Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-12-21
CHAPTER vn-conunued.

3
II Smith hesitated. 1t was only partly
on his own account. He was thinking
again ot the young woman with the
honest eyes when he said: do you
know why 1 turned Williams down
when he spoke to me the other day."
Colonel Dexter Baldwin had his
faults, like other men, but they were
not those Of lndirection.
81 reckon l do know, son." he said,
with large tolerance. you're a lame
duck of some sort. But that's our
lookout. BARLEY is ready to swear
that you are not a crooked crook, what
ever else it is that you're lodging for.
Besides, there's yesterday"
ave agreed to forget the yesterday
Incidents" the lame duck reminded
him quickly. And then: II ought to
say No. Colonel Baldwin; say it
straight out, and stick to 1t. If I don't
say tiff 1 ask for a little time-it is
because 1 want to weigh up a few
things-the things 1 can't talk about to
you or to Williams. II, in the end, I
should be fool enough to say Yes 1t
is only fair to you to say that, right In
the middle Of the scrap, I may fall
to pieces on you"
Baldwin was too shrewd to try to
push his advantage when there was,
or seemed to be, a chance that the
desired end was as good as half at
tanned. And 1t was a purely manful
prompting that made him get up and
thrust out his hand to the young fell
low who was trying to be as frank
as he dared to be.
"Put It there, John" he said heartily.
Nobody In the Timanyoni is going to
pry into you an inch farther than you
care to let 'em; and If you get into
trouble by helping us, you can count
IN at least one hacker who viii stand
by you until the cows come home.
Now, then, hunt up your coat, and
wen drive over to Hillcrest for a bite
to eat. I had my orders from the
mlssus before I left town, and 1 know
better than to go home without you.
Never mind the commissary khaki. It
won't be the first time that the work.
ing clothes have figured at the Hill
crest table-nOt by n long shot"
And because he did not know how
70 frame a refusal hat would refuse,
Smith got his coat and went.
Given his choice between the two,
Smith would cheerfully have faced
another hand-to-hand battle with the
claim jumpers in preference to even
so mild a dip into the former things
as the dinner at Hillcrest foreshad-
owed. The reluctance was not forced (;
Il was real. The primitive man In him
did not wish TO be entertained. On
the fast auto drive down to Brewster,
across the bridge, and out to the Bald
win ranch, Smiths humOr vas frankly
sardonic. He cherished a small hope
that Mrs. Baldwin might be shocked
At the soft shirt and the khaki. 1t
would serve her right for taking a man
from his job.
At the stone-pillared portal he got
out TO open the gates. Down the
road a horse was coming at a smart
gallop. the rider, Corona Baldwin,
booted and spurred and riding a mans
saddle.
Smith let the gray car go on it's
way up the drive without him.
$50 you weakened, did your I'm
disappointed in you" was Miss Bald
wins greeting. you've made me lose
my bet with colOnel-daddy. 1 said you
wouldn't come"
IL had no business to come" he an
swered morOsely. But your father
wouldn't let me or"
"of course lie wouldn't daddy never
lets anybody on, unless they W him
money. WhCre are your evening
.lOthes1'
Smith let the lever OF moroseness
slip back to the grinnlng notch. 'They
are about two thousand miles away,
and probably In some secondhand
shop by this dme. What makes you
think / ever wore a dress suitY' He
had closed the gates and was walking
beside her bOrse up the driveway.
"Oh. l Just guessed IT," she returned
lightly, ~and II youn hold your breath,
I'll guess again"
Don't" he laughed.
At the steps a negro stablebOy was
waiting 10 take Miss Baldwin's horse.
Smith knew how 20 help a woman
down from a slde-saddle; but the two
Shnuped rig a'umped him. The young