The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-10-26
THE SAFETY OF NUMBERS.
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| unWlSe again. 80 lie WHlKeu TO tnc
door and stood there, his feet wide
! apart considering the glaring fiat and
looking back at Maggie. over his shoul-
! der. now and then.
! She cried for a good half hour, and
the whole experience frightened Les
| lie so much that 1t was not until nearly
sunset that he dared get UP to the
! subject again. He meant to go at it
tactfully, this time but 1t came at the
end of long. strained pause. Say
what about our getting joined In we'd
lock and all that-anyway? He held
his breath for fear she would cry again.
Rut she took 1t quietly this time. II
amt sure he's dead" she answered
II am" said Leslie. But I'll go
fetch the fellows that told me about
1t. and you can find out for yourself"
He went out and saddled his bronco
and departed by the way he had come
"lll be back" he said.
He had no idea where the fellows
were to be found. They had been
prospectors. and might be anywhere
in Arizona, New Mexico. Colorado or
California by now. But though his
phrasing might have been less pol
ished. his sentiments were identical
with those Of Calonne---if II We're but
impossible. it should be done. II took
him four months to do It. But at tho
end of that time he rode up to the
adobe again. There were two mon
with him. and they went into details
that caused Maggie to he convinced.
"All right she said to Leslie that
night. 'I'll marry you 1t was not
enthusiastic, but Leslie made allow
ances. and took what he could get.
So. the next morning. the ranch was
left in charge of the two vaqueros. the
Mexican woman. the fourteen children.
and five rongrel dogs. And Maggie
and Leslie rode off. side by side. with
the two men bringing up the roar. The
same padre who had made her Mrs.
Dennison made her Mrs. Leslie now.
and gave her his blessing. She took it
stolidly. Then she and her husband
took the train for California, to SEQ
Dennison's grave.
The headboard to It had the sur
name in black letters on q plain board
ground. Maggie did not like that. so
Leslie paid for new one--white. paint
ed with the Christian names as well.
When 1t was duly put up. they went
on their way. The way was toward
the Moiave. Leslie had mining inter-
ests up there. and. being In the gem
eral neighborhood, he took the op-
portunity of looking them up
At Mojave they left the train hired
a wagon and proceeded toward the in
terror. All day they drove along n
road that wound between soft-rolline
hills, pale brown. shrub-fecked. The
sun scorched. Near the railway there
were small cultivated bits, where
green things grew. But they stopped
after a while BY afternoon it was
desOlatiOn.
"Where'll we put up tonght?" Mag
gle asked--the first time there had
been d word in two hours or more.
There was a house ahead, he told
her. He had inquired as to that II
was thirty-tive miles from the rail-
way--more or less-and it belonged to
one Dennis it seemed.
They came to it in due time. but
Dennis himself was not around just
then. His wife explained that he had
gone to drive in heiter and her calf.
She took charge of them herself. in
the meanwhile. She was a pretty lit
tie thing. tragically young, consider
ing the hardships and the loneliness of
her life. Her eyes We're innocent and
big. and her countenancc was of ii
sweetly inspid cast. with a skin still
of peaches and cream. She was glad
to see Maggie. Probably she would
have been glad to see any one. for the
sake of human speech. However that
was. she gave Maggie attentions of a
kind she had never thought Of
And Maggie was feminine at heart
though she had little enough chance
to realize IT, The gentle coddling of
the little thing melted her. Within half
an hour she had learned to like her
perhaps even more than that--to have
some affection for her. They We're
hand in hand. on the edge of a bunk |
talking. when Dennis came in. Dennis |
was merely Dennison with last syi-
liable the less and a beard the more.
Maggie knew him at once. And he |
knew her. His jaw fell.
This is my husband" said the girl. |
The tone of alteration and possession |
made Maggie Sck-but only for Il short |
instant. She stood up and put out her
hand. Dennis hesitated: then he came
forward and took it. His terror was
making him quake.
PLEASED to meet you--Mr. Dennis" !,
said Maggie. with stress on the name.
and looking him straight in the eyes.
His own fell. sure" he agreed. la
mentally. He tried to smile. II got
to go to the corral" he said.
Leslie was there. Maggie thought of
that and of what might possibly fol-
low. "My husbands out there--Mr.
Leslie's out there; you'll find him." she
called. 1t was warning-with intent !
to save bloodshed. He might take It |
or not, as he choose.
He took it. Instead of to the cor
raj. he went to his room and locked
himself in and examined his revolver,
against an emergency.
But Maggie went out to the stable. |
She found her husband rubbing down |
the stock. "Say." she said, standing
beside him with her hands on her hips,
"say-he amt Dennis at all. He's |
Dennison. He's my husband"
1t was Leslie's turn to have his jaw
drop. did you know it?" she de-
manded.
He faced her. II did not, Mag. I |
wouldn't have played you any such |
dirty trick"
IAN right" she said. She knew the |
truth when she heard it. cts done |
and there amt any sense making the |
girl pay for it. Let on he's Dennis |
as long as we're here
Leslie nodded and Went OH with the |
rubbing down.
Maggie returned to the house. Mrs. |
Dennis was getting supper i'm that one |
of the three rooms of the shack which |
served for Kitchen and dining room. |
Maggie ascertained that, N"I ( ;'~'''d |