Manchester Democrat., 1909-04-14

boat arrived with an old friend of
Lees, Mr.. Stark, so Lee told him,
too, and now they've all gone back to
his creek to stake more claims. They
slipped away quietly TO prevent sus-
picion, but ! knew there was some
thing mp from the way Poleon acted,
so / made Alluua toll me all about it.
They haven't more than two hours
start of us, and VIC can ovcrtake them
casily.H
| I'VE! Why, we are not going!"
! Eyes, we are" she insisted impa-
tiently, won and |. That's why l
came, so you can get mine for your
/ self and be rich man. and so you
can help me get one know the way.
Hurry up!'
NO" said he i'll us firm u tone as he
could command. In the first place,
these men don't like me. and they
don't want Inc TO share In this"
If "What do you care?'
SIN the second place. IN not Il miner.
I don't know how to proceed"
! "Never mind. do. I've heard moth
ing but mining all my life.'
SIN the third place don't think 1
have the right, for I'm Il soldier I'm
working for Uncle Sam, and | don't
believe ought to take up mining
claims. I'ip not sure there is anything
to prevent IT, but neither am sure it
would be quite the square thing. Are
you?"
"Why. OF course It's all right" said
Necia, her eager face clouding with
the look of Il hurt child. IF you don't
do it somebody else will"
But the lieutenant shook his head
Maybe I'm foolish, but can't see my
way clear, much as would like to-
"Oh, dear; oh, denr" she exclaimed
brokenly. II do so want TO 60 want
you to be rich. and | want to .be rich
myself. l want to be a fine lady and
go outside and live like other girls.
Why, 1t means heaven to a girl like
mel" Her eyes We're wet with the
sudden dashing of her hopes. and her
chin Quivcred III n sweet. eirlish way
that made the youth almost surrender
on the instant,
eve couldn't possibly ovcrlake them
if we tried" lie said as il Wiling 10
treat with his conscience
mo, but we could beat them ill.,
know where Lee is working, for |
/ went up last winter with Constantine
and his dog team over Il short cut by
way of Black Bear creek. Yon sec. his
creek makes great bend to the south
, ward and heads back toward the riv-
cr, so by crossing the divide at the
source of Black Bear You drop into 1t
: Il few miles above his cabin"
7 While she made this appeal Burrell
fought with himself. There were rea
sons why he longcd to take this triI
more than he had longed for anything
since boyhood These men OF E'lam
benu had disregarded him and insisted
on treating him With ccntcinptuou.
distrust despite his repeated friendl!
overtures wherefore he was hungr,
to beat them at their own game, hun
cry to thrust himself ahead of then
and compel them to reckon with hin
as an equal, preferring state of opel
enmity If necessary to this condition
of Indifferent liberation. Moreover, h,
knew that Necia was coveted by hal
of them, and if he spent night in til,
woods alone with her 1t would sti
them up bit, he fancied. BY heaven
that would make them sit up and nc
tice him! But, then, IL might work
wrong upon her. And vet would it
He was not so sure that ii would. Sh
had come to him, she was old encugl
to know her mind, and shew:s but
half breed girl, after all, who doubles
was not SO simple as she seemed 9th
er men had no such scruples i'll this o
any other land, and yet the young maj
hesitated until, encouraged by his 81
lence, the girl came forward and spok,
again impulsively:
Don't be silly, Mr.. Burrcll. Come
J. Please come with me, won't you:'
She took him by the edges Of hi
!. coat and drew him to her coaXingly
i 1t may have been partly the spirit O
q revolt that had been growing in hin
4 all day, or 1t may have been who'll,
the sense of her there beside him
!. warm and pleading, but something
# caused great wave to surge vi
y through his veins, caused him to TAX
. her in his arms, ficrcely kissing he
i. upturned face again ard again, cryin
n softly, deep down in his throat:
v Eyes, yes. yes! You little witch! II
!, go anywhere with you! Anywhere
!. Anywhere" The impulse WIS bin,
i. and ungovernablc, and it grew as hi
/. lips met hers, While, strangely enough
!. she made no resistance. yielding hel
"a self quietly till he found her arm
u wound softly about bis neck and he
>. face nesting close to his. Neither O
,s them knew how long they seed thu
Il blended together. but soon he grey
II conscious OF the beating Of her hear
n against his breast as she lny there lili
n little futtcring bird and felt til
q. throbbing OF his own heart .'wayin
m him. Her arms, Ecr lips ard |, + Who'll
IN body clung to his in sweet surrcl
u der, and yet there wa; nothing In
TO modest or unmaideMly alcut ii. for hi
ii strength ard ardcr hAd lifted her an
~ drawn her to him as on the sweep of
re great wave.
y She drew her face free and hid
a. against his neck, breathing softly an
lr with shy timidity, us II Ike sound G
e the words she whispered half frigh
ID ened her.
l. II love you. love you. Meade"
es 1t may happen that Il man will spen
ID months i'll friendly and charming int
10 macy with q woman and never feel th
IN violence or tenderness of passion ii
d. there comes a psychic moment or
IN physical touch that suddenly inwrar
a them like fame. So it was wit
ut Burrell. The sweet burden of this gil
O. in his arms, the sense of her yieldin
n lips, the warmth of her caressin
IN hands, momentarlly unleashed a leal
N ing pack Of mad desires, and 1t wa
" she who finally drew herself away I
lie remind him smilingly that he wa
wasting time.
re my lips will be here when thos
is mines are worked out" she said, IN,