The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-05-22

Il shat morning. Miss II. tnrnea thea
her steps toward the stairway that led
~ the unfinished storersosn ahoses At
the top she paused, aud peervd Into
the shAaowy roosp before her an the
aeor lay the PROSTATE nxure ef a man.
A loose beard rnder her fsrt cracked
sharply. and the man sprang halt up
right, Al the sheer terror thar lcepssl
20 his eyes AItss n shuddered aud
drew back.
ryou needn't fear. It's only II she
faltereN Eimidly and she had meant
20 b. 80 STERN
Ihe tslan. too Shuddsrcd. IN
II must shave dropped asleep -. a
minute he mslteresi. n thought"
He sild not nnish his sentence. and
after a moment the woman spoke
again. unsteadIly.
Come you must have something TO
eaf~-hcfore you 20" And she led the
way down the stairs
II was Miss II, who prepared the
meal this time. The fnan tried TO help
her bur his hands shook, and his feet
stumbled as II his eyes could not see.
Miss u. noticed thea thar his face had
grown white and set. There was now
no merry smile on his lips Al supper.
TOO. he ate almost nothing. Miss H.
thought she understood--it was those
headlines
Al seven o'clock MIss u. lighted her
lamp.
1T win be dark--qulle dark soon"
she said feyerlshly.
The man reused himself and rose 20
his feet.
"sIiss-cr. are you Miss liaydenf'
"yess Miss II. Hayden. Everyone
says Miss r.
"Weli. wonder. Miss H., II you
know-what you've done for me--to-
dnyy' he asked In low voice.
she stirred restlessly. aud raised d
protesting hand
"And wonder" he continued slow
". "if you'd be willing--to do more"
NO no. mustn'ti There's moth
ing could do" she cried cxcisedly,
staring into his face.
He turned and walked the length OF
the room. dropping himself into q
chair before he spoke.
Somewhere years ago" he began,
II read BIT Of history about some
judges that had condemned q king "a
death. They had TO hide 60 save their
lives, and they came 70 New England,
A minister took one and hid him Ia a
secret room for twenty years. And no
one knew that he was there. So you
sce--it can he~-done."
The woman paled and started for.
ward In her chair.
you don't mean you can't
mean" she stainmercd Wildly. that
II" She could not finish her sen
tence.
He made a gesture OF dissent. The
old Whimsical smile came back TO his
face.
"Not for twenty years. of course
but. perhaps for hnlf Of r. twenty
days" he murmured.
She sprang TO her feet.
NO, no, neyer II Is impossible.
never heard OF such thlngl'
But have Just told you OF one---
for twenty years"
"But. ! alone--n woinanl ThIng'
like that don't happen, really. nova
days. They--couldn'ti
'No, they couldn't. echoed the mat
IN dull voice with a sudden chang,
OF manner. You are right. They
couldn't" lie rose from his chair hnt
went over TO the fireplace. He seelnet
suddenly bent and old -Dont worry
IL VIII soon be dark" he snurmufes
with forced checriiicss. "And them
I'll 20"
Miss b. snt down impotently. Hel
whole face was drawn into anxious
terrified lines.
WAS Il the-paperY she asked.
lie turned sharply.
did you--read III" he demanded.
mo: but thought maybe those
headlines" she stopped heIplessly.
An odd relief showed In the mans
eyes. With a nervous movement h'
thrust his hand into his hip poke
and crowded into smaller space Tbs
half-shect OF newspaper that wa
there
1T was--the paper" he ncknowI
edged They're after me--and they'll
get me, OF course"
Miss II. wet her lips.
but what could dcf' she STAN
mercd.
For moment he did not answer
then he spoke, his eyes careful,
avoiding hers.
''If ! could stay up there"--h'
| jcrkcd his thumb toward the room
! abovc--"for week. or maybe two
| there'd be chance then that ia &c
awny- without their spottin' me-"
In thinking Il over after she ha'
trembIingly gone to bed that night
Miss b. could not tell Just how Nv
man hnd carried the day. She knew
only that he had carried II. and tina
be lay now In the room above on al
| old mattress that had been stores
there
With the coming or the dawn begnl
u