Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-05-18
CHAPTER xxvII.-(Continued.)

dinner hour before he could muster nI
the courage to cross the lawns to Deer
Trace. No word had passed between
him and Ardea since the September at
ternoon when he had overtaken her ~
the church door-counting as nothing
the effort she had make to speak 20
him on the night of vengeance.
She was sitting at the plano In the
otherwise deserted mushroom when
he entered; and she broke chord in
the middle to give him both OF her
hands. and TO say. with eyes shining.
as If the rescue we're thing of yes
tsrday:
20 Toni knew you had 1t in you!
1t was finel"
Hold on" he said, a bit unsteadily.
There must be no more misunder-
standings. What happened that night
three weeks ago. had to happen; and
five minutes before 1t happened l was
wondering If could aim straight
enough in the light from the Stag pot
to hit him. And l fully meant to do
1t"
Il was afraid" she faltered. Il
knew, you know-Japheth had told me.
in-in justice to you. That was why 1
Looking it all over, l don't see that
there is much to choose between me
and the men I've been hunting down.
They went after the things they need
cd. without much compunction for 9TH
er people; and so did 1. On the night
OF the--on the night when you called
to me and 1 wouldn't answer. I was
going down to rub 1t in: to tell them
they were in the hole and that 1 had
put them there. 1 met a man at the
gate who told me what Japheth told
you. 1t made a demon of me. Ardea.
l took the mans gun and followed
Vincent around the yard. / meant to
kill him."
THE provocation was very great"
she said. evenly. why didn't you 10
1t. Tom?"
Now you've cornered me: don't
know why didn't. had only to walk
away and let him alone when the time
came. The splitting would have
settled him. But I couldn't do It."
"Cf course you couldn't" she agreed,
convincingly. God wouldn't let you"
He let's other men commit murder;
one day, or such a matter"
mot one of those who have named
His name, Tomas you have"
Nov that it's all over, the taste of
1t Is like sawdust in the mouth; I'll
admit that much. I'm free; free among
the dead like the slain that lie in the
grave as David put 1t when he had
sounded all the depths. Is that being
sorry"
"No-I don't know" she confessed.
You think l ought to go back to
frst principles: get down on my knees
and agonize over 1t? Sometimes l
wish l could be a boy long enough to
do just that thing. Ardea. But can't.
The mill won't grind with the water
that has passed"
But the stream isn't dry" she as
serted. taking up his figure. What
will you do now? That is the oues-
ton: the only one that Is ever worth
asking"
places. the deserts-those men of old
went blind and crazy and died there;
and some of them had their eyes open
ed and came back to make the world a |
little better for their having liven In |
It. I'm minded to try it.
iOu dIc 8oiH6 AWAY
Yes; out to the beyond in Northern |
Arizona. There is new iron field out |
there to be prospected. and Mr. Clark
son wants me to go and report on 1t. |
And that brings us back to business.
May I talk business-cold money bust |
ness-to you for minute or two?"
IF you like" she permitted. "Only
think the other kind OF talk is more
"A curious thing has come to pass
quite miraculous thing, in fact. CHA
wassee will pay the better part of its
debts and-and redeem it's stock; or
some of It, at least" He rose and
stood beside her. isn't It thousand
pities that Colonel Duxbury couldn't
have held on to his shares just q little
onger7"
Yes; he is an old man and a broken
one. now" There Vas a sob in her
voice, or he thought there was. But 1t
was only the great heart OF compass
ZION that missed no object of pity.
True; but the next best thing Is 10
have the young woman who marries
INTO the family bring 1t back with her,
ion't you think? Here is a check for
what Mr.. Farley's stock would have
'old for before the troubles began. It's
made payable to you because-well, for
obvious reasons: as I have said. he lost
ut"
you are still the headlong, impulsive
10Y, aren't your" she said, not alto
ether approvingly. You are paying
his out of your own money"
well, what If I ann"
IF you are, 1t is either just resti-
ltion. or II is not. In either case, I
an not be your o-bstween."
NOW look here" he argued; you've
,t to be sensible about this. There1l
!, four of you, and at least two incom-
opd yor,sua 70 n va |