Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-02-22
The Arrow 70 the MARI.

Smith, concentrating abstractedly, as
his habit was, upon the work In hand,
was still deep In the voueher-audlting
when the Office door was opened and
a small shocked voice said: "Oh,
wOOhi how you startled mel I saw
the light, and I supposed, Of course, II
was eolonel-daddy. Where is hef"
Smith pushed the papers aside and
looked up scowling.
HE was here a minute ago., with
Stlllngs. Said he'd be back. You've
come to take him homer
She nodded and came to sit in a
chair at the desk-end, saying:
"DOn't let me interrupt you, please.
I'll be quiet"
II don't mean to let anything inter-
runt me until 1 have finished what I
have undertaken to do; I'm past all
that, now"
II have heard about what you did
last night"
about the newspaper fracas7 You
don't approve Of anything like that, of
course. Neither did 1, once. But
there is no middle way. You know
what the animal tanners tell us about
the beasts. I've had my taste Of blood.
There are a good man. men in this
world who need killing. Crawford
Stanton is one of them, and I'm not
sure that Mr.. David Klnzie isn't an
other"
II can't hear what you say when
you talk like that" she objected, look
ing past him with the gray eyes
yelled.
t'Do you want me to lie down and let
them put the steam roller over mel" he
demanded irritably. as that your
ideal Of the perfect manT"
what 1 said, and what I meant,
had nothing at all to do with Timan-
yonl High Line and It's fight for life,"
she said calmly, recalling the wander
ing gaze and letting him see her eyes.
II was thinking altogether Of one
mans attitude toward his world"
"That was some time ago." he put
in soberly. 1--WE gone a long way
since then, Corona"
"I know you have. Why doesn't
daddy come back3"
Hell come soon enough. You're
not afraid to be here alone with me,
are FOUR"
mo; but anybody might be afraid
of the man you are going to be-"
His laugh was as mirthless as the
oreaklng of a rusty hinge.
you needn't put II in the future
tense. 1 have already broken with
whatever traditions there were left to
break with. Last night I threatened
to kin Allen, and, perhaps, I should
have done It II he hadn't begged like
a dog and dragged his wife and chill
dren into It."
81 know" she acquitsced, and again
she was looking past him.
"And that isn't all. Yesterday Kin
zle set a trap for me and bated II
with n Of his clerks. For a little
while It seemed as II the only way to
spring the trap was for me to 60
after the clerk and put a bullet
through him. It wasn't necessary, as
It turned out, but If 1t had been"
"Oh, you couldn't" she broke in
quickly. II can't believe that Of you T.
"You think I couldn't7 Let me tell
you Of n thing that l have done
Night before last Verda HIGHLANDER
had n wire from a young fellow whC
wants to marry her. He had found
out that she was here in Brewster
and the wire was to tell her that he
was coming In that night on the de
layed Flyer She asked me to meeI
him and tell him she had gone to bed
He Is a miserable little wretch; a. sort
of sham reprobate; and she has never
cared for him, except to keep him dan
Cling around with a lot of others.
told her l wouldn't meet him, and she
knew very well that / couldn't NEE
hlm-and stay out Of jail. Are yoI
listenlng1"
"Tm trying to-"
'It was the pinch, and I wasn't biz
enough-in your sense Of the word-t'
meet It. 1 saw what would happen
If Tucker JIbbey came here, Stanton
would pounce upon him at once ant
Jbbey, with a drink or two under hi
belt, would tell oil he knew. / Tough
Il all out while / was waiting for tn
train. It was Jlbbey's effacement, o
the end Of tie world for me, and 70
TimanyOni High Line"
Dexter Baldwin's daughter was no
Of those who shrek and faint at tn
apparltiOn OF horror. But the era
eyes were dllating and her breath wa
coming IN little gasps when she said
II can't believe I'll You are not g
ing to tell me that you met this ma
a. a friend, and then
"NO; It didn't quite come TO a mul
der In cold blood. though l thought
mlght. / had MaIwell's runabout. 90
got Jlbbey into II. He thought / WI
eoing to drive him 10 the hotel. ATT
Ne ena 81 q town be grew suspicion