West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-12-27

Swift OF Fort Washable. who was one
Of the Wetmore party. came TO claim
Kitty's hand for the next dance. Ju.
dith and Henderson were leading the
last figure. their hands clasped high In
an arch. through which the dancers
trooped In couples. Again and again
he tried to catch Judith's eye. but her
glance lever once met his. Her great,
wide eyes had n faraway look. as II
they saw some tragedy. the shadow OF
which vivid never fall from her. She
was indeed the tragic muse In her
oolting white drapery, the tragic muse
whose grief Is too deep for tears. He
watched her as she swept toward him
In the figure OF the dance. the head
thrown back, slightly foreshortened.
the mouth smiling with the smile thar
knows all things, the eyes holy wells
OF truth. IL was like her to contriye
her brothers escape and then to dance
with the very men who had knotted
the moose for his hanging. Henderson
was bowling TO her, the dance was
over. and the next moment she was
alone.
SIS 1t you. Peter7' She thrust n
strand of hair back from her temple.
Her eyes rested on him for a moment.
then wandered till I'm their absent look
was the rapt expression Of the sleep
walker. The dark trimmed eyes had
In their depths the quiet OF n conaagra-
ton, and Peter, seeing these things
and knowing the gamut OF all her
moods. saw that he had been mistaken.
She had not come to dance I'm triumph
In the face OF her brothers enemies.
There was no triumph In her face, but
white, consuming despair.
did you ask me to dancer Again
she put back the strand OF hair. For.
give me for being so stupid, but I've
kept postofice today and had n long
ride. and 1 danced with Henderson"
He drew her arm within his and led
the way out through the crowd OF
dancer to the star strewn night. She
did not speak again, nor did she seem
to notice that they had left the room
with the dancers. She turned her face
toward the lonely valley, where the
drama Of her brothers. passing had
been consummated, and something
there was in her look as 1t turned to-
ward the hills that told Peter.
Tell me, Judith. what has happen
ed?"
For answer she pointed toward the
valley. "They did It last night at the
dead c~ottonwoods. Henderson led them.
1 could not stay with Aida. 1 had to
come here TO dance that no one might
suspect"
Her voice was steady. but low and
thrilling. In its deep was
the echo of all human sorrow. There
was no hint Of accusation, yet Peter
felt ccused. He felt, now when IL
was too late, that his position had been
one OF almost puslllanimous negligence.
From the beginning he had taken Il
firm stand against violent measures.
He had talked, argued, reasoned, III
Weighed against violence. No later
than n week ago he had ridden across
the desert to tell Henderson that the
Wetmore outfit would take no part I'm
violence of any sort and that the cattle
outfit that did resort to extreme meas
ures would miss the support of the
W-square in any future range bust
ness. But IL had not been enough. He
should have made plain his position in
regard to Judith. With her as his fu-
ture wife the tragedy of the valley
would not have been possible.
From the ranch house came the swell
of the fiddles, the rhythmic shuttle OF
feet, the song OF the dancers, dulled by
distance. Beside him was judith. n
white spirit, the woman In her lead of