Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-04-20
CHAPTER XVI.


back to the woman who, the
restorer believed, loved him, Echo Pay
son realized the supremacy over her
soul-her pure ideals, her lofty sense
Of justice-of its tenement, the woman's
body. The moral side Of her desire to-
ward Jack VOW became fixed in the
purpose to lift him up to her own level
Now that he had gone from her on
a mission that was fulfilling this very
purpose Of regeneration, although she
had not sent him upon it for his sake,
but her own, Echo knew that after all,
she was q woman. She loved Jack
Payson with the unreasoning and I'M
restrained passion that sways even the
highest of her sex.
She very sensibly took refuge from
her perplexing problems by jumping
into the active life of the ranch.
Faithfully she tried to perform all
that she thought Jack would have
done Her father and mother wanted
her to come back to her old home until
he returned. There she would have
more company and fewer memories of
Jack surrounding her. Each offer,
each suggestion, was kindly but firmly
put aside. When Jack returned she
must be the first to welcome him.
Echo and her father, who was look
ing after his own cattle on the round
up, rode up to the chuck wagon after
Parenthesis and Sagebrush crossed the
valley to mete out justice to Peruna
and fight out any attempts at rescue.
Dismounting, Echo walked YEARLY
to the fire and sat down ON box
Bravely though she tried to conceal 1t,
the strain was beginning to tell upon
her. The tears would come at times
despite her efforts to fight them off.
The burden was so heavy for her
young shoulders to bear.
A note from Slim, written at Fort
Grant with lead pencil on sheet of
manila paper, told her briefly that he
was going into the lava beds with the
troops, as the Apaches were out. Dick
and Jack, he wrote, were somewhere
in the lava beds and he would bring
them back with him. She dared not
let herself think Of the Apaches and
the horrors of their cruelties.
Better let me get you somethin' to
eat" said her father, returning from
picketing the horses.
Echo smiled wanly at her fathers
solicitude. II am not hungry, dad
Jim seated himself by the fire. He
recognized his helplessness in this trou-
BILE.
"You been in the saddle since sun
up," he said. "You amt had nuthin'
to eat since breakfast. don't see
what keeps you alive"
| slope, dad, hope. 1t is what we
women live upon. My heart isn't here.
It's out in the desert behind yon noun
tains-with Jack"
''There, there; don't take on SO,
honey"
Kneeling beside her father, she laid
her head on his lap, as she did in
childhood when overwhelmed with the
little troubles Of the hour. Looking
into his eyes, she sighed: "Oh, dad
it's all SO tangled. haven't known
peaceful moment since he went
away. I've sent him away into God
knows what unfriendly lands, perhaps
never to return, never to know how
much loved him"
Patting her head as If she were a
tired child. he said: "It'll all come out
right in the end You can't never tel
from the sody card what's in hook al
the bottom Of the deck"
Further condolences between father
and daughter were interrupted by the
boys of the roundup dashing up to the
wagon. with Peruna in the midst Of
the group Peruna had been disarmed
Dragging the prisoner from his bron
cho, they led him before Allen, who
had risen from his seat.
whats all this. boys?" asked thu
ranchman.
Sagebrush. as foreman, explained
'This here's Peruna Of the Lazy 3
outfit"
Allen looked at the prisoner, VIII
maintained sullen silence. What
he been doin'?"
MOSTLY everything, but Fresh
caught him red handed brandin' one Q
our yearlin's," cried Sagebrush.
Its lie" broke in Peruna, glanC
ing ,doggedly from one to another Q
his guards. He knew death was th
penalty Of the crime of which he stoo
accused. He felt that stout denis
and his outfit might come up and say
him.
polite your conversation In the pre-:
/. ence of lady" cried Parenthesis, noe
! ding toward Echo.
"That calf was follerin' my COW,
answered Peruna sullenly.
"It was follerin' one of our Ion
horned Texas cows with the Sweetwt
ter brand spread all over her" shoute
Show Low, moving menacingly towar
the covering Peruna
Fresno he calls him, CONTINUED Sag,
brush, taking up the story, IAN tbi
here bad man turns loose his batter
an wings Fresno some bad. Then Ii
tie Billie Nicker comes along, an P,
runa plugs him solid"
Poor Billie had been Show Low
bunkie on many long drive. TIL,
veteran now paid this last tribute
!, his friend ''Billie, who amt neyt
done no harm to no one"
HE reached fer his gun began p
runa. Sagebrush would not let hi
finish his lame defense.
"You shet up" he cried. 1--WE don
want your kind on this range, an Il
quicker that's published the quick