Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1919-05-29

To these two men the entrance of
the lovely girl into the monotony of
the journey was a refreshment. Even
the old man., Scathlin. whose low type
of life received only fieshly impress
siOns. and who had grown up from his
tainted babyhood without honor for
any woman, felt the fineness of her ma
ture. the rareness of her modest beau.
ty as she came near.
To Jasper Holt she was the sudden
startling revelation Of some pure
dream OF his childhood, the reality OF
which he had come to doubt. His
knowledge of the world told him that
probably she was frail and human and
selfish like all the rest. il one came to
know her. but for the sake OF what she
seemed to be he was glad OF the vision,
and would protect her at all costs be-
cause she was a woman and ought to
have been perfect. That was his atti-
tnde toward the world Of women at
that time.
Nevertheless az he looked again at
the pure profile turned now toward her
window, and studied the sweet outline
OF the firm little chin. pleasant lips.
the gentle contour of, cheek and lash
and brow. the luminous eyes that were
glowing for the moment at the stain Of
sunset beginning to trickle through
the gloomy gray of the sky, he could
not but feel that here was something
different. 1t was something for which
he had been hoping all his life-search-
ing for, but never finding. Something
1t was good just to know existed:
something whose existence would
make even a stranger better and
Drawer and purer.
She was slight. small. exQuisitely
fashioned: dressed in some simple.
clinging, dark blue material of form
so suitable as to make one fail to no.
tice just what it was. Sheer white
rolled back collar and cuffs set out tho
white, throat and the small Eloved
hands: the close. dark blue hat with
its graceful tilt and simple garnishinE
seemed just the loveliest setting for
the beautiful face framed in its soft
dark hair. Her face was wonderfully
pure. free from self consciousness and
pride: yet she looked as II she knew
her Own mind and could stand like a
rock for a principle. There was also a
determined little uplift to her chin that
showed a spirit of her own, and a
feeting dimple that promised a merry
appreciation of humor II one knew her
we'll enough: but the whole dainty
person was good to look upon and Holt
kept the vision within his conscious
ness while he covered Scathlin with
his gaze.
He loathed his task of watching
Scathlin, and somehow the sight OF the
pure faced girl had mode it even more
~Idistasteful. For two weeks now he
had been at it, day and night. He had
not let Scathlin out of his sight for one
moment since he had found him in
Pittsburgh two days after the theft
of his wallet containing valuable pa
pers. land grants. water rights and
other documents relating to his silver
mines and other property.
Holt had suspected the old man at
once when the wallet was missing,
partly because Scathlin had been seen
twice in conversation with the man
! Harrington, who was HOlt's sworn
enemy and who was doing all he could
to ruin his prospects and dispute his
rights to the water power which made
the working Of his mines possible; and
partly because Scathlin had been dis
lmissed summarily from Hollis employ
but a few days previous to the disap-
Dearance OF the property.
lie had trailed Scathlin to Pitts
burgh, where he found him mounted
on u high stool in the station restau.
rant eating a comfortable breakfast.
Tho old rascal turned white under his
tan and stubble. and dropped his knife
and fork loudly on the marble Of the
counter at the appearance Of his for
mer employer: hut the cunning In his
face had come at once to the front, and
he welcomed Holt as IL 1t were the
~pleasantest thing In the world to have
him appear just at that lonely moment
and aat breakfast with him.
1t was Hollis way not to settle the
matter right then and there by turning
tho old man over to the police on sus-
picion, but 70. attach. himself to Scaih,
lin and ind out exactly where those
! papers, were. and who were the mans
employers in the theft. He was war.
/. enough to know that Scathlin might
have already gotsrid oitthe wallet, and,
Yhe Wished II possjble 70 And out what
he had done with ske2spers and get
| GCSthlfn TITO his pOVur until he c0xld