The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-30


forget that her mother was an Indian
woman.
With these thoughts flying through
her sluggish mind she rose and
moved heavily from the room. and
parting look at Alloway. as if to say
"A man that is bold is surest."
With her back to the man. Pauline
watched her mother leave the room,
saw the look she gave Alloway; and
when the door was closed she turned
and looked Alloway in the eyes.
How old are you?' she asked sud.
denly.
He stirred in his seat almos, ner-
vously. why, fifty. about" he an
swered with confusion.
Then you'll be wise not to go
looking for anniversaries in biz
Yards, when they're few at best"
she said with genu.e and danger
Gus smile.
"Fifty-why, I'm as young as most
men at thirty" he responded with
an uncertain laugh. I'D have come
here today if it had been showing
pitchforks and chainlightning.
made mp my mind would. You
saved my life, that's dead sure; and
Id be down among the comics il
it wasn't for you and that Piegan
pony of yours-Piegan ponies are
wonders in storm seem to know
their way by instinct. You too-why,
bin on the plains all my life. and
was no better than baby that day;
but you-why. you had Piegan in
you, why. yes"
He stopped short for moment,
checked by the look in her face, then
went blindly on.
And you got Blackfoot in you.
too; and you just felt your way
through the tornado and over the
blind prairie like a bird reaching
for the hills. 1t was as easy to YOU
as picking out maverick in bunch
of steers to me. But I never could
make out what you was doing on the
prairie that terrihio dav I've thought
of it a hundred times. What was you
doing, if it amt cheek to ask?''
Il was trying to lose a life she
answered quietly, her eyes dwelling
on his face, yet not seeing him; for
it all came back to her, the agony
which had driven her out into the
tempest to be lost evermore.
He laughed, We'll, now. that's
good, he said that's what they call
speaking sarcastic. You was out to
save and not to lose, a life; that
was proved to the satisfaction of the
court" He paused and chuckled to
himself, thinking the had been witty,
and continued: And ! was that
court, and my judgment was that
the debt of that life you saved had
to be paid to you within one calendar
year, with interst at the usual per
cent for mortgages on good security.
That was my Judgment, and there's
no appeal from it. | am the great
Justinian in this case'"
Did you ever save anybody's life?'
she asked. putting the bottle of cor
dial away, as he filled his glass
for the third time.
Twice certain, and once dividin
the honors," he answered, pleased at
the question.
And did you expect to get any
pay, with Or without interest" she
asked.
me, | never thought of 1t again.
But yes-by gol, | did! One case
was funny, as funny as can be. 1t
was Ricky Wharton. over on the
Muskwat River. | saved his life right
enough, and he came to me a year
after and said, You saved my life,
now what are you going to do with
it? I'm stony broke. owe nun
dred dollars, and | wouldn't be ow'
ing it If you hadn's saved my life.
When you saved it | was five hun
dred to the good. and I'd have left
that much behind me. Now I'm on
the rocks, because you insisted on
saving my life; and you got to take
care OF me, insist Well, that
knocked me silly, and l took him