The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-01-29
weakness gripping her.


weakness gripping her. ...
One month from to-day"--ran the
words-'1 promise to pay TO Dakota
the sum OF six thousand dollars In
consideration OF his rights and inter-
est In the star brand provided that
within one month from date he per-
suades Bon Doubler to laave Union
County" Signed: $3.50
David Dowd Langford."
There II was--conciusivs, damnin8
evidence Of her fathers Guilt-and Of
How cIevsrly that last clause COW
ered the evil intent OF the 1ocumsntl
bhsilA read Il again and again with
her dry eyes. Her horror and grief
wore too great for tears. She felt
that the discovery OF the paper re-
moved the last lingering doubt. and
though she had been partially, pre-
pared for proof. she had not been
prepared to have II thrust 90 quickly
and convincingly before her.
How long she sat on tho doorstep
she did not know. or care. for at q
stroke she had lost all interest IN
everything In the country. Even IL
people Interested her only 70 the
point Of loathing--thsy wero sspr
derers. even her father. Time repre-
sentod to her nothing now except Z
dreary space which. II she endured
would bring the moment In which
she could leave. For within the last
few minutes she seemed to have been
robbed OF all the things which had
made existence here endurable and
she was determined to end II all
When she finally got up and looked
about her sho saw that the sun had
travelled quite q distance down the
sky. A sorrowful smile reached heI
face a. she watched II. II was goino
away. and before II could complete
another circle she would 90 too
back to the East from which she hac
come. whore there were at least some
friends who could be depended upor
TO commit no atrocious crimes.
mind: she could not think lucidly
with the knowledge that her fAthei
vas convicted Of completely In "a
attempted murder.
Would she be able to face heI
father again? To bid him goodbyi
She thought not. Il would b bettsI
for both II shs departed without him
i,cing aware OF her going. lie would
not care. she told herself bitterly
lately he had withheld from her a.
those little evidences OF affection Il
which sho had grown accustomed
and II would not DO hard for him,
even be 11ad Of her absence, for theE
he could continue his nurdsroua
schemes without fear Of her med.
ding" with them. ..t
There was . fascination In the pa.
per on which was written the signed
agreement. Sho read Il carefully
again. and then concealed Il In hsI
bodice, pinninE II there 20 that Il
would not become lost. Then shs
ross and went into tho cabin. placing
the memoranda on . shelf where
Dakota would be sure to ind Il when
he returned with the doctor. She
tained In II. , -.
Marveiling at her GOODNESS. she went
outside again and resumed her sec,
on the doorstep. II was not such Z
blow 10 her. after all. and there arose
In her mind az she sat on tho step q
wonder as to how her father would
act were she to confront him with
evidence OF his guilt. Perhaps she
would not show him the paper. but
she finally became convinced that she
must talk to him. must learn from
him In some manner his connection
with the attempted murder OF Doub-
Ter. Then, after receiving from him
some sign which would convince her,
she would take her belongings and
depart for the East. leaving him to
his own devices.
Looking zip at tho sun. she saw that
II still had quite distance to travel
before II reached the mountains.
Stealing into the cabin. she once
more hxed the bsndages on the
wounded man. Then she went out.
mounted her pony. and rode through
the shallow water OF tho crossing to-
ward the Double r ranch. t-