Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-08-07

in the field just over yonder, and il I
called he'd come"
She took up an iron from before
the fire and held it near her glow
ing cheek, looking at him the while.
"You seem to forget that other
people may be worried about you as
well as your father" he said, with
an emphasis that was tenderer than
he had really meant to make it.
The girl opened her eyes with a
babylike stare as she rubbed the
iron smooth on cloth. "Other peo-
ple?" she repeated. "Oh, yes; you
mean my mother, and Aunt Lucy,
and Cousin Jim. They are all in town
to-day, but perhaps they'll hurry back
because they are worried
He felt that he was not making
much Roadway. The abrupt motion
he made tipped his chair down with
a crash.
"You know" said the girl, spread
ing out garment with elaborate
care and beginning to run the iron
over it with skillful haste. Il never
felt so fattered in my life. Here is
a criminal loose in the country-not
so very much of a criminal, either,
just the man that got into fight
with Sol Virgins, and laid Sol up
for a while-and here comes an officer
and stands guard over me, so that I
won't be harmed. Now, isn't that
beautiful? suppose that's what
the country hires officers for-to
come and sit here and watch me
iron, and scare off criminals
Her mockery set his face ablaze;
but he would not allow himself to be
r;diculed out of his purpose.
I'D do more than that for you,"
he said, leaning his elbow on the
table and looking up at her.
"Would you?' she asked. II wish
you knew how to iron. If you could
only take that off my hands now
or perhaps you wouldn't mind split
ting up little wood there and max
ing a fire in the stove"
Ben Pringle frowned. II don't
know nothin' about that kind of
work." he said, firmly; ''but know
how to catch up with people that's
hiding criminals from the officers"
She set the iron down before the
fire and perched herself on the edge
of the table. care there people who
do such thing as that?" she asked
with awe. 'Mercy, what wicked peo-
pie they must be! When you catch
people at a thing like that, what do
you do to them? Take them to jail?"
eve settle with 'em," he said,
darkly.
"Oh, how awful that sounds" she
said, with shudder. "And now,
with so many criminals to catch and
people to be settled with, how can
you stay here and bother me with my
ironing? Do hurry off now and tell
Sheriff Barton he isn't. hiding here"
She slipped down from the table
and began ironing again, humming
the remainder of that little tune, as
though the discussion was quite
finished as far as she was concerned.
"I'll look around little FIRST" he
| said, rising with darkened coun-
tenance. His eyes were fastened up
on the door of the closet, and he drew
near it.
The girl stepped back toward the
door and flung up her head like
deer. The time for jesting was over.
what are you going to do?' she de-
manded.
I'm goin' to see who's hid in that
closet" he Numbered, extending
hand.
But she was too quick for him, and
sprang to the closet door and stood
with her back against it, her round,
young arms laid out on either side.
Her blood was up, and her brown
eyes flashed fire into his.
Don't dare to touch mel" she
cried, the red glow surging into her
face; and determined as he was, he
fell back discounted.
you've got somebody in there"
he said, sternly, IAN I'm going to see
who it is before I leave"
care you?'' she said, smiling at him
tauntingly, as though she dared him
with all his height and strength. GAIL
right-come push me away and break
down the door,"
He stood and looked at her with
the kind of helplessness that strong
men feel in a clash of wills with
women. He could have crushed her
with one hand. He could have thrust
her aside as though she had been a
gnat. Yet there she was, standing
up and defying him.
II have to do it, Miss Bert" he said,
falteringly. II hate to do it might
ly, but the law compels me to see in
to that closet"
"The law doesn't know anything
about it," she retorted, with all
woman's unreason.
"But it has to know" he said, al
most suppliantly. Just stand out
o. the way, now, Miss Bert, an let
me look into that closet
She stood still, her pretty head up,
her arms thrown back against the
wall.
do, now, Bert!" he pleaded, des-