Cheyenne record., 1919-09-25
CHAPTER xxvIl-continued.

CHAHIEh NNvII-ConSlnueo.
-12-
The night was bright with stars.
Bright as day. isn't it2" Because her
9oice was curt. and she had not used |
his name, the rising infection helped
little! Hateful, to stumble over a
rut in the road! OF course, he'd make
her take his arm! OF coursel
Rickard 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. II he
thought she was going to entertain
him, as Gerty did, with her swift chat
ter, he'd be surprised! Any other two
people would fall into easy give-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
Mexican-hateful memory! OF course
she could not be casual. And she
would not force it. He had brought
this about. Let him talk. then!
Oppressive that silence. Then it
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 it amusing? Not
for worlds. then, would she speak. And
they stalked along. Unconsciously she
had pulled herself away from him. He
took her hand and put it in the crotch
Of his arm. 'Thats better" he said.
She wondered If he were still smiling.
Their path led by his tent. Neither
Of them noticed subdued light
through the canvas walls. As they
reached the place a figure darted from
the door.
"oh. senior. thought you would
never come" It was the wife of NAL
donate. Her expression was lost on
Innes. The face was quivering with
terror.
"Mr. Rickard," Innes. words like
lcicles, II will leave you here. 1t is
quite unnecessary to come farther"
Quite unveiled her meaningl
1t came so quickly that he was not
ready; nor indeed had Gerty's innuen-
does yet reached him. But the situation
was uncomfortable. He turned sharp
~ to the Mexican.
Come n." he took her roughly by
the arm. She would wake up the camp
with her crying. He put her in chair.
"NOw tell your story" The woman
had got to be nuisance. He couldn't
have her coming around like this. He
had seer that look in the girls eyes
"Murdered7 Who did you say was
murdered?"
She lifted face, frightened into
hnggardness. ''Maldonado and the
girl"
The night was stripped to the trag-
edy. You found them?
Her face was lifted imploringly to
hin. "Oh, senor, it was not 1. BY the
Mother of Christ. it was not l."
Rickard 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. Lu.
rrezia. the eldest. opened the gate He
vas 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 were not
quite cold-I was afraid to stay. 1t
would look like me. senor. VIII they
tnke me. senor?" She was wreck
of terror
Not If what you tell me is true.
Now. get to bed. I'll give you some
thing that will make you sleep" He
hustled her out and prepared the
1raught.
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 Hardins!