The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-05-29

IL had not been a pleasant task
Ecathlin was a foul mouthed, foul
souled companion for any man to tie
20. and his personal habits were any
thing but attractive. Time and again
Holt had almost turned from his task
with disgust, resolved to let his rights
and all go rather than be tied to the
creature another hour. Yet he had
stick to him; and now. after these
many days of cunning and c~raftiness,
Of trickeries too numerous to mention,
of. Attempted escape on Scathlin's
part; after taking side trips to tuner
als of Scathlin's relatives who never
had existed, except in imagination;
Visits to business men who We're sup.
posed to be bounding Scathlin to his
death and yet who were never found.
after all this they were on their way
back to Hawk valley! Scathlin had
come TO the end Of his money and his
wits, and had been compelled to accept
the escort and financial aid OF Holt
back 10 the place from which he a
started, because he did not dare to do
anything else. This he did both on his
own account and for tho sake OF his
employers, who would not hesitate to
leave him In the lurch TO save them.
selves, and who had warned him above
all things not to let Holt suspect his
mission with those papers to the east
ern syndicate. Besides. there was al
ways the hope that he might yet es-
cape and make his way back in time
70 present those papers to the mar
whom Harrington had said would pay
him a big reward for bringing them.
Harrington, and his men could not
have done 1t without suspicion, but the
plan wa that Scathlin should profess
to have found something valuable to
the syndicate and be willing to sell 1t
nj a good price.
It was no wonder that Scathlin's
eye had a hunted look, and his bad
old face under Its stubbly growth was
almost pitifuliy desperate as he
looked at the fresh face Of the sweet
young girl, and for the moment for
got his misery, gloating over her
beauty. while Holt seemed to be en-
gagged with the sunset view. But Holt
caught the CLEAN in his victims eye
and his heart burned holly within him.
He could have crushed the creature
thensand there for the insolence OF his
gaze. lie could have crushed him Ink
vermin and felt no sin. All the man In
him reused to resent the evil look.
"Scathiin!" His tone was cutting
with command and the old man turned
bringing and met the steely glance Of
his captor. then impatient n trem'
bling with anger began to look again
out of the window; again the crimson
wrath surgod up his leathery neck and
suifuscd his coarse features.
The girl, half aware OF what had
been going OH. turned and too 1t all
In. a frightened color pickering up
Into her cheeks. Her eyes. growing
large with vague horror, met Holts
steely gaze, saw it change and soften
r~eassuriugly, az IL he were holding at
bay a lontsome bloodhound and wished
her to understand she need not fear
The girl. with one fieeting look or graf
ttude toward the young man, turned
back again to her window as IL moth
Ing had happened. In fact no oniooker
would have suspected that anything at
Ali had happened, and yet really a
little drama had beon enacted and all
the actors understood it as thorough
Nv as it il had been spoken. But one
word only had been audible, and the
girl wasn't sure sho had hoard that
eright. 49,. II
I Tho dusk dropped down and the
train sped on over the plains.
Ard now the sunset stains grew
deeper and blended into gold and
crImson and lifted the gray into clear
op:.l spaces of luminous beauty,
spreading the panopiy OF color far
n along horizon of the plain. 1t was a
thing to make one look In awe. to hush
syil thoughts and bring a holiness to
hearts. Something Of its calm and
stscngth crapt into the girls express
sid,, as she watched It, and once she
half turned TO soc IL Holt was watch
ing too. But Holt was sitting facing
chs other way and could see only the
fading trails. of glory in The sky as 1t
.spel AWAY from his gaze, though he
had caught the reflection Of wonder
from her face. and averted his own
eyes rs " from too holy \ sight. Those
who knew Holt, or thought they knew
him. would have laughed loud and long
at such an idea Of him. but it was
true. The girl felt it as sho turned
safely back to her sunset,
Scathlin was not enjoying The view.
He was looking fu-tiyely on every side
to see IL there could be by any chance
q good place where he might risk
throwing cut that cursed wallet and
hope never to 'nr9 Il ugats. X only
there would be \ stat!on--or he could
risk dropping it OUT OF thee Window
near some water tank or something.
But the plain slid by. a level moaot.
ony, broken only by the rose and emer-
aid and gold OF the setting sun. Scath-
lin grew more and more desperate. It
was growing dark, and lie dared not
throw fne wallet where he could not
49, nl.4