The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-07-08
VOL. 4O.--NO. 3S,

Dry up, boysr' cried Brinkley, taking
in the situation at a glance, and throwing
his hat to the ground, he was beside Ra-
ven in moment, and holding up his arms
for Stella, said, gently:
.'Let me have the little Bessie, Mr..
Lomax; she has only tainted, and will
soon be all right again. .
Lomax complied, and then, ere he could
dismount from his horse, which for once
stood with dropping head, the other men
lifted him upon their shoulders and car
ried him some yards before allowing him
to get down.
''Where is Calistra?" asked Lomax,
looking around.
1--WE saw him lying on the prairie back
yonder as we passed, and think he must
have fallen from his horse and hurt him
self, one answered
1t was ascertained some time later that
the Mexican's body had been pierced by
six pistol balls--any one of which would
have proved fatal-one for each man who
passed.
''On after the cattle, boys said Lo-
max, as soon as Stella had recovered; II
will take Miss Wharton home
As he was about TO assist Stella to mount
Raven for the homeward journey, Mr..
Wharton himself rode up, and clasped his
daughter in his arms. He had seen the
rescue from the other side Of the herd
Now, as he wrung the hand of her pre-
server, he said, with deep emotion.
Mr.. Lomax, what can | say, what do,
to repay you? If, as l have begun to
think of late, you two he paused and
looked from one to the other:
Love each other, were you not going
to say p asked the other ''If so, you
were right. We do love each other, even
as you loved her mother.
Then she is yours, Wharton rejoined
heartily. 'You should have her if you
were my worst enemy, instead of being, as
yourself, my best friend
With glad cry, Stella threw herself
into the arms of her father, as Lomax
said
I've are happy to hear those words,
for they make my task easier. My true
name Is John Lomax Talbot.
With a smothered exclamation, Whar-
ton stepped back, pushing his daughter
from him For a minute he looked at
them in silence
SO you have willfully deceived me 2
he said, harshly Turning to Talbot
You are the enemy of my family, son of
the man who wronged by brother. | see
it all now; have been put upon for the
hrst-the horse were made TO appear dan
gerous, but were not; Moreo bribed to per-
nit you to whip him; this stampede and
rescue were prearanged. | will see the
Mexican and draw the whole truth from
him
lie has passed to place from which
no human power can drag him, Talbot
said, solemnly
'Where is hep asked the raehman,
in surprise.
Dead, back there on the plain, shot to
death By the boys as they rode after me.
Discovering bis villainy, | dashed upon
him, when he drew his pistol and fired at
me, grazing my temple; before he could
shoot again | knocked him from his horse,
and is the boys who had seen all and un-
derstood rode by they shot him.
Tell me of your meeting with this
man, and how it was possible, under the
circumstances, for YOU to love him p he
asked his daughter.
I'VE chanced to stop at the same hotel
in London, she replied. ''He saw my
name in the register, was attracted by 1t,
followed our party, and rendered us a timely
service When he sought an introduction,
| could not refuse, he giving his name as
John Lomax. Afterward we met several
times, apparently by accident, but he told
later he planned it So BY degrees he won
nv heart, and then he told me his real
name. was wretehed; told him how you
felt towards his family, and that We must
part forever; that our blood had been shed
by one Of his family, and only the shedding
Of their blood would satisfy you. He said
if that were all, he was willing to shed
every drop in his body rather than lose me,
and asked me to leave it with him and he
would find way. That was the reason
why he accepted your offer of foremanship
so readily. And now father, be as good
as your word; his blood has been shed, not
by us, thank God but for US. Here it
is. and, stepping to her lover S side, she
pressed her hand to his temple and with
drew il stained with his blood. ''Think
what would have happened, father, but
for him. Be generous; be your true self =
and she threw herself again into his arms.
For some moments he was silent, the old
Adam struggling with the new. Then
smoothing the hair tenderly from the fair
brow, aud looking down into her eyes, he
faltered
you two have conquered. You have
thwarted both the Mexican and myself
And that smile-I saw it on his father
face when Frank struck him.