Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-05-18

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She was turning to go when he stop.
ned her. and his tone was hard and
dry "You were In Bozle yesterday
with Raymond. Don't do that again.
When you want an escort let me know.
III send a man that knows enough not
TO take lady into danger and who
has 'sayvy' enough to keep his horses
for the return trip"
"Thank you. You are very kind, but
Pm not in need of additional protec-
ton" Ann Jelly replied.
"Goodby till tomorrow" he called
after her in mockery, his voice as mu-
steal as bugle.
This interview, short as it was, left
the girl with the feeling Of having been
grasped and shaken by a rude hand.
And yet her anger was not unmixed
with admiration. His magnificent au-
dacity and the grace. and dash Of his
advance interested her.
Raymond saw Munro riding away
and wondered what his errand could
have been, and when Louis told him
that the gambler had stopped and de-
tanned Ann in the path his teeth set In
anger. 'The little houndw he growled
under his breath. "Tll put an end to
thatw
Immediately upon finishing HE sup
per he went up the path to Hanley's to
find 1.-THE lookout" Munro was In his
place, sitting high above his faro lay
out clicking couple Of silver dollars
together, talking with gleeful intensity
to Denver Dan, who stood ut his Shout
der broadly smiling. The saloon was
packed with men, all In high spirits
over the precipitate flight Of the sheriff.
Munro sighted him at last and called
out: "Hello, Rob! How goes it,"
Raymond did not reply till he reached
his side. 81 want. to talk with you,
Jack" he said in a low voice.
Munro studied him for a moment,
then turned to Dan. Take my place a
minute"
Dan complied, and Raymond led the
way into the open air, and when they
were we'll out of the crowd he turned
and said:
you intercepted Miss Rupert to-
day?'
Il met her, yes. What about itY
"Just this. You're not fit to shake
the hand of decent girl, much less q
cultured, high bred woman like Ann
Rupert, and you know it!"
Munro was staggered. what bust
ness is it of yours?" he asked. with
instant anger.
Iaymonds wrath was self contained
keep your temper. Jack. We've sum-
mered and wihtered together, and you
can't make any mistakes about what
mean. know the kind Of women you
live with and the kind Of life you lead,
and tell you to keep away from the
Kelly cabin"
Munro did not snarl as Raymond ex-
pected. His voice became softly In
sinuating as he said: Suppose the
lady invited me to call? Suppose she
was interested in my conversation!
The lady had chance to go. The path
was open, but she fingered, she smiled"
you're liar!'
Munro was now very confident. Am
L? Ask the boy; he saw her talking
with me. l say the lady was gracious"
The gambler took ON the air OF an In
jured comrade. Now, see here, ROD;
you're away out of limits. | acknowi-
edge I've known whole lot OF cheap
women, but that's all the more reason
why | should be able to tell when
meet the real thing. Her name is as
safe with me as with you. Probably
she's tied up back in the states any
way, SO that neither Of us has any
chance of interesting her. But it's an
open course and no favOrs, and so long
MS she doesn't hand me out the icy
mitt' I'm going to make the most or
my chance, and from this moment"-he
took off his HAITI reform, | throw up
my job at Hanley's, I cut off booze
and shake Eau Claire.
Raymond was impressed by his RI
yars manner. "You can quit gam
bling, and hope you can leave liquor
alone, but I see trouble when you
shake Claire. But that doesn't matter.
For the sake of old times want to
avoid a quarrel with you, Jack. But /
warn you that If Miss Rupert finds
your presence disagreeable you go, and
you stay! AS you say, she is probably
engaged to better man than either OF
us. But she is here because of the boy,
and I feel certain responsibility for
them both, and the man who presumes
on a chance acquaintance with her will
answer to me-"
"All right. Leave it to her, Rob"
said Munro almost jocularly. III she
turns me down I'll pull out of my OVID
accord, lightning sure. Good nightw
Raymond walked away with sense
of failure. Munro had adroitly writhed
out of his grasp and was probably ex-
ulting at his own cleverness. He was
troubled, too, by the confident tone
which Munro had taken in saying, "The
way was open; she fingered"
Ont of the tumult Of his doubt he
emerged with an accession Of conf
dence in himself. "If it comes -
choice between US, my chances are as
good as Jacks. Her tolerance Of him
is due to ignorance of his real charac-
ter. Mrs. Kelly must tell her."
He saw the light III Kelly's home,
and its allurement was stronger than
ever before, but he resolutely held his
way to his own fireside, there to bit
terly muse the entire evening over his
soverty and the false position In which
Munro had clcverly placed him.
He repented of his resOlute passing
of har door when he heard next day