Omaha daily bee., 1921-09-17
What Happened In the Darkness By
- the SMampland.

VHsS uappsHeo IN he oefkueee oy
~ the Swampiand.
With the darkness went momsn-
tarily my last vestige OF ssli-eon-
troll. Leaving Grace Draper with
Mother Graham, I-with Katie
wringing her hands and muttefins
prayers at my side-patrolled the
edge OF the swampy woodland. after
! had invoked all the aid ~ the
neighberhood in the search for
Junior.
knew that | must not 60 into
the woodland itself, for wished to
keep near enough TO the house in
stan,ly to receive any news OF the
child broush, to me. but felt that
| must remain as near as possible
20 the place where all the seatehtrs
agreed ,ha: my baby boy must have
strased.
Al regular intervals called his
nsr,, then l'sienca for possible
response, determined that ! would
p,rmit no chance OF his heanng my
call 20 pass. But as the black shad-
ows OF moonlcs tight cane down
all the anguisncl terror ] bad sup
pressed since my child disappeared
voiced itself in tearing. frantic
shrek:
Junior, Oh. my baby Answer
mother' ..-.
The Unexpected.
was down on the ground, groy-
cling on il, tearing at the grass, wahe
before my tortured brain flittsd vis-
inns OF nv sheltered baby warner
;,g terrified and calling ior .ae IN
that awful darkness, OF his little
bcdy lying cold and lifeless in some
swarnpy pool, or perchance his Pc
ing torturned by some KIDNAPPING
iiend such as those OF whom had
shudderingly read. r
I was diu,iy conscious OF kaus
irving 10 raise me. OF my resisting
her ior | was like a wild thing, NOR
taIlv wounded, seeking the earth
then I heard her calling fra ,tically
for Jeem! Jeem!" as she ran away
from me. Coz
the next thing | remember was tns
glare OF a lantern in my eyes any
Inns shoulder supporting me. katle
was kneeling by me. chafing one o.
nv hands, upon which could iee'
her hot tears falling, and Grace
Draper was rubbing my other hand
The lantern was held by younG
man never had seen before, and its
rays danced FOR an instant fantas'
t;callv upon Grace Diapers lace
giving II for an instant a sinister
n,ocking, almost gloating look tha,
made me shiver and moan. bu'
when I had struggled back to sanity
and remembrance ! realized that II
must have been the glow OF the Ian
tern that had misled me, tor there
was nothing save the most compre-
hending sympathy in the gaze she
bent on me as ! struggled to an erect
4 posture. 80, q,
3 "Juniorw I exclaimed wildly. i
must keep on calling him. He might
hear me-" But the effort to rise ex.
hausted me, and, faint to the point OF
nausea. I sank back against jim.
Grace Draper bent over me and
took nv hands firmly, in hers.
=. listen, Madge," she said; You
have been SO brave. don't fail your
child now. YOU simply must kees
up your strength. for ! think youl
mother-in-law will die i she sees
that YOU have given up. Shes IN a.
awful condition, now that tie dark
ness has come. Mrs. 1iccr is witt
her, and she's calling for you ant
Dicky. Now, I can stay out here ant
call Junior just as well as you. ~
knows my voice, you know. Ane
you must get to the house ana D
taken care Of. and see to you
mother-in-law."
For the moment was withou
will or volition. permitted her z
pull me up to standing position
felt Katie's arm around me. Jim sup
porting me on the other side; lnei
the young man with the lantef'
spoke in a low tone to jim:
Don't you think we'd better carry
herr" ~.
mo, no" I protested feebly, the,
vacantly I queried: who are your
A Compelling Personality.
Gust some one to help" he re
turned dsferentially, boyishly-I sav
that he was in his early twenties, ye
with an air Of manliness and decision
far beyond his years, the air whicl
50 many OF our young men wear 70
day, the result of their war expe
rience. well talk about It late'
Jrst now III hold the lantern so yo'
won't stumble"
rs yours lightedi' He turned +
Grace Draper.
"Ycs." She had been busy with
second lantern, and now swung i
=, lighted. :;
"You aren't afraid out here" per
funetorily.
Not q Bit" she said promptly