Show I e O 1 J y N by KESTER Copyright 1911 The Bobbs Company t 11 CHAPTER I M Murrell Shows His Hand RB points of or lIht began to show igi chinks In the logs Hannibal 1 d nd sat up his ees eyes with withla la lack f his Ills hands a nt you vou able to sleep none none he 1 Betty Detty shook her head hlad Hed lie He lieda d disc da at her with an nn expression of trou- trou to cern How soon do you reckon rodon wig ude will Ul know he asked or er soon now dear Hannibal was wasti as ti on soled by bj this opinion its lf ett he will love to find us us us- rk What was that for Bett Betty had lied Ii h nuie i distant splash of oars H found a chink in the loss logs lo s. s through dint of much squinting he serl se- se rl 11 view of the ba bayou ou 11 reO fetching up P a keel boat to hore Miss Betty its Betty i its it's a whooper l r vl lie V Bettys Betty's t heart sank a she never the purpose for which that boat brought ro Into the ba bayou ou or 01 that It ItI I herself t f n hour later late Mrs Mra Hicks appeared appealed their breakfast It was In vain that attempted to engage her in conation con con- a. a on Either she he cherished some perLI per per- LI cling of or dislike for her prisoner iso the Iso the situation in which she herself placed d had little to recommend it H. i mother dull duH mind and her hel expressed in m her attitude to tod tori to- to ri d Ithe dithe girl tt tty assed the long lon hours of ot morning I reary speculation Concerning what was ening at Belle Plain In the end she zed that the the- dav day could go by bv and hErn her herne I alarm Steve StE had n nee ne occasion no I anTher Into Raleigh or to the Bowens' Bowens that she had kept the carriage Fin Fin- hope centered on Judge Price would expect Hannibal during thenIng thening the ning perhaps when the boy did not note ehe e e would be bo tempted to go out to ea Plain to discover the reason ot 01 non nonappearance Sh She wondered what would offer themselves Es to his Inaus in incus In- In cus aus oust mind for she sensed something something- ha hat hate indomitable energy enem which in the and laughter carried him the thick of every sensation Hicks sullen as In the n Mrs as ning aing brought them their dinner She scarcely quitted the loft when a shrill tho the silence that hun hung U c e clearing It Ii was twice repeat- repeat aria and the two women were WE're heard to toron ron rom the cabin Perhaps half an hour ed then a a- astep step became audible dl l on the ge ft of the bd dooryard liu d Some n one room below and began to as- as narrow stairs and Betty's Bettys fin fin- ed convulsively about Hannibal sP s. s P was all neither Mrs Tucks Hicks nor her inter nor S oo with his clumsy r r. r ne T There e was a l brief l-jef pause when landing was reached but It was as only a hand lifted the bar the linac was was' U thrown open and its space figure of ot a man It was John jonn figure of ot a man It was John jonn I rell anding there he r regarded ardd Tietty Rett in ut a deep seated fire slowed glowed In sunken eves The sense of possession raging a through him hint his temples a fever stirred ld his blood Love e It was he undoubtedly felt for forland forland land Tand even his giant project with all ramifications was lost sight moment She was the for It all the goal and reward for struggled ettY Betty the single word fell softly from HB ITh stepped into the room lOom clos- clos the door as he did so lie he girls girl's eyes wore were dilating with a fop fol by by- some swift s tess of the mind which asked noth noth- logic of ot events but dealt on only onn- i Murrell stood revealed Norton's Nortons murderer Perhaps he read thought but ho be had lived in his daer der de- de lerate er r t. t ambitions until the the- c common ments or 01 the understanding of them longer existed for him That Betty had hadad ed ad Norton Korton seemed Ino inconsequential m 10 j was as a memorY to he be swept away oree of his hili greater passion So o watched her smilingly but back of smile was as the menace of unleashed pulse Betty Ime Cant Can't me 1 J Betty VOH yi Ot y find d he some asked word at 1 length of welcome h c still U till with something of entreaty hl his one not Tom Tom who who hart hail Th Then n It was you not you brought hue hers She could have thanked I Ii i It been Tom whose hate hat te was not b as she feared this man mans man's s eJK ew Torn Tom Tom-no no and Murrell laughed You Id I'd give gl you ou up I am stano- stano h a a. halter about my neck and arid all aU your sake sake who'd risk as much for you OU He seemed to expand with Ilg O that this was so and tools took tep toward her T M cried Betty Do Don rome come near me reyes blazed and she looked at him h You'll Youl learn to be kinder kinder he exulted ful see me at Belle Plain what for me but to have you ou hit Murrell Murren was as speaking the signal told of his own presence on the heard shore of the bayou was ln This served to arrest his atten- atten look of tr if uncertainty passed over l. l Impatient aes- aes i fa then thEm he made mado an Lw i face ei ir If irI I i. i u dismissed qi m it r il A d- d 3 some cArriA some nm thought thought Lw i ei ir If irI I i. i u dismissed qi m it r il A d- d 3 some cArriA some nm thought thought eras he forced itself upon him and andied andred red ti t to Betty You dont don't o ask what m my purpose Ise is e ou are ae concerned you have ha no She on that score Ito meet inset his glance with wih a glance glace as blute then her eyes ees sought the boy s famed umed mcd face fal I am going to send you OU Betty Later I shall join you tl J ew Orleans t and when I leave ea e the you shall go with me me- me me tr gasped Betty Beth eve wife wife or however you ou choo choose e ecal cal l. l Ill I'll Il teach you what hat a man mans man's mansIs s Is 11 like he ho boasted basted and aid extended d han Betty Batty Bety shrank from him and fell feU at his side He looked booked at L steadily out of his deep sunk lunk fr eyes S In d the fires of his hil passion and her ber bel face taco paled pRIed and flushed turns You ma may mav learn to be kind to toI toJ J Betty he lie said You may find It I I b be worth your while Betty made mado l she only onty gathered Hannibal 5 e to her bel side Why not accept at t I have to offer Betty 1 Again gln he hehe heit het it t nearer her and again she he shrank I n him hm but the madness of f his mood Jn he ascendant lie Ie seized her and twiner to him She struggled to free eUr but his fingers tightened about I L go go Sue she 11 panted He lie Ie laughed rca cool cot laugh la gh of triumph you T Tet Tet you rou go-ask go me anything but 1 Have you ou no reward for iene such uch as aa mine A A. whole hole sum sum- passed since I saw you ou first first first- here liere wa was a the noisy shuffling of feet the stairs and releasing Betty Bety Mitt Mur- swung about on his heel and faced j door It was pushed open an Inch by a not too to confident hand I lon thus guardedly pree pre pre- wd himself e Lo to the eye y of f his chief dt beckoned from the h r room neli eIT ell said Murrell Murren when wien they they altogether d on the anding bust come across to the keel boat I lsd led th thc til way nay down stairs from t I hI house hous mn you vou YOI Joe you ou might have o ha ed edl observed t the li h oula outlaw Sc on ona a hardened grin Th v crossed iK and board boarded d the keel boat h retted rested against the bank bank As tte tiey so t th the cabin In the stern gave sae no un 11 a aI tereci of romI Tom rom pr Presence in the shape I 1 I re ed ef Murr Hurrell ll started violently I I Ir r you were hanging out In Mem- Mem I Lom r he said Ild and hR his brow dark dark- IB its sinister and And forbidding 11 he lie ed closer to tp the planter planter Ware War did answer at at 01 but looked at Mur- Mur out or of h av v bloodshot eyes yel his lila face fact ed and ad At last he lal ald ing king with visible effort stayed morning stayed in Memphis until 5 i i o'clock mn your early arl hours hours' rO roared red ll are you doing doing- liere bere I Ii suppose you e been been showing that that dead face of yours ours about the neighborhood neighborhood- why didn't you jou 01 stay at Belle Iele Plain since you jou ou couldn't keep away ay a I r f haven't been near nar Belle Belie Bele Plain 1 came tame here Instead How low am I going to meet people and an answer W r teeth were chattering Is it known she's missing he added addeo I Hicks raised the alarm the first thing this mORing according to the Instructions instructions Id I'd given ghen him hin I Id l' l lYe tons Yes Ye gasped gaped Ware He Ue Ee was as dripping drip drip- dripping i pin ping from every ever pore and the lie sickly color came caine and went ent on his unshaven en cheeks Murrell Murrel dropped a heavy h av hand handon oh on his shoulder I You la ent haven't been beon at Belle Dele Plain you ou ousa sa say bu hut but l has an any one one seen you YOI on t lie tho road this morning roar Xo o one John rl Ware panting between each lach word woid There was a moments moment's moments mo mo- ments ment's ments pause and Ware are spoke again What are aie they doing at Qt Belle Plain he deman demanded ed In 3 g whisper Murrell Murrells lips curled I understand there is talk of suicide he said Good cried Wars Ware are The They are ale drag dragging th the bayou ou down don below the house It I looks as though you ou were going to r reap ap the rewards of the excellent management you ou have given her estate They have been tr trying to find you In Memphis so the sooner you o ou show yourself the beter better he concluded significantly You are arc sure suie you ll have ha her safe JOhn rohn no chance of discovery For Gods God's sake get her liei awa away from fro here as soon oon as you OU can Its It's f's awful rl risk lt you ou run un Shell be bs bp sent ent down river tonight said aid Murrell Captain began who up to this his had taken talen no part pant In the tho conversa- conversa when going to cross to tion ton lon are arp you ou 11 other side slie of the bayou Soon replied Murrell laughed I didn't In know knOw- but you'd oud clean dean forgot thE he Clans Clan's business T r want rant to ask another another another an an- other question but question but Queston-but but first I 1 want to say that hat no one thinks higher or rore spore more frequent ftc fre quent of the ladles than Uan just me Im I'm Im genuinely fond of em and Ive I've never ne lifted m mv my hand spin agin em pm except In kind kind- ness Mr Ir looked at Ware are with an exceedingly Virtuous expression of or countenance He- He continued Yo or- or 01 lers dera ou are arc that w were we're re to t slip sUp out of this a little afore midnight hut SU suppose theres here's a hitch hitch hitch-here's heres here's here's heres the tho lad lady knowing what she knows knos and heres here's tho tue bo boy what he knows know There can be not hitch rasped out Murrell lurrel arrogant arrogantly I never knew a speculation that go wron wrong and by rl rights we should b have e e got awa away last night t. t Well Vell Vei whose 1018 fault is it you ou didn't demanded Murrell Murroll In a manner it were wele mine but the lie I ark jot got on H R sandbank as we were fotch- fotch fetch fetch- tog ng It i in and It took us the whole damn night to get Jet clear dear Well Yel prompted Murrell with a sul- sul len en frown rown Suppose the they get shut allot slut of o that notion noton of ot theirs that the lad ladys lady's s done drowned herself hersel suppose the they take tale to watching the he river Or suppose the whole damn bottom ottom drops out of this deal What then hen The lady good god looking as she is Is knows enough to make west Tennessee mighty for some of us I say suppose its it's a flash fah in the pan and you ou have lave supple to crowd the distance In between you ou and this part of t the world you c cant can't cantell r tell ell lf me you'll have any use for r rc her n th n paused pausE eh Impressively And heres here's Mr 11 Ware feeling bad feeling feeing feel feel- Ing ng like hell he resumed Him and me hel dont don't want n to be left In no trap with wih tg I you gone God O only knows o s where h Ill send a man roan to take charge of the Ue keel Il boat I I. I cant can't risk any more of your our bungling Joe all al right but you ou dont don't answer answer an an- my question queston persisted with wih admirable tenacity of ot purpose What Is your question Joe A That lot can happen between this and midnight midnight- If things go wrong with us there therell there'll II b be I a blaze at the head of ot the bayou ba ou does that satisfy you And what then Murrell What il ilat at about hesitated at the girl Irl insisted son son dragging him back to the point at Issue between them As a man I wouldn't lift my hand aln agin no good booking woman except like liko I said In kIndness but she sho cant can't be turned loose she knows too to much What's the word or captain you captain you you say It he urged H Hm He m made a gesture 0 of appeal to Ware Look for the e light better el still look for the man Ill I'll Il send And with wih this Murrell would have turned away but detained him he be Some fellow who h knows the river ow fe And If its it's the light asked aked the tavern tavern ern cnn keeper leepEr In a f hoarse undertone A Again aln he ie looked toward Ware Vare who dry lipped and ashen was ivas regarding him stead stead- lastly Glance met glance for tor a a. brief Instant n they looked d into each l others other's th lill lil eyes and then tien the hand d so had rested on Murrells Murrell's Murrel's shoulder dropped at athis athis athis his side elde To be continued |