The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-12-24

certain Of his identity in the winte,
twilight.
Merry Christmasw she gave back
with quick uplift OF spirits. IL was
10 be a Merry Christmas after all. her
pride declared de1antly. She was turn,
Ing the tables on them all
Give us your bundle" the captain
told her. swinging IL under his left arm
while his right went sklllfully out to
| encircle her cloak-shrouded figure.
And now. lass. for the earnest mon
ey." Inc whispered, dragging her toward
him.
Furiously she tried TO wrench herself
away. but dropping the bundle the cap
tain held her fast and pressed one hand
over her mouth.
Nay, like not screams, though
these VIII do me no HARM" he chuclled.
reused 10 incaution by his additional
supply OF rum. Body OF the dragon
sirl stop struggling! l mean YOU no
harm Where are your manners? \
kiss Is email thlng-a small thing"
he repeated. with a tipsy lnugh. and n
Kiss mean TO have! Come; stop
this"
4 sudden hand at the captafn's COL
lar Jerked him a good four feet away.
and a blow under his chin added an
other foot 10 that distance. Surprised
but sobercd, by the attack. Brerosford
stood moment blinking at his an
tagoniSt, then with a rush he made
nercely at him. The captain was the
heavier man and lnfiamed with rage
and rum. but the other had the longer
reach and the quicker sight.
suddenly there was rush, a thud of
blows and gasp or laboring breath.
For second both figures were indis-
tinguIshablc in a lightning give and
take. then. one on top the other. they
went down.
IL was Westcott who first arose. and
nc assisted the captain up by his col
lar.
Take yourself off unless you want
more, he commanded. breathing
The captain shook his dizzy hend.
holding his mantle TO his ingloriously
bleeding nose "Body OF the drngon.
out you are n sledee hammer. he
Brunted, cycling his conqueror with
something between lighters admlra-
ton and mans resentment Il meant
no harm; the lass agreed to come with
me and was but claiming my passage
money. A kiss is a small thing"
other
You agreed to go2" he said. with
ITO England" the girl answered. Il
wanted TO go back TO England"
And Ill take her back now. and she
sun wants to co. the captain thrust
IN with no more talk OF kissing either.
She,s good little lass, and your folk
made vile snow of her"
Aye" said Westcott. but never
again. Zellah. do you want to go
now! he cried out passionately, his
race deathly pale in tho dim light but
Tor the livld bruIse on ono check. DO
you want TO go-now?'
NO, oh. no, not nowr che answered
MN. breathlcsSly, her eyes held ana
confused by that new brilllance I'm hIs
why, It's the chap that stood beside
her to-day" the captain muttered. A
whistle sounded from the shore. nc re-
pHed with another and held out his
hand TO Westcott
No offensc. SIR" he said. 'I know
when games DONE" and he melted
away In the darkness
w estcott took one quick step 10 the
Slrl and drew her close. There wcro no
iucstlonS, no replies. All had been
asked and answered between them I'm
NAT oreathless moment. She lay stiu
his clasp like an exhausted bird. and
lnder the weight OF her light form his
leart throbbed with an almost terrify-
ng JOY.
"Zellah." he whispered brokonlv
'Zellah. I love you. Oh. how I love
you! You will live on. here,
With me?"
Ienderly no pressed the little hooded
read back against his arm to read her
nee HIS FIRST kiss was salt with the
ears she shed. She did not know why.
,ut In her eyes. when she shyIy raised
mem 10 his. was a light go glad a hap
'inesS go diyincly radiant that grief
mo pain seemed only far-away things
; nose memories could not even darken
ne newborn glory of their dream.