Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-07-19
CHAPTER TX (Continued).

oIIAI III Ia t(OIlliIlueuJ.
Jennie insisted that he find some
shelter where IA fire could be built
to dry his clothes. He was not
in Il fit condition to risk catch
ing cold. In fact. Duane's teeth
were chattering. To find a shelter
In that barren waste seemed a futile
task. Quite unexpectedly, however,
they happened upon Il deserted adobe
cabin situated a little off the road. Not
only did it, prove to have a dry inter
ior, but also there was firewood.
Water was available in pools every
where; however, there was no grass for
the horses.
A good fire and hot food and drink
changed the aspect OF their condition
as far as comfort went. And Jennie
lay down to sleep. For Duane. how
ever, there must be vigilance. This
cabin was no hiding place. The rain
changed to the north. Its Il norther.
all right" muttered Duane. Tive or
three days" And he felt that his ex-
traordinary luck had not held out.
Still one point favored him, and 1t was
that travellers were not likely to come
along during the storm.
jennie slept while Duane watched.
The saving of this girl meant more to
him than any task he had ever as
sumed. First 1T had been partly from
a human feeling to succor an unfortu-
nate woman, and partly u motive to
establish clearly to himself that he was
no outlaw. Lately, however, had come
a different sense. "a strange one. with
something personal and warm and pro-
tective in it.
AS he looked down upon her, a slight.
slender girl with bedraggled dress and
d~isheveled hair. her face, pale and
quiet, a little stern in sleep, and her
long. dark lashes lying on her cheek.
he seemed to see her fragility, her pref
tiness, her femininity as never before.
But for him she might at that very
have been a broken. ruined
girl lying back in that cabin of the
BANDS The fact gave him a feeling
OF his Importance in this shifting of
her destiny. She was unframed, still
young; she would forget and be happy:
she would live to be a good wife and
mother. Somehow the thought swelled
his heart. Hic act, death dealing as it
had been, was a noble one. and helped
him to hold on to his drifting hopes.
Hardly once since Jennie had entered
into his thought a those ghosts re-
turned to torment him.
Tomorrow she would be gone among
good. kind people with a possibility of
finding her relatives. He thanked God
for that; nevertheless. he felt II pang.
She slept more han half the day.
Duane kept guard, always alert,
whether he was sitting, standing. or
walking. The rain battered steadily
on the o and sometimes came in
gusty flurries through the door. The
horses were outside in "a shed thai af-
1orded poor shelter, and they stamped
restlessly. Duan kept them saddled
and bridled.
About the middle OF the afternoon
Jennie awoke. They cooked "a meal
and afterward sat beside the little fire.
ShG Ind nnNnl. haon in hic pI,cn,xy,t ~, ~
OF her, anything but a tragic figure, an
unhappy girl. the farthest removed
from serenity n poise. Fhat char
acteristic capacity for agitation struck
him as stronger in her this day. He
attributed ii, however, to the long
strain, the suspense nearing an end.
Yet sometimes when her eyes were on
him she did not seem to be thinking
OF her freedom, of her future.
This time tomorrow you'll be in
ST. ibyvilie." he said.
Where will you be?" she asked.
QLie:ily.
Me-" Oh. III be making tracks for
some lonesome place." he replied.
The girl shuddered.
I've been brought up in Texas.
remember what a hard lot h men of
my family had. But poor as they
a hearth with a fire. a warm bed
somebody to o them. And you,
Duane-oh. my God! What must your
life be? o must ride and hide and
watch %eternally. No decent food, nc
pillow, no friendly word. no clean
,uns. trails. rocks, holes-these must
he the important things in your life
You must &c on riding. hiding, killing
until YOU meet
She ended with a sob and dropped
her head on her knees. Duane was
amazed, deeply touched.
MY girl. thank you for that though,
OF me" he said, with a tremor in his
voice. You don't know how much
that, means to me-"
She raised her face. and it was teal
stained, eloquent, beautiful.
"l've heard teli--the best Of men &c
to the bad out there. You won't
Promise me you won't. l never-knew
any man-like live may
never see each other again-after to-
day. I'll never forget you. I'll pray
for you, and I'll give up trying
to-to do something. Don't despair
It's new too late. It was my hope that
kept me alive-out there at BANDS
before you came l raj only a poo,
weak girl. But II I could hope-sc
can you. Stay away from men. Be q
lone wolf. Fight for your life. Stick
gut your e~xiie-and maybe-some
4 Then she lost her voice. Duane
clasped her hand and with feeling as
s deep as hers promised to remember hel
words. In her despair for him she had
SpokGn wisdom-pointed out the only
source.
Dnanesa vigilance. mOmentaril,
broken by emotion. had no sooner re-
esSerted itself than he discovered the
Ebay horse, the pne Jennie rode. HAD
ShrSken A3e halter and gone Oh. Thx
f1oft vet, earth had deadened the sound
aoe Ms hoofg. His tracks were plain II