The Crittenden press., 1920-08-13
White
Handkerchief
By VICTOR REDcLIFFE
Copyright. Is2s. western Newspaper Union.

pies VI TUCK tndt dTosc ihc stu-
pendous monument over two thousand
feet In the air The White Handker-
chief" Seen from distance the
prospect was that Of perfectly
white. perfectly square handkerchief
Nature had been lavish In the be-
stowal Of her rarest beauties and all
save the spirit Of man seemed divine.
It was the toughest section Of q
sparsely settled country where the law
had failed to drive out feudlsm, moon
shining and organized bandittl.
At Center Hollow Wanda Brookes
realized how potent and cruel was the
fate that had placed her at fifteen In
the charge Of distant relative, Mort
Zander. Her father had died amid
utter poverty and had looked to Fan
der to care for his only child. 0rudg-
ingly the man who lived by outlawry
took the girl into his household. He
had crushed all Of hope or content
ment out Of his sullen.souled slave Of
9 wife. and she had no affection to be-
stow upon the lonely girl. The hard
est tasks were awarded to Wanda.
She was surrounded by the sinister
faced, evil-mlnded men who appeared
from time to time bringing stolen live
stock or the booty Of outright high
way robbery and from whom she hid
In terror.
There was one man among them
who, after the first time his eyes fell
upon Wanda. sought to gain her con.
ndence and favor. He was Burl Daw.
son, apparently one Of the most val.
ued Of the thievlng acOlytes Of Xan.
der, for he never returned from bis
raids without boastfully displaying
their proceeds to his well satisfied EN-
plOyer. Wanda shrank from him and
her heart sank when one day Mrs.
Zander remarked casually:
THAT Dawson fellow seems to have
eyes only for you, Wanda. According
to pop you're sure Of q good home and
Q man who knows how to provide for
It,"
"why. what do you meanY ques-
toned Wanda. half surmislng and
shuddering.
"You can guess" was the casual re-
ply. "and don't be foolish. Anything 10
better than the lonely slave life you
live with US. I'll give you q word Of
warning. too. That young school
teacher. Raymond Thorne. over at
Cross Corners, has been seen shining
around you. Don't encourage him.
He's spotted"
"YOu-you don't mean that your
husband or his men would do Mr..
Thorne any harmf Quavered Wanda.
III he stands In the way Of Daw.
son. yes" was the definite response.
'1They got him let out from the school
and he had better hnd another place
right away"
Wanda managed to get away from
the house about dusk and steal to the
village. They had been simply friends,
Thorne and herself. but their meeting
that evening eventuated In q closer
eOmpanionshlp. He told her Of his
love and asked her to leave her
wretched home and become bis wife.
ut will have to be q fast and fun.
Ous ride on horseback for over ifty
miles to successfully evade the pur.
suers. who will surely be sent on your
trail when you are missed" said
Thorne. "0nce at my mothers home
OF Alandals we will be safe and you.
as my welded wife within that hour,
can safely defy Mort Zander. ! will
have TO make preparations that must
not fail. am going to give you q
6eldglass. After ] have left here
will not dare to return nearer than
the White Handkerchief. Next Thurs
day night about ten O'Clock keep the
glass focused on the middle rocky
cone Of the plateau. You will see Q
light signal"
Thursday was busy day for
Wanda. the evening hours replete with
suspense. In the kitchen all day long
she had been assisting Mrs. Zander 10
making catsup. The latter had retired.
but Wanda felgned to put things In
order. In the next room Zander and
his favorite aids were engaged In rev.
slry. About nine o'clock Dawson put
In an appearance.
Twice Wanda heard her name men.
toned and glasses cllnked as II 10 con.
sonance with some toast given. The
kitchen clock struck ten. She ran out.
side and focused the night glass on
the White Handkerchief. A blotch Of
dark color, a human figure and then .
quick glow showed.
Come" In quick succession
against the light appeared the wei.
come letters. Later Wanda knew that
her ingenious lover had devised q
frame and transparent alphabet screen
plainly visible through the powerful
lenses with which he had provided
her.
Wanda hurried back TO the kitchen
and threw q shawl over her head and
shoulders. Al that moment Dawson
staggered into the room.
you're wanted In yonder, sweet, "
he maundered. ave are to plight our
troth before father Zander, heyr
The wretch made a dash to seire
her. Instantly Wanda snatched up q
saucer tilled with cayenne pepper, an
adjunct Of the cstsup making. Strnigh,
into his eyes she dashed the fery stun.
There was frightful yell.
Kloppeity klop-kloppetty tlop
Once In the seddle Of the waiting
horse Wanda made the rocky road
echo with the laundering hoofs A
tortuous winding through thicket
tba rut,id asrent M tho whitp Hand.