The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07
THE WESTERNERS.


dusty road and cursed himself for a
fool. He had blistered his hands, over
heated himself most uncomfortably,
and made his muscles ache with I'M
wonted lifting. For what? For girl
who, the evening before, had boxed his
ears and stolen his gun. Fascinated
by a pair Of pretty eyes and a petty
display of courage, he had worked him
self like a horse. He dropped his head
in a brown study, moodily digging
away at the ground with his heel, rum
mating bitterly over his egregious folly.
THANK you very much,' said soft
little voice, breaking in on his irrita-
ton like a silver bell on a moody ST.
lence.
He raised his head, and beheld Molly
standing before him, looking up at him
with grave sweet eyes. There was a
hint of WEAKNESS in her dropping eye
lids that appealed subtly to his own
weary spirit She seemed, stading
there in the deserted street, to typify
for the moment the aloofness of his
mood.
you've been good to me this morn
ing" she went on in quiet monotone,
mighty good"
She stepped nearer to him until her
breast almost touched his.
II want you to look up at that pine
OhCA tHtlC Until lCi JOu yOu Idll
quit" she said as gravely as a child
about to bestow a sugar plum.
Harry turned his eyes to the hill.
She stopped swiftly and drew the
band of a holster and belt around his
hips. Unmindful of his promise, he
looked down on her in surprise.
Don't be mad" she pleaded. Il got
Frosty to get it for me from your
shack, so l could put your gun in it.
And now you'll wear it for me, won't
you? l said you couldn't have 1t till
you told me you were sorry. Well,
you have told me you were sorry, in
the best way-by doing something
know how 1t is. I've had to work. It's
no fun to be laughed at: and you'll
were this morning, won't you?"
rush as of something beautiful
swept over him. His eyes filled and he
tried to speak, but turned away.
Now, run along" she exclaimed,
gayly giving him a little pat on the
shoulder. "and don't forget you've got
job for this afternoonr"
She stood for a moment in the middle
of the road, watching him.
Graham, sitting under the caves of
the Little Nugget. surveyed the little
scene with cynical eyes He watched
the girl walk toward the saloon. She
had taken off her sunbonnet and the
noon sun was gliding her hair She
was pensive and thoughtful, and look
ed down. He told himself that she
did this because it was a becoming
pose. Graham was the sort of man
whom pretense, craftiness, guile, always
reused to arms. So long as he was am
tagonized, or thought he was, his Bit
terness and scorn were unappeasable,
but once his ascendancy was freely
acknowledged, he threw away its adj
=, rryith ,rfr
lie thought he saw through this girl,
ard so he despised her and her tricks
alike.
AS size approached, Lafond arose and
went inside the saloon, where he be-
gan to inquire of Frosty in regard to
dinner. The girl sat down in the va
Gated chair. Beyond a curt little nod
to Graham she did not notice his pres
enc".
over Tom Custer an eagle was wheel
ing slowly to and fro, barking with
the mere delight of being on the wing.
Molly fixed her eyes dreamily on the
bird. but without apparent conscious
ness Of more than the mere fact of
its wide motion. Graham imperturba-
bly, Whitfield a pine stick, and whistled
This state of affairs continued for
some time.
How DO you keep the dirt from COM
ing through the roof" asked Molly
suddenly, her mind. TO all appearance,
entirely on the work in hand.
Graham explained briefly.
Thank you" said Molly.
After a few minutes more Graham
shifted his knife into his left hand, and
began idly to stab the bench with II.
Several times he opened his mouth 20
speak.
You've got hip well trained" he
observed. finally, with a slight curl Of
the lip.
"Who7 What DO you nean7" she
cried. genuinely surprised out Of the
Indifference she had assumed.
"Idlm-LafOnd. He knows when %
go away. Why ola you want 20 get
rid Of himW
y didn't want 10 get rid % him. II
was 30 ! could be alone"
That's consistent IN Waf nothing
Of the kind. n was ~ you could be
alouewWifh me"
she looked him oyer, fush.ne auGfiiy.
Then she deliberately tufFee hef eboui-
der ~ him,