The Dolores star., 1920-04-09

soldiers are all coming up from the
South and are bound to force Black
Hawks warriors to the other bank of
the Rock. There will be nothing but
barren country east of here. What do
you say. Miss Eloise?"
Her eyes met mine bravely. without
a shadow of doubt In them.
II shall go wherever you say" she
replied firmly; 81 believe you will
know best"
Then l decide on this route. Once
we get beyond the swamp those fel-
lows are going to have hard task
following us, unless they have an In
dian trailer along with them. We
have been here several hours: the
horses must be rested. Let's eat what
we can again and then start"
Kennedy stood up and stared about
us at the disolate scene, the express
ion of his 1ace proving his dissatisfac-
tlon with the prospect.
'O' course. I'm Coin' long with
yer, cap" he acknowledged. dryly. 81
never WIS no quitter. but this yere
me, fer all thet. I'll wake up thet
Clark gurl an then saddle the hosses.
l watched him round the corner OF
the cabin. not wholly at ease in my
own mind, then gathered up the map
and replaced it in my pocket, aware
that Elolse had not moved from her
position on the grass.
rs he right?' she questioned, look
ing up at me. as there any real dan
ger "f Indiansf"
Some, perhaps; 1t Is all Indian
country, north and east of here-or
has been. l am not denying that, but
this danger does not compare in my
mind, with the peril which confronts
us in every direction. l am trying to
choose the least. Our greatest diff
Guilty will be the lack of foOd-we
possess no guns with which TO kill
game, only pistols. and an exceedingly
small stock of ammunition. That is
what troubles Tim; that, and his
eugeruesS to get back down the river.
He fails to realize what 1t would mean
to you to fall again into Kirbys
hands,"
DO you realize?'
do I? 1t is the one memory which
controls me. Tell me, am l not right?
iou despise the fellow; you are will
ing to face any hardship so as to es-
cape himT
Il would rather die than have him
touch me. Surely you cannot deem 1t
possible that l could ever forgiven
NO; that would be hard to CON
ceive; and yet l wished to hear the
words from your own lips. Will you
answer me one thing more-why did
you first assume the character of
Rene. and why did you repose such
instant trust in mel?
Il think l myself hardly knew" she
admitted timidly. at all happened,
was born of impulse, rather than
through any plan. Perhaps it was just
the woman in me. After my father
died. Della thought 1t best to tell us
the story of ltene's birth. This-this
was such terrible tale, and later we
sought all through his private papers,
hoping he had taken some action to
set those two free. There was no
proof that he had, no mention, indeed,
except memorandum of intention to
refer the matter to Lawyer Haines at
the Landing. This merely served to
confirm what Della had told us, and,
as Haines had gone to st. Louis, we
were unable to see him. We were all
or us nearly crazed. So suggested that
we run away, and drew money out of
my private account for that purpose.
My only thought was to take a steam
er up the Ohio, to some place where
we were not known, and begin life
over again. Oh, you cannot under
stand-1 had no mind left; only
blind impulse to save them"
l caught her hand In mine and held
it firmly.
Perhaps l do understand. 1t was
my knowledge Of this very condition
which first brought me to you"
You heard about us on the boat-
the Warrior? Did father tell you?"
NO; 1t was Kirby. He was actual
~ pTOuu VI Whit ne Dau QOne-DOaSt-
ed to me Of his success. 1 have never
known man so heartlessly conceited.
Eloise, listen. You may have thought
this was largely an accident. 1t was
not; 1t was deliberately planned.
cold-blooded plot. tell you that Joe
Kirby is Of the devils own breed: he
Is not human. Rene's father told him
first OF the peculiar conditions at Beau
caire."
"Rene's father! Does-does he still
Iive?"
No; but he did live for years ofter
he disappeared, supporting himself by
on the lower river. At one
lime he and Kirby were together. Az
ter he died Kirby investigated his
story In st. Louis and found that II
was true. Then he laid this plot to
gain control Of everything, including
10Th of you girls. The man dreamed
II owning Beaucaire, of possessing all
I contained. He was willing to risk
to carry out his hell.born