The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-06-26


your friends will believe that. for I'm
! often in the saloons, and with men
who drink. haven't noised 1t abroad
that I don't drink, and only those who
have been with me a good deal and
know my ways. understand 1t. sim
ply don't drink because I don't want
to. I saw what it did to men when
first came out here. Isknew I needed
my brains for what l wanted to do,
and l didn't like the idea Of surren'
dering them for a few hours carouse
and putting myself even temporarily
out Of my own control, sol just deter:
mined ! wouldn't drink and I didn't,
But You brother and sister won't be
llieve that. My reputation is under
stood to be of the worst, and drinking
is a matter Of course when one is, hard
and wild as they think I am. There's
another thing, too. I've kept away
from women. Some OF them hurt me
too much when I was a kid, and when
I grew a little older, and SO l decided
against them all. That's kept me
clean. l can look you in the eyes and
not be ashamed. I didn't do it because
I had any idea there would ever be one
like you in the world. / did it just be.
cause the kind of thing that some men
liked, turned mesick to think Of. This
is probably another thing. your people
wouldn't believe. They've heard 9th.
erwise of me. They've shouldered
every crime on the calendar on me,
And perhaps they've had some reason
from their standpoint. haven't al
ways tried to make things look right,
l didn't are. 1t wasn't their business.
There was a girl came to the Valley
once with a travelling show who was
all In. She was down on her luck and
Just about ready to give uR and take
her own life. / helped her out a bit,
paid for her at the hotel a few days till
she got rested, and sent her on her
way to her father In Missouri; but you
ought to have heard the rumpus the
town raised! That added to my sa.
worry reputation, you see.. Well, I'm nc
saint, but I've kept clean! So-there
you have the worst of me-and the
best-but it's bad enough, Your
father wouldn't stand for me a minute,
and I guess he's right. I don't blame
him. I blame myself. AS for your
sister! Why, If Harrington knew
was out here alone with you he'd bring
a posse Of men and shoot me on the
spot for daring to bring you home. He
would. He feels just that way abou,
me-"
81 shall change all that" said Jean
with a thrill in her voice, 81 shall tell
them how mistaken they have been in
you. l shall tell them that was only
a kind Of rough outside that you wore
"a mask that hid your inner feelings
II shall make them understand tina,
they have not known the real man you
are at ALL"
"You cannot do that, little girl" said
the man, gently leaning toward her
"It would be best for you not to try
I tell you you do not know in the least
what the feeling is against mo-"
But you will help to show them
too" said Jean, wide eyed with sor
row. "You will not go on doing those
Observation-Disclosures things thai
made them feel you were not right
She paused in a confusion of words
not liking to voice a thought against
him. "You will not do so any more?'
She pleaded wistfully like a child
"You will make them see-for my
sake If not for your own you will lei
them see how wonderful you are! How
fine you have been to me! You viii
not let them go On thinking. You VIII
change it allT"
Her voice choked of in a sob ant
for a moment she dropped her tear
wet face down upon his hands tina
and trembled with her touch and 1
was then he felt the most crucial mo
ment of his punishment.
He sat white and silent for a mo
ment, longing to gather her into hi
arms and comfort her, to crush her t,
him; but he would not. The noblenes
in him held her sacrde because h,
knew he was unworthy. Then he spok'
in a low, grave tone, and his voice hat
a hollow, hopeless sound.
"Il change, Of course" he said. "
couldn't do otherwise. Did you thinl
/ could go on that way artef havinI
known you? / never could do any o
the things again that | know yor
wouldn't like. I couldn't, now tina
you've trusted me. l wouldn't wan
to. You have made everything seer
different. If it'll please you I'll prom
Use anything you like. But of course
know that doesn't matter so far as on
ever having each other is concernet
Nothing l can do can make people fo1
get what they think / am. They woul
never feel differently. They woul
feel it a disgrace for you to spek t
me. They'd always think you'd gon
to perdition IL you had anything to d
with me. I'm not fit for you. l knoV
it and there's an end Of it, but =
spend the rest of my life trying t
make myself what 1 ought to hav
been, IL that will comfort you any"
The girls hands chung now with a
most a painful clasp, nd tears wer
dropping down her face.
Don't! Donti" he pleded earnes