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

/ for me you know, and know you so
we'll she hesitated; Il don't see
how anybody who belonged to you
could help caring. Her cheeks were
rosy with the effort to say what she
meant without seeming unsfaidenly.
HIS brow darkeneds
"Belongedlr he said bitterly. Be
longedM Yes, that's 1t. don't be-
long! don't belong anywhere!"
His voice was so different and SO
harsh that 1T almost frightened her.
She watched him. half afraid as he
brought his horse to q sudden stop and
looked about him. Then he changed
the subject abruptlyc
"This Is a. good place 70 camp for
supper and rest he said. as IL he had
quite forgotten what they had been
saying.
He swung down from the saddle,
hobbled his horse, and came around to
her side to help her alight; but stood a
moment looking earnestly, tenderly In
to her eyes, and she looked back e:
him trustingly, wonderingly, with the
worshipfu1 homage a woman's eyes
can hold for the man who has won
her tenderest thoughts. She did not
know she was looking that way, blesc
you, no! She would have been filled
with confusion IL she had known 1t.
It was unconscious, and the man knew
SO and treasured her look the more
for that. 10y
II believe you do care, now" he said
in a voice filed with a sort of holy W
that made the girls heart leap up and
the color flame into her cheeks.
Then before she could answer Or
think to be embarrassed, he lifted her
reverently from the saddle and put her
on the ground.
He hobbled her horse, unstrapped
the pack Of provisions and went of to
gather up firewood. but when he re-
turned she was sitting where he put
her under the tree, her face buried in
her hands, her slender form motion
less.
He stood FOR a moment and watched
her, then came ove and knei: down
beside her, and taking her hands gen.
tIy from her face, looked into the
dewy depths Of her sweet eyes and
spoke:
DON'T" he pleaded gently. Lets
have supper now, and then Wen talk II
all out. VIII you come and help me
make a fsreT
There was something in his strong,
tender glance that helped her to rise
to his calf. A lovely smile grew I'm
her eyes. She let him help her to her
feet, and casting aside the reserved
shyness that had fallen over her like q
misty veil, she ran here and thore,
gathering sticks and helping to make
the fire blaze; talking merrily about
the supper they yer preparing just as
she had done all day; but her heart
was In a tumult OF wonder.
Holt shotNa couple of rabbits and
put them to roast before the fire. Jean
set herself to toast the soggy corn
bread and make it more palatable.
Their merry laughter rang out again
and again as they prepared their sim
pie meal. They were like two children
playing house. No one looking on
would have seen any difference In their
demeanor from what it had been all
day. II was only when Holt was out In
the open, shooting rabbits, that he al
lowed the sadness and gloom to settle
down upon his young face. 1t was
only when he was away gathering
more wood that Jean, left to watch the
suffering rabbits, let the corn bread
burn, while her face grew thoughtful
and her eyes sweet with a tender
light.
1t was when the sipper was eaten
and the fire pickering low in the dying
light of sunset that Holt anne and sat
down beside the girl and again q
great silence fell between them.
Holt had planned their homecoming
to be in the dark. For the girls sake
he would not have witnesses to their
arrival. This thougtffulness sprang
from finer feelings than the people OF
Hawk Valley dreamed that he pos
sessed. There remained but a little
over an hours ride now to reach Hawk
Valley, and Holt did not mean they
should get there before 8 o'clock at
the earliest.
He sat gravelY Quiet, his strong
hands folded across his raised knees,
his back against &, thee, looking brave
ly, wistfully, OF intE the distance. He
seemed a great dhas older, now, with
that grave, sad expression. Jean stole
a glance at him now IA then, as she
plucked at the vegetation about her,
and wondered why this appalling ST.
lence, which she seemed powerless to
break, had SO suddenly fallen upon
them.
Then the maniB voice broke the still
ness in a low; tense tone. There's
something 1 must tell YOU"
The very air. seemed waiting to hear
what he would say. The girl scarcely
breathed.
"It woulin't have been the square
thing for me- 10 tell you that / loved
you If I had been the only n that
cared; bun we've been through all this
together, and it's as II we had known
each other for years-and-you care
too! l can see it in your eyes. I'm
not worthy Of it--but o eare-and
it's up to me to help you stop it. II
would be an easier lob, perhaps, IL ]