Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1920-12-15
White
Handkerchief
BY VICTOR REDcLIFFE
Copyright, 1870, western Newspaper Union

feet In the air 'The White Handker-
chief" Seen frem a distance the
prospect was that of q perfectly
white. perfectly square handkerchief
Nature had been lavish In the he
stowal of her rarest beauties and an
save the spirit of man seemed 1ivine
II was the toughest section of a
sparsely settled country where the law
had failed to drive out feudism. noon
shining and organized bandltti.
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
lander. Her father had died amid
utter poverty and had looked to Fan
der to care for his only child. Grudg-
lngly 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
wife, and she had no affection to be-
stow upon the lonely girl. The hard.
est tasks We're awarded to Wanda
She was surrounded by the sinister
faced, evil-minded men who appeared
from time to time bringing stolen live
stock or the booty of outright high
way robbery and from whom she hid
Ia terror
There was one man among item
who, after the first time his ewes fell
upon Wanda, sought to gain her con.
fidence and favor. He was Burl Daw.
son, apparently one of the most val
ued of the thieving acolytes of Fan
der, for he never returned from his
raids without boastfully displaying
their proceeds to his well satisfied en-
ployeT. 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. Aecordns
10 pop you're sure of good home and
a man who knows how TO provide for
H."
why, what do you meanY' ques-
toned Wanda, half surmising and
shuddering,
You can guess" was the casual re.
ply. and don't be foolish. Anything is
better than the lonely slave life you
live with us. I'll give you a 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" |
fou-you don't mean that your |
husband or his men would do Mr.. !
Ihorne any harm?' quavered Wanda. !
If he stands in the way of Daw-
son, yes" was the definite response.
They got him let out from the school /
and he had better find 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 a closer
eompanionship. He told her of his
love and asked her to leave her
home and become his wife.
1T will have to be a fast and furi-
Gus ride on horseback for over fifty
miles TO successfully evade the pur-
suers. who will surely be sent on your
trail when you are missed" said
Thorne Once at my mothers home
at Alandale we will be safe and you,
as my welded wife within that hour.
can safely defy Mort lander. / will
have to make preparations that must
not fail l am going to give you a
feldglass. 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 a
light signal"
Thursday was a busy day for
Wanda, the evening hours replete with |
suspense. In the kitchen all day long
she had been assisting Mrs. Zander in
making catsup. The latter had retired,
hut Wanda feigned to put things in
order. In the next room lander and
his favorite aids were engaged in rev.
elry. About nine O'Clock Dawson put
in an appearance.
Twice Wanda heard her name men
toned and glasses clinked as if in 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 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 |
frame and transparent alphabet screen
plainly visible through the powerful
lenses with which he had provided
her.
Wanda hurried hack to the kitchen
and threw shawl over her head and
shoulders. At that moment Dawson
staggered into the room.
You're wanted in yonder, sweet"
ha Taanndpra1 ave pa RI pliOhf nrr