The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-01-01
CHAPTER xvI-continued.

The girl from Philadelphia had for
some days been watching the road
which led in tortuous twists from Peril
to the gap. She herself hardly realized
how expectantly she had watched it.
She was thinking of the man she
had sent away and wondering what
their meeting would be like. And the
girl of the hill sitting near by would
look on, her fingers gripping them
selves tightly together and an ache in
her own heart. Deep in Dawn's nature.
which had been coming of late into
sweet1y fragrant bloom. crept the ran
cor Of a fierce jealousy for the man
from down below" whom she had
never seen, but whose letter could
make Juanita forget present things
and drift away into a world of other
days and other scenes-a world in
which Dawn herself had no part.
Juanita was wondering if, after all.
she had not misjudged Roger Malcolm.
She wanted to think she had, because
her heart was hungry for love. She
had written to him, sternly forbidding
his coming, and if he obeyed that man
date he would, of course, prove himself
weak and lacking in initiative. So she
was waiting with a fiuttering heart.
But on the day that he came she
was not watching. He had pushed
on at rate of speed which mountain
patience would not have countenanced
and had arrived in two hours less than
the journey should logically have re-
quired. The heaving sides of his tired
horse tod almost as much of the Gag
erness that had driven him as did the
frank worship of his face.
AT the front fence he hitched his
mount and walked noiselessly up to
the larger house. Two feminine fig
ures sat sewing in the hall as he silent
ly opened the Unmatched door and let
himself in. One of them was a figure
he knew even with its back turned-a
figure which, because of something
distinctively subtle and wondrous,
could belong to no one else. The other
was a mountain girl of undeniable
beauty. but. to him, of no interest.
1t was Dawn who saw him first and.
with glance that brought a resentful
flash to her eyes. she rose silently and
slipped out through a side door. Then,
as Juanita came to her feet with a
little gasp and held out both hands.
the mans heart began to hammer wild
ly. and he knew that the fingers he
held were trembling.
He would have taken her at once in
his arms, but she held him off and
shook her head
t'I told you not to come" she re-
buked him in a voice that lacked con-
viction
"And I fiagrantly disobeyed you," he
answered. las l mean henceforth to
disobey you. Once l lost you because
1 played a weak game. You want a
conQueror. and 1 have always been
suppliant Now I have changed my
method"
OH" said Juanita family For just
an instant she felt leap at her heart
Perhaps, after all, he had grown to
her standard. That was how she must
be won, if ever won, and she wanted
to be won.
She saw him draw out of his pocket
a small box which she had once given
back to him and take from it a ring she
had once worn. but again she shook
her head.
mot yet. dear" she said very softly
"You haven't proved yourself a con-
qHeror yet. you know. You've just
called yourself one"
Then her heart misgave her. for.
after gazing into her eyes with a hurt
look. the man masked his disappoint-
ment behind smile of Difference and
replied: Very we'll. l can wait, but
that's how it must be in the end"
In the end! Juanita knew that. after
all. he had not changed.
He was still the man of brave in
tents and words-still the man who
stood hesitant at the moment for a
blow.
It was while Malcolm was Juanita's