Cheyenne record., 1916-09-21
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ant1- account DOOk apu the missing 1877
| ters from Hampden. ~
He slumped in his chair. drumming
with senseless fingers on its arm.
He saw black bars across the win
dow with the waving trees beyond.
and knew himself for that weakest
among men. q woman's tool.
So. filed with excited determine
tion to beat Sandry with the Hamp-
den case and forestall his sending for
Farnsworth. which was the last thing
she wanted, Poppy ordway again
rode up the valley. The mighty hills
were silent in the deadlock Of an
Oregon summer. No breath of wind
found its way into the sheltered val
leys and the pines were still.
The tidewater slough was gray
with the inland brine.
"Glorious!" she said to herself, lift
ing her gaze to the hazy mountains.
"And I'll save It for him-even
against his will"
She was sure she had succeeded
in her mission, and, happy in the
knowledge, was eager to be out of
the hired rig.
And Sandry. a. he assisted her out.
thought simply that she was the
most beautiful woman in the world,
for allsthe Joy of triumph lent sparkle
to her lovely features. deepened the
slumbrous blue of her eyes.
| No word had ever been spoken
about that night at the rollway and
Sandry bore sense of guilt that he
had taken her avowal without open
reciprocation. But the face of Siletz
held him back. He scorned himself
and yet he knew he was blameless.
save for that unguarded kiss in the
glade.
But did he wish to reciprocatel He
did not know.
| Daily's camp droned on-getting
out its logs. flooding them down the
slough. binding them slowly into the
now familiar ocean-going raft.
The foreman himself was un-
changed. though the world had
changed for him since that miser-
able "Yes" of Siletz in the darkened
room when he laid gentle hand on
her shoulder. To Sandry he was the
same, for he had come, through the
slow processes Of the simple nature.
to be his friend. The elusive fine.
ness that had shown plain to Sandry
from the first in John Daily's heart
was solid as q rock, foundation. an
abutment.
They watched Hampdens trai
grow toward the East Belt with az
exaggerated slowness. Haunting OF
security.
And then. two days after Miss Ord
ways return. the young commission
er and the Portland lawyer got of
the train at Toledo and were driven
out to the Yellow Pines. They bore
for Hampden the widest agony Of
his strong life in the revelation of his
goddess.
They were closeted together the
whole Of the night in the Yellow
Pines office and 1t was strenuous
night for the two strangers, for
Hampden was a man to fear in his
RACES.
At first they held him by main
force. and later by argument and rea
J son.
Fight" said the lawyer in the pinl
dawn. fight like hell! And bluff
It's your only chance"
"Fight?" snarled Hampden hoarse
ly. what for? This damned driv
eler has let her get the originals o
these letters of mine about the thre,
timber claims in ITO. and the,
aloned put me behind bars! Your,
the damnedest ass l ever seen!"
And the mans small. red eye,
glared at his accomplice with tn,
murder-lust. But the commissions
had some spirit himself and cam,
back with defense.
Fools? We're two together.
was from you she got her first knowl
edge of the game. She fooled he
first. suspicious out of you in he
horseback rides. She told me SO
that's how you took her in on thu
deals. she said"
Hampden groaned and nung hi
head in his arms on the pine table
"All right" he said at last. 'I1
fight"
But with the last sight of the buck
board bouncing down the hill roat
with his visitors to catch the earl!
train back to Salem. q light grew VI
in his heavy face that would hav'
puzzled that astute man. the Portland
lawyer.
"Yes, by God!" he said in . voic'
thick with menace, "I1l fight! Ant
III make a fight that1l be remem
bered all along the coast!" z,