The Oklahoma miner. [volume] (Krebs, Okla.) 1912-192?, 1920-05-06

you say, Miss EloiseT
Her eyes met mine bravely, without
shadow of doubt In them.
81 shall go wherever you say she
replied firmly; II believe you VIII
know best
"Then | decide on this route. once
we get beyond the swamp those tel'
lows are going to have u hard task
following us, unless they have an In
diam 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 face proving his dlssatisfac-
ton with the prospect.
10 course, I'm a goin' long with
yer, cap" he acknowledged, dryly. Il
never wus no gutter, but this yere
trip don't look so ID easy ter
me, fer all thet. I'll wake up thet
Clark CURL an then saddle the hosses."
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.
"Is he right?" she questioned, look
ing up at me. "Is there any real dan
ger Of Indlans2"
"Some, perhaps; It 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
eagerness to get back down the river.
He fails to realize what II would mean
to you to fall again into Kirby's
| hands,"
DO you realizer
"Do I? 1t is the one memory which
controls me. Tell me, am not right
You despse the fellow; you are will
ing to face any hardship so as to es-
cape him?"
II would rather die than have him
touch me. Surely you cannot deem II
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. VIII you
answer me one thing mOre-why did
| you first assume the character of
Rene, and why did you repose such
instant trust in me%
81 think ! myself hardly knew" she
admitted timidly. 1T 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 Rene's birth. This-this
was such terrible tale, and later we
sought all through his private papers
hoping he had taken some action tC
set those two free. There was nc
proof that he had, no mention, indeed
except memorandum of intention tC
refer the matter to Lawyer Haines al
the Landing. This merely served Il
confirm what Della had told us, and
as Haines had gone to st. Louis, We
were unable to see him. We were al
Of US nearly crazed. So | suggested thai
we run away, and drew money out o.
my private account for that purpose
My only thought was to take steam
er up the Ohio, to some place where
we were not known, and begin If
over again. Oh. you cannot under
stand-I had no mind left; only |
blind impulse to save them"
caught her hand In mine and hell
1t firmly.
Perhaps l do understand. II wa
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"
mo; 1t was Kirby. He was actual
~ proud of what he had done-boast
ed to me of his success. l have neve
known u man so heartlessly cOnceiteG
ElOise. listen. You may have though
this was largely an accident. 1t wa
not; it was a deliberately planned
r cold-blooded plot. l tell you that 10
Kirby is of the DEVILS own breed; h
! Is not human. Rene's father told hlT
| first of the peculiar conditions at Beau
cnlre"
: "Rene's fatherI Does-dOes he sti
2 liveT"
| "No; but he did live for years afte
t he disappeared, supporting himself
. gambling on the lower river. At on