Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-12
CHAPTER VII.
The Killer.

The Killer.
Lidgerwood had found little difficulty
in getting on the companionable side Of
Dawson, SO far as the heavy-muscled.
silent young craftsman had a compan-
ionable side; and an invitation to the
family dinner table at the Dawson cot
tage on the low mesa above the town had
followed. as a matter of course
Once within the home circle. with Ben
son to plead his cause with the meek
little woman whose brown eyes held the
shadow of a deep trouble, Lidgerwood
had still less difficulty in arranging to
share Benson's permanent table welcome
Though Martha Dawson never admitted
II, even to her daughter. she stood in con-
slant terror of the Red desert and lis
representative town of Angels. and the
presence of the superintendent as a
member of the household promised TO be
an added guaranty of protection.
Lidgerwood's acceptance as a table
boarder in the cottage on the mesa being
hospitality prompt. he was coming and
going as regularly as his oversight of the
three hundred miles OF decentralization
permitted before the buffoonery OF the
Red Butte Western suddenly laughed it
self out and war was declared. In the
interval he had come to concur very
lily. and to share-without Bensons ex-
cuse, and without any reason that could
be set in wOrds-the young engineers op-
position to Gridley as Miss Faiths pos
Sible choice.
There was little to be done i'm this field,
however. Gridley came and went, not toe
often. figuring always friend of the
family. and usurping no more of Miss
Dawsons time and attention than she
seemed willing to bestow upon him. Lid
OefW00n IN nlSf,-, not .,,,l
no good reason for obstructing. At all
events. Gridley did not furnish the rea-
son. And the first time Lidge.wood
found himself sitting out the sunset hour
after dinner on the tiny porch of the
mesa cottage. with Faith Dawson as his
companion-this while the joke was still
running its cOurse-his talk was not of
Gridley, nor Yet of Benson: il was of
himself.
How long is it going TO be before YOU
are able to forget that 1 am constructive
~ your brothers boss, Miss Faith?'' he
asked when she had brought him a cush-
ion for the back of the hard veranda
chair IN which he was trying TO be Iuxu-
riousy lazy
oh, do l remember it-disa greeably?
she laughed. And then. with charming
nalvete: II am sure try not to-
Il am beginning to wish you would
try little harder" he ventured endeav-
oring to put her securely upon the Diane
OF companionship. 1T is pretty lonesome
sometimes up here on the top round of
the Red Butte Western ladder of author
ity."
You mean that you would like to leave
your official dignity behind you when you
come to us here on the mesa" she asked
That's the idea precisely. You have
no conception how strenuous it is wear
ing the halo all the time. or perhaps l
should say, the cap and BELLS
She smiled. Frederic Dawson the reti-
cent, had never spoken of the attitude of
the Red Butte Western toward its new
boss. but Gridley had referred to it quite
frequently and had made a joke of it,
Without knowing just why, she had re-
sented Gridieys attitude; this notwith-
standing the master-mechanic's genial af-
liability whenever Lidgerwood and his
difficulties were the object of discussion.
They are still refusing to take you
seriously?" she said. II hope you don't
mind it too much"
Personally / don't mind ii at ALL" he
at the moment THE men are acting
like a lot, Of foolish schoolboys bent on
discouraging the new teacher. / am hop
ing they will settle down to sensible
basis after bit, and take me and the
new order OF things for granted"
Miss Dawson had something on her
mind; thing not gathered from Grid
ley or from any one else i'm particular.
but which seemed to take shape of itself.
The effect OF setting it in speech asked
for a complete effacement of Lidgerwood
the Superintendent, and that was rather
difficult. But she comprised it.
Il don't think you ought to take them
SO much for granted-the men. mean"
she cautioned. Il can't help feeling
afraid that some of the joking is not
quite goOd-natured"
II fancy very little of it is what you
would call good-natured, he rejoined,
evenly. Very much of it is thinly dis
guised contempt
For your authority?
For me, personally, first; and for my
authority as. a close second
Then you are anticipating trouble
when the laugh is over?"
He shook his head. I'm hoping no, as
/ said moment ago, but I'm expecting
yes
And you are not afraid?''
1t would have been worth q great deal
to him II he could have looked fearlessly
into the clear gray eyes of questioning,
giving her a brave mans denial. But in
stead, his gaze went beyond her and he
said: You surely wouldn't expect me to
confess 1t IL 1 were afraid, would you?
Don't you despise q coward. Miss Daw-
SOM"
The sun was sinking behind the Timan-
yonis, and the soft glow OF the western
sky suffused her face. Illuminating 1t
with rare radiance. 1t was not, in the
last analysis. q beautiful face, he told
himself, comparing 1t with another whose |
outlines were bitten deeply and beyond
all hope of erasure into the memory page. |
Yet the face warming softly in the sunset |
glow was sweet and winsome. attractive |
in the best sense of the overworked word |
At the moment Lidgerwood rather enyied |
Benson-or Gridley, whichever one OF the |
two it was for whom Miss Dawson cared |
the most.