The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1919-06-28
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Discovery.

camp next morning. Three rurnlcs, ih
brilliant trnpplngs. rode M to Rick
nrd's rnmadn. The header entering
the Office. announced that they were
on the track of criminal, the n,if'-
dercr of a ruralc. Maldonado. He was
IN Indian named Felipe. He repeated
the story Rickard had heard before.
Would the senior give his respected
permission for notices Ia be posted
about the cnmpf A description of the
Indian. n reward for his capture; the
favor would be inestimnble.
Rlckard saw the notice later that
dny. II was nailed to the bnck plat
form Of the Palmyra. lie was on Mnr-
shali's trail, his chief having fniIcd TO
keep an appointment with him. They
were to test the gate that afternoon (;
Marshall wns returning soon "a Tue
son.
Rlckard turned back toward camp.
deep In thought: 50 in,cnt that q sharp
cry had lost its echo before the import
came to him. He stopped. hearing run
Ming steps behind him. inncs Hardin
was Looping up the hank like n young
deer. with terror In her eyes.
'Mr Rlckard!' she cried. -Mr.
Rickardf'
She was trembling. Her fright had
aushed her: cheek Ia brow was glow
ing with startled blood. He saw nm
odd fash ~ startling beauty. the veil
of tnn torn OF by her emotion. The
wave OF her terror cnught him. He
put out his hand Ca ktendy her. She
stood recovering herself. rcgninlng her
spent brcnth. Rieknrd remembered
TINT this was the FIRST time he Ind seen
her since the murder ~ Maldonndo.
since the meeting with the Mexican
woman nj his tent. "what was IL
frightened your
''rhe Indian. the murderer. Just A.
they describe him on those notices. j
must have fallen asleep. I'D been
reading. I heard q nolse In tire brush
and there wns his face staring ~ me"
Her breath was still uneven. II
screamed and ran. Silly - Be 10
scnred."
He started toward the willows. hut
NV kiuuUEu ~Sss oyss ~
She flushed. thinking To meet the auis-
Eical smile. but his eyes were grave
Ne. too. had had his fright They stood
staring at each other. I'm AFRAID"
she completed. How he would despise
her cowardicci But she could nst let
him know that her fear hnd beea for
himl
lie was looking nj her. Suppose any.
thing had happened Ia her. lie hnd q
minute of nausea. If that brute had
hurt her-and then he knew how "a
was with hint
lie looked M her grnvcly. or course.
He had known II n long time. II was
true. She was going IN belong 10 him.
II that brute had hurt her
She shrnnk under his gravity; this
was something she did not understand,
They were silent walking toward the
encampmcnt. Rickard did not care Ia
talk. II was not the time: and he had
been badly shaken. Innes was trcmu'
lously conscious of the palpitating n.
lence. Sne nuttcred toward glddy
speech. Her walk that day. Mr. Rick
ard She had heard that water had
started Ia fow down the old river he'd
she had wanted To see II. and there
was no one To go with her. Her sen
tcnce broke of. The look he had
turned on her was 50 dominant. 80 ten.
der. Amused at her glddncss. and
yet loving her! Loving her! They
were silent again.
"Y0u won't go on alone. again." He
had not asked II. at parting. His In.
Election demanding II Of her. was Of
ownership. She did not meet his eyes.
Later. when she was lying on her
bed. face downward. routed, she tried
tO analyzc that possessiye challenge of
his gaze. but II eluded words. She
summoned her pride. but the meaning
called her. sense and mind and soul
of her. II cried To her: II, Casey
Rickard, whom your brother hates.
once the lover Of Gerty Holmes. I am
lhe mate for you. And I'm going to
come and take you some day. Some
day. when J have time ~
oh. yes. she was sngry with him
she had some pride. why didn't he
tell me thenf" she cried In q warm tu-
muit to her pillow. Fer would have
rven him his snswev. II hsd time.
ample time, 10 tell hIm thst II was
not true" For she wasted q different
sort Of lover. not . secondhand dis
card; but one who belonged all To her
self; one who wonld won, not take her
with that strange sure look of his.
"You'll be waiting when come" All,
she would not, indeed She would
show him
And then she lay quite still with her
hand over her heart. She would he
waiting when he came for her! Be
cause. though life had brought them
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