Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-08-29

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had expected-the first terror at his
presence. the struggle against his will
and there surged back over him the
forces he had reserved for this mo-
mcnt. He opened his arms. and Me-
leese slipped from them. her hands
clutched again in the clinging drapery
Of her bosom.
II have come for you. Meleese." he
said rs calmly as though his arrival
had been expected. "Jean Is my pris-
oner l forced him to drive me to the
old cabin up on the mountain. and he
is waiting there with the dogs. We
will start back tonight-now." Sud
denly he sprang to her again. his
voice breaking In low pleading cry.
my God. don't you see now how !
love your he went on. taking her
white face between his two hands
Don't you understand. Meleese? Jean
and I have fought-he is bound hand
and foot up there in the cabin-and l
am waiting for you-for you" He
pressed her face against him. her lips
so close that he could feel their qua
vering breath. II have come to fight
for you-if you won't co." he whis-
pered tensely. II don't know why
your people have tried to kill me. I
don't know why they want to kill me.
and 1t makes no difference to me now.
want you. I've wanted you since
that first glimpse Of your face through
the window. since the fight on the
trail. every minute. every hour. and I
won't give you up as long rs I'm alive.
If you won't 20 with me-if you won't
go now-tonight"- He held her closer.
his voice trembling in her hair III
you won't go-I'm going to stay with
you!"
mo. no. no." she painted. her hands
clutching at his arm. "You must go
back now-now"- She pushed him
toward the door. and as he backed a
step. looking down into her face. he
saw the choking tremble Of her white
throat. heard again the fluttering ter
ror in her breath. ''They will kill you
II they find you here" she urged.
"They think you are dead-that you
fell through the ice and were drowned.
IL you don't believe me. If you don't
believe that l Gun never go with you.
tell jean
Her words seemed to choke her as
she struggled to finish.
..reIi Jean whaty' he questioned
softly.
"Will you 20 then?" she cried with
sobbing eagerness. as If he already un-
derstood her. "Will you 60 back II
Jean tells you neutrality-suspicious.
about me-abOut"-
"No." ne interrupted.
III you only knew. then you would
20 back and never see me again. You
would underestimate
Il will never understand" he inter-
rupted again. II say that 1t Is you
who do not understand. Meleese!
don't care what Jean would tell me.
Nothing that has ever happened can
make me not want you"
IF one should come and find you
here
.'There would be a fight" he said
grimiy. II have come prepared to
fight" He waited moment. and in
the silence the brown head in front
OF him dropped slowly. and he saw
tremor pass through the slender form.
as II 1t had been torn by an instant's
pain. The pallor had gone from How
lands face. The mute surrender In the
bowed head. the soft sobbing notes
that he heard now III the girls breath.
the confession that he read In her
voiceless grief. set his heart leaping.
and again ne drew her close into his
arms and turned her face up to his
own.
"You-you told me something that
wasn't true-once-back there" be
whispered. land you promised that you
wouldn't do 1t again. Why don't you
tell me everything? You believe that
If l knew certain things l would never
want to see you again: that ! would
60 back into the south. You have told
me that. Then. II you want me to go.
why don't you reveal these things to
me? II you can't do that so with me
tonight. We will go anywhere-to the
ends Of the earth
He stopped ut the look that had come
into her face. Her eyes were turned
to the window. He saw them filled
with n strange terror. and involuntari-
ly his own followed them to where the
storm was beating softly against the
windowpane. Close to the lighted glass
was pressed a mans face. He caught
a flashing glimpse Of pair Of eyes
staring In at them. of thick, wild
beard whitened by the snow. He knew
the face. When life seemed slipping
out OF his throat he had looked up
into 1t that night of the ambush on the
Great North trail.
With quick movement Rowland
sprang away from the girl and leveled
his revolver to where the face had
been. Over the shining barrel he saw
only the haunting emptiness Of the
s<or~ Co, rcoly ho6 tho fooo 6iSop.