Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-09
CHAPTER VIII.
water front had strong at
traction for Helen Chester and
rarely did fair day pass with

"HE water front had strong at
traction for Helen Chester and
rarely did fair day pass with
i out finding her in some quiet
spot from which she could watch the
shifting life along Its edge, the ships
at anchor and the varied incidents OF
the surf.
This morning she sat In dory pulled
high up on the beach, bathed In the
bright sunshine and staring at the
rollers, while lines of concentration
wrinkled her brow. The wind had
blown for some days till the ocean beat
heavily across the shallow bar, and
now. as it became quieter. longshore-
men were launching their craft pre-
pairing to resume their traffic.
Not until the previous clay had the
news of her friends misfortune come
to her, and although she had heard no
hint Of fraud, she began to realize that
they were involved in serious tangle.
To the questions which she anxiously
put to her uncle he had replied that
their difficulty arose from technical
ity in the mining laws which another
man had been shrewd enough to profit
by. 1t was complicated question, he
snid, and one requiring time to thrash
out to an equitable settlement. She
had undertaken to remind him Of the
service these men had done her, but,
with smile he interrupted. He could
not allow such things to influence his
judicial attitude, and she must not en-
deavor to prejudice him in the dis
charge Of his duty. Recognizing the
Justice of this, she had des'isted.
For many days the girl had caught
scattered talk between the Judge and
Mcnamara and between Struve and
his associates, but 1t all seemed foreign
and dry, and beyond the fact that 1t
bore on the litigation over the Anvil
creek mines, she understood nothing
and cared less. particularly as new
interest had but recently come into her
life, an interest in the form of man
-McNamara.
He had begun with quiet, half con-
cealed admiration of her, which had
rapidly increased until his attentions
had become of singularly positive
and resstless character.
Judge Stillman was openly delight
ed, while the court of one like Alec
Mcnamara could but flatter any girl.
In his presence Helen felt herself re-
belling at his suit, yet as distance sep
arated them she thought ever more
kindly Of it. This state of mind con-
trasted oddly with her feelings toward
the other man she had met, for in this
country there were but two. When
Glenister was with her she saw his
love lying markedly in his eyes, and it
exercised some spell which drew her
to him in spite Of herself, but when
he had gone back came the distrust,
the terror of the brute she felt was
there behind it all. The one appealed
to her while present; the other pleaded
strongest while away. Now she was
attempting to analyze her feelings and
face the future squarely, for she real
lied that her affairs neared crisis,
and this, too, not month after meet
Ing the men. She wondered IL she
would come to love her uncle's friend.
She did not know. OF the other she
was sure-she never could.
Busted with these reflections, she no
ticed the familiar figure of Dextry wan
dering aimlessly. He was not I'M
kempt, and yet his air gave her the i'm
preston of prolonged sleeplessness.
Spying her, he approached and seated
himself In the sand against the boat,
while at her greeting he broke into talk
as if he was needful only Of her friend
ly presence to stir his confidential
chords into active vibration.
Were in turrible shape, MISS" he
said. "Our claims jumped. Somebody
run in and talked the boy out Of it
while was gone, and now we can't
get 'em off, He's been tryin this here
new law game that you all brought in
this summer. I've been drunk. That's
what makes me look so ornery."
He said the last not in the spirit Of
apology, for rarely does your frontiers
man consider that bis self indulgences
require palliatien, but rather after the
manner Of one puryeying news Of mild
interest, as he would inform you that
his surcingle had broken or that he had
witnessed lynching.
what made them jump your claim 2"
II don't know. l don't know nOthin'
about it, because, as I remarked pre-
vious, I amt follered the totterin' foot
steps of the law none too close. Nor
do intend, to. l simply draws out of
the game fer spell and lets the young
ster have his fling. Then If he can't
make good I'll take the cards and finish
1t for him.
Its like the time l was ranchin'
with an Englishman up in Montana.
This here party claimed the misfor-
tune Of bein' younger son, whatever
that is, and is grubstaked to ranch
by his people back home. IEavin' ac-
quired an intimate knowledge Of the
west by readin' Bret Harte and havin'
assim'lated the secrets Of ranchin' by
correspondence school, he is fitted am
nIa TO teach us natives thing or two