The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-07-15
Continued

70 ulscoFeF some means for getting
you safely back beside tie others"
But I didn't want you" and there
was look of positive dislike in her
widely opened eyes.
Didn't want me?" He echoed these
unexpected words in a tone of COM
plete surprise. Surely you could not
desire to be left here alone? Why
didn't you want me?"
Because l know who you are!" Her
voice seemed to catch in her throat.
He told me. You're the man who
shot Jim Eberly."
Mr.. Hampton was never of a pro-
nounced emotional nature, nor was he
a person easily disconnected, yet he
flushed at the sound of these impul-
sive words, and the confident smile de-
serted his lips. For a moment they
sat thus, the dead body lying between,
and looked at each other. When the
man finally broke the constrained ST.
lence a deeper information had crept
into his voice.
My girl" he said gravely. and not
without suspicion of pleading, this
is no place for me to attempt any de-
Tense of a shooting ARRAY in a gambling
house, although l might plead with
some justice shat Eberly enjoyed the
honor of shooting first. l was not
aware Of your personal feeling in the
matter, or | might have permitted
some one else to come here in my
stead Now it is too late. 1 have
never spoken to you before, and do so
at this time merely from sincere de-
sire to be of some assistance
There was that in his manner Of
grave courtesy which served to steady
her rough frontier experience had she
been addressed thus formally. Her
closely compressed lips twitched ner-
vously, but her questioning eyes re-
manned uncovered.
You may stay" she asserted, so
berly. "Only don't touch me-"
No one could ever realize how much
those words hurt him Not until he
had completely conquered his first I'M
wise impulse to retort angrily, did he
venture again to speak.
81 hope to aid you in getting back
beside the others, where you will be
less exposed"
"Will you take him."
He is dead" Hampton said, sober
But there remains a chance for you
to escape"
Then I won't CO." she declared,
positively.
Hampton's gray eyes looked for a
long moment fixedly into her darker
ones, while the two took mental stock
of each other. He realized the utter
futiIity of any further argument, while
she felt instinctively the cool, domi-
mating strength of the man. Neither
was composed of that poor fiber which
! bends.
Very we'll, my young lady" he said
easily, stretching himself out more
comfortably in the rock shadow. "Then
| / will remain here with you; it makes
! small Odds
Excepting for one hasty, puzzled
glance, she did not deign to look again
| toward him, and the man rested mo
tionless upon his back, staring up al
the sky. Finally, curiosity Overmas
| tered the actor In him, and he turned
partially upon one side, so as to bring
| her profile within his range Of vision
! Her dark, glowing eyes were lowered
upon the white face of the dead man
yet Hampton noted how clear, in spite
of sun-tan, were those tintS of health
upon the rounded cheek, and how sof
and glossy shone her wealth Of rum
pied hair. Even the tinge of color, 81
distasteful in the full glare of the sun
appeared to have darkened unde,
the shadow, it's shade framing tht
downcast face Into a pensive fairness
/ Then he observed how dry an(
parched her lips were.
Take a drink of this he insisted
heartily, holding out toward her as h
spoke his partially filled canteen.
She started at the unexpected sount
OF his voice, yet uplifted the welcom
water to her mouth, while Hampton
observing it all closely, could but re
mark the delicate shapeliness of he
hand
IF that old fellow was her father,
he reflected soberly, 4 should like t
have seen her mother"
Thank you," she said simply, hand
ing back the canteen, but without lift
ing her eyes again 10 his face. L wa
so thirsty" Her low tone, endeavol
ing to be polite enough, contained n
note Of encouragement.
WAS ellis your father?" the ma
questioned. determined to make he
recognize his presence.
81 suppose so; don't know"
You don't know? Am TO under
selnd you are actually uncertai
) whether this man was your father c
not?"
That is about what I said. WASH
} It? Not that it is any of your bus
ness, SO far as I know, Mr.. Bob Haml
ton, but I answered you all right. H
, brought nae up. and I called him daI