Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-05-10
X.
AFTERMATH.

sObered in more ways h one by the
summarizes of his punishment. 1t
was not to imply that he was lacking
in physical courage that the fight had
gone out Of him for the moment.
That is another thing for me to re-
member against you. Worthing." ne
painted. and promise I shall not for
get 1t. There are more ways of kill
ing a dog than one
1t was Jess kilrain's bitter laughter
that fell upon the silence. She had
feared what he might be impelled to
do. That he did nothing filled her
with contempt.
An l was fool enough to take you
Tor a mani" she cried.
She turned about to Worthing.
Il reckon l can ride on now, Mr..
Worthing. You're safe-so longs you
face him.
Perhaps a man would not have said
It, but Jess was a woman and. though
she knew it not herself just then. she
was wounded cruelty. That knowl-
g was to come later.
Now she calmly united her horse.
and. leading him out into the center
of the enclosure. mounted into the
saddle una.ded. y moment more. with
a nod to W%orthing. ignoring Cardross
utterly, she put her pony clamberiny
WV " llic kdl dUONe.
The sound of its hoofs died away in
the woods.
You have played me a dirty deal.
Worthing."
You played a dirty game. l want
no words with you. Cardross. If you
you the satisfaction"
% what purpose? ?" asked Cardross.
YOU took me by surprise. The trick
Is yowfs this time. do not deny it."
As you will" returned Worthing.
Il do not misunderstood"
he got into his saddle. Without
further words he rode the way Jess
Ktlrain had gon
CardroSS was alone,
he fingered there until the night fell
ABOUT him. dark and somber; and dark
and somber were his thoughts. The
impetus OF evil was upon him. but he
0ld not yield to 1t without a struggle
Could he have had his way.
I'D have preferred to do the right
tang, but to have his way. right or
Wrong. had always been his way.
lie stood aghast at the bitter fierce
ness OF his mood at this defeat that had
overtaken Inn: His love for Jess Kill
= had not been wholly selfish. At
least. he had tried to blind himself to
the selfishness of It.
And It q been sincere enough for
It's loss to stun him. for the girls pas
Sc0rn to burn deep. Curiouslv
the act OF Workings castigation Of It.
self glanced off him with relative lieht.
ness. He had provoked that.
Workings interference. however he
could not forgive. Worthing's witness
Of his humiliation al Jess Kilrain.s
hands he could not forget. Antagon-
ism to his one time friend turned to
hatred. -
He knew he had lost Jess irretriey-
ably. Her love had long hung on the
tenuous point of his deception, and h.
had realized that he could not forever
hope to deceive the girl. That he
should lose her to Worthing-for 90 his
3ealOusy Interpreted Worthing's inter-
eat-addod the last flip to his thirst
tor revenge.
-He'li pay for It." he muttered as he
sHoee from the fallen tree. He'll nav
1or It with interest, damn HIM"
HOr Aay1 thereafter Jess Kilrain suf.
1sred the reaction Of her scorn and an
-. Il was not very easy to live with
1eu Just then. Her worst forebodines
- como true.
GiiEhted and humiliated whore she
nd loved, spared IN even greater hu.
MAIDEN, through WorthinGs action.
- GxioS was colored BY Z sense az
1900 that made Jess hate heruolf and
1n1 akooA hoe. She WaO captlouo with
rAfSGe: Goarp with Agnes, d no
~W0opoda1 Buck Brannon when
eano noar ho6. Only q Earle
WosehinG ~ - eAow seo6eaed