Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-05-11
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-
meKnbe against you, Worthing.'' he
painted, and 1 promise I shall not for
get 1t. There are more ways Of kill
ing u 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
Tor a mani" she cried.
She turned 0 to Worthing.
reckon l can ride on now, Mr..
Worthing. You're safe--so longs you
lace him!"
Perhaps a mar would not have said
u. put Jess was a woman and, though
h knew It not herself just then, she
was wounded cruelty. That knowi-
edge was to come later.
Now she calmly united her horse,
nd. Leading him out into the center
OF the enclosure, mounted nto the
p nod to Worthing, ignoring Cardross
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 a dirty deal,
Worthing.'.
you played a dirty game. I want
no words with YOU, Cardross. If you
are for blows, | am reay, and owe
you the satisfaction
To what %purpose?" asked Cardross.
you took me by surprise. The trick
Is yours this time. | do not deny it,
AS you will" returned Worthing.
Il do not misunderstood"
he got into his saddle. Without
further words he rode the way Jess
kilrain had gone.
CardrosS vas alone.
He fingered there until the night fell
abou him. dark and somber; and dark
ana somber were his thoughts. The
impetus of evil was upon him, but he
1 not yield to it without a struggle,
Could he nave had his way, Cardross
would have preferred to dc the right
TINS. but to have his way, right or
Wlolg, had always been his way.
Ae STOOD aghast at the bitter fierce
slessa OF his mood at this defeat that had
a9crtaken him. His love for Jess Kill
rain had not been wholly selfish. At
least, he had tried to blind himself to
h se~lfisllness OF 1t.
A n 1t a been sincere enough for
its loss 70 stun him, for the girls pas
Bionate scorn to burn deep. Curiously.
the actsof Worthing's castigation of it.
SELF glanced off him with relative light
ness. He had provoked that.
MORNINGS interference, however. he
could not forgive. Workings witness
OF his humiliation at Jess Kilrain's
hands he could not forget. Antagon-
ism to his n time friend turned to
hatred.
he Knew he had lost Jess irretriev-
ably. He love had long hung on the
enu0u point OF his deception. and he
q realized that he could not forever
nope 70 deceive the girl. That he
should lose her to sWorthing-for so his
jealousy interpreted Worthing's inter-
~estN-added the last flip to his thirst
Tor revenge.
Hell pay for IL" he muttered as he
rose from the fallen tree. Hell pay
Tor 1t with interest, damn hint"
For days thereafter Jess Kilrain suf-
fered the reaction of her scorn and an
ger. II was not very easy to live with
less Just then. Her worst forebodings
had come true.
Sighted and Inundated where she
= loved, spared an even greater hui
initiation through Workings action,
her grief was colored by a sense OF
All about her. She was captious with
her father, sharp with Agnes, and she
1Atrly snapped at Buck. Brannon when
he game her. Only to Earle
WDrthing did she show a saddened
sentleness which might have told how
deep was her gratitude.
sSYet despite her treatment Of Suck
the young fellow was not unhappy. He
sknew there had been some break In
Shs~f@rAlatiOns with Cardross, and. re-
e4AzsrrbafinG her face that day of Bill
a2G1range''ss remarks, ne could have found