The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-01-10
SYNOPSIS

SYNOPSIS
ROLOGUE.-Kenneth Gwynne was
fve years old in the spring of 1912
when his father ran away from Ken
They took with them Minda Carter,
Rachers baby daughter. In the fall
Ksnneth's mother died of broken
up to hate the name of Rachel Carter.
"an evil woman"
CHAPTER Kenneth. now a young
lawyer. seeks lodging for the night at
Lafayette. Ind. 1t appears that Ken's
on his way to take possession of ex-
tensivs lands he has inherited The
striksrs bought their farm of Ken's
Tiers widow-the Rachel Carter. A
beautiful nineteen-year-old girl. who
says sh: knew his father well and
the strikers- Ken in much interested
in her.
Who was she? What was she doing
here In the humble cot of the Strikers :?
Certainly she was out of place here.
That she was person of consequence.
to whom the Strikers paid rude sort
Of Difference, softened by the familiar
ity Of long association but in no way
suggestive OF relationship, he WIS 10 no
manner Of doubt.
He was pot slow to remark their
failure to present him to her. The
omission may have been due to iguo-
rance or uncertainty on their part, but
that was not the construction he put
upon It II was deliberate.
His slight feeling of embarrassment,
and perhaps annoyance. evidently was
not shared by the young lady; so far
as she was concerned the situation
was by no means strained. She was
as calm and serene and impervious as
a princess royal.
He was subtly aware of the lively
but carefully guarded interest she was
taking in him. He felt rather than
ly, II furtively, when hie face was
turned toward the talkasive host.
Twice he caught her in the act of
averting her gaze when he suddenly
glanced In her direction, and once he
surprised Der in very intense scru-
tiny-which, he was gratified to OBJ
serve, gave wsy to a swift flush of
confusion and the hasty lowering of
her eyes.
He noticed her hands. They were
long and slim and, while Drowned by
exposure to wind and sun. bore no evil
dence of the grinding toll to which
the women and girls Of the frontier
were subjected. And they were strong,
competent hands, ut that
The food was coarse, substantial,
plentiful. Solid food for sturdy peo-
pie. There were potatoes fried in
grease, wide strips of side meat, apple
butter. corn cakes piping hot. boiled
turnips, coffee and dried apple pie.
Striker ate largely with his knife,
and smacked his lips resoundingly !;
swigged coffee from his saucer through
an overlapping mustache and after
Yards hIssingiy strained the aforesaid
obstruction with his neither lips; talked
and laughed with his mouth full-but
all with such magnificent zest that
his guests overlooked the shocking ex-
hibition. Indeed, the girl seemed quite
accustomed to Mr.. Strikers table hab-
Its, a circumstance which created in
Kenneth's questing mind the copvic-
t1on that she was not new to these
parts despite the garments and airs
Of the fastidious East
They were vastly interested in the
account Of his journey through the
wilderness, which the young man
described wildly For 4 time Kenneth
had been watching the face Of the girl
opposite She was looking down at
her plate. He observed a little frown
on her brow. When she raised her
eyes to meet his, he saw that they were
sullen, almost unpleasantly 30. She
did not turn away instantly, but con-
tinued to regard him with 4 rather
disconcerting intensity. Suddenly she
smiled. The cloud vanished from her
brow, her eyes sparkled. He was be-
wildered. There was no mistaking the
unfrlendliness that had lurked In her
eyes the instant before. But in heav-
ems name, what reason had she for
disllking him?
As he turned to Striker, he caught
that worthy gazing at him with a
1eel annoyed and uncomfortable. It
was not the first time he had sur
prlsed similar scrutiny on the part
of one or the other of the Strikers.
The young man decided 1t was time
to speak. by the way you all look
at me, Mr.. Striker, 1 am led to suspect
that you do not believe l am all rep
resent myself to be. If you have any
doubts. pray do not hesitate to ex-
press them"
Striker was boisterously reassuring
don't doubt you fer second, Mr..
Gwynne. AS I said before, the whole
county has been expectin' you to turn
up. We heerd few days back that
you was in Crawfordsville. II me an
EllZa sRpm To aIIpar lis hecauae