The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-04-16
CHAPTER XIV.

Samson stopped at his studio and
threw open an old closet where, from
a Uttered pile Of discarded background
draperies, canYases and stretchers, he
hshed out a buried and dust-covered
pair OF saddlebags. They had long
lain there forgotten. but they held the
rusty clothes In which no had left
Misery.
Samson had caught the fastest west.
bound express on the schedule. In
thirty-six hours he would be at Hixon.
There we're many things which his
brain must attack and digest in these
hours. He must arrange his fian OF
action 70 It's minutest detail. because
he would have as little time for refiec.
ton, once he had reached his own
country, as a wildcat flung into a pack
Of hounds.
From the railroad station to his
nome he must make his way-most
probably fight HE way-through thirty
miles OF hostile territory, where all
tho trails were watched. And yet, for
the time, all hat seemed too remotely
NAANa W hoAu MS
He took out Sally's letter, and read
It once more. He read Il mechanically
n as a piece OF news that had
brought evil tidings. Then, suddenly,
another aspect OF II struck him-an as.
pect to which the shock OF its recep-
ton had until this tardy moment
blinded him. The letter was perfectly
grammatical and penned in a hand Of
copybook %'roundnesH and evenness.
The address, the body Of the missivs
and the signature were all In one chi.
Biography. She would not have lntrust-
ed the writing OF this letter to anyone
else.
Sally had learned to write.
Moreover. at the end we're the
words, with love-" II was all plain
now. Sally had never ~repudiated him.
She was declaring herself true to her
mission and her love
Good Godl" groaned the man, in alb.
jectly bitter ~self-contempt. His hand
went ~lnvoluntarily to his cropped head.
and dropped with a gesture OF self.
doubling. He looked down al his tan
shoes and silk socks, He rolled back
hts shirtsleeve and contemplated the
forearm that had once been az brown
and tough as leather. II was now the
arm Of q city man. except for the burn.
ing OF one outdoor week. He was
returning at the eleventh hour
stripped OF the faith Of his klnsmen.
halfStripDed Of his faith IN himself.
II he were 10 realize the constructive
dreams Of which he had last night 20
eonldently prattied to Adrleune, be
must lead bis people from under the
blishting shadow OF the feud.
He must reappear before his klns.
men as much as possible the boy who
had left them-not the fop with new.
tangled aHectationa. HIS eyes fell
upon the saddlebagu upon the floor Of
the Pullman and he smiled satirlcally.
He would like to step from the train
At Hixon and walk braEenly through
the town In those old clothes. chat
longing every hostile glance. II they
shot him down on the streets, as they
certainly would do. Il would end his
questioning and his anguish Of dilem.
ma. He would welcome that, but q
would after all, be Sinking the Issue.
He must get out Of Hixon and into
his own country unreoognized. The
lean boy Of four years ago was the
aomewhat nlled'out man now. The one
concession that he had made 10 Paris
life was the wearing Of a closely
cropped mustache. That he still wore
had worn Il chiefly because be liked
20 hear Adrienne's humorous dsnunoia.
tion OF H. He knew that. In his pres
ent guiae and dress, be had an excel
Ant chance Of walkRg through the