The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-09-01


vived, and it had grown to the stature
Of an ObSeSSOn: the determination to
wiring victory out of defeat for Timan-
yOni High Line; to fall, if he must fall,
fighting to the last gasp and with his
face to the enemy.
Il know" he said, replying, after the
reflective pause, to the charge passed
on by Colonel Dexter. There is a
friend of mine here from the East, and
| have been obliged to show her some
attention, 50 they say l am neglecting
my job. They are also talking it
around that am your Jonah. and say
ing that your only hope is to pitch me
overheard"
That's Dave kinzie." growled the
MisSourian. He seems to have it in
for you, some way"
Nevertheless. he was right" Smith
returned gloomily. Then: Il am about
at the end Of my rope, colonel-the
rope | warned you about when you
brought me here and put me into the
saddle; and I'm trying desperately to
hang on until my jobs done. When it
is done, when Timanyoni High Line
can stand fairly on its own feet and
fight its own battles, I'm gone"
ooh, no you're not" denied the
neutrality-suspicious. in generous pro-
test. You come on out home with me
tonight and get away from this muddle
for few minutes. It'll do you heap
of good you know it always does"
Smith shook his head reluctantly but
firmly.
Never again, colonel. 1t can only be
a matter of Il few days now, and I'm
not going to pull you and your wife
and daughter into the limelight if l can
help it,"
Colonel Dexter got out of his chair
and walked to the office window. When
he came back it was to say: Are they
sure-enough chasing you, John?-for
something that you have done? Is that
what you're trying to tell me?"
'That is it-and they are nearly here.
Now you know at least one of the rea-
sons why can't 60 with you tonight"
'Ill be shot if 1 To-" stormed the
generous one. II promised the missus
I'd bring you"
"You must make my excuses to her;
and to Corona you may say that l am
once more carrying a gun. She will un-
derstand."
(Which means, take 1t, that you've
been telling Cory more than you've
told the rest Of us. That brings on
more talk, John. haven't said a word
before, have ~
mo"
"Well, I'm going to say it now: I've
wide world, John"
Smith stood up and put his hands
behind him, facing the older man
SQuarely.
Colonel, I'd give ten years of my
life, this minute, if might go with you
to Hillcrest this evening and tell Co
roma what have been wanting to tell
her ever since l have come to know
what her love might make of me. The
fact that / can't do it is the bitterest
thing have ever had to face, or can
ever be made to face"
Colonel Baldwin fell back into his
Iwing-chair and thrust his hands into
his pockets.
ut beats the Dutch how things
tangle themselves up for us poor NOR
tails every little so-while," he com
after a frowning pause. And |
then: you haven't said anything like
that to Cory, have your"
mo"
THAT was white, anyway. And now
suppose the other wOman-this Miss |
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS over at the no. |
.el-has come and dug you up and got |
you on the end of her trailing rope. |
That's the way it goes when a man |
mixes and mingles too much. You
never can tell"
Hold on" Smith interpoSed. "What-
ever else | may be, I'm not that kind |
If scoundrel. l don't owe Miss |
Richlander anything that l can't pay
without doing injustice to the woman
love. But in another way l am n
,cOundrel, colonel. For the past two
lays l have been contemplate enough
o play upon womans vanity merely
or the sake of keeping her from talk
ng too much"
The grizzled old ranchman shook his
lead sorrowfully.
Il didn't think that of you, John; l
;ure didn't. Why, that's what you
night call low-down. tin-hOrn sort of
| game"
1T is just that. and I know it as
veil as you do. But it's the price |
ave to pay for my few days of grace.
Hiss Richlander knows the STATIONS;
hey've made it their business to get
acquainted with her. One word from
Ter to Crawford Stanton, and a wire
rom him to my home town in the mid
lie West would settle me-"
The older man Strengthened himself
n his chair, and his steel-gray eyes
lazed suddenly.
Break away from EN- john he
Urged Break it off short, and let 'em
IL DO their worst! Away along at the
irst, Williams and l both said you