Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-01-08

W
theirs--you would have no witnesses,
unless we were caught"
~ reckon thet's true, ! wasn't
thinkln' bout It." -
'"rhen there Is only the one road
to take Tim 4 Insisted. We've got
to strike the trail together"
"Whar?' Bid
II cannot answer that now; haven't
thought II out yet. We Gun talk that
matter over as we ride. have a map
with me. which VIII help us decide tho
best course to choose. The first thing
Is to get out OF this neighborhood be.
yond pursuit. If you only had n horse"
"rhat's two critters down in tho
crick bottom. reckon tibet Kirby an
Gaskins must'r tied 'em thar"
Good; then you will go; you agree
with met"
"rbar ain't nuthin' else fer me ter do
--hangIn' ain't never bin no hobby o
nine"
"Then let's start" decisively. "Pick
up one Of those horses down on the
bottom and turn the other one loose.
III lead on down the trail and you can
meet us at the ford-once across the
creek we can decide which way to
travel; there must be four hours OF
darkness yet"
l picked up the trailing rein of my
horse and slipped my arm through 1t.
Tim faded away In the gloom like
vanishing shadow. The young woman
next me. strapped securely to her sad
die, made no movement, exhibited no
sign of interest; her head and body
dropped, yet her hands grasped the
pommel as though she still retained
some dim conception of her situation.
The face under her hood was bent for
ward and shaded and her eyes, al
though they seemed open. gave no heed
to my presence. / touched her hands
thank God, they were moist and
warm. but when spoke her name 1t
broughteno response.
I started forward on foot, leading
my horse, the others trailing after
through the darkness. Knowing moth
ing of the way, was thus better able
to pick the path, yet found this not
difficult, as it was rather plainly out
lined by the forest growth on either
side. The trail was clay with Il few
small stones embedded in 1t, and the
horses made little noise in their de-
scent, except once when Elsie's pnimal
slipped and sent loosened bit of rock
rolling down to splash in some pool be-
low. We came to the bank of the creek
at last. narrow stream, easily ford
able, but with rather steep shore line
beyond. and waited there a moment I'M
til Tim emerged from out the black
woods at our right and Joined rs. He
was mounted, and. believing the time
had arrived for more rapid movement,
also swung up into saddle and ranged
the girls horse beside mine.
They We're not stock To he proud OF,
yet they did. fairly well, Tins mount
evidently the best of the four. The
had topped the bank. We may have
ridden for two miles without 81 word,
for, although had no intention of pro-
ceeding far in this direction, / could
discover no opportunity for changing
our course so asto battle pursuit. That
Kirby and Rate would endeavor to
follow US at the earliest opportunity
was most probable. They were neither
of them the sort to accept defeat with
out q struggle, and, after the treat.
ment they had received, the desire for
revenge would be uppermost. Nor
thus far would there be any difficulty
In their picking UP our trail. ut least as
far as the creek crossing, and this
would assure them the direction we
had chosen.
Then suddenly, out Of the mysterious
darkness which closed us in, another
grove loomed up Immediately in our
front, and the trail plunged sharply
downward into the depths of rugged
ravine. was obliged to dislnount and
feel my way cautiously to the bottom.
delighted to discover there was a
smoothly flowing, narrow stream, run
ming from the eastward, between high
banks, overhung by trees. 1t was a dis
NAL, gloomy spot, a veritable cave OF
darkness, yet apparently the very
place I had been seeking for our pur-
pose.
Kennedy" ~
Fright yere, SIR. Lord, but It's dark
found enything?"
"There is a creek here. don't know
where it flows from, but 1t seems to
come out Of the east. One thing Is
certain, we have got t" get off this
trail. If we can lead the horses up
stream way and then circle back II
would keep those fellows guessing fol-
a while. Come here and see what you
think of the chance" 80
'sYe let me 60 ahead with the niger
CURL, an then follow after us, leadin
Miss Beaucaire's boss. BY JENNY crick,
cts, faint deep nough fer ter drown us
enyway, an amt much Altered o. the
dark. Thar's likely ter be sum place
j 81 l. ~ u, ~I