The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-04-09

4
smoke.
| / had found during the night a fair
supply of hard bread In my saddle-bag,
and now, with this additional gift OF
Providence, felt assured, at least, OF
one sufficient meal.
SIT is all right, Tim, there is no one
here. An old Indian camp with moth
ing but hunk of jerked deer meat left
behind Elsie, gather up some of that
old wood yonder and build fire.
Kennedy and l will look after Miss
Beaucaire."
1t was bright day by this time, the
red of the rising sun in the sky, and l
could trace the radius of swamp land
| stretching about us on every hand, a
| grim, desolate scene even in the beauty
of that clear dawn. We had been for
tunate enough to approach the spot
along the only available pathway which
| led to this little oasis, and a more Sc
cure hiding place it would be difficult
to find / felt almost at ease for the
present and satisfied to rest here for
several hours.
Tim assisted me in unstrapping
Eloise, and lifting her from the sad
die, and, as she made no effort to help
herself, the two of us carried her to
warm, sunny spot beside the wall of
the hut. Her cramped limbs refused
to support her body, and her eyes, then
open, yet retained that vacant look SO
noticeable from the first. The only
change was in the puzzled way with
which she stared into our faces, as
though memory might be struggling
back, and she was vaguely endeavor-
ing to understand.
Tim led the horses away and Staked |
them out where they could crop the |
rich, dewy grass. After removing the |
saddles he followed the mulatto girl |
into the hut, and could hear the MUIR
mur of their voices. / endeayored to
address Eloise, seeking thus to awaken
her to some sense of my presence, but
she merely smiled meaninglessly,
leaned her head YEARLY back against
the poles and closed her eyes.
II NstS a pun luCdl cuOuSll, dlluDuSl |
it sufficed to dull hunger and yield us
some strength. Eloise succeeded III
choking down few morsels, but drank
thirstily. 1t was pitiful to watch her,
and to mark the constant effort she
was making to force the return of
/ had Elsie battle her face
With wafer and while, no doubt, this
refreshed her somewhat she only
'ested her head back on my coat, which
had folded for pillow, and again
.losed her heavy eyes. The negress
appeared so tired I babe her lie down
md sleep, and soon after Tim also dis
i peared. | remained there alone,
the woman loved.
How were we to escape burdened by
his helpless girl, from pursuit, which
erhaps had already started from Vel /
ow Banks? AT all hazards I must now /
revent this dazed, stupefied woman
rom ever again falling into the power G
f Joe Kirby. That was the one fact d
knew. | would rather kill her with
~ own hand, for l was convinced the :
hitch / could not hope to overthrow
However it had been accomplished,
trough what vilIainy, made no odds
he was his wife, and could only be re-
,ased through process of law. He
Duld claim her, hold her in spite of ST
e, in spite of herself. No influence CT
might bring to bear would save her o
DIV from this contamination. 1t would !.
Il be useless, thing for laughter. Her r.
gnature-of which Kirby had boosted III
and the certificate signed by the S
ead Gaskins, would offset any pos ca
BILE efforts | might put forth. There =
mained no hope except through
ght; understanding our pursuers find dl
g route to safety through the III
ilderness which they would never
spect. E
must find an unknown path, an I'M 90
aveled trail. Our only hope lay in m
lff1ing pursuit, in getting far be-
ing Kirby's grip. | dragged the map