The Ordway new era., 1921-04-22
CHAPTER xII-contlnued.

sAAAA ehhu blldTp ike Ills lace
hisn ike the peaked crown of his
rusty hat.
DID your grandpa send your
"uh-huhl I brung y'u a letter.
Granpa tends t tn post office now.
Ihe OIL postmaster had stroke night
orore last, an hain't knowed nothin'
since. So gran'pa tends to it."
He unbuttoned the bosom of his
waist, drew out letter and handed 1t
over.
Air you Box 237
I-yes-I guess So" was the
startled answer as she took the letter.
Huh! That's funny name-fer a
girl"
But she was too busy with the let
ter to notice the remark. 1t was ad-
dressed In very bold and legible
hand: Box %, Buckeye. Ind. The
postmark she could not be sure of. 1t
appeared TO be Vincennes, but some of
the letters were too dull to read with
certainty.
"1s that your r'volver?"
There was not much chance to read
letters-or do anything else-with a
youngster like that in the house.
"Yes. Have they found that man
that escaped from Jail last night?"
Nav! An hope they don't. I
met that timber buyin' feller on the
way down here" He came near the
girls chair. "If they's anybody hate,
It's him. Gran'pa says'-he leant
nearer, and spoke low-''he kills peo-
plel Gee! but I wus skeered when /
saw him a-comin' down TIL road! He
wus awful mad, an a-swearin' to his
self. He slashed at me with a switch.
But 1 ducked, an cut dirt, an Skinned
over tn fence. When 1 looked back
he was a-goin' on toward town, an
streaked 1t through tn woods lickety-
split"
The very information she had been
about to venture forth into the woods
to acquire.
'How is your grandma today?"
"Oh, she's well ag'in. She cooks
lots of things now. She fried me
some screw-cakes yisterd'y."
He was gone-'lickety-split."
The girl closed the door, laughing
softly, and turned toward the curtains.
The Pearlhunter was just coming
through them. "It couldn't have
turned out better" he said. 1.-THE
dark, one stroke more, and things will
take turn"
"That stroke!" She was very
thoughtful, her eyes searching the side
Of his face toward her. "You speak
OF 1t lightly; but SO you spoke of that
dreadful fight with the mob"
He sat still long time.
II don't know why shouldn't tell
you," he said at last. "The only rea-
son I didn't was to save you the
thought of 1t. But girl like you'd
ask no better backin' in a tight place."
Her face lighted.
"Then why not take me with you?"
He started, turned his slow eyes
toward her. moment he studied
her, and then shook his head.
"No"-the word seemed final. "It
won't do for a girl-a lady-to hear
what will have to be heard tonight;
and see what will have to be seen."
Her eyes dropped; so did his. They
both met at the same focus-the letter
in her hand. She passed it to him. He
turned it over and over, looked at the
address, the postscript, and handed it
back.
II never got letter in my life," he
said, "nor wrote one"
"Neither did l." She turned the let
ter over and over, studying 1t. BOX
23," she mused. "It's for Daddy! He
couldn't read 1t, even If he were here.
Do you think I should open it?"
"Yes. 1 think you should" he ad-
vised.
She tore open the end of the envel-
ope and drew out folded sheet of
legal cap. AS She unfolded 1t, a bils
"A greenback- fell out upon her lap.
She pounced upon it
"Fifty dollarsl Why-why-w
"The letter will TELL" he said, lean
ing eagerly toward her.
Shesunfolded the stir sheet, the In
ner side of 1t covered with the letter.
written in clear, readable hand:
"yipcennes, Ind, June Is, 184-.
my Dear Colonel:
sEnclosed am sending the usual
monthly remittance. as per your order
when you left.
"Why haven't you answered any Of
nv letters? l have sent the remit
tsnce regularly but have not heard
word from you for nearly seven years.
AZ I have repeatedly told you, your
ertate has increased till I hardly know
how to invest 1t further. II I don't
hear from you shall have to come
nm to Buckeye for consultation.
4The little girl-little Hesper Dawn
must be quite . woman now. A.
nave written you, her grandfather, old
Godfrey Dawn, died last year. he re-
psntsd In his last hours ana ieft ner