Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-03-27
CHAPTER XVII.


CHAPTER XVIII.
A New Way OF Leaving a 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 prohigate nor a squaw-
man.
This was DANES point of view. and
In time it 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
illusioned, 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 q 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 a case In point. Sheba
did not want to go, but she went. The
picnic was success. Macdonald was
an outdoor man rather than 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 it to her cousin.
"lsn't he q splendid human animal9"
Sheba nodded. @He's wonderful"
IF We're 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 reflec-
tive. "Not 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 back7'
The color famed into Sheba's face.
"Of course not. You do say the most
outrageous things, Di."
They had driven to Willow Creek
over the river road. They returned
by way Of the hills. Macdonald drew
up IN front Of a 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 q
thud, Of q 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 .un. Instantly
he pulled I'M 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 sardonic mirth cleaned in the
eyes Of the Scotsman. do you al
ways come out of a house through the
wall, Mr.. Elliott" he asked.
"Only when I'm in a 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 satirically. "We'll excuse you,
since you must go"
m not N sucH hurry now. Ii
fact, if you're going to Kusiak, think
I'll ask you for a lift" returned the
field agent coolly.
'.And your friends-in-a-hurry 80 do
they want a 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-"
ibid he?'' commented Macdonald
evenly. "What were you doing to him?"
"He can't sneak around our claim
under o false name" growled one Of
the miners. well beat his head off,"
Give had notions like that myself
assented the big Scots
man. @But ] think we had all better