Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-18
Of BOs S S

stlll the girl did not answer. She was looking out
over the shlmmering. valley as though she had not
heard Or was not yet ready. He took her hand.
DO you think / do not love you?" he asked. ,
one shook her head slowly. 81 know you love
me, Boss, she said, "but, Boss, oh Boss, / am
afraid am afraid" She caught hold of his
arms and held him away at the full length of her
own. Il know you love me, | know that; and,
Boss, love you too; but still | am afraid-afraid
OF YOU | am afraid Of what you are,-what you
seem, not what you are really,-not what you
are to me- He pushed her arms away and
would have caught her to him, but she drew
back Il am afraid of what they say you are,
of what you might be to me, if you did not
love me always,-if-if-if I did not do, always,
what you liked,--if you ever got angry with me.
why, Boss, do you know what they saying in
Boulder now?" she drew farther away, afraid to
speak, the words. "That you killed Jim Grif.
feth. That You struck him and threw him
the rocks That he didn't fall down the dumps,
but that you killed him-you, Boss, you-and
threw him there But it isn't so, it isn't so. Boss,
it isn't so, ! know it isn't So"
1t was rush of words and there was pas
sion of protest in her voice against the thing she
said. but there fear too.
Boss looked at the girl in apazement. Stunned,
incredulous, he jumped back, an oath half uttered
on his lips and terrible anger swept over him.
''What! What are you saying girl?' he cried
'I killed Griffith? That I killed him?"
For moment she saw Boss as the men at
the mill knew him. the man they hated, the Boss
that they waited not hundred feet
away to ynch-but it was only for a moment
The anger passed. Boss gave a great laugh,
roar that awoke the echoes and the other Boss,
her Boss, was back, holding her in his arms.
cts all lie, little GIRL he said, 81 never
killed Griffith, I never laid finger on him in
my life. It's lie they have started to do me-
Who said it? Why, did not even see him the
night he killed. Wasn't I here with you?
W., L. 4 la1.a
He said the last words looking earnestly into her
face and then fearing, doubling, for moment,
her belief in him, he drew himself up to his great
height and raised his arms to heaven over her.
"Before God, little girl, I love you all of
that is lie They hate at the mill because
am their boss, and because they hate me they
say that against me- I believe they would even
kill me if they could. But you, you different,
you do not hate me, she gave little cry of
protest,-'you do not hate me, you must not be-
lieve what they say,-not that, not that" He
took her head in his hands and turned her face
up to his own. His voice was low and gentle,
"You must not believe it because it is not so.
What I am to you now, little girl, | will be to
you always, because l will always love you you
must not be afraid.
The men in the madronas heard no answer but
they the two walk by the dark grove for
some distance, then turn and come slowly back
along the shadow-hecked road. Boss's arm was
about the girl and her head rested close against
him as they passed. BY the edge of the wood
where they had stood before, they stopped again.
and she laughed softly.
81 shall never be afraid now," she said, with
you"
And Boss's voice, heavy and deep, was the ca.
ress of a lover.
The men who watched so stealthily their COM
ing but short time before saw them go away
down the rcNd through the moonlit fields, back
to Bouder,-watched and wondered.
At last the leader shook himself from the spell
of the moonlight which seemed over them all and
turned back towards Nightmare.
Boys" he said, guess there must be another
side to Boss"