
beth Blair longed to see him again
and to further know her deliverer.
So Betty, gathering more assurance,
approached the shabby building It'a
air of grotesqueness delighted her; to
all appearances here close to ciyiliza'
ton was still one wild, unfrequent'
ed spot. The place was evidently de-
serted, so she examined the queer
knives on the wall intently. Then
with quick apprehension she turned
fearfully about Men were coming.
through the deep grass toward her,
fierce, strange looking men, murmur
ing and gesticulating together.
In sudden terror she feared to go
back through the doorway and face
them. Behind her, stretched crude
curtain; tremblingly she withdrew be.
meath its screening folds, finding with
relief an open window nearby. Per
| haps, while the men were talking she
might be able to escape thus, unseen.
Then, even as she reached desperate
ly for the window ledge, Betty stood
motiOnless, hands still appraised.
"Waitl" cried the imperative voice.
and In 1t Betty recognized the haunt
ing tones of her rescuer.
WhIrling, she peered through the
| crack in the curtain. Yes, it was he,
clad in those same spotlesS white fan
nels, his fine eyes flashing, his heavy
hair rumpled on his forehead. But
as, white faced, he defantly faced
the three desperadoes, one quickly
drew a revolver, deliberately aiming
1t at her hero's head.
With a shrek of triumph the three
closed around him, Betty saw his
bravely defiant glance as he faced
them.
$50 you want the reward for our
captureT one said. did you think
we'd let you get out of here aliveT"
Courage came suddenly to the hid
ing girl. She must help this man.
Had he hesitated in risking his life
for her sake? To escape and bring
aid would be useless. These ferocious.
lawless creatures would by that time
have his life. No, she must act now.
Beyond the curtain hung one of the
guns. If she could rush out and
snatching it, place 1t in her herO's
hands
And with the swift silence of pam
Their, that is just what Betty did.
Then GREATNESS she stood staring
from one perplexed face to another.
Instead of endeavoring to protect him.
self with the gun, her hero stood look
ing into her face In stupid admiration,
while unmistakable grins spread over
the faces of the desperadoes.
"You were not supposed to be in
the picture" said one with a laugh.
Across the grass came a wrathful
camera man.
"What did you do that forT' he de
aanded. you've spoiled the whole
film"
Slowly the truth came to Betty.
She had Idlotically stumbled upon a