Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-06-29

He entered the door without knock.
ing, to find the girl removing her coat,
Her face gladdened at sight Of hin,
but he checked her with quick and
cautious words. his. speech almost
drowned by the road outside.
Are you alone? She nodded, and
he slipped the bolt behind him, saying:
The fnarshals are after me. We
just had run in at the Northern. and
I'm on the go. No--nothing serious
yet. but they want the Vigilantes, and
/ must get them word Will you help
.me? He rapidly recounted the row
of the last ten minutes while she nod
ded her quick understanding.
You're safe here for little WHILE"
she told him. for the storm will check
them. II they should come, there's a
back door leading out from the kitchen
and a side entrance yonder. In my
room you'll find French window.
They cant corner you very we'll"
"Slaptack and Dex are out at the
shaft house-you know-that quartz
claim on the mountain above the Mi
das." He hesitated. Will you lend me
your saddle-horse? It's a black night
and may kill him. -
What about these men in town?'
"I'll warn them first, then hit for
the hills"
She shook her head. "Youl can't dc
it. You can't get out there before day
light If you wait to rouse these people,
and Mcnamara has probably tele.
phoned the mines to send party up
to the quartz claim after Dex. He
knows where the old man Is as we'll ..s
VIZ, l0 yI +
dawn"
I'm afraid so, but it's all can of
fer. VIII you give me the horse?"
NO! He's only a pony, and you'd
founder him in the tundra. The mud
is knee-deep. I'll go myself"
Good heavens, girl, in such night!
The creeks will be up and you'll have
to swim. No, can't let you"
"He'sa good little horse, and he'll
take me through" Then, coming
close, she continued: "Oh, boy! Can!
you see that want to help? Cant yo,,
see that I'D die for you II 1t would
Go any good?" He gazed gravely into
her wide blue eyes and said, awk
wardly: Eyes. / know. I'm sorry
things areas they are-but you
wouldn't have me lie to you, little
woman?'
mo. You're the only true man
ever knew. guess that's why | love
YOU And do love you, OH SO much
| want to be good and worthy to love
YOU, too.''
She laid her face against his arm
and scaressed him with clinging ten
derness, while the wind yelled loudly
about the caves and the windows
drummed beneath the rain His heavy
brows knit themselves together as she
whispered:
Il love you! love you! love you'll
with such an agony Of longing in hel
voice that her soft accents were
sharply distingllishable above the tur
MOL. The growing wildness seemed 6
part Of the woman's passion, which
whipped and harried her like willow
in blast.
Things are fearful jumbled," he
said, finally 'And this IS bad tim;
to talk about them. wish they nigh
be different No other girl would d.
what you have offered tonight"
"Then why do you think of that wo
MANI" she broke in, fiercely "She':
bad and false. She betrayed you once
she's in the play now; you've told me
so yourself. Why don't you be mar
and forget herr"
II can't" he said, simply your,
wrong, though, when you think She!
bad. found tonight that she's goot
and brave and honest. The part sht
played was played innocently, I'm SUR
of that, in spite of the fact that shell
marry .McNamara. It was she VIII,
overheard them plotting and riskst
her reputation to warn me-"
Cherry's face whitened, while tn
shadowy eagerness that had reste'
there died utterly. "She came int,
that dive alone? She did that?" H,
nodded; at which she stood thinking
for SONG time, then continued
! You're honest with me, Roy, and II
be the same with you. I'm tired of de
ceit tired OF everything. tried t
! make you think she was bad, but i
my own heart knew differently al
| the time. She came here today an,
humbled herself to get the truth, hum
| bled herself to me. and sent he
away. She suspected, but she didn'
know, and when she asked for infor
nation insulted her. That's the kin,
of creature I am i sent her back t
! Strive, who offered to tell her tn
whole story
What does that renegade want?"
Cant you guess?"
why I'd rather" The young maj
ground his teeth, but Cherry FASTENED
you needn't worry; she won't Sc
him again. She loathes the ground h
walks on"
"And yet he's no worse than tina
other scoundrel. Come, girl, we hav
work to do; we must act. and &C
quickly" He gave her his message +
Dextry, then she went to her room an,
slipped into riding habit. When sh
came ont he asked: Where is You
raincoat?" You'll be drenched in n
time"
II can't ride with it. I'll be thrown
anyway, and don't want to be al
bound UP. Water won't hurt me-"
Z. She thrust her tiny revolver into he
dress, but he took 1t and upon exam
/ nation shook his head.
"If you need gun you'll' need ,
good one" He removed the belt fror
hits own waist and buckled his Colt
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