Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1913 — MOLLY MCDONALD ATALE OF THE ERONIIER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MOLLY MCDONALD ATALE OF THE ERONIIER

By RANDALL PARRISH

Jlimorof "Kcun c/i% ■^Border! 1 My lady of Doubt 1 ! My Ladyc/ k Bourn, cfc.e/c. / n I copywam me by a-c-pto-urg a cck

SYNOPSIS. Major McDonald, commanding an army post near Fort Dodge, seeks a man to Intercept his daughter, Molly, who is headed for the post. An Indian outbreak la threatened. “Brick" Hamlin, a sergeant* who had just arrived with messages' to McDonald, volunteers for the mission and starts alone. Molly arrives at Fort Ripley two days ahead of schedule. She decides to push on to Fort Dodge by stage In company with "Sutler BUI" Moylan. Gonzales, a gambler, is also a passenger. Hamlin meets the stage with stories of depredations committed by the Indiana It is decided to return to Ripley. The driver deserts the stage when Indians appear. The Indians are twice repulsed In attack on the stage by Hamlin, Moylan and Gonzales. The, fatter Is killed Moylan is killed in next attack. Indians retire, and Hamlin and Molly wait tor the next move. CHAPTER Vlt. —Continued. Certain facts were clear —to remain meant death, torture for him if they were taken alive, and worse than death for her. Perspiration burst out upon his face at the thought No! Great God! not that; he would kill her himself first Yet this was the truth, the truth to be faced. The nearest available troops were at Dodge, a company of infantry. If they started at once they could never arrive In time to prevent an attack at daybreak. The Indians undoubtedly knew this, realised the utter helplessness of their victims, and were acting accordingly. Otherwise they would never have lighted that fire nor remained on guard. Moreover if the two of them should succeed in stealing forth from the shelter of the coach, should skulk unseen amid the dense blackness of the overhanging bluff, eluding the watchors, what would It - profit in the end? Their trail would be dear; with the first gray of dawn those savage trackers would be at work, and they would be trapped In the open, on foot, utterly helpless even to fight. The man’s hands clenched and undenohed about his rifle-barrel in an agony of lndedslon, his eyes perceiving the silhoutte of the girl against the lighter arc of sky. No, not that—not that! -They must hide their trail, leave behind no faintest trace of passage tor these hounds to follow. Yet how could the miracle be accomplished? Out from the mists of tortured memory came, as a faint hope, a dim recollection of that narrow gully cutting straight down across the trail, over which the runaway had crashed in full gallop. That surely could not be far back, and was of sufficient depth to hide them in the darkness. He was uncertain how far it extended, hut at some time it had been a water-course and must have readied the river. And the river would hide their trail! A new hope sprang into his eyes. He felt the sudden straightening up of his body. "What —what Is It?” she questioned, startled. "Do you see anything? Are they coming?" "No, no," almost impatiently. “It Is still as death out there, but I almost believe I have discovered a means of escape. Do you remember a gully we ran over while I was on top of the stage?” “I am not sure; was it when that awful jolt came?" “Yes, it flung me to the foot-board just when I had untangled the lines. We could not have traveled a dozen yards farther before we struck this bluff—could we?” "I hardly think so," yet evidently bewildered by his rapid questioning. "Only I was so confused and frightened I can scarcely remember. Why are you so anxious to know?" "Because,” he returned earnestly, bending toward her, "I believe that gash In the earth is going to get ns out of here. Anyhow it is the only chanoe I can figure. If we can creep through to the river, undiscovered, I’ll agree to leave Mister Indian guessing as to where we’ve gone.” The new note of animation In the ' man’s voice aroused her, bat she grasped his arm tighter. "But —but, oh, can we? Won’t they be hiding there too?” "It’s p chance, that’s all—but better than waiting here for a certainty. Bee here. Miss McDonald,” and he caught her hand in his own, forgetful of all save his own purpose and the necessity of strengthening her to play out the game, “the trend of that gulf is to the west; except up here close to the bluff it runs too far away for a guard line. The Indians will be lying out here on the open prairie; they will creep as dose in as they dare under cover of darkness. I'll bet there are twenty red snakes now within a hundred feet of ns—oh, don’t shiver and

lose your nerve! They’ll not try to close that gap yet; It's too dangerous with us on guard and only one side of the coach- exposed. That fellow was trying us out a while ago, and they’ve kept quiet ever since I let drive at him. They know the limits of the safety zone, and will keep there until lust befbre daylight. That is when they’ll try to creep up upon us. Have you got the time?” She opened her watch, feeling for the,hands with her fingers, wondering vaguely at her own calmness. The cool resourcefulness of Hamlin was like a tonic. “It —|t is a little after one o’clock," she said slowly, “although I am not sure my watch is exactly right.” “Near enough; there are signs of daylight at four—three hours left; that ought to be sufficient, but with no darkness to spare. Will you go with me? Will you do exactly as I say?” She drew a swift breath, holding her hand to her side. “Oh, yes,” her voice catching, “what —what else can I dp? I cannot stay here with those dead men!” “But I want you to go because — well, because you trust me,” he urged, a new trace of tenderness in his lowered voice* “Because you know I would give my life to defend you." He was not sure, but he thought her face was suddenly uplifted, her eyes seeking to see him in the darkness. “I do, ’’ she answered gravely, “you must believe I do; but I have never been in such peril before, in such a situation of horror, and I am all unnerved. There doesn’t Beem to be anything left me but—to trust you.” "That is good; all I can ask. I know you are all right, but I want you to keep your nerve. We are going to take a big chance; we’ve got to do it—a single misplay, a slip of the foot, an incautious breath may cost our lives." “Are you going to try to get away? To elude the Indians?" “Yes, and there is but one possibil-. lty of success—to creep the length of the gully there, and so reach the river. Here is Gonzales' belt Dbn’t be afraid*of it; it is not dead men who are going to hurt us. Swing the strap over your shoulder this way, and slip the revolver into the holster. That’s right; we’ll carry as little as we can, and leave our hands free.” He hesitated, staring about in the darkness,, swiftly deciding what to take. "Do you happen to know if either of the passengers carried any grub?" “Grub?" “Plains’ term for food," impatiently, “rations; something for lunch en route.” “Oh, yes, Mr. Moylan did; said he never took chances on having to go hungry. It was in a flat leather pouch." “Haversack. I have it. That will be enough to carry, with the canteen. Now there is only one thing more before we leave. We must impress those fellows with the notion that we are wide-awake, and on guard yet. See any movement out there?” >• “I—l am not sure," she answered doubtfully. “There is a black smudge beyond that dead pony; lean forward here and you can see what I mean—on the ground. I —l imagined it moved Just then.” She pointed into the darkness. “It is the merest shadow, but seemed to wiggle along, and then stop; it’s still now.” Hamlin focussed his keen eyes on the spot indicated, shading them with one hand. “Slide back further on the seat,” he whispered softly, “and let me in next the window." There was a moment’s silence, the only sound the wind. The girl gripped the back of the seat nervously with both hands, holding her breath; the Sergeant, the outline of his face silhouetted against the sky, stared motionless into the night without Suddenly, not making a sound, he lifted the rifle to his shoulder. CHAPTER VIII. A Way to the River. She waited in agony as he sighted carefully, striving to gauge the distance. It seemed an interminable time before his finger pressed the trigger. Then came the report, a flash of flame, and the powder smoke blown back In her face. Half-blinded by the discharge, she yet saw that black smudge leap upright; again the Henry biased, and the dim figure went down. There was a cry—a mad yell of rage —in which scattered voices Joined;

■pita of fire cleaving the darkness, the barking of guns of different caliber. A bit of flying lead tore through the leather back of the coach with an odd rip; another struck the casing of the door, sending the wooden splinters flying like arrows. Hawk-eyed, Hamlin fired twice more, aiming at the sparks, grimly certain that a responding howl from the left evidenced a hit.. Then, as quickly, all was still* intensely black once Ynore. The Sergeant drew back from the window, leaning his gun against the casing. “That will hold them for a while,” he said cheerfully. “Two less out there, I reckon, and the others won’t get careless again right away. Now is our time; are yo,u ready?” There was no response, the stillness so profound he could hear the faint ticking of the girl’s watch. Hereached out, almost alarmed, and touched her dress. "What is the trouble?” he questioned anxiously. “Didn’t you hear me speak?” He waited breathless, but there was no movement, no sound, and his hand, trembling, In spite of his Iron nerve, groped its way upward- ,She was lying back against the opposite window, her head bent sideways. “My Grod,” he thought, “did those devils get her?” She lifted her Blight figure up on one arm, all else blotted out, all other memory vanished through this instant dread. His cheek stuhg where flyihg splinters had struck him, but that was nothing. She was warm, her flesh was warm; then his searching fingers felt the moist blood trickling down from the edge of her hair. He let out his breath slowly, the sudden relief almost choking him. It was bad enough surely, but not what he had first feared, not death. She had been struck hard—a flying splinter of wood, perhaps, or a deflected bullet —her hair matted with blood, yet It was no more than a flesh wound, although leaving her unconscious. If he hesitated it was but for an instant. The entire situation recurred to him In a flash; he must change his plans, but dare waste no time. If they were to escape it must be accomplished now, shadowed by darkness, while savage watchers were safely beyond* sound. His lean jaws Bet with fierce determination, and he grimly hitched his belt forward, one sinewy hand fingering the revolver. He would have to trust to that weapon entirely for defense; he could not carry both the rifle and the girl. Moving slowly, cautiously, fearful lest some creaking of the old stage might betray his motions to those keen ears below, he backed through the open door. Once feeling the ground firm beneath his feet, and making sure that both canteen and haversack were secure, he reached back into the darkness, grasping the form of the unconscious girl. He stood erect with her held securely In his arms, strands of hair blowing against his cheek, listening Intently, striving with keen eyes to penetrate the black curtain. The wind was fortunate,

blowing steadily across the flat from the river, and they were surely invisible against the background of the overhanging bluff. He did not even feel it necessary to crouch low to avoid discovery. He knew that peril would confront them later, when they ventured out into the open. How light she seemed, as though he clasped a child. Bearing her was going to be easier than he had supposed; the excitement yielded him a new measure of strength, yet he went forward very slowly, feeling along, inch by inch, planting his feet with exceeding care. The earth was hard-packed and would leave little trail; there were no leaves, no dead grass to rustle. Beyond the protection afforded by the stage he felt the full sweep of the wind and permitted her head to rest lower on one arm so that he could look about more clearly. She had not even moaned, although he had felt her breath upon his face. Once be stumbled slightly over some fallen earth,

and farther along a toot slipped on a treacherous stone, but the alight noise died unnoticed In the night. It was farther to the gully than he had supposed; his heart was in his throat fearing he had missed?! t, half-believing the-depression failed to extend to the base of the bluff. Then his foot, exploring blindly, touched the edge of the bank. Carefully he laid his burden down, placing his battered campaign hat beneath her hedd: He bent over her again, assuring himself that she breathed regularly, and then crept down alone into the shallow ravine. His nerves were like steel now, his hand steady, his heart beating without an accellerated throb. He knew the work, andirejoiced in it. This was’ why he was a soldier. Silently, swiftly, he unbuckled his belt, refastening it across the straps so as to hold canteen and haversack noiseless, and then, revolver In hand, began creeping down under cover of the low banks. He must explore the path first before attempting to bear her along in his arms; must be sure the passage was unguarded. After It swerved to the right there would be little danger, but while it ran straight, some cautious savage might have chosen it to skulk in. To deal with such he needed to be alone, and free. He must have crawled thus for thirty yards, hands and knees aching horribly, his eyes ever peering over the edge of the bank, his ears tingling to the slightest noise. The tiny glow of the fire far away to the left was alone visible In the intense blackness; the wind brought to him no sound of movement. The stillness was profound, almost uncanny; as he paused and listened he could distinguish the throb of his heart. He was across the trail at last, for he felt and traced the ruts of wheels, and where the banks had been worked down almost to a level with the prairie. He crossed this opening like a snake, and then arose to his knees beyond, where the gully -deepened. He remained poised, motionless, scarcely daring to breathe. Surely that was something else—that shapeless blotch of shadow, barely topping the line of bank! Was it ten feet away? Or five? He could not tell. He stared; there was no movement, and yet his eyes began to discern dimly the outlines —the head and shoulders of a man! The Sergeant crept forward —an Inch, two inches, a foot. The figure did not stir. Now he was sure - the fellow’s head was lying flat on the turf, oddly distorted by a feathered war bonnet. The strange posture, the utter lack of movement, seemed proof that the tired v warrior had fallen asleep on watch. Like a cat Hamlin crept up slowly toward him, poised for a spring. ( Some sense of the wild must have stirred the savage into semi-conscious-ness. Suddenly he sat up, gripping the gun in his hands. Yet even as his opening eyes saw dimly the Sergeant's menacing shadow, before he could scream his alarm, or spring upright, the revolver butt struck with dull thud, and he went tumbling backward into the ditch, his cry of alarm ending in a hoarse croak. From somewhere, oift of the dense darkness in front a voice called, sharp and guttural, as If its owner had been startled by the mysterious Bound of the blow. It was the language of the Arapahoes, and out' of his vague memory of the tongue, spurred to recollection by the swift emergency, Hamlin growled a hoarse answer, hanging breathlessly above the motionless bady until the "ugh! ” of the fellow’s response proved him without suspicion. He waited, counting the seconds, every muscle strained with expectancy, listening. He had a feeling that some one was crawling over the short grass, wiggling along like a snake, but the faint sound, if sound It was, grew lees distinct Finally he lifted his head above the edge of the bank, but saw nothing, not eveh a dim shadow. "They are closing in, I reckon,” he thought Boberly, "and it Isn't likely there will be any more of these gentry as far back as this; looks as though this gully turned west just beyond. Anyhow I’ve got to risk It" He returned more rapidly, knowing the passage, yet with no less caution, finding the unconscious girl lying exactly as he had left her. As he clasped her form in his arms, her lips uttered some Incoherent words, but otherwise she gave no sign of life. "Yes, yes," he whispered close to her ear, hoping thus to hold her silent “It is all right now; only keep still." (TO BE CONTINUED.)

How Light She Seemed, as Though He Clasped a Child.