Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-04-21
CHAPTER IN.


store'nnd found Nccia tending
II while Gale was out, Ever
since the day she had questioned him
about Burrcll this old man. had taken
every occasion to tnlk with the girl.
and when he asked her this morning
about the reports concerning Lees
strike she told him Of her trip and all
that had occurred.
you see, I'm a mine owner now"
she concluded. "lf II hadn't been a
secret | would have told you before
went, so you could have been one Of
the first"
I'm goin' anyhow" he said, "if tho
lieutenant will let me and II It's not too
late"
Then she told him Of the trail by
Black Bear creek which would save
him several hours.
$50 that's how you and he made u"
he observed, gazing ut her shrewdly.
II supposed you went with your ia
therT" .... ..
"Oh, no! We beat him In" she said
ind fell TO musing ut the memory Of
those hours passed alone with Meade.
! while her eyes Bhone and her checks
slowed. The corporal saw the look, and
II bore out u theory he had formed dur
Ing the past month. 30 MS he fingered
he set about task that had lain In his
mind for some time. As u rule, he was
not n careful mnn In his speech. and
the dellcacy Of this mancuver taxed his
ingenuity to the utmost, for he loved
the girl and feared 10 say too much.
"The lieutenant IS smart young
fellow he began. and II was slick
work jumpln' all those claims It's
Just like him TO befrIend girl like
you. I've seen him do It before
What" exclaimed Necia. "Befriend
other girlsi"
'Or things Just lie It. Hes always
dom favOrs that get him into trou.
BILE" ell.
This couldn't cause him trouble
could It. outside Of Stnrk's and Run.
Mons ErrdgeT
mo. reckon not" nssentcd the cor.
rCral. cropping bllndly for some way Of
expressing what he wished to say.
Except, Of course, It might cause n
let q talk at headquarters when it's
known what he's done for you and
how 10 done It,. heard somethin'
about II down the street this morn.
In, 80 I'm afraid It win get to st.
M!chacls and then 10 his folks"
Il don't understand" said Nccia,
10 hasn't done anything that any
man wouldn't do under the same cir.
cumstances." ..'i .''...
"No mans got right to make folks
talk about n nice girl" said the cor,
pCral, land the teller that told me
about It said he reckoned you two
was IN love" He hurried along now
without offering her n chance TO speak
"Of course that had to be caught up
quick; you're too fine II girl for that"
TOO iine?" laughed Nccia.
II mean you're too fine and good "a
let him Put you In wrong. Just IA he's
too fine u fellow and got too much
ahead Of him to make what his peo
pie would call messy alliance" g..
would his people object toto Fucl
n thingf' questioned the girl. The!
. were alone In the store, and 50 the!
could talk freely. "lm just suppos
, Ing! you know"
. 20 lord! Would they objectT" Cor
poral Thomas laughed In n highly artl
fetal manner that madesNccia brldl,
and draw herself up Indignantly.
go ahead and tell me; won't l.,
! offended" Insisted the girl. "Yol
I must. don't know much about sucl
things, for I've lived all my life witt
men like father and Poleon and tn
priests at tho mission, who treat m
7 Just, like one rof themselves. Blu
p. somebody will want to marry me som
r day. | suppose so ought TO know
what is wrong with me" She lushc
M darby under her brown checks,
ITO Re (loptinuedl