The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-05-11
CHAPTER X.
AFTERMATH.

Blass Cardross got to his feet slowly
sobered in more ways than one by the
summarizes Of his punishment. 1t
was not to imply that he was lacking
in physical courage that the fight had
gone out Of him for the moment.
That is another thing for me to re-
member against you, Worthing," he
painted, land l promise l shall not for
get 1t. There are more ways of kill
ing a dog than one"
1t was Jess Kilrain's bitter laughter
that fell upon the silence. She had
feared what he might be impelled to
DO. That he did nothing filled her
with contempt.
AN / was fool enough to take you
for a mani" she cried.
She turned about to Worthing.
II reckon 1 can ride on now, Mr..
Worthing. You're safe-so longs you
face him!"
II, but Jess was a woman and, though
she knew 1t not herself just then, she
was wounded cruelty. That knowl-
edge was to come later.
Now she calmly united her horse,
and, leading him out into the center
Of the enclosure, mounted into the
saddle unaided. A moment more, with
~ uOu W
utterly, she put her pony clambering
up the little slope to the path above
The sound of It's hoofs died away in
the woods.
you have played me dirty deal,
Worthing"
"You played a dirty game. 1 want
no words with you, Cardross. If you
are Tor blows, am reay, and owe
you the satisfaction"
. '"Hn What nnrnOoa
you took me by surprise. The trick
is yours this time. l do not deny it,"
AS you WILL" returned Worthing
u do not misunderstood"
He got into his saddle. Without
further words he rode the way Jess
Kilrain had gone.
CardroSs was alone.
He fingered there until the night fell
about him, dark and somber; and dark
and somber were his thoughts. The
impetus OF evil was upon him, but he
did not yield to it without a struggle.
Gould he have had his way, Cardross
would have preferred to do the right
thing, but to have his way, right or
" sng, had always been his way.
lie STOOD aghast at the bitter fierce
Ness Of his mood at this defeat that had
oVertaken him. His love for Jess Kill
rain had not been wholly selfish. At
least, he had tried to blind himself to
the selfishnesS of 1t.
And 1t had been sincere enough for
Its loss to stun him, for the girls pas
sionate scorn to burn deep. CuriousIy,
1he act OF Workings castigation Of it
self glanced off him with relative light
ness. He had provoked that.
Workings Interference, however he
could not forgive. Workings witness
OF his humiliation at Jess Kilrain's
hands ne could not forget. Antagon-
ism to his one time friend turned to
hatred.
He knew he had lost Jess irretriev-
ably Her love had long hung on the
tenuous point of his deception, and he
had realized that he could not forever
nope to deceive the girl. That he
SHOULD lose her to Worthing-for so his
Jealousy interpreted Workings inter-
'est--added the last flip to his thirst
for revenge.
Hell pay for It," he muttered as he
TSse from the fallen tree. He'll pay
for 1t With interest, damn him!"
For days thereafter Jess Kilrain suf-
fered the reaction of her scorn and an
ger. 1t was not very easy to live with
Jess Just then. Her worst forebodings
had come true.
Sighted and Inundated where she
had loved, spared an even greater hui
initiation through Workings action,
ner RTloL was COlOTeu ny Il sense or
shame that made Jess hate herself and
all about her. She was captious with
her father, sharp with Agnes, and she
fairly snapped at Buck Brannon when
ne came near her. Only to Earle
Worthing did she show a saddened
gentleness which might have told how
deep was her gratitude.
Yet despite her treatment Of Buck
the young fellow was not unhappy. He
knew there had been some break in
her relations with Cardross, and, re-
membcring her face that day of Bill
Oranges remarks, he could have found
II In his heart to repent OF the rebuke
he had administered to the man If sc
be the information had tended to open
Jess Kilrain's eyes to Cardross' du-
pllcity.
He assumed that Jess had taxed him
with II and found II real Naturally
the kY,owIedge would bring her griel
and resentment Resentment liz rms'