The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-08-29
CHAPTER xI.-contlnued.

Presently he spoke thickly. ~ sup
pose you have heard that he was a
sqaww man"
That's ridiculous. Don't be absurd.
Gordon"
TITS the truth. I've seen the
Shs was pointed out to me-"
by old Gideon Holt, likely" she
dashed.
"One could get evidence and show II
10 Miss O'Neill." he said aloud, TO him
self rather than to her.
Diane put her point Of view before
him with heated candor. "You couldn't.
Nobody but q cad would rake up old
scandals about the man who has beat.
IN him fairly for a woman's love-"
You beg the question. Has he won
fairiyr"
"Of course he has. Be a good sport.
Gordon. Don't kick on the umpire's
decision. Play the game"
that's all very well. But what
about herr Am I to sit quiet while
she Ia sacrificed to a code Of honor
that seems to me rooted in ~dishonor2"
"shs IL not being sacrificed. I'm
her cousin. I'm very fond OF her. And
I'd trust her with Colby Macdonald"
"Play fair. Diane. Tell her the truth
about this Indian woman and let your
cousin decide for herself. You can't
DO less. a your"
Mrs. Paget was distinctly annoyed.
You ought to be ashamed Of yourself,
aordon Elliot. You take oil the gos-
sip of a crack-brained old idiot for
gospel truth Just because you want
to believe the worst about Mr.. Mac
donald. Colby Macdonald Is toe big
and too aggressive not to have made
hundreds Of enemies. His life has been
threatened dozens Of times. But he
pays nc attention to it-goes right on
building up this country. Yet you'd
think he had a cloven hoof 10 hear
some people talk. I've no patience
with them
THE woman's name Is Meteetse,"
Gordon said In an even voice, Just rs
II he were answering n question. "She
Is young and good-lookinG for an In
dian. Her boy is four or FIVE years old.
Colmac. they call him, and he looks
just IKE Macdonald.
"Peopie are always trucing resem-
blancez. There's nothing TO that. But
suppose his life wns irregular-years
ngo. This isn't Boston. 1t used to be
the fringe Of civilization. Men did as
they pleased In the early days"
"This wasn't in the early days. II
was i've years ago, when Macdonald
WIS examining the Kamatlah coal field.
I'm told he sends a check down the
river once a month for the woman"
All the more credit TO him II lie
does" Diane rose and looked storm
lily down at her friend. you're about
ms broad as a clam. Gordon. Can't you
see that even II It's true, all that is
done with? It Is a part of his past
and It's finished-trodden underfoot.
II hasn't u thing TO do with Sheba."
II don't agree with you. A man
can't cut loose entirely from his past.
It Ia n part OF him-and Macdonald's
past isn't good enough for sheba
O'Neill."
Diane tapped her little foot impa-
tiehtiy on the floor. do you know
tioHy hAgh NHOst DuSlS are HOOu
enough for their wives3 Colby Mac
donald is good enough for any woman
alive II he loves her enough"
you don't know him."
II know him far better than you do.
Tie is the biggest man ! know, and now
that he is In love with a good woman
he'll rise to his chance"
"She ought TO be told the truth
shout Meteetse and her boy" he In.
sisted doggedly.
Mrs. Paget lost her temper complete
~. docs the government pay you
20 mind other peoples business, Cor
donf" she snapped.
II wouldn't be working for the gov
eminent then. but for sheba O'NeiI."
"And for Gordon Elliot. You'd be
doing underhand work for him too.
Don't forget that. You can't do Il.
You're not that kind of a man. II
isn't in you to go undertaking In the
past of the man Sheba L. going to
merry"