The Pulaskian., 1919-05-23
CHAPTER xxvIl-continued.


The night was bright with stars.
Bright as day, isn't it," Because her
voice was curt, and she had not used
his name, the rising infection helped
a llttlel Hateful, to stumble over a
rut in the road Of course, he'd make
her take his arm! OF Counsel
Richard grasped her elbow. She
walked along. her head high, her
cheeks flaming, anger surging through
her at his touch.
Stupid to press this companionship,
this awkward silence on her. If he
thought she was going to entertain
him, as Gerry did, with her swift chat
fer, he'd be surprised Any other two
people would fall into easy giye-and-
take, but what could she. Innes Har-
din. find to chatter about with this
man stalking along, grimly grasping
her arm? Close as they were, his touch
reminding her every minute, between
them walked her brother and her
brothers. wife-and there was the
Mexiean--hateful memoryl OF course
she could not be casual. And she
would not force 1t. He had brought
this about Let him talk, thenl
Oppressive that silence. Then 1t
came to her that she would ask him
the question that his coming had abort
ed. A glance at his face found him
smiling. He found 1t amusing2 Not
for worlds, then. would she speak. And
4n1t 1ln nuEr IN,
had pulled herself away from him. He
took her hand and put 1t In the crotch
of his arm. "That's better" he said.
She wondered If he were still smiling.
Their path led By his tent. Neither
of them noticed a subdued light
through the canvas walls. AS they
reached the place figure darted from
the door.
.Oh. senior, thought you would
never come" 1t was the wife of NAL
donado. Her expression was lost on
Innes. The face was quivering with
terror.
.Mr. Richard" Innes' words like
icicles. Il will leave you here 1t is
quite unnecessary to come farther"
Quite unveiled her meanIngl
It came so quickly that he was not
ready; nor indeed had Gerty's lnnuen-
does yet reached him. But the situation
was uncomfortable. He turned sharp
~ to the Mexican.
sCome In" he took her roughly by
the arm. She would wake up the camp
with her crying. He put her In a chair.
'Now tell your story" The woman
had got to be a nuisance. He couldn't
have her coming around like this. He
had seen that look in the girls eyes
'Murdered7 Who did you say was
murdered?"
She lifted a face. frightened into
haggardness- Macdonald and the
girl"
The night was stripped to the trag-
edy. 'You found themf"
Her face was lifted imploringly to
him. "Oh, senior, it was not !. By the
Mother of CAsist, it was not l."
Richard was not sure. Her fear
made him suspect her. "Who was 1t,
you think?"
"Felipe," she gasped. ''He got away
from the rurales-he came back. He
went home-there was no one there.
Some one told him where she had
gone. He came to MaldonadO's. Luz
crezla, the eldest, opened the gate. He
was terrible, she said. He rushed past
her. And when he came out his hands
were red. The children heard cries.
They were afraid to go in. got there
last night. went in. They We're not
quite cold was afraid to stay. 1t
would look like me, senior. VIII they
take me. senorY She was a wreck
of terror.
mot If what you tell me is true.
Now, get to bed. I'll give you some
thing that win make you sleep" He
hustled her out and prepared the
araught.
He wondered as he got into bed as
to the truth of her story. Disgusting,
such animal terror Awkward hole,
that. Fate seemed possessed to queer
him with those Hardinsl