El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-30

just the one wanted most
~ to see"
Lightly swinging from his saddle, he
stood looking down at her. a slow
smile coming to his clean. sun-tanned
face.
why, what's the trouble now.
Nen?"
She swung her bride and looked
over to where the horses moved rest
lessly amid the dust of the yard.
There's to be a dance over at Pine
town tonight, Wal" she said. The
miners are getting it up. and they
are going to make things buzz. guess
you'll take me, won't your
He flicked his leg with the handle
of HIS whip.
I'm sorry. but I can't tonight, Nell"
The blood flushed her cheeks.
''Why not, Wal? I thought you'd
be just too glad to do it."
Looking down into her young eyes
he hesitated. Then he said fumbingly:
$50 1 would any other time, Nell
You know that, I guess. But I've got
something important on hand tonight,
and I can't break it."
Her lips curved a little Ecornfully.
oh" she said.
IT can't help it. Nell" he said rue
fully.
She turned away and went to catch
one Of the horses in the yard Then,
half turning round. she said slowly:
You needn't apologize, Wal know
other men who wouldn't need to be
asked twice. Macy Burke will take
me over"
The name stung him. There were a
good many things about her fathers
overseer that Wal Bradley didn't like.
He took a step towards her.
Look here, Nell" he said. 7
wouldn't go with Burke if I were you.
He isn't the sort of man for you TO
have as escort I've known Macy
Burke for five years"
She colored and words tumbled into
her mind that she knew would hurt
him She said with singing emphasis:
you wouldn't say that to his face,
guess. And, anyhow, you have for
feited any right to give me advice"
And having caught her horse,5 she
walked stiffly away.
Her father, Angus Duncan, met her
as she came in at the gate, q sc6wl on
his fat. puffy face. He said somewhat
irritably:
81 saw you talking to that young
Bradley, Nell. Don't have anything
more to do with him than you can
help. I don't like him or any of his
breed"
That's not fair. father" she said
You know there's nothing crooked
about WAL no matter what his BROTH
ers may be-
Her father grunted.
'"Time will prove" he said. 'Any-
how. he comes of a shady lot, and
well. one bad, all bad, that's what I
always say
Don't say that, father" she said
softly Think of Steve"
It was her fathers turn to vince.
The memory Of his black sheep son,
OF whom he had not heard for so long,
was not very pleasant 20 him.
It was with feelings of pleasure
that the old man saw Macy Burke rice
off up the track that night with his
daughter It was Is miles over ridgy
country to the opal mining township,
and the dusk was beginning to drop
gently over the bush
Five miles further along. the coach
man, plodding along with his pair of
horses. passed them by. He looked
them over narrowly, for beneath his
seat were 500 pounds worth of rough
opals. and he was always on the alert
for strange faces on the road
OF young love while the
coach rtnbled on again through the
darkness. Then the rocking movement
OF the vehicle, and the WEAKNESS Of
the long hot day began to affect him
with lassitude, and trusting TO his
horses, who knew the road as well as
he did, he let his head sink forward
gently on his chest.
He was awakened suddenly by the
plunging of the horses, and he rubbed
his eyes as he gripped the reins- Then
By the yellow light of the side lamp
he saw a masked face beside him. His
rovelver lay at the other end Of the
seat end he grabbed for it, but it was
knocked from his hand. and he felt
the pressure OF cold steel against his
forehead.
Nov, then, Davis. don't make a
fuss" said a steady soung voice. Tive
got the drop on you. and It's no fault
Of yours Hand over those opais and
I'll let the mails go free"
The coach driver obeyed mechan-
Ically.
The trial was over. Wal Bradley
stood in the dock looking at the sea
Of men around him. hard-bitten miners
for the most part, their bronzed faces
stamped with distrust Of him, and a
longing for revenge. Nearly every one
Of them had lost something by the
and each was aflame to get
square with the man who had done it
But Wal Bradleys tired eyes looked
over their heads to where a girl sat
IN a corner of the court.
The senior troopers evidence had
been short and concise. He had had |
suspicious of Wal Bradley from the
first All the other men had been at
the dance that night. but Bradley's |
absence had been noted. Next morning
when he went over to arrest him, he
found him asleep, and a horse in the
yard had evidently been ridden all
night.
But this evidence hadn't been quite !
complete enough. for two or three of |
the 5urymen who believed in Wal
Bradley, and they held out till they
forced the others round to their opin-
on.
And Bradley walked from the court |