The Lamar register., 1908-04-22
CHAPTER xII.-continued.

After a gallant and dauntless search,
which lasted through the best days of
September, Langford was forced to
let cold reason have It's sway. He had
thought. honestly. that the ruffians
would not dare commit murder. know
ing. that they were being pursued; but
now he was forced to the opinion that
they had dared the worst. after all.
For, though 1t would be hard to hide
all trace of dead man. infinitely
greater would be the difficulty in COW
ering the trail of living one-one
who must eat and drink. who had
mouth to be silenced and strength to
be restrained. 1t came gradually to
him. the belief that Willistcn was
dead; but 1t came surely. With 1t
came the jeer OF the specter that
would not let him forget that he
should have foreseen what would
surely happen. With 1t came also n
great tenderness for Mary. and re-
doubled vigilance to keep his unruly
tongue from hurting out things that
would hurt her who was looking to
him, in the serene confidence in his
good friendship, for brotherly counsel
and comfort.
In the first dark days of his new be-
lief, he spoke to Gordon, and the
young lawyer had written a second
letter to the gal reporter" In re-
Spouse, she came at once to Kemah
and from thence to the White home
stead in the boss's own private"
This time the boss did the driving
himself. bringing CONSERVATION to the
heart of one Jim Munson, cow-punch-
err, who viewed the advent of her and
her "mouse-colored hair" with serious
trepidation and alarm. What he had
dreaded had come to pass. Twas but
a step now to the Three Bars. A fus-
sy woman would be the means of
again losing man his Eden. 1t was
monstrous. He sulked, aggrievedly.
systematically.
Louise slipped into the sad life at
the Whites easily, sweetly. adaptably.
Mary rallied under her gentle minis
trations. There was-would ever be
"a haunting pathos in the dark eyes.
but she arose from her bed grateful
for any kindness shown her, strong
\ in her determination not be a trouble
to any one by giving way to weak and
unavailing tears.
Mary, because of her Astounding
health, healed of her wound rapidly.
Langford took advantage of the girls
absorption in each others company
to ride often and at length on quests
of his own creation. With October,
Louise must join Judge Dale for the
autumn term of court. He haunted
the hills. He was not looking now
for a living man; he was seeking a
cleverly concealed grave. He fouted
the opinion-held by many-that the
body had been thrown init the Mis-
siuri and would wash ashore some
later day many and many a mile be-
low. He held firmly to his fixed idea
that impenetrable mystery clouding
the ultimate close of Williston's earth
ly career was the sought aim of his
murderers, and they would risk no
rivers giving up Its dead to their I'M
doing.
1t had been ascertained beyond rea-
sonable doubt that Williston could
not have left the country in any of the
unual modes His description was at
all the stations along the line, togeth-
err with the theory that he would be
leaving under compulsiOn.
Meanwhile, Gordon had buckled
down for the big fight. He was sadly
handicapped, with the whole prop of
his testimony struck from under him
by Williston's disappearance. How
ever, those who knew him best-the
number was not large-looked for
Things to happen in those days. They,
: he few. the courageous minority,
through all the ups and downs-with
the balance in favor of the downs
most of the time-of the hardest
fought battle of his life, the end of
which left him gray at the temples.
maintained a deep and abiding faith
in this quiet. unassuming young man.
who had squared his shoulders to this