Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-08-06

SSs w Z hoO NOel Jul way anu NdilC
to his place just before the storm" said
Kenneth, watching his companion mar
rowly. Lapelle's face was a study
Doubt, indecision, even dismay, were
expressed in swift succession.
"Then you must have met-but no,
1t isn't likely" he said, in some con-
fusion
Kenneth hesitated moment, enjoy
ing the others discontinue. Then he
said II met no one there except my
sister, who also happened to be spend
ing the night with the Strikers"
The color faded from Lapelles face,
leaving 1t a sickly white. Were you
in any way responsible for-well, for
her departure, Mr.. Gwynne?' he de
manded, his eyes flaming with swift,
sudden anger.
II was not aware of her departure
until | arose this morning, Mr.. Lapelle.
Striker informed me that she went
away before sunrise"
For moment Lapelle glared at him
suspiciOusly, and then gave vent to
contemptuous laugh
"a thousand apologies" he said
Struggling his shoulders. II might
have known you would not be consult
ed"
81 never laid eyes on my half-slster
until last night" said Kenneth deter
mined to hold his temper. TT is not
likely that she would have asked the
advice of a total stranger, is it? Es-
pecially in so simple a matter as going
home when she felt like it,
Lapelle shrugged his shoulders
again. Il quite forgot that you are
lawyer, Mr. Gwynne," he said, drily.
"Is it your purpose to hang out your
shingle in the town of Lafayette?'
My plans are indefinite"
"You could do worse, assure you.
The town is bound to grow. 1t will be
an important town in very few
years." And so the subject uppermost
in the minds of both was summarily
dismissed.
They came at last to the point where
road branched off to the right
Follow this road" said Lapelle,
PCihbAhS 0tA olSAI IL Will t0hS
you into the town. l must leave you
here. 1 shall no doubt see you at John
sons inn, in case you intend to stop
there. Good morning, sir"
He lifted his hat and, touching the
spirited mare with the CAD, rode swift
ly away. A few hundred feet ahead
he overlook his mud-Spattered friend
and the two Of them were soon lost to
sight among the trees.
Kenneth fell into a profound cogita-
ton. Evidently Lapelle had waited at
the edge of the forest for a report of
some description from the farmhouse
belonging to Rachel Carter In all prob
ability Viola was still at the farm with
her mother, and either she had sent a
message to her lover or had received
one from him. Or was it possible La
pelle had dispatched his man to the
farmhouse to ascertain whether the
girl was there, or had been hurried on
into the town by her mother. In any
case, the disgruntled lover was not con-
tent to acknowledge himself thwarted
or even discouraged by the miscarriage
of his plans for the night just ended.
Kenneth found himself wondering If
the incomprehensible Viola would
prove herself to be equally determined.
If so, they would triumph over opposi-
tion and be married. whether or no.
He was conscious of an astounding,
almost unbelievable desire to stand
with Rachel Carter In her hour of
tro2ble.
His thoughts went back, as they
had done more than once that morn
ing to Viola's artful account of his
own father. He had felt sorry for
her during and after the recital and
now, with the truth revealed to him,
he was even more concerned than be-
fore-fDr he saw unhappiness ahead
Of her If she married this fellow La
pelle. He went even farther back and
recalled his own caustic opinions of
certain young rakes he had known In
the East, wherein he had invariably
asseverated that If he "had sister
he would sooner see her dead than
married to that rascal" Well-here
he was with a siSter-and What was
he to do about it?
kachariah, observing the dark froWn
upon his masters face, and receiving
no answer to a thrice repeated ques-
ton, fell silent
The first log cabin they had seen
since entering the wood nestled among
the scrub oaks Of the hill hard by.
The front wall of the hut was liter
ally covered with the pegged-up skins
Of foxes, raccoons and what were de-
scribed to Kenneth as the hides or
'linxes," but which, in reality, were
from the catamount. A tall, be-
whiskered man, smoking a corncob
pipe, leaned upon the rail fence, re-
garding the strangers with lazy in
terest.
Kenneth drew rein and inquired how
far 1t was to Lafayette.
"Bout two mile an half" replied
the man. my name is Stain, Isaac