The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-05-25

never quarreled with Buck now Sh'
never leased him. Oftentimes, rest
less and dissatisfied himself, the youn:
fellow wished she had. In some subtl'
way she had receded from him into
more unapproachable distance.
In truth, Jess was OF guard. a
wonderful thing had happened to her
Even in that shocked moment wher
she had stood looking down upor
Blass Cardross' dead body it a beer
of Suck that she had thought. He haG
saved her. He vas thereby himself ir
| danger.
Strang, nameless emotions stirred
in her heart as she had watched him
so clean and capable, so fine and hui
man, 20 wholly hers in his love. The
scales had fallen from her eyes, yet
even as her admiration had grown and
that first sweet, wild n of her
power over his power, fear had grown
too. in Jess Kilrain's awakened heart.
So Jess had ridden from him that
day, her soul in a turnult Of feelings
OF which not the least were the wonder
and marvel at herself for her blind
ness, her folly, the new, quick bound
ing capacity within her for joy that
seemed to be sweeping her off her feet,
a sudden zest for life which not even
the thought Of death as she had just
seen it, avenging and terrible, could
serve to daunt.
Yet her fear daunted it, and even
before the news of the dire results of
Bucks exploding of the dam became
known, Jess had determined she Wou1d
plead with him through his low for
to be silent about Cardross' death.
She had been quick to avail herself
of the impression that had at once es-
tablished itself in every ones mind as
to the source of that explosion, and
she had likewise been quick to see that
0tyn ya vat IL 10 III
under 1t. So h a rome to Worth
ing.
Her action there had come at the
moments inspiration. Love and life
We're in the balance. and Jess threw
in her woman's soul to give full meas
ure. She had won, rs she knew she
would Then, having won, Jess drew
the caution about her-drew
it all the closer because of the exposure
She had made.
And as though to put the past yet
more remote, the face of nature now
underwent a change.
The long drought broke. and the au-
tumn came in with rains that seemed
endless. Where the creek and river
beds had lain dry as bleached bones
the water rushed in fresi1ets that
spread over the banks and swirled like
maelstroms among the trunks of the
trees, drowning some trunks of the
which a few weeks before had been
perishing of thirst.
The forced inactivity of the days
wore on Jess Kiiain, One morning size
stood by the window. watching the
downpour and wishing she had a mans
work that would take her out In il.
There's plenty of wonlanss work you
might do" said her aunt. to whom Jess
a unwisely communicated her desire.
MY hands would drap off if they hung
as idle as yours. less"
lis that why you keep your tongue
goin' SO. Aunt Agnes?" asked the girl.
Though L don't b1ieye it would stop
flndin' fault with me il it did drop off,
Agnes busted vigorously not to say
yirtuously.
my tongue finds no more fault
there's fault to find" she de-
clared.
"Yon think too much bout men, Jess
Kilrain. I'd ha' thought you'd learned
that lesson.
The girl drummed for a moment
upon the window pane with indignant
fingers. Then she turned about.
You should ha' married a parson.
Aunt Agnes" she observed as she
passed her aunt. Your children
would ha' been angels-an' horrid lit
tie brats.s'
She went on to her room. donned
boots and over her riding
put on a black slicker. Even
the hat she wore was a mans with
rubber cape about tie neck.
In the stable she saddlied her horse
and rode forth.
The heavy black earth stuck like
q until h reached the plains, soft
and soggy under her pony's hoofs.
There she broke into a splashing can
ter. the cold rain whipping in her face,
the smell OF the d%renched earth sweet
to her nostrils.
Agnes Kilrain had been right.
Jess was thinking not of men, but
Of one man in particular; thinking Of
him with an intensity that now and
again frightened her lest ii rob her of
her secret and bring to happen that
thing h yearned for hungrily.
she had learned her lesson, that
lesson ofca singing shame that even
soN sent the hot blood into her cheeks
when b remembered the way she had
herself with Blass Cardross.
Never. h swore to herself, would she
10 the shadow of that again.
Rather would she let Buck think her
yld antagonism toward him once more
in her heart.
He WAS avoiding her, she knew, and
SeEs could imagine the rebellion in his
nesart- She had bought his compliance
with her wishes. and then refused the
payxnent-the only payment that could
q a SAWED his hurt manhood. BIT
laaxs Jess had dared so brayely
tasaE night did she shrink the more now.
asAsad already the t~orturing doubt that
tSg1&k deSpised her for her conduct-i
tha& his love for her had died under
Ihe exaetipn she had put upon twas
FORMING vaguely in Jess rlind. Gould
blame him, she asked herself now,
with forlorn candor. Ii guessing her
L0EG 6A Hhnuid@ Iaora h a x,1a&r..1 kf&sA~o