The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-19
xXXIV.
LOVES EYES UNBANDAGED.

LOVES EYES UNBANDAGED.
After the vocifersting group had
made Houston comfortable with the
bandages and rough surgery of the
frontier, 1t again took up the discus
sion of ways and means. 1t was tired
crowd, haggard from dissipation and
want of sleep. And then, too, it was
cross crowd.
majority were savage. Their pas
stons were aroused TO an unreasoning
pitch. as is the manner of mobs. To
them II was not a question of discus
sion, but of destruction. They wanted
TO burn the companys buildings, and
they were so set on it, and so impatient
of even a word of opposition, that La
fond began to be a little frightened for
his new property. His attempts at
discussion were everywhere met with
rebuff. Finally. on a sudden inspira-
ton, he sprang TO his own window
ledge and signed his desire to speak.
Such men as Moroney, Kelly. Graham
and Williams. cooler heads, whose
stake in the camps fate was still
heavy succeeded in obtaining mo-
mentary silence.
Boys" shouted Mike. IN pay you
mvself!"
They paused in good earnest now. to
see what these astounding words might
signify.
TN pay you myself" repeated La
fond. Then-for he was too shrewd to
promise a thing of such moment with
out giving a plausible reason for 1t
he went on. Il can't afford to let this
camp bust! l got too much in 1t. l can
afford better that l spend a little to
help it along. 1 don't know what it
is that the company intends; but will
find out. and this 1 promise to you, If
the company does not pay you, l Will
make some arrangement for the mine,
and l will pay you myself
Even Graham and Moroney were
little deceived. Both perceived dimly
an Interior motive, but on the surface
the offer was generous and there could
be no doubt that Lafond's word was
perfectly good in such a matter AS
for the men, they were more than sat
isfied.
But of course" Lafond was saying,
you must not do any injury to the
property"
Which went without saying. as every
one could see.
Michail Lafond ate his breakfast with
many long pauses. He had little appe
tite His plans had gone we'll, and yet
in their outcome rested a little remnant
Of the indecisive that annoyed him out
of all proportion. Billy had been dis
charged from his position as superin-
tendent and driven from camp, yet his
exit had been mechanically brill
liant and had somehow done much to
leave his memory in good odor. He,
Lafond had the promise of the prop
erty: but even yet the deeds were in
escrow at Rapid. 1t was forty-five
miles to Rapid-ten hours! Much might
happen in ten hours. At the thought,
which Lafond instinctively paused to
note was not in his usual confident
manner, he started up and commanded
Frosty to harness his team of bays to
the blackboard. He would complete the
contract before sunset. While the an
imals were being harnessed. he tried to
smoke a pipe. 1t went out. He at
tempted to read a paper. He could not.
Finally he went out of doors and strobe
rapidly up and down. He felt chilled,
for the air of the early morning was
sharp He thrust his arm through the
open window and took down his old
canvas coat from behind the door, and
put it on. In spite of it's protection he
shivered again.
Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!" he
growled at Frosty. He snapped the
lash n his blacksnake whip, making
the bays dance to the hindrance of
Frosty's task. His eye caught the new
dance hall.
She's been worth while, if she never
QOeS announcer ne 10
himself, and then realized that he had
said it, not because he believed it. but
because he wanted to keep his courage
up What was this dread of the in
tangible? He could not understand it.
Getting too old to sit up all night"
he explained it to himself
His thoughts went back to the night.
It had left with him an impression of
being unsatisfactory. Why should it
oh ~
he did not recall exactly what. Oh,
yes, Cheyenne Harry! That affair had
baked Well it did not much matter:
that was a detail. Now that the dance
hall was up, the girl could be forced
to take her place. Lafond told him
self that he was little tired of finesse
and delicate planning-too tired to I'M
dertake another long campaign of the
kind merely for the satisfaction to be
found in the process. Besides, in this
case 1t was not necessary. He would
settle the affair now, get 1t off his
| mind.
lie strobe over to the girls shack
and pushed open the door. She was
| lying flat on her face, fully dressed as
! in her first transport of shame, but she
had now fallen into a light sleep. At
| the creak of the door. however, she
looked up, her eyes red with crying.
THAT was a h of a performance
last night" said Lafond brutaI1y, land
it don't so again"
He had never spoken to her so before.
She sat upright on the bed and star
ed at him, clasping one hand near her
| throat.
THAT amt what you're here for"
| continued Mike. '"Therell be another
dance Saturday night, and you be on
| hand and stay on hand. That's your
| lob northumberland?
A slow comprehension of his meaning
crept into her eyes. and she covered
them with her hands. The half-breed
stood in the doorway coiling and I'M
coiling the lash of his whip. He want
ed some indication of how she was go
ing to take it.