The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-09-09


to follOw-whether to carry the call to
his comrades in town or to make for
the creek and Dextry. The vigiIantes
might still dlstrust him, and yet he
owed them warning McNamarag
men were moving so swiftly that &C
ton must be speedy to forestall them.
Another hour and the net would be
closed, while 1t seemed that whichever
course he chose they would snare one
or the other-either the friends who
remained in town or Dex and Slapjack
out in the hills. With daylight those
two would return and walk unheeding
into the trap, while if he bore the
word 20 them first then the vigilantes
would be Jailed before dawn. As he
drew near Cherry MaIottes house he
saw light through the drawn cur
tains. A heavy raindrop FLASHED upon
his face, another followed, and then he
heard the patter of falling water in
creasing swiftly. Before he could gain
the door the storm had broken. 1t
swept up the street with tropical VIC
lence, while breath sighed out of the
night, lifting the litter from underfoot
and pelting him with flying particles
the rising moan of hurricane, while
the night grew suddenly noisy ahead
Of the tempest.
He entered the door without knock
ing to find the girl removing her coat
Her face gladdened at sight of him,
but he checked her with quick and
cautious words, his speech almost
drowned by the roar outside
Are you alone" She nodded, and
he slipped the bolt behind him, saying:
1.-THE marshals are after me- We
just had a run in at the Northern,
and I'm on the so. No-nothing seri-
Gus yet, but they want the vigilantes,
and l must get them word VIII you
help meT He rapidly recounted the
row Of the last ten minutes, while she
nodded her quick understanding
You're safe here for little WHILE
she told him, ''for the storm will check
them. If they should come, there's
a back door leading out from the
kitchen and a side entrance yonder
In my room you'll find a French win
dow. They can't corner you very
we'll"
"SlapJack and Dex are out at the
Bhafthouse you know - that quartz
rlaim on the mountain above the Mi
das." He hesitated. "Will you lend
me your saddle horse? It's a black
night. and l may kill him.
what about these men in town.
'Tll warn them first, then hit for the
hills"
She shook her head. You can't do
1t. You can't get out there before day
light If you wait to rouse these peo-
pie, and Mcnamara has probably tele-
phoned the mines to send a party up
TO the quartz claim after Dex. He
knows where the old man is as well as
you do, and they'll raid him before
dawn"
I'm afraid so, but it's all / can Of
fer. VIII you give me the horseY'
mol He's only pony, and you'd
founder him in the tundra The mud
is knee deep. I'll go myself"
Good heavens, girl, in such night!
Why. it's worth your life! Listen TO
it! The creeks will be up and you'll
have to swim. No, 1 can't let you"
Hes q good little horse, and he'll
take me through" Then coming close
she continued: "Oh, boy! Can't you
see that l want to help? Can't
you see that I'D die for you If it
would do any goodT' He gazed grave
" into her wide blue eyes and said
awkwardly: Yes, l know. I'm sorry
things areas they are-but you
wouldn't have me lie TO you, little wo-
man?"
mo. You're the only true man
ever knew. l guess that's why l love
you. And 1 do love you, oh, so much!
want to be good and worthy to love
you too"
She laid her face against his arm and
careSsed him with clinging tenderness,
while the wind yelled loudly about the
caves and the windows drummed be-
meath the rain. His heavy brows knit
themselves together as she whispered:
Il love you! love you! l love
your with such an agony Of longing
in her voice that her soft accents were
sharply distinguishable above the tur-
moil. The growing wildness seemed
a part of the woman's passion, which
whipped and harried her like n willow
In blast
Things are fearfully jumbled," he
said finally. And this is a bad time
to talk about them. l wish they might
be different. No other girl would do
what you have offered tonight"
Then why do you think of that
wonan?' she broke in fiercely. ''She's
bad and false She betrayed you once;
she's in the play now; you've told me
so yourself. Why don't you be man
and forget hHrY'
Il can't" he said simply. You're
wrong. though, when you think she's
bad. / found tonight that she's good
and brave and honest. The part she
played was played innocently. I'm sure
OF that in spite OF the fact that she'll
marry Mcnamara 1t was she who
heard them plotting and rIsked her