Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-12-01

not thick. bnt onls waverlng. MY teliei-
~tatioBS. And. cen though ! know not your
identity. still ! may sense your fond con-
fusion. And We! why blush dear un-
knowns? It's in the air tonight. Even |
myself have welded 20 the spirit OF frivol-
ity. Two hours ago | appeared masked in
these dingy ves.:3ents a. Loves Young
Dream but viii mc he mood has passed.
Fellow ronancers, YOU have Witnessed q
metamorphosis. You are now gazing up
on the Wrath of God about 10 thunder forth
upon a coal black charger. | merely pauS-
cd 10 bid you haste inside lest YOU miss the
crux of the evening. When | withdrew the
Hon. Archie was already searching with
bravely concealed distraction for the fair
daughter If the house. The honr has
struck. It's masks ott-masks of from
eyes and hearts"
He laughed again. White face whittier
still against the background Of his som
her vestments, debonair and drunkenly In
secure in the saddle. Carrot Devereau tore
ont into the main road and Numbered off
into Tire night.
Is that truc?" Steve alked quietly.
She made no move 10 answer.
as that true?" his low and gentle voice
commanded this time. You still mean to
-narry-him!'
What ! have lone tonight ] can never
hope 10 explain" she answered. recovering
herself. Il can only hope that some day
] may cease 10 despisc myself as utterly
as You have taught ME 10 a. this minute.
And since YOU choose 10 regard il now aS
your right TO ask hat question I'll answer
it for You. ! mean TO marry HIM. | shall
be proud 10 bee his wife"
The light that streained over her Shout
der fell upon his face. She saw the blood
pour up, standing throat and cheek and
brow, and then ebb away She gave him
time 10 answer. but he did not speak. and
suddenly she Knew what scene of another
day he was remembering. Her eyes drop
ped 70 her imprisoned hand.
you are OBTAINING me- she said.
He released her immediately, and yet
she did not move. And while she wait
ed he turned and stopped and turned 10
her again. She stood like stone while he
wrapped her fur edged sapphire cloak
about her and fastened il close beneath
her uplifted chin. lie waited. bare ~ head
IN the hedge gap until -he had crossed the
lawn 10 the house that lay . Sprawling
glowworn IN IN, darkness. "A mmult Of
voices lcaped out 10 him when he opened
the door-a little crash Of syncopated
melody. And then It wa quiet again.
After IA glimpse Of his chiefs eyes that
night Fat Jo, r~Saycd no, 50 much a. one
facetious protest against turning the fag-
ged team homew3rd with scarcely any rest
at all. He remained as quiet n that too
quiet man beside him.
He fell to whistling later and almost i'm
mediatcly his thin tenor was rolling ahead
of them through the black alley bctncen the
pines, 10 continue IN soulful reitcration un-
I'll the construction camp clearing doomed
up ahead. Suddenly Fat Joe frightened the
reins above the tagged team; then he shot
forward and laid the whip across their tir-
I'd flanks AZ they cleared the b~reastwork
of trees.
Stoves head was ierked backward by
the abrup,ncss of their first plunge. and
then he saw what Fat Joe had seen a sec
ond before. High M on the hillside there
was a light glowing from the windows Of
the shack which served the chief engineer
~ the East Coast job ~ office and dom
icile too. While Fat joe had laid on the
whip q man came hurting past the outflung
door u~nrp ~ ttN t..r uy.l ,-.vyt,rx t.r-
to the ground. disappeared into the black
ness Of the brush. Joe swung the horses
NJ III 4 galloping curve and with one eat
like leap, incredibly light for q man Of his
chunky build. was down from the seat and
crashing through the bushes on the trail
Of that fugitive whose noisy flight had al
ready become 4 faint crackle III the dis
lance.
Flame poured from Fat Joe'S rcvoler.
Two ~whiplike reports shattered the night
uict before stephen ONara moved. Thet,
he lifted himself heavily from the seat.
Something nuzzled his shoulder while he
stood listening To the diminishing iumuli
If the pursuit. and even before he turned
he knew what II was. He paused n mo-
ment 10 stroke the nose of the black horse
standing there with reins ATRIAL. II was
Ragtime. wet with lather and caked with
dust. But even then he was not prepared
for the sight which met him when he enter
ed the shack. Seconds must have passed
while he stood staring from the Threshold,
for Fat Joe came putting back from his
fruitleSs chase in time 10 see him BEND and
lift a black robci, lifeles>ly limp body from
the floor and >iagger with ii toward d
bunk. Fat Joe'~ steady flow Of profanity
oddly. double viciou- IN hi, thin. complain
mo vatgc aS cb.aLYi -h.r+ Ia 80