Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-08-21


into the river again"
"He Is to shoot that fellow Shaw
II he doesn't keep Off our land. I've
had enough Of 1t. They say he rode
his confounded plow horse all over the
west end the other day" Penelope
smiled re1ectively "Trampled the new
fern beds out Of existence and all. that.
Hang him, Tompklns will get him II
he persists. He has told the men to
take shot at the rascal on sight.
Tompklns doesn't love him, you know"
Penelope went her way, laughing,
and forgot the danger that threatened
Randolph Shaw.
The next morning, quite early, she
was Off for canter. Some magnetic
force drew her toward that obllterated
line in the roadway. Almost as she
came up to It and stopped Randolph
Shaw rode down the hillside through
the trees and drew rein directly oppo-
site, the noses Of their horses almost
touching. With smile he gave the
military salute even as she gasped in
self conscious dlsmay.
"on duty, Miss Drake; no trespass-
ing" he said. There was glad ring
in his voice. "Please don't run away.
You're on the safe side"
"I'm not going to rum" she said, her
cheek flushing. "How do you know
where the line is? It has been de-
stroyed by the ravages Of time"
Eyes. II has seemed year. This
thing Of acting sentinel so rellglously
is bit wearing" His great friendly
dog came across the line, however, and
looked bravely up into the enemys
face, wagglng his tall "Traitorl Come
back, Bonaparteg' cried his master
What beautiful dogw she cried,
sincere admiration in her eyes. 81
love big dog. He is your best friend,
III wager"
"'Love me, love my dog is my mot
to-"
The conversation was not prolonged.
Penelope began to find herself on rath-
er friendly terms with the enemy.
Confusion came over her when she re-
membered that she was behaving in
most unmaidenly manner Doubtless
that was why she brought the meet
Ing to close by galloping away.
The ways Of fortune are strange,
look at them from any point Of view.
Surprising as it may seem, like en-
counter happened on the following day
and-aye, on the day after and every
day for week or more, Occasions
there were when Penelope was com
PEELED to equivocate shamefully in or
der to escape the cOmpanionshlp of the
duke the count or others OF their ilk,
Once when the guardian Of the road
was late at his post she rode far into
the enemy's country, actually thrilled
by the JOY of adventure. When he APP
peared far down the road she turned
and fed with all the sensations of a
culprlt, and he thundered after her
with vindictiveness that deserved bet
ter results. Across the line she drew
rein and faced him defantly. her hair
blown awry, her cheeks red, her eyes
sparkling.
"No trespassl" she cried, holding up
her gloyed hand, He stopped short
for that was one Of the terms Of truce.
The next day he again was missing,
but she was not to be caught by his
stratagem Instead Of venturing into
the trap he had prepared for her, she
remained on her side of the line, smil
ing at the thought of him in hiding far
up the road. II any one had suggested
to her that she was developing too
great an interest in this stalwart gen.
teman she would have laughed him to
scorn. II had not entered her mind to
question herself as to the pleasure she
found In being near him. She was
founding her actions on the basis that
he was a real man and that the little
comedy Of adventure was quite worth
while.
AT length an impatient line appeared
on her fair brow, a resentful CLEAN |
In her eyes. His remlssness was an
impertlnence 1t was the last time
she would come-but a sudden thought
struck her like Il blow. She turned |
white and red by turns. Had he tired
Of the sport2 Had the novelty worn
ofGy Was he laughing at her for a
silly coquette? The riding crop came
down sharply upon her horses flank.
and a very deeply agltated young wo-
man galloped or toward Bazelhurst
villa, hurrying as though afraid he
might catch sight Of her IN flight
A quarter Of mile brought Il change
In her emotions. British stubbornness
arose to combat an utter rout. After |
all, why should she run away from
him2 With whimsical hravado she
turned off suddenly into the trail that
led to the river, her color deepening
with the consciousness that, after all,
she was vaguely hoping she might see
him somewhere before the morning
passed Through the le0fy pathway
she rode at snall's pace, brushing
the low hanging leaves and twlgs from
about her head with something akin to
petulance. .i
As she neared the river the neighlng
Of a horse hard by caused her to sit
erect with burning ears. Then she
relapsed into Il smlleg, remembering
that Il might have come from the
game warden's horse. A moment later
her searching eyes caught sight of
Shaw's horse tied to a saplpg and on
Bazelhurst ground, many hundred feet
from his own domain, She drew rein
sharply and looked about In consider
nhln trnnlHottnp naf a. A.. ,.t..hk -.