The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-10-12

chord, faltered and broke and failed.
it Duane sustained a sudden shock An<
an instant Of paralyzed confusion Of
thought.
d She moved, she swept out her hands
and the wonder of her eyes dimmed in
a flood of tears.
5 My God! You can't care for me?'
I he cried, hoarsely.
Then she met him, hands out
stretched.
But l do-I do"
Swift as light Duane caught her n
held her to his breast. He stood hold
e ing her tight, with the feel of her
warm. ~throbbing breast and the clasp
of her arms as flesh and blood realities
4 to fight a terrible fear. He felt her,
and for the ONE the might of 1t
+, Was stronger than all the demons that
| possessed him. And he held her as
if she had been his soul, his strength on
earth, his hope Of heaven, against his
lips.
The strife of doubt all passed.. He
+Sound his sight again. And there
rushed over him a tide of emotion I'M
utterably sweet and full, strong like an
Intoxicating wine, deep as his nature,
something glorious and terrible as the
blaze of the sun to one long in dark
ness. He had become an outcast, a
Wanderer, a gunman, a victim Of cir
cunstances; he had lost and suffered
worse than death in that loss; he had
gone down the endless bloody trail, a
killer Of men, a fugitive whose mind
slowly and inevitably closed to all ex-
cept the instinct to survive and a black
despair; and now, with this woman in
his arms, her swelling Breast against
his. in this moment almost of resurrec-
ton, he bent under the storm of pas
sion and JOY possible only to him who
mad endured SO much.
do you care-a little?' he whis-.
pered, un~Steadily.
He bent over her, looking deep into
the dark wet eyes.
She uttered a low laugh that was
half sob, and her arms slipped up to
his neck.
"A little! Oh.
great DEAL"
Their lips met in their first kiss. The,
sweetness. the fire OF her mouth
seemed so new, so strange, so irresist-
lble to Duane. His sore and hungry
heart tsrobbed with thick and heavy
beats. He felt he outcast's need Of
ling moment. She met him half way,
returned kiss for kiss, clasp for clasp,
her race scarlet, her eyes closed, till,
her passion and strength spent, she
fell back upon his shoulder.
Duane suddenly thought she was
gong to faint. He OWNED then that
she had understood him, would have
denied him nothing, not even her life,
IN that moment. But she was over
come, and he suffered a pang Of regret
at his unrestraint.
Presently she recovered, and she
drew only the closer, and leaned upon
him with her face upturned. Ee felt
her hands on his, and they were soft,
clinging, strong, like steel under vel
vet. He felt the rise and fall. the,
warmth of her breast. A tremor ran
over him. He tried to draw back. and
II he succeeded a little her form sWayed
with him, pressing closer. She held
her race up, and he was compelled to
look. 1t was wonderful now: white vet
slowing, with the red lips parted, and
dark eyes alluring. But that was not
an: Ihere was passion, unquenchable
spirit, Woman's resolve deep and
mighty.
L love you, Duane!" she said. For
my sake don't go out to meet this out
law face to face. It's something wild
IN you. Conquer it If you love me-"
Duane became suddenly weak. and
when he did take her into his arms
again he scarcely had strength to
MT her to a seat beside him. She
more than a dead weight. Her
had fled. She was throb-
bling, palpitating, auivering, with hot
wet cheeks and arms that chung to him
like vines. She lifted her mouth to
him, whispering, kiss mel" She
meant to change him, hold him.
Duane bent down, and her arms went !
round his neck and drew him close.
With his lips on hers he seemed to
1loat away. That kiss closed his eyes. |
and he could not lift his head. He sat |
holding her, blind and help
less, wrapped in a sweet dark glory.
she kissed him-one long endless kiss
else 1000 times. Her lips, her
cheeks, her hair, the s%oftness, the
OF her, the tender clasp Of
her arms, the swell Of her breast-aII |
these seemed to inclose him.
Duane could not put her from him |
He yielded to her lips and arms, watch
her, in%voluntarily returning her |
caresses, sure now Of her intent. fas- |
clnated by the sweetness of her he |
Wlldered, almost lost. This was what |
Of outlawry had blotted out any |
boyish love he might have known This |
was what he had to give up-al this |
wonder of her sweet person. this |
fire he feared yet loved. this |
mate MS doep and tortured soul recog-
,llAeu. never until that moment had |
oev1ned the meaning of a woman to |
a man. That meaning was physical
that he learned what bea,1tv |
was, n marvel in the torch ri |
qu1ckening flesh; n it was spiritual |
IN that he saw there might have been |
oAAuCA happier circumstances.
a life Of noble deeds lived for such a
woman. SUN q
- Don't go! Don't go!" she cried, as
! 7 must: Dear. goodby. Remember
He pulled her hands loose rrono ~.
stepped back. LIS
Ray, dearest .believe-r1 come
These last words were falsehood
He reached the door, gave her IN.
last piercing glance, to fix for ever in
staring, tragic eyes.
"Duane!"
He fled with that moan like thunder.
death, hell in his ears.
70 forget her, to get back his nerve.
Peg 1areed into mind 15a the imagine Of
yellow eyed. like a jaguar, with his rim
ping muscles. He brought back hi.
supreme test, And this abnormal and at
sense OF the outlaws wonderful
presence. his own massachusetts,
fear and hate. Yes, Poggfn haSd
3Ennf n tho cold rlz1----EAEE ~