Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-05-12
CHAPTER XXvII.-(Continued.)

linner- hour before he could muster up
the courage to cross the lawns to Deer
Trace. No word had passed between
him and Ardea since the September az
ternoon when he had overtaken her Il
the church door-countlng as nothing
the effort she had make to speak 10
him on the night of vengeance.
She was sitting at the piano in the
otherwise deserted MUSHROOM Wnen
he entered; and she broke a chord III
the middle to give him both OF her
hands, and to say, with eyes SHINING
as if the rescue were thing OF yes
terday:
20 Tom! l knew you had it in you!
1t was fine!"
Hold on" he said, bit unsteadily'
There must be no more mlsunder-
standings. What happened that night
three weeks ago, had 10 happen; ANA
five minutes before it happened was
wondering if l could aim straight
enough in the light from the Stag pot
to hit him. And l fully meant to do
It."
II was +4fraid," she faltered. Il
knew, you know-Japheth had told me,
in--in justice to you. That was why |
ran across the lawn and called to you.
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
ed, without much 'compunction for 9TH
er people; and so did /. ON the night
of the--on the night when you called
to me and J. wouldn't answer, l was
going down to rub it in; to tell them
they were in the hole and that l had
put them there, / met a man at the
gate who told me what Japheth told
you. 1t made demon OF me, Ardea.
I took the mans gun and followed
Vincent around the yard. l meant to
kill him."
The provocation was very great"
she said, evenly. why didn't you 40
it, Tom?"
Now you've cornered me: l don't
know why l didn't. l had only to walk
away and let him alone when the time
came. The Stag splitting would have
settled him But l couldn't do it,"
"Of course you couldn't" she agreed,
conviucingly. 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"
Now 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.
"Yeu think 1 ought to go back to
nrst principles: get down on my knees
and agonize over 1t? Sometimes l
wish / could be 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 ques-
ton: the only one that is ever worth
asking"
"They took to the woods, the waste
places, the deserts-those men of old
who didn't understand Some of them
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,
you are going away?"
Yes; out to the beyond In Northern
Arizona. There is a new iron field ont
there to be prospected, and Mr.. Clark
son wants me to go and report on it.
And that brings us back to business.
May talk business-cold money bust
ness--to you for a minute or two?"
IF you like" she permitted. "Only
] think the other kind of talk Is more
profitable"
"A curious thing has come to pass
quite a miraculous thing, in fact. CHA
wassee will pay the better part of it's
debts and-and redeem its stock: or
some of it, at least" He rose and
stood beside her. isn't 1t a thousand
pities that Colonel Duxbury couldn't
have held on to his shares just a little
longer?"
Yes; he is an old man and a broken
one, now" There was a sob In her
voice, or he thought there was. But II
was only the great heart of compass
sion 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. |
don't you think? Here is a check for |
what Mr.. Farley's stock would have |
sold for before the troubles began. It's
made payable to you because-well. for
obvious reasons: as have said, he lost
out"
You are still the headlong, impulsive
boy, aren't your" she said, not alto
gether approvingly. You are paving
this out of your own money"
We'll, what II ann"
'1f you are, 1t Is either Just restt-
tuition, or 1t Is not. In either case 7
can not be your go-between."
Now look here" he argued; "you've
got to be sensible about this There'u
be four of you, and at least two incom-
petents; and you've got to have money
10 live on ! made Colonel Duxbury
sage 1t, and"
Not another word. II you Rssase. I
saHt do your errand in this, ana 81
wouldn't If could"
You think ] ought to be generous
md give 1t to him. anyway, do your"
Il don't presume to say" was the
'ool reJoinder When you have como
ully to your right mind. you will know
What to do. and how to go about it"
He crumpled the check. thrusting II
INTO his pocket and made two turns
Ibout the room before he said;
"rs see them both hanged first!"
Very well; that IL your own affair."
lie fell tn walking aS~A- -~A 49, al