The Dolores star., 1909-12-10

to settle in my mind, being rrsty ON
the eternal Quandary. We had a. .ooo
between NJ. Didsey and !. He had
planned to make II ten, through our
pickings In the Nammon gorre. ana
then carom from port to port around
the world. humble and contrite and
broke" A man has to have some
thing 70 look forward to. Isn't II 90?
The cough reached us again scross
the sand: then the laugh OF the ram.
bier. and the murmur of the woman's
whispering. craned my head out of
the door. The candle was still burn.
ing under the canvas, and I saw her
shadow bending forward. l could even
tell that she had not unpinned her
hair. Presently heard her step on
the stand.
''Mr. Wesley. won't you come over
to the tent quicklyf"
Dan Reeder was setting out acroas
the bay when got there. He intro
duced me to the girl again, a. II I
hadn't met her five minutes after the
stage came In. Her, lip was ouiyerins
and the warm little hand that 1 took
was trembling.
I'm glad we were able to get to
him. jessie" he said in his slow. harsh
way. This man stands white out Of
the old days-while / was waiting for
you to groy up. grille. The Others are
dead. and there'll be big games on the
griddle when get there. Wesley. old
trooper. I'm leaving $50 and the ram.
- NhAt
the open. See her through. old.timsr,
zee her through. You're gallant pail" /"
His voice was spent. and bad 70
bend low to catch the last. When l
saw the woman's face In the candle
glow. I understood that she had also
heard.
She sat in the flap Of the tent and
stared out at the rising day. her blue
eyes red. her red lips tense. She was
young and brave and beautiful. None
of these was I. The thing which the
wreck OF the great Reeder dreamed
and put in my brain-that she and
should take up the game together after
. season-was not adjusted to reason
nor beauty. I saw this in the gray OF
dawning. Even II she were minded.
1t would not be square to her. She
was Just beginning.
You will 90 back to the east, Jes-
sie.' said.
What shall I do in the east
alone7"..
Life is better therefor . girl
1T fs not. l have been there"
I looked out upon the town, and
heard the rumble Of mems voices ~
they growled over their bacon In the
shacks. Some peered out at us; 9TH
ers we're already making their way
weartly to their claims in the gorge.
The suffering few were waiting IN
front OF Blinkey Giles for him to open
up his bar. Sodom had never looked
so sodden to me. so sordid. I pointed
to the town.
Lady. this is no place for you"
DO you think l care for the look
Of things?" she demanded, bending to-
ward me. do you think am not past
being beguiled by white linen and pol
ished leather? Does one who has
passed babyhood in a foundlings'
home. her childhood In q house Of
refuge. and her girlhood in . scold's
kitchen. hunger after the life Of the
east when she has known love and
tenderness out here among these me.
sas and mountains? =. Dan Reeder,
dying. was all that man could be to
me. Always. at the last. he told me
about you. There Is gold up ON the
Mammon.' he would say. We will find
Wesley there. Wesley Is = man. He
is all that you would like me to be.
Jessie. he told me. He will take care
of you when I go out, and the east
need not frighten you. grille
] waited until my nerve came back
and then said: Dan Reeder and
stood back to back when all the world
was laugh. lady. We drank the wine
Of youth together. and the devil lst
us alone. for the devil knew that the
smile would freeze and the red glow
of living burn out. Reeder kept hii
heart, or you kept 1t for him. Mine
has hardened alone-hard as the Di
ablo peaks yonder. l am not the Yves
| sCy eAoS 1hduubOAc DAu AUcWs AL
that Is left over Of that old Wesley Il
bossing the job I'm on now. You have
brain and beauty and youth. You'll
not be lashed to any rotten mast, sucf
as l am. You'll go up to Tucson, and
man will see you there, the fnest
man I've known since Reeder and
took routes apart. He's bringing vi
breakfast now Didsey," l added
| the storm looks as II 1t was going Il
blow by. This lady will need an es
cort to Tucson in an hour, and--Ivs
picked you for the honor"
He halted at the tent opening, thu
tras shaking In his hand. The lool
upon the girls face was harder fol
me to bear. She followed me with hel
wonderful eyes as / walked across Il
the little table and poured out gIasl
of spirit