The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-08-07

Mr.. Hampton was never of q pro-
nsunced emotional nature, ner 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 ut eac other. When the
man finally broke the constrained ST.
lenee n deeper information had crept
into his voice.
MY girl" he said gravely, and not
without a suspicion of pleading, this
is NO place for me to attempt any de-
Tense Of a shooting ARRAY In a gambling
house, although I might plead with
some justice that Eberly enjoyed the
honor of shooting arst. l was not
aware of your personal feeling in the
matter, " L might have permitted
some one else to come here In my
stead. Now 1t is too late. / have
never spoken TO you before, N do SO
at this time merely from a sincere de-
sire to be Of some assistance"
There was that in his manner of
grave courtesy which served to steady
the girl. Probably never before in all
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 Grst I'm
wise impulse to retort angrily, did he
venture again to speak.
II 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
~, IAN I can do nothing to aid him.
But there remains a chance for you
to escape"
Then 1 won't CO. she declared.
positively.
Hampton's T a eyes looked for N
long moment fxedfy into her darker
ones while the two took mental stock
Of each other. He realized the utter
fatility Of any further argument, while
h 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 b &c shadow. Then
I viii remain here with o u 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 at
kL- -Hr EQ-4IIy nrff&- oxrn-rn0o-
tered the actor in him, and he turned
partially upon n side, SO a. to bring
her profile within his range of vision.
Her dark, glowing eyes were lowered
upon the white face of the e q
yet Hampton noted how clear, in spite
of sun-tan. e those tints of health
upon the rounded cheek, and how soft
and glossy shone he wealth Of rum
pied hair. Even the tinge of color, so
distasteful in the full glare of the SUN
appeared to hHwe darkened under
the shadow, its shade framing the
downcast face into a pensive fairness.
Then he observed how dry and
parched her lips were.
Take a drink of this" he insisted
heartily, holding out toward her as he
spoke his partially filled canteen-
She started at the unexpected sound
of his voice, yet uplifted the welcome
water to her mouth, while Hampton,
observing 1t all closely, could but re-
mark the delicate shapeliness of her
hand.
IF that old fellow was her father"
he reelected soberly, Il should hke to
have seen her mother"
Thank Jou," she said simply. hand
ing back the canteen, but without lift
ing her eyes again to his face. Il was
SO thirsty" Her low tone. endeavor-
ing to be polite enough, contained no
note OF encouragement.
was Gilhs your father?" the man
questioned, determined to make her
recognize his presence.
At suppose so; / don't know"
You don't know? Ann I to under
stand you are actually uncertain
whether this man was your father or
not?"
That is about what I said. wasn't
It? Not hat 1t is any of your busi-
ness, so far as 1 know, Mr.. Bob Hamp-
ton, but 1 answered you all right He
brought me up, and / called him dad
about as far back as I can remember,
but / don't reckon as he ever odd me
he was my father. So you can under
stand just what you please"
His name was Gillis, wasn't it," ?
The girl nodded YEARLY.
"Post-trader at Fort Bethunef?"
Again the rumpled head silerEtly nc
~quiesced.
what In your manner"
He always called me kid" she
admitted unwillingly, but / reckon If
you have any further occasion for ad-
dressing me. you'd better say Miss
0flns-."
Heaven preserve mel" hea ex-
claimed good naturally. but you ARE
certainly laying II or thick. young
lady! However, / believe we might