The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-01-12
house on the hin.


stand" he began. not quite cOmforta-
bly,, however. for ne was aware OF q
CLEAN Of disapproval in his daughters
eyes at this interruption. We'll. there's
no great rush. but it's wise no doubt TO
see that things don't lag" He hesE
tated and shifted heavily to the Other
foot. wen want TO start through T.
the border by fall. | suppose"
Wen be ready" Steve had to laugl
Mt his lack of ease.
mo doubt-no doubt" Again he.
ter hesitated momentarlly. And thel
there came TO the surfa that prone
ness to accept men for what they wen
in mans world which had long be
fore convinced Caleb Hunter of Ali
sons inherent bigness.
Elliott resigned the presidency OF
the East Coast company last night"
The statement was brief TO actual
/ crispness. Il merely tell You this so
that you can begin TO lay tentative
plans accordingly. because in view OF
the immediate need Of filling that va.
| cancy feel sure that there will be too
many demands ipon your time here.
She grew pensiye at times. At times
/ In an abandon Of gayety she chartered
back at a quarrelsome squirrel in the
thicket. She could rest later, and II
she could not go TO him Immediately
at least every step the horse took was
bringing them for a little while closer
together And her tomorrow was only
one twilight and one dawn away. Her
tomorrow would be his as utterly as
was she herself.
Dusk came, and regretfully she told
herself that she must be turning back
home. Two rife shots, sharp and star
tlingly close, whipped through the quiet
of that lazy afternoon, but they meant
nothing to her. She had reached the
height Of land. where he had found her
the day her roam mare strayed off while
she sat incoming on a log. She was
holding out both arms toward the spot
where the valley of Thirty Mile must
lie when team of heavy horses broke
around turn in the road, slowed to a
trot at the sight of her and came to an
abrupt standstill. When the girl rode
nearer to them, merely surprised and
curious at first, they snorted and show.
ed the whites of their eyes and SHE'D
back nervously.
Something chill clutched at Barbara's
heart while she spoke peremptorily
to Ragtlme who was dancing In sym.
pathetic panic. There was nothing &c
tell her, but she knew that these were
Big Louie's horses. And Big Louie
was a dreamy incompetent He had
left them for a moment, that was all
and they had become frightened ant
bolted. But Big Louie never neglected
! his team-they were not wet-they
had not been running far. And theil
. fright became less when she dismount
ed and approached them, soothing then
; with her voice until they let her toucl
, their sleek sides without rearing away
Dusk had come and gone, for it wal
growing dark Uncertain, more ant
more unnerved' as she stood and gaze,
at the forbidding, black shadows
ridges beyond her, the girl had to flgss
: suddenly against an impulse to turl
: and race back to the lower countr,
and Morrison and home. Even thel
L the rifle shots meant nothing to her
. and pride would not let her run. Sh
remounted and rode on rod or tw
and stopped to look back at the team
d which was watching her. She presses
on and rounded the curve. Ragtim
u reared and snorted there, and she bare
y ly stihed the cry which his strange be
havior brought to her lips. Because o
!, her senseless panic she punished hlr
! the more severely and sent him OF
And then she saw what the horse ha
! already seen.
A blue shirted figure lay half in tn
road, half in the underground tina
y fringed it, one arm crooked under hin
y and his face prone in the dust
bulkier mass was stretched who'll
within the trail-and she recognize
! him too Big Louic'S face was VI
= turned, and the explanation Of the tw
u rifle reports and the driverless tear
I was here, for Big Louie's hand sti
I, clutched the handle Of canvas pal
y They had stopped to water the horses
> they had been shot down from behinC
And first of all, unable to move, Will
l. horror parched her lips, the girl "
membered words which the limp ont
't half In the road and half In the under
$ brush, had spoken to her in a momer
of sternness.
e "He has fred upon me from cover,
= the man who loved her had said. II
. has been taking money from a ma
I who was bent on beating me at an
l. price!"
: blood slckens mer she whimpere
y aloud. Blood sickens me-" But sh
= managed to turn him over upon hi
: back. With brown head against hl
heart she listbned-listened and woul
l. not believe that her tomorrow migl
: come too late. And then she caugl
u the slack pound of his pulse.
= From there on she was less pam
= stricken. She gained control of facu
. ties shocked for a time into useless
y ness. Method marked her acts-delil
e Grafton mechanical, but sure. she wa
'e horribly afraid Of Big Louie, but st
finally dlsentangled the handle of III
le pail from those loose fingers and "a