Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-26

done. Here was a thing I couldn't hide
from nor outride, so doubled back and
came boldly into the watered country
again, expecting they would take me. OF
course, for a runaway man with a babe
In his arms isn't hard TO identify, but 1
didn't care. / was bound for the near
est ranch or mining camp where a woman
could be found; but, as luck would have
1T, I went through without trying. had
gone farther from men and things, how
ever, than 1 thought. and this return pur-
suit was a million times worse than the
other for I couldn't go fast enough to
shake Death, who ran with his hand on
my cantle or rode on by horses rump
1t was then found Alluna She was with
"a hunting-party of Pah-Utes, who knew
nothing of me nor of the white mans
affairs, and cared less; and when I saw
the little squaw rode my horse up
beside her, laid the sick child in her arms,
then tumbled out of the saddle. They had
harder job to pull me through than
they did to save Merrldy, for I'd given
the baby all the water and hadn't slept or
rested for many years, so it seemed.
1.-The little one was playing around sew
eral days before 1 got back my reason.
Meanwhile the party had moved north,
taking us with them, and. as it happened,
just missing a posse who were returning
from the desert.
when I was able to get about told
Alluna that 1 must be going, but as l
told her 1 watched her face, and saw the
sign 1 wanted-the white girl had clutched
at her like she had at me, and she
couldn't give her up. so I made a dicker
with her old man. 1t took all the money
I had to buy that squaw. but knew the
kiddie must have a womans care; and
the three OF us started out soon after,
tu1n nj hprlra afr va
been going ever since.
hats the heart Of the story, Heuten-
ant. and that's how 1 started to drift.
Since then we three have never rested.
left them once in Idaho and went back to
Mesa, riding all the way, mostly by night,
but Bennett was gone. He'd run down
mighty fast after Merridy died, so ]
heard, growing sullen and uglier day
by day - reckon 1 was the on
ly one who knew why till he
had killing In his place. 1t
was unprovoked. and instead Of stopping
to face 1t out the yellow in him rose
to the surface and he left before sunup,
as I had left making a clean getaway.
| too, for there was no such hullabaloo
/ raised about killing a man as there was
about-the other So my trip was all for
nothing
II was used to disappointment by now,
so 1 took 1T quiet and went back to AL
luna and the little one, knowing that
some day we two men would meet. You
see, figured that God had framed a
cold hand for me, but He would surely
give me a pair before the game closed.
! OF course, never having seen Bennett,
was handicapped. and, added to that,
he changed his name, so the search was
mighty slow and blind, but 1 knew the
day would come. And It would have
come only for-this.
There isn't much more to tell. 1 did
what most men would have done, I reck-
on. because 1 was just average in every
way 1 took Alluna, and together we
drifted north along the frontier until we
landed here. Every year the little girl
got more beautiful and more like her
mother, and every year we two loved
her more. We changed her name, Of
course, for I've always had the dread
of the law back of me, and then the
other two Riddles came along; but we
were living pretty easy, the woman con-
! tented and me waiting for Bennett, till
you stepped in and Necia fell in love.
That's another thing I never counted on.
1t seems like I've always overlooked the
! plainest kind of facts. I've held off tell
! ing you the last few weeks, hoping you
two wouldn't make it necessary, for
reckon I'm sort of a coward; but she
informed me tonight that she couldn't
marry you, being what she thinks she
Is, and knowing the blood she has in her
III knew she wouldn't. 1 figured tt
wouldn't be right to either of you to let
you go it blind. and so 1 came in to tell
you this whole thing and to give myself
up"
Gale stopped, then poured himself an
other drink.
! "To give yourself up?" echoed Burrell,
vaguely How do you mean?" He had
sat like one in a trance during the long
recital, only his eyes alive.
I'm under indictment for murder. y
! said the trader "I have been for fifteen
years, and there's no chance in the world
for me to prove my innocence"
'aave you told Necia?" the young man
inquired.
No; you'll have to do that-I never
| could-she might-disbelieve. What's
more, you mustn't tell her yet. Wait till
1 give the word. It won't be long, per-
haps a day I want to go free a little
while yet, for I've got Some work to do. "
| Burrell rose to his feet and stamped
the cramps from his muscles. He was
! deeply agitated, and his mind was crop
ing darkly for light to lay hold Of this
new thing that confronted him.
/ ''VVhy.s yes, yes-of course-don't coma
until you're ready" he muttered, me-
chemically, as IL unaware of the meaning
of his words ITO be sure, I'm a police
man, am not? 1 had forgotten l was a
taller. and-and all that" He said II
sneeringly, and with a measure of con-
tempt for his office; then he turned sud-
denly to the trader ans MS voice was
rich and deep-p pitched with feeling
John Gale" he said, you're the
bravest man ever knew, and the
best" He choked a bit. You sac
rifced all that life meant when this
girl was a baby, and now, when
she has come into womanhood you give
up your blood for her BY God! You arr
a man! want your hand!'
In spite of himself he could not restrain
! the moisture that dimmed his eyes as ne
! gripped to toil-worn palm of this great,
gray hulk of a man, so aged and bent
beneath the burden of his lifelong fade
| less love, who. in turn, was powerfully
affected by the young mans impulsive
outburst of feeling and his unexpected
words of praise. TIE old man looked VI
a trifie shyly.
''Then you dor-E doubt no part Of it?''
| Certainly not"
Somehow, ! always figured nobody
would believe inc II ever told the whole
thing"