Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-24


he had some definite objective, the
feeble remnants of her courage gathered
strength. Her attempt to escape had
iaiIed, of course, but his tolerance gave
her hope that he did not dare to do
the dreadful violence Of which she had
thought.
For hours-it seemed-they went
through underbrush and swamp -lnnd.
stopping from time to time Mt Hawk
command while he listened and got their
bearings. Beth had never been in this
part of the woods, but she had an idea.
from the crossing of the road and the
character of the trees, that they were
now somewhere in the Lower Reserve
and not very far from the lumber camp.
y was there that Peter Nichols wns.
her heart leaped at the thought Of his
ncarncss. All memory of the heliotropc
envelope and of its contents seemed 20
hnve been wiped from her consciousness
ony the rough usage of this enemy to
them both. 1t seemed to matter very
lttle now who this woman was that
refer had known. She belonged to a
mysterious and unhappy past--for he
nad hlnted at that--which had nothing
10 40 with the revelation that Beth had
read in his eyes as to the meaning of
the wonderful present for them both
she knew now that he could have ex-
planned, II she had given him the
chance. Instead Of which she had
rushed heedlessly to misfortune, the
victim of childish pride, plunging
them both into this disaster. That
PRIDE was ptiful thing now, like her
aisorderCd hair and her bcdragg,ed
frock, which tapped it's ribbons, soaked
ana muddy, about her knees.
PUT as long as she was still alive
ana in no immediate danger. she tried
TO nope for some incident which would
scnd Peter back to Black Rock earlier
than Hawk had expected, where, at
the cabin, he would guess the truth as
TO her meeting with Hawk and what
had followed. '
;. But how could he guess all that? The
9inculty dismayed her. He would hunt
tor her, OF course, as soon as he learned
Oh her disappearance, but clever as he
was there seemed no way in which he
could solve the mystery of her fight,
sun less. having guessed Hawk Ken
nedy 8 purpose, follow any trail through
ed her.
Even in the apparent hopelessness of
Eer situation. she had not reached the
POINT of actual despair. Youth and
her customary belief In all that was
good in the world sustained her. Some
thing would happen-something must
happen AS she trudged along,
she prayed with her whole heart, like
David, TO be delivered from The hand
OF the oppressor.
mat prayer comforted her and gave
her strength, and so when they came
out at the edge of the swamp some mo =
nients later she obeyed his instructions
more hopefully. There was path
along the edge of the water which pres =
emily led into the heart of the woods
again, and there almost before she was
aware Of it she found herself facing a
small wooden house or shanty which
seemed in fairly good state Of pres
ervation.
Siently, Hawk Kennedy unfastened
the hasp which held the door, and
grufly ordered her to go inside. Won
dering, she obeyed him. But her cap =
tor now acted with celerity which,
while 1t gave her new fears, set other
fears at rest, for he took the handker-
chiefs from his pockets and gagged and
bound her arms and wrists again, push =
ing her down on a pile of sacking which
had served some one for a bed. tying
there so that she could neither move nor
make a sound.
There for moment he stood, staring
down at her with grim kind of humor,
born of his successful flight.
Some kid. by c.! I'm kinder
sorry-d-- If l amt. But ye hadn't
any business bein' who We are. l be-
lieve I'd rather kill We outright than
hurt ye any more-that I would, Maybe
I won't have to do either. Understand? {?
But / got somethin' to do first. 1t
aint any child's play an l amt got
much time to spare. BE good kid an
lie quiet an go to sleep and I'll be
back after a while an set ye free.
Understand"
Beth nodded helplessly. for it was
the only thing that she could do. and
with relief watched his evil shape
darken the doorway out Of which he
went, carefully closing the door and
fastening the hasp on the outside. Then
she heard the crunch Of his footsteps In
the dry leaves behind the cabin. They
moved rapidly and in few moments
she heard them no more.
Lying on her side, her head pillowed
on fhe bagging, 1t did not seem at first
as though she we're uncomfortable, and
her eyes, wide open, peered around her
prison. There was a small window, un-
glazed, and by the light which came
from it she could see some a1handles
piled in one corner of the hut, several
crOss-cut saws on box at one side,
few picks and shovel or two. 1t must
be a tool house used for the storage of
extra implements and she remembered
dimly that Shad had once spoken of the
hnl Bal
the swamp and abandoned for II better
location This then was where Hawk
Kennedy had taken her, and she knew
that it was n spot little visited nova
days except by hunters, and at some
distance from the scene of present log
ging operations, toward the spur Of the
railroad. 1t was here perhaps that
Hawk Kennedy had hidden while max
ing his earlier Investigations Of Black
Rock while he ripened his plot against
Mr.. Mcclure. There we're several
empty bottles on the floor, moldy
crust of bread, and n broken water
pitcher, which confirmed the surmse.
She realized that Hawk had planned
well. 1t seemed hardly possible to hope
for a chance passcr by in this deserted
spot
And even if she heard the sound OF
guns or even heard footsteps in the
leaves, what chance had she of making
known her whereabouts? But she
strained her ears, listening only to
hear the twittcring of the birds. the
chattering Of squirrels and the moaning
of the wind in the tree tops. How near
was freedom and yet how difficult of
attainment! She wriggled gently in her
bonds, but each motion seemed to make
them tighter, until they began to cut
more and more cruelty into her tender