Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-06-08
CHAPTER XVII.
A New Way of Leaving House.

The surge of disgust with which
Sheba had broken her engagement to
marry Macdonald ebbed away as the
weeks passed 1t was impossible for
her to wait upon him In his illness and
hold any repugnance toward this big,
elemental man. The thing he had done
might be wrong, but the very open
ness and frankness of his relation to
Meteetse redeemed it from shame. He
was neither profligate nor a squaw-
man.
This was DANES point of view, and
In time 1t became to certain extent
that of Sheba. One takes on the color
of ones environment, and the girl from
Drogheda knew In her heart that Me-
teetse and Colmac were no longer the
real barriers that stood between her
and the Alaskan. She had been dis
illusloned, saw him more clearly; and
though she still recognized the quality
of bigness that set him apart, her spirit
did not now do such complete homage
to 1t. More and more her thoughts
contrasted him with another man.
Macdonald did not need to be told
that he had lost ground, but with the
logged determination that had carried
him to success he refused to accept
the verdict. She was woman, there
fore to be won. The habit of victory
was so strong In him that he could see
no alternative.
The motor-car picnic to the Willow
Creek camp was case In point. Sheba
did not want to 60 but she went. The
picnic was a success. Macdonald was
an outdoor man rather than a parlor
one. He took charge of the luncheon,
lit the fire, and cooked the coffee with
out the least waste of effort. In his
shirt sleeves, the neck open at the
throat, he looked the embodiment of
masculine vigor. Diane could not
help mentioning 1t to her cousin. @
isn't he splendid human animalY
Sheba nodded. He's wonderful
IF | were little Irish colleen and
he had done me the honor to care for
me, I'd have fallen fathoms deep In
love with him.
The Irish colleen's eyes grew refiec-
tive. mot If you had seen Peter first,
Di There's nothing reasonable about
q girl, do believe. She loves--or else
she just doesn't"
Diane fired question at her point
blank. "Have you met your Peter? Is
that why you hang baek?"
The color famed into Sheba's face.
"0f course not You do say the most
outrageous things, Dr."
They had driven to Willow Greek
over the river road. They returned
by way of the hills. Macdonald drew
up in front of cabin to fill the radi-
ator
He stood listening beside the car,
the water bucket In his hand Some
thing unusual was going on inside the
house. There came the sound of
thud, of a groan, and then the crash
of breaking glass. The whole window
frame seemed to leap from the side
of the house. The head and shoulders
of man projected through the broken
glass.
The man swept himself free Of the
debris and started to run. Instantly
he pulled up in his stride, as amazed
TO see those In the car as they were to
see him.
Gordon |" cried Diane.
Out Of the house poured rush OF
men. They too pulled up abruptly at
sight Of Macdonald and his guests.
A sardonlc mirth cleaned in the
eyes of the Scotsman. do you al
ways come out of house through the
wall, Mr.. ELLIOTT he asked.
"Only when I'm In hurry" Cor |
don pulled out a handkerchief and |
dabbed at some glass-cuts on his face.
Don't let us detain you" said the
Alaskan satlrically. wen excuse you,
since you must CO."
I'm not In such a hurry now. In |
fact, IL you're going to Kusiak / think |
TIL ask you for a lift" returned the
field agent coolly.
"And your friends-in-a-hurry - do
they want lift too?"
Big Bill Macy came swaying for
ward, both hands to his bleeding head. |
"He's a spy, curse him. And he tried
to kill me-"
did he?' commented Macdonald |
evenly. "What were you doing to him?"
He can't sneak around our claim
under n false name" growled one of
the miners. wen beat his head Off"
I've had notions like that myself !
sometimes" assented the big Scots
man. But think we had all better
leave Mr., Elliot to the law. He has
Uncle Sam back of him In his spying,
and none of us are big enough to buck
the government" Crlsply Macdonald
spoke to Gordon, turning upon him
cold, hostile eyes. "Get In IL you're
going to-"
Elliot met him eye to eye. "Tve
changed my mind. I'm going to walk"
That's up to you"
Gordon shook hands with Diane and |
Sheba, went into the house for his
ccsr, and walked to the stable. He
brought out his horse and turned 1t
loose, then he took the road himself
for Kusiak.
A couple of miles out the car passed |
him trudging downward. As they
flashed down the road he waved
cheerful and nanchalant greeting.