The evening world., 1915-03-16
ILM IIII's ts1HfI MA d IL sai1S ~
M ARIE \
By II. RIDER HAGGARD

her with . slow scrutiny. - II he
took her measure. II don't know
whether I can trust you or not" he
announced abruptly. but since you've
seen me I suppose rye got to take
give me . better one II I make you
understand about me and Donkin.
First place. ! suppose you're wonder
Ing why I'm at Lastluck without ever
showing up except a. . haunt"
I'm wondering why you don't
want any one else here" bluntiy.
You won't. In a minute. Did you
wsyr
bitterly; tin she met Hazard she had
The man did not smile. II mean
what they call q bad man In the
West" he explained: - man who's
shot up q sheriff and posse and
and other people--just to pay OF .
debt. Because I'm one: and that's
why live Mt Lastluck Lake. and
why I like II lonely. l had to run
| for my neck q while aso-it doesn't
concern you from where-and after
I thought ! was safe found out
man called Donkin was trailing mo
livelihood, blood money: but I didn't
see the force ofOhis getting mine.
II might have been betor judgment
to shoot him. but II seemed less
trouble lust to clear out OF whore I
was ana como here. Nobody knew
about this place. built q house and
lived here In peaceful one morning
last year very nearly ran full on
Donkin. First I thought he was
| La ham
enough two years before. but I soon
saw he didn't know q word about me:
he'd come out prospectine Tor gold
like any ordinary man. And"
slowly, 'if he'd been IN ordinary
man rd have let HIM"
"wenf" said Sophy. with . queer
feeling of breathiessness. The reckless
story came out 30 lightly, yet With
such an undercurrcnt Of dead earnest,
that she knew It to be true. and sane.
well. I didn't let him. I happened
to scare one Of his men badly by
rolling myself In wolfskin and look
ing at him. and that gave me an idea
He'd only French Canadians with him,
frightened blue Of wer wolves. !. wer
wolfed them," grimly. "ull they
cleared out--and even Donkin couldn't
stick TO business alone. He didn't
know the trouble was me. nor any
other man for the matter OF that. for
I was mighty careful he never SAW
me; I wasn't hoping to have him get
back to tho settlements and say
corrected himself sharply-"say ! was
out here waiting to be ropcd. All he
knew was he didn't even carry his life
In his hand.
"Somethins, he couldn't tel what
was sparipg II for Just ~ long - it
had q mind to, and no longer. ana BY
degrees that kind of ate into Donkin.
He ran for his skin In the end. without
ever seeing what he ran from. ana
without laying q pick to your gold.
He spent the day before he went with
his back to rock, watching his chance
70 get into his canoe. Id liftDd his
guns two days after he came. and
even his knife. He didn't spare time
TO- look behind him whom once he'd
msds q .hreak for his canoe. but he
went. and that was all ! wanted. 30
now you understand about Donkin,
and why ] live here. I've nowhere
else to 20 for one thing. and for
another there aren't any mounted po-
lice"
"And you thought we were Donlin
come back7" asked Sophy pitifu1ly.
Tho man might bo what he said. -
bad man" who was wanted. but she
had q sudden foolish compassion ~
she looked at him. 1t could not b
gay to live here In the solitude. the
vast loneliness. because one had no
where elso to 60"
Tho man shruEgsd his shoulders.
Mo-" no said. II didn't exactly
think Donkin had dared come back
himself. but I thought he'd sent you
people. That was why I shook vp
some OF your mon. tho little Jew for
Instance; I didn't want Donkin to
hear II was plain sailing up here. But
your lot that cleared out didn't take
any trouble worth speaking OF;
was waiting till Donkin himself show
ed up to do little soaring with some
backbone to II. or ! guess" thought
fully, "you wouldn't be here now. II
I'd known the boss of your show was
Just u girl I mghtn't have done what
little I did; but I couldn't have Dom
kin back here at any price, and that's
about the whole Of It. And just be-
cause you are q girl, and ! wanted
you to understand things. ] guess I've
pretty we'll put my life In your hand.
Now. why don't You cit up And say
youth never tell one word Of all I've
, told you. even to HaxardT''
Because you knew ! wouldn't ten
before you said a word" auistly. Il
saw you iOOh ~ uio, ouo oOcsuS.
The man nodded. II guessed It," he
returned almost indinerently. But
what sort Of q man In Ha2ardr'
The question was raped at her %
sharply that Sophy answered before
she knew II. The only man ] ever
knew I would have stayed here with.
He's always"-she flushed without
knowing 1t reliable"
"Ah!" commented tho man. He
looked once moro o, the worn beauty
of the girls face, at the long lines OF
her swaying figure that was too
thinly clad. and knew Hazard must
indeed be reliable. Just as he know
good woman whom he saw one.
you're shivertng.' he announced
abruptly. "Are you afraid Of me?"
81 don't know" truthfully.
"Well. you needn't be. was gen.
tleman once: think I've enough de-
cency left In me TO he one st!ll TO you.
You look straight at me. and sec II
you think you can trust me-"
Sophy obeyed. The wtldness was
gone from his eyes now. and his face
was nssuredly not the face OF liar.