The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1911-12-16

v AtotAAAth IL II lSo
He appreciated what his grandfather
hoped to accomplish for the only one
who bore his name. But this high
handed attempt to shanghai him into
politics outraged his independence.
His protests had been UNDECIDED. He
thought Of the girl who had been so
grievously insulted in his presence,
and he rode to find her.
His way took him across the long
bridge that spanned the river. The
river marked the boundary line of his
country. After that days taste of the
politics of his native land he felt a
queer sense of relief when he found
himself on foreign soil.
Beyond the little church and its
burying ground. with the tall cross in
its center, the road led up the river
hill to the edge of the forest. Here
was set Dennis Kavanagh's house. its
back TO the black growth. staring sui
lenly with its little windows out
across the cleared farms sf the river
valley. To one who knew Kavanagh
1t seemed to typify his attitude to-
ward the world. He had seen other
men clutching and grabbing. He had
clutched and grabbed with the best of
them.
The dogs came racing to meet Har-
Ian. They knew him as their mis-
tress' friend. She was sitting on the
broad porch rail when he rode W,
and he swung his horse close and pat
ted her cheek as one greets a child.
She smiled wistfully at him.
Am ! impudent and all the things
your grandfather said? I've been
thinking it all over. big boy. as l was
riding home. | suppose ! haven't had
the bringing up a girl ought to have.
! haven't thought much about 1t be-
fore. There was nothing ever hap
pened TO make me think about it. /
was just Dennis K~avanagh's Girl with
out any mother to tell me better. |
suppose 1t has been wrong for me to
ride about with you. But you didn't
have any mother. and | didn't have
any mother. and tit sort of seemed
to make us-I don't know how to say
it, big boy. But it seemed to make us
related. just as though ! had a broth
er to keep me company. | suppose it
has been wrong when you look at II
the way girls have to look at such
things"
He gaZed on her compassionately. A
few ruthless words had broken the
spell Of childhood.
HE said-but you know what he
said. And 1t isn't true. You know it
isn't true. He shamed and insulted
me because I'm a girl, and can't a girl
have n friend that's tender and good
to herr"
cause I'm that friend, Glare. Perhaps
my grandfather cannot understand.
But Ill see that he does. We are to
have some very serious talk together,
he and /. I'm here to tell you. little
girl, that I'm grateful because yon
sent that message into the woods to
me. I'm not going to allow myself to
be made n fool of in any such fashion.
I'm not going to be sent to the legisla-
ture."
"Oh, I've been MISUNDERSTANDING
how 1t s~ounded-all that | said," she
mourned. ut all came to me as ! was
riding home. after what your grand
father said. / didn't realize what kind
of a girl | must seem TO folks that
didn't know. But you know. 1t sound
ed as though l a claiming you for
myself when didn't want you to go
away. I'm ashamed-asLamed." She
averted her eyes from him. and his in
dignation against Thelismer Thornton
blazed higher.
But Dennis Kavanagh knew how to
be even more brutal, for that was
Dennis Kavanagh's style of attack.
He came out upon the porch, n broad.
stocky chunk of n man. with eyebrows
sticking up like the horns on Il snail
and the eyes beneath them keen with
humor of the grim and pitiless sort.
"And how do you do today. Harlan
Thornton?' he asked. Il have some
thing to say to you. sir"
The young man stared hard at him.
1t was an unwonted zone for Kava-
nagh to employ. Clare's father till
now had not included Harlan in his
feud with the grandfather. but his
tone now was crisp, and it had a
straight business ring.
MY girl will be sixteen tomorrow
She is done with childhood today.
Children may ride ~cockhorse and play
ring around a rosy. | haven't drawn
any particular line on playfellows NJ
To now, but there isn't going to be any
playing at love. sir"
Il never have played at love with
your daughter cried Harlan. shock
ed and indignant at this sudden at
tack.