Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-05-15

New t-HsllVu. Is aus
storm miles from his destination. Ats
crossroads point he meets a girl IN the
same plight. while they discuss the sit
uation an automohile, sent to meet tre
Harris tavern. while the girl Is taken
on to her destination. which she teus
Barnes Is a place called Green Fancy.
falls in win a stranded troupe OF barn
Rushcroft, and becomes interested In
them.
CHAPTER Has the storm grows.
Barnes finds himself worrying over me
mountain roads at what he considers dan
gerous speed. He learns tnat Green
Fancy is something OF a house, or mys-
terry. Two MOUNTED men Leave the tavern
osity.
She closed the door behind her
leaving him standing in the middle OF
the room, perpleNed but amused.
by George" he said to himself, still,
staring at the closed door, they're
wonders, all Of them. l wish l coul6
do something to help them Out Of
He sat down abruptly on the edge OF
the bed and pulled his wallet from his
pocket. He set about counting the
bills, a calculating frown in his eyes
Then he stared at the ceiling, sum
ming up. "Ill do It," he said, after 6
moment Of mental figuring. He ,olt
off a half dozen bills and slipped tnen
into his pocket. The wallet sought its
usual resting place for the night: Id
der a pillow.
He was healthy and he was tired
Two minutes after his head touch.G
the pillow he was sound asleep.
He was aroused shortly after mid
night by shouts, apparently just out
side his window. A man was calling
in a loud voice from the road below
an instant later he heard a tremendous
pounding on the tavern door.
Springing out of bed, he rushed tC
the window. There were horses in
front of the house-several Of them
and men on foot moving like shadows
among them.
Turning from the window, he un.
locked and opened the door into the
ball. Some n was Gathering down
the narrow staircase. The bolts OF
the front door shot back with resound-
ing force. and there came the hOarse
tumble of excited voices as men crowd
Ell through the entrance. Putnam
Jones voice rose above the Glamour.
Keep quiet! Do you wan to wake
everybody on the placer" he was say
ing angrily. whats up? This is a
fine time o. night to be Good LOrdl
What's the matter with him."
Telephone for a doctor. Put-damn'
quick! This ones still alive. The
other one is dead as a door nail up at
Jim COnley's house. Git ole Doc
James down from Saint Liz. Bring
him in here. boys. Where's your light?
Easy now! Eas-ee!"
Barnes waited to hear no more. His
blood seemed to be running ice cold
as he retreated into the room and be-
gan scrambling for his clothes. The
thing he feared had come to pass. Dis
aster had Overtaken her in that wild,
senseless dash up the mountain road.
He was cursing half aloud as he
dressed, cursing the fool who drove
that machine and who now was per.
haps dying down there in the taproOm.
"The other M is dead as a door NALL
kept running through his head-"the
other one"
A dozen men were in the taproOm,
gathered around two tables that had
been drawn together. The men about
the table, on which was stretched the
figure of the wounded man, were un-
doubtedly natives: Farmers, woods
men or employees Of the tavern. At a
word from Putnam Jones they opened
up and allowed Barnes to advance to
the side Of the man.
"See II you en- understand him, Mr..
Barnes" said the landlord. Perspira-
ton was dripping from his long, raw
boned face. "ADd you, Bacon-yOu and
Dillingford hustle upstairs and get a
mattress off'n one of the beds. Stand
at the door there. Pike, and don't let
any woman In here. Go away, Miss
Thackeray! This is no place for you"
Hiss Thackeray pushed her way
past the man who tried to stop her
and Joined Barnes.
ut Is the place for me-" she said
sharply. Haven't you men got
enough to put something under his
head? Where Is he hurt? Get that
cushion, you. Stick 1t under here when
] lift his head. Oh, you poor thing!
Wen be as quick as possible. There!'
The mans eyes were closed, but at
the sound Of a wOman's voice he
opened them. The hand with which he
clutched at his breast slid Off and
seemed to be cropping for hers. His
breathing was terrible. There was
blood at the corners Of his mouth, and
more Oozed forth when his lips parted
In an effort to speak.
With a courage that surprised even
herself, the girl took his hand in hers.
It was wet and warm. She did not
dare look at II.
"Merci, madame" struggled from the
mans lips, and he smiled.
Barnes leaned over and spoke to him
In French. The dark, pain-stricken
eyes closed. and an almost lmper-
ceptible shake Of the head signlfied
that he did moi understand. Evidently
he had acquired only II few OF the
simple French expressions. Barnes
had q slight knowledge Of Spanish
and Italian, and tried again with no
better results. German was his last
resort, and he knew he would fail once
more, for the nan obviously WAS not
Teut0nic.
The bloody uDs parted however. and