The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-18
His voice was dangerously sweet and

Ais voice was dangerously sweet and
winning.
81 can mott dare not!" cried 10. des-
peratetely, clinching her fists. 81 shall
go away from here tomorrow"
''Preposterous!'' he exclaimed, throw
ing himself away from her and striding
across the room.
''You shall not go away from me into
the great, cruel world. I'll put you un-
der lock and key"
She smiled at him through her tears.
"Look here, Jo,' he said, coming to
stand-still before her, suppose / prom
Use to reform-will you marry me? What
degree of perfection must a man obtain
in order to become your husband?"
This with sarcasm.
She met his angry cleaning eyes
steadily.
The man whom / marry must not
spend his life in selfish dissipation.
neither must he ride headlOng over all
the gifts which God has bestowed upon
him. Think what God made you," she
added, passiOnately. '"Think what you
have made yourself.
"How can you come before your little
boy, carrying all the aroma of debauch
cry, when you might make hero of
Yourself for him to reverence and to pat
tern after? When pou have conquered
your vices / will be 4our wife, for l do
love you, even bette: than you dream,
and it breaks my b. art to see you so
scornful of all that's good and pure"
10 hot hn int
rupted. 81 am not scornful of this good
and pure little woman. You have little
faith in me, 10, that is plain; but will
astonish you.
''To-morrow you shall go, as you
cboose-for l can find you wherever you
go and when | have exercised the dev
lis which have possession here, l will
come for my reward. Only, remember,
if | find any other man has usurped me
I shall make small matter of shooting
him."
10 laughed miserably; she was quite
sure in her own mind that she should
never see him again.
She turned blindly away, but he de-
tanned her.
''What, going without another word?
Without a goodbye kiss? / go to town
tonight, and shall not return until after
you are gone. Kiss me farewell, Jo!''
She lifted her pale and trembling lips.
gave him her first kiss, and sped away,
fearful lest her resolution should falter
under the light of his dark eyes.
Five years passed away.
For a year, yes, two years, 10 kept
alive a desperate flicker of hope in her
heart.
She never heard of Julian Vane's long
long months of battle with his evil
spirit.
What she heard of him were his oc-
casional back-slidings, when he reck-
lessly plunged into every kind of dissi-
pa ton.
He never came to her, although she
WIS in the city and he knew it, and at
last 10 gave up her dream of happiness
and tried to forget it and him.
She left the city, drifted here and
there as fortune seemed to beckon, now
sewing, now teaching, until at last she
found herself installed mistress of a lit
tie school in struggling California set
Element known as DEVILS Creek.
1t was pleanant spot, in spite of it's
name, and 10 began to think herself set
tied for life. until an annoyance arose
in the shape of a big, burly rough, known
rs Jerry Galore, who had conceived vio-
lent passion for the quiet, sad-eyed lit
tie school-ma am.
He followed her everywhere, made
desperate love to her on every occasion,
sent her badly spelled notes, until she
finally began to fear him.
One night she was delayed after school
by some reports she wished to fill out.
The school-house was in a lonely
place, nearly mile from any other
building; and, looking up from her
writing presently, she was alarmed to
see Jerry Galore leering at her from the
doorway.
AS she sprang to her feet he stepped
over the threshold, closed and locked
the door.
What do you mean, sir?'' she de-
handed, sternly. ''Stand aside; 1 wish
to pass"
Not so fast, Miss Holland. You'll
On too many airs with me, my lady
Perhaps after you've passed the night
here you'll be ready to be my wife. I'm
bound to have YOU"
JOS head was up; her nostrils dilated,
her eyes flashing, but her heart quailed
within her at the horror of her situation.
At that moment one of the windows
was thrown open from the outside, and
\ man vaulted through into the school
room.
1t was Julian Vane.
Instantly the ruffian's revolver was
leveled at him.
'You just make tracks out of here,'
said Jerry Galore, ''Or PHI
Here 10 struck his wrist suddenly with
one firmly clinched first, and the re-
volver went spinning to the floor
Before Jerry had recovered from his
establishment Vance possessed himself
Of the revolver, and in turn took aim at
the bully's head.
81 understand" said Vane. looking
the fellow over with the supercilious
smile which 10 remembered so we'll.
Il understand that this settlement is
called Devils Creek For all / know
you may be the old gentleman himself,
but as this lady is my future wife, and
have not seen her before for five years,
hope you will pardon me for insisting
upon your immediate departure"
The rough glared at him for a few
seconds, taking in the build of the mus
,ular figure, and then realizing that
Vane was more than a match for him.
he staggered out of the room.
10, with little trsmulous CRY, ran
into the arms outstretched for her, and
searched the beloved face anxionslv