Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-04-28
CHAPTER IX--(Continued)

that. ana ! WaSuV gOOO 10 aSSOClate with. Men got so they shunned me. md l knew they told strunge stories, because l heard them whisper when went to the stores for grub once month.
 From time to time heard of her. but the news. Instead of gladdening me. as 1t would have giaddened some men, wrung out what bits of suffering were left In me. and fairly ached for her. Nobody comes to see clearer than woman deceived. so It didn't take her long to find out the kind of man Bennett was. He wasn't like her at all. and the reason he had courted her so hotly was just that he had had everything that rightly belongs to man like him and had sickened of 1t. so he wanted her because she was clean md pure and different. and. real izing that he couldn't get her any other way. he had married her. But she was treasure no bad man could appreci- ate. and so he tired quickly, even be- fore the little one came.
 "When heard that she had borne him Q daughter wrote her letter which took me a month to compose and which tore up. One day story came to me that made me saddle my horse to ride down and kill him-and. mind you. l was a man who made pets of little wild. trusting things Bur knew she would surely send for me when her pain became too great. so l uncinched my gear and hung It up and waited and waited and waited. Three long. endless years l waited. al- most within sound of her voice, with out word from her. without a glimpse of her. and every hour of that time went by as slowly as If l had held my breath. Then she called to me, and I went.
 "I tell you. was thankful that day for the fortune that had made me take good care of my horse. for l rode like Death on a windstOrm. l rode through the streets of Mesa, where they lived. and past the lights of Ben nett's big saloon, where heard the sound of devils reyeiry and shrill voiced woman singing-a woman the like of which he had tried to make my Merridy. 1 never skulked or sneaked in those days, and no man ever made me take back roads, so came up to his house from the front and tied my horse to his gatepost. She heard me tt, naI hn dnnr
 "'You sent for me- said 1. Where is he? But he had gone away to q neighboring camp and wouldn't be back until morning, at which l felt the way thief must feel. for I'd hoped to meet him In his own house. couldn't think very clearly. however. because of the change in her. She was so thin and worn and sad-sadder than. any woman I'd ever seen. I'd changed heap myself. Anyhow that was the first thing she spoke about. and the tears came into her eyes as she breathed:
 "'Poor boy! You took 1t very hard. didn't your
 "'You sent for me- said I. Which road did he takeT
 ".Theres nothing you can dO.' she answered. I sent to make sure that you still love me-
 ".Did you ever doubt it? said I, at which she began to cry like woman who has worn out all emotion.
 "'Can you feel the same after what I've made you sufTerr she said, and | reckon she must have read the answer in my eyes. for never was much good at talking. and the sight of her. so changed. had taken the speech out of me. leaving nothing but aches and pains and ashes in It's place. When she saw what she wished to know she told me the story--the whole miserable sto- ry-that I'd heard enough of to suspect. l Why shed married the other man she couldn't explain herself. except that | 1t was woman's whim-l had stayed away. and he had come the oftener- part pique and part the mans dare devil fascination.
 "'He's fend, she told me. I've stood all can. He'll make bad wo- man of me as sure as he will of the little one If stay on here. so 1 have decided to go,nnd take her with me- | ".Where? said l.
 Wherever you say she answered, and yet did not understand. not till l saw the look In her eyes. Then as 1t dawned on me she broke down. for It was terrible thing for good woman io offer.
 "'It's all for the little girlr she cried. More than her life depends upon it. We must get her away from him.
 "She saw 1t was her, only course and went where her heart was calling"
 The lieutenant met the look of ap. peal in the traders eyes and nodded to imply his complete understanding and approval.
 We love some women for their goodness. others we love for their fra,i- ness. but there never was one who combined the two like her. and now that knew she loved me [ began tc believe again there was q God some where. I'd never seen the youngster so she led me In where 1t was sleeping