Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-14
matched her determination with MS

uldlCucu ucI Will LIS
hot stubbornness.
He left her and. taking the rife and
all the ammunition there was, seated
himself on bench placed just outside
the door. There he was-a pitiful sen
tinel-as she circled the shack and
reined
And now another question was pre-
scented: Should Marylyn stay or go?
Dallas was for her remaining, SO that
in case of need help could be sum-
m0ned-from somewhere. Marylyn
sided with her. And it was long after
ward, when many things were made
clear, before the elder girl understood
her Sisters action-one that seemed SO
contrary to what the younger one felt.
But their father opposed them both
and vehemently
Dallas upon the wagon seat, prepar-
ed for her long drive. had softened
and touched him. She bore herself SO
bravely. She was so respectful and
concerned.
"You take Marylyn," he insisted,
'an' the pistol. All en- git along fine
by myself. Charley II be comm, an
Ahll hang on t him. All reckon be-
tween us well be o. K Sides, y
know, All got a weasel's tall
The mention of Charley won Dallas
to her fathers view. He would not
be alone all day, for the outcast would
surely appear. On the other hand, she
longed to have Marylyn with her,
where she could shield her from cross
words and possible harm. Wen have
Mr.. Lounsbury with us coming home"
she said.
At that Marylyn waXed still more
eager to remain. And it took some
pleading to overcome her reluctance
and to bring about her consent. Final
ly, however. the two girls drove away.
Before she started the team Dallas
climbed down to say goodby. In all
their lives few caresses had ever pass
ed between father and daughter, and
those had been during her babyhood.
But now, moved by a common i'm
pulse, each reached out at parting to
| clasp the other. And there We're tears
In the eyes of both.
AS the wagon trundled out of ear
| shot that one of the trio least consult
| ed in the affairs of the shack was hard
beset by temptation-to tell Dallas
about Lieutenant fraser and his ear
| nest, oft repeated promise of protec-
| ton. But Marylyn hesitated, afraid
to speak-no less afraid of her sister
| than of her father. She realized that
If she mentioned the officer she would
| have to admit their meetings. And
| such confession would undoubtedly
result in an end to those meetings and
perhaps in severe blaming. Yet II
| would also cut short the drive to
Clarks. And what might not be await
ing them on that journey? Still there
We're only two likely dangers-Indians
! and the interpreter. But Mr.. Fraser
says this upper side of the rivers
safe" she remembered. AS TO Mat
| thews he would not be lingering be-
side the road to waylay them. Her
| fears for her own safety We're thus
argued down.
There was yet her fathers safety t.
consider. We'll, her gallant new
friend would look to that He'll bt
across again this afternoon she
thought, land he'll watch the house
careful. He~couldn't do any more il
he knew about the pole" So, her con
science satisfied, she decided to keel
her abundant grief and penitence il
the months to come.
While Marylyn was busy with he
troublesome problem similar one
was running in Dallas brain, where i
called for calculation. Would Mat
thews threaten the shack that day? 1
was scarcely probable. Night Offered
the best hours for an attack. There
fore the wagon must return befor,
night. But could Ben and Betty MAKE
Clark's and the return trip befor,
then? So far they had never done il
The previous summer the drive wa
begun at dawn. when dawn was at
o'clock. Wen just have to hike
along" she said aloud to Marylyn.
Into the coulee slid the wagon. 1T
long tongue in the air, the loose tug
hitting the mules in the back Whel
the team had scrambled up the farthe
side Dallas put sthem to a trot by
flick of the blacksnake. Then sh,
bent forward over the dashboard, he
eyes fixed eagerly on that distan
brown blotch at the eastern ridge tor
But Marylyn as they drew away look
ed regretfully backward-to where
clump of tall cottonwoods, shakin
their heart shaped leaves in the wind
dappled flower studded stretch beloy
the cOulee mouth.
/ Rod by rod the mules climbed tn
gently sloplng prairie. The mornin
was perfect and belied in its beaut
even a suggestion Of lurking harm
The air. crystal clear and exhilaratins
brought far things magically near t
. the eye. On every hand shimmered til
: springing grass, now a pale emeral
/ with the wind brushing it, again /
( the still places darker green and W
D again under the ravine's fringing wi
( lows, where the deer nibbled, a coz
black. Out of 1t the meadow lark
1 showed their good luck waistcoats an