Tombstone epitaph., 1917-02-11
CHAPTER xvi-continued.

The girl from Philadelphia had for come days been watching the road which led in tortuous twists from Peril to the gap. She herself hardly realized how expectautly she had watched it
 She was thinking of the man she had sent away and wondering what their meeting would be like And the girl of the bill sitting near by would look on. her fingers gripping them selves tightly together and an ache in her own heart Deep in Dawn's nature. which had been coming of late into a sweetly fragrant bloom. crept the ran cor Of a fierce jealousy for the man from down below" whom she had never seen, but whose letter could make Juanita forget present things and drift away into world of other days and other scenes-a world in which Dawn herself had no part.
 Juanita was wondering if. after all, she had not misiudsed Roger Malcolm. She wanted to think she had. because her heart WAS hungry for love. She had written to him, sternly forbidding his coming. and if he obeyed that man date he would. of course, prove himself weak and lacking in initiative. So she was waiting with iuttering heart
 But on the day that he came she was not watching He had pushed on al a rate of speed which mountain patience would not have countenanced and had arrived in two hours less than eh Quired. The heaving sides of his tired horse told almost as much of the eag erness that had driven him as did the frank worship of his face.
 At the front fence he hitched his mount and walked noiselessly up to ures sat sewing in the hall as he silent ly opened the unlatched door and lei himself in. One of them was a figure he knew even with its back turned-s figure which, because of something distinctively subtle and wondrous could belong to no one else. The other was a mountain girl of Undeniabie beauty. but, to him, of no interest
 It wae Dawn who saw him first and with a glance that brought resentful flash to her eyes, she rose silently and slipped out through side door. Then as Juanita came to her feet with little gasp and held out both hands the mans heart began to hammer wild ly. and he knew that the fingers he held were trembling.
 He would have taken her at once ir his arms. but she held him of and shook her head.
 T told you not to come." she re buked him in a voice that lacked con yiction
 And I fagrantly disobeyed you" hs answered As l mean henceforth tc disobey you. Once I lost you because I played a weak game You want conqueror, and I have always been { suppIiant. Now have changed my method"
 -Oh," said Juanita faintly. For just an instant she felt leap at her heart Perhaps, after all, he had grown tt her standard. That was how she mus be won, if ever won, and she wanted to be won
 She saw him draw out of his pocke . small box which she had once giver back to him and take from it ring sh' had once worn. but again she shool her head
 Not yet. dear" she said very softly You haven't proved yourself a con oueror yet. you know. You've jus estIed yourself one
 Then her heart misgave her. for after gazing into her eyes with . hur look. the man masked his disappoini ment behind a smile of deference an' replied: Very well. l can wait bu that's how 1t must be in the end
 In the end. Juanita knew that. ate aIl, he had not changed
 He was stfll the man of brave U t.ots and words-stiil the man wh stood hesitant at the moment TOT blow.