Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-10-12

chord. faltered and broke and failed.
duane sustained a sudden shock and
an instant of paralyzed confusion of
thought.
She moved, h swept out her hands,
and the wonder Of her eyes dimmed in
a flood Of tears.
MY God! You can't care for me?"
he cried. hoarsely.
Then she met him, hands put
stretched.
But l do-I dol"
Swift as light Duane caught her and
held her to his breast. He stood hold
ing her tight. with the feel of her
warm, %throbbing breast and the clasp
OF her arms as flesh and blood realities
to fight a terrible fear. He felt her,
and for the the might of it
was stronger than all the demons that
possessed him. And he held her as
II she had been his soul, his strength on
earth, his hope Of heaven, against his
lips.
The strife of doubt all passe1. He
found 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
plaze OF the sun to II long in dark
ness. He had become an outcast, a
Wanderer, a gunman, a victim of cir
cumstanceS; 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
ms, 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.
ID you care-a little?" he Whis-
pered, unsteadily.
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. Duane-Duane-a
Their lips met in their first kiss. The
sweetness. the fire Of her mouth
seemed SO new. so strange, so irresist-
IDLE to Duane. His sore and hungry
heart throbbed with thick and heavy
beats. He felt the o%utcast's need Of
love. And he gave up to the enthral-
ing moment. She met him half a
returned kiss for kiss, clasp for CLASP.
her race scarlet, her eyes closed, till,
her passion and strength spent, she
fell pack upon his shoulder.
Duane suddenly thought she was
soAHS " Adinl. ne owned ulen 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 q pang Of regret
at his unreStraint
Presently she recovered, and she,
drew only the closer, and leaned upon
him with her face u%pturned. He felt
her hands on his, and they were soft.
cl1ngirH. strong, like steel under vel
vet. He felt the rico orI Pol1 ~.
warmth of her breast. A tremor ran
over him. He tried 10 draw back, and
II he succeeded a little her form swayed
with him. pressing closer. h held
her face up, and he was compelled to:
look. 1t was wonderful now: white, yet
glowing, with the red lips parted, and
lark eyes alluring. But that was not
all. Ihere was passion, unuuenchable
spirit, Wonan's resolve deep and
mighty. ,
Il 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
lift her to a seat beside him. She
seemed more tina a dead weight. Her
calmness had fled. She was throb-
bling, palpitating, quivering, with hot
wet cheeks and arms that chung to him
like vines. h 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
float away. That kiss closed his eyes,
and he could not lift his head. He sat
motlonless. holding her, blind and help
less, wrapped in a sweet dark glory.
She kissed him-one long endless kiss
or else LOCO times. Her lips, her
wet cheeks, her hair, The softness. the
fragrance OF her, the tender clasp of
her arms, the swell Of her breast-au
these seemed to inclose him.
Duane could not put her from him.
lie yielded to her lips and arms, watch
ing her, ~involuntarily returning her
caresses, sure now of her Intent fas-
by the sweetness of her. he
W1ldered, almost lost. This was what
1T was to be loved by a woman. His
years OF outlawry had blotted out any
boylsh love he might have known. This
was what he had to give up-all this
strange fire he feared yet loved. this
mate his deep and tortured soul recog-
nized. Never until that moment had
he dev1ned the meaning Of a woman to
a a That meaning was physical
inasmuch that he learned what beauty
was, ",aI !iiarVel IN the touch Of
quickenfng flesh; and it was spiritual
in that he saw there might have BEEN
for him. under happier circumstances.
a life OF noble deeds lived for such a
wonan
Don't go! Don't go!" she cried, as
he started violently.
Il must. Dear, goodby. Remember
1 loved you'll"
He pulled her hands loose from his
stepped back.
Ray, dearestl believe-Tn come
back!" he whispered.
These last words were falsehood.
He reached the door, gave her ono
last piercing glance, to fix for ever In
memory that white face with its dark.
staring, tragic eyes.
"Duane!"
he fled with that moan like thunder,
death, hell in his ears.
To forget her. to get back his nerve.
he forced into mind the imagine Of