The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-08-21
CHAPTER XIV.

Rb.IAE# &HS-L% S%&3#8&E#ZE
Large Bodies Move sIowly-9ut Mr..
sprouse Was Smaller Than the
Average.
There. was not d sound for many
seconds. She was the first to speak.
am ready to return with you, MI.
ODowd." she said distinctly. There
must be no struggle, no bloodshed.
Anything but that" !.
ODowd spoke out Of the darkness:
you forget. that / have your own word
for 1t that ven be a dead woman be-
fore the day is over. Wouldn't It be
better for me to begin shootsng. Mt once
and spare your soul the everlasting
torture that would begin Immediately
after your self-produced d~eceaseY
A little cry Of relief greeted this
quaint sally. "You have my word that
! Will return with you quietly If"
.'Thunderation !" exclaimed Barnes
w~rathfully. "What do you think 1 am?
Aworm that"
easy, easy, me dear man." eau
toned O'Dowd. keep your seat.
Don't be deceived by my internal Irish,
humor. It 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
drag her back to that beast of "a"
Hold bard! 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 ODowd. ."Bedad, /
didn't believe you had the nerve to
tackle the job. You may. be interested
to know that up to. the moment I 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, BarnesY"
"Are You disposed to be friendly,
O'Dowd?'' demanded Barnes, III you
IN not, we may just as well fight it
out now as later on"
"'You are not to 1fght!'' she cried IN
great agitation. sWhat are you doing?
Put II away Don't shoot"
Us It q gun he is pulling2" inquired
O'Dowd calmly. "And what the deuce
are you going to aim at, me hearty? I
have a bnll's-eye, lantern with me
From the luxurious seat behind, this
rock I could spot We IN q second. Hav-
ing said as. much I nov propose arbi
tration. Would ye mind handing over
that tin box in exchange for my po-
lite thanks and.a courteous goodby to
both Of YER
I'VE have no box Of any description,
MI. OyDowd," 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 OaDowd. Na
.'They are not with me-, she replied.
Her grasp on Barnes arm frightened,
"Oh, isn't 1t splendid? They did not
catch him. He"
"W1ll you both swear on your sacred
honor that We haven't the. jewels in
your possessiOn?" H.
"Unhesitatingly," said Barnes.
II swear, Mr.. O,Dowd."
''Then," said he, II have a o1time to
waste here. I am looking for 9 tin
box. / beg your pardon for disturb
Ing you."
''Oh, Mr.. O,Dowd. I shall never for
get all that you have"
.Whist, now! There Is one thing !
must insist on your forgetting COM
pletely: all that has happened ia the
last i've minutes. What I am doing,
Mr.. Barnes. would be my death sem
tence n 1t ever became known"
1T shall never be known through
me, O,Dowd. I'd Ike to shake your
hand, old man."
God bless you, Mr.. O,Dowd." said
the girl In q low, small voice, singular
II suggestive Of tears. 'Sone day ]
may be In a position to--'
aDon't say It'll You'll spoil every
thing Il you let me think Q are IA
my debt. Bedad, don't be 50 snre !
aha'n't see you again, and Soon
..Tell me hosv 10 flnd Hart's Tavern,
old man. Tllr IL. B
'.rso. I'm d4ahed II I dos Yegsought
to BE grateful L me Tor not stopping
You entirely. without askf16 nSts
give you 1 helping HAM 66p9kbys
and God bless you. Tmprayi1e that
" ct sway safely Miss Cameron. sd
long. barnes. il you wereaa crowsand
wanted TO roost on that big tree a
front Of Harris Tavern, I dare say
you'd take the shortest way thAre ~
Tying as straight as q bullet from the
month u this pit, following your ex.
tremely good-looking nose !"
they did not wait for the break Of
day. Taking OgDowd's hint. Barnes
directed his steps straight ont from
the mouth Of the quarry ana pressed
con1dently onward. IN answsr 10 q
question she informed him that there
were sAO fewer than twenty-five men III
III ~L---41Ne8A