The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-17
(Continued.l

haunting.
She stayed crouching and presently
saw a small black object leave the
big blackness of the trees and advance.
Frightened, she arose and retraced
her steps, CHANGING behind her as she
went. At the shack, having found the
latchstring, she backed into the room.
Her father and sister were asleep.
Next morning, on plea of not wishing
to alarm them, she refrained from tell
ing Of the shot. 1t may have been a
hunter, she reasoned, or a drunken
trooper or one of the Shanty Town
gang. But the laugh-it rang in her
ears
Several twilights passed; then she
ventured out again. A lip of moon was
dropping down an unclouded sky; the
stars hung low and white And when
she neared the swale she saw, a good
distance before her, that small black
object separate Itself from the grove
again and move forward.
She stopped. She was not frightened
now. She knew who 1t was. And when
she saw his arms come up and caught
him: Don't! DON'T It's mew
There was a muttered exclamation,
and the arms fell Miss Dallasr' he
cried and sprang forward.
IL was sure 1t was you" she adj
mitted TREMENDOUSLY And you've been
guarding here all the timer
Lounsbury was painting. Suppose
I'd fred?' he said. 4 had a mind to.
Crimini!"
You'd "a missed likely"
Maybe not You see, 1 thought, well
that Matthews or that precious
brother Of his, they might get to both
ering you folks. Anyway, amt it dan
gerous for you to be out here late like
this?"
ut liz for you. You get shot at
: keeping guard on us"
He thumped the swale impatiently
with the butt OF his gun.
"Oh, 1t was you," she persisted,
gravely enough. THAT is why l came
tonight"
All! You mean that can help you,
MIS- Dallas Tell me-tell me, what
ca ! do1"
Ion let MdtIOeWS XIII you.
Lounsbury laid down his gun. When
he Strengthened he stepped to her side
"Me?' he said. We'll, I'm a match for
him. You amt But what else?"
She moved aside, averting her face.
There is something, Miss Dallas?'
"Y-e-e-s."
He saw she was disconnected and
stroye to put her ut ease. do you
know" he said, you're so tall in that
coat you almost look like a heap big
chief"
She did not hear him She was not
listening The wished for opportuni-
ty was come She was trying desper-
ately to rally a speech. 'You-you
amt been round of late" she began
at last Il hope But she could not
finish.
NO" he said slowly. He rammed
his hands into his trousers pockets. Il
haven't been around lately, but l didn t
think you'd notice it," He darted a
glance at her.
Was it dad?" she asked. did you
thlnk"-
Yes, it was your father. l thought
he went out of his way to be-weu.
kinda short, you know. was only
trying t be decent"
Dads funny" she said rehectively.
''Wheneyer we get to a chuck hole,
where all Of us ought to pull tgether,
he Noes slack on the tugs He's like
Ben that way SO / have t go up t
Linn, stroke his name, fix his curb and
let some cool air under his collar.
After while he gives a hawhee- haw
and goes on"
Lounsbury did not laugh. He balk-
ed when 1t came to me-" he said so
Berry, and it hurt. Afterward l kinda
got 1t into my head that none of you
wanted me"
She looked straight at him. But
one did-one did" She whispered, chok-
ing
He pulled his hands free of his peck
cts. "One-one,'' he said huskily.
"Who?"
And now everything was clear to
her. She knew just what to say. She
had no feelings OF self The duty was
not hateful or embarrassing. "Who.a
she repeated. Don't you know. Mr..
Lounsbury? Why, Marylyn."
"Marylyn." he echoed as if in a puz-
zle: "Marylyn, You're jokingr'
She caught a shade of reproach in
that and misunderstood it. 4 reckon
you won't like her so well now" she
said
.Tike .var so veU9 5or,+ l-ro,,,