Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-27
Scopyrioht. 1870. bp Public LEDGER Co.
r,,1s STARTS THE STORY


Jy; w., /, noforious for his skill oith
. aud has controlled the Valley
tor vedrs. Buck Courtrep seeks to
sy,n him Tharon patches her
Morse, "Drpmfre," perform a par
,;cvinr feat at her bidding aud smiles
atthis success.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
TT WAS late before the last straggler
i wos in from the range. The boys
washed at the big sink on the porch,
and were ready for the hearty fare that
s,eamed in the lamp lighted room. For
tbe last hour Tharon had been watching
the eastern slopes for her father.
"He's ridin' late, Anita" she said
anSiously as the men trooped in with
the usual jest and laughter.
''He went far, no doubt, Corazon,"
said old Anita comfortably. "He goes
40 fast on FL Rey that time as well
as distance flies beneath the shining
hoofs." .
Anita was like her people, mystic and
soft spoken.
.True," said the girl gently. ~ for
ret, I'll Rey Is mighty. He went very
far make no doubt. Well hear him
comm soon.'
Then she poured steaming coffee in
the cups about the table, smiling down
in the eyes upturned to hers. Billy,
Curly, Bent Smith. Jack Masters and
Conford, the foreman, they. all had a
loyelook for her, and the girl felt ike
!i (which way did Dad 80, Billy"
she asked, north or south?' -,
North" said Billy, "he rode TIL
Cup Rim range today"
When the meal, trihe silent in def
erence TO Tharon's silence, was done,
The men rose awkwardly. They stood
a moment, looking about, undecided.
Conford picked them up with his eyes
and nodded out. He felt that just may
be the girl would rather be alone. But
Tharon stopped the reluctant. egress,
Don't go, boy%s;n % she she na sa'd, s,oon come IN
night" But she did not play on the
melodeon. Instead she sat in the deep
window that looked over the rolling up
lands and was quiet, listening.
Turn out tn light, Bent" she said,
somehow feel like shadows tonight y
SO they sat about in the great room,
black with the darkness of the soft
spring night, and like the true wor
shipers they were, they did not speak
Only the red butts OF their cigarettes
glowed and faded, to glow again and
again fade out. Tharon sat curled up
to her chin, her eyes half closed, her
keen ears open like a forest creatures.
And as she waited she thought OF
her childhood came back to her--the
time she had caught her father killing
the winters beef. had wept In hysteri-
cal pity and forbidden him to finish.
They had had no meat those Ions
months following-and she had so tired
Of beans, that she had never been able
to eat them since.
She smiled in the dusk as she re-
called Jim Lasts lifelong indulgence
Of her.
And the time she had wanted to make
her own knee short dresses as long a
Anita's. to sweep the floor, with fringe
upon them and stripes of bright print
She had worn them so--at twelve
until she found that they hindered the
free use Of her young limbs in mount.
Ing horse, frecfoot and bareback
Then, once again the memory of her
fathers face when she questioned him
concerning her mother.
Boys she said, suddenly. smil-
Ing to herself, did you ever know q
man like my dad?"
lounging riders, a shifting of position,
a striking Of cigarette ash.
No, sir" said Billy, promptly,
there hahn t another mans good with
a gun as him, nor anywhere's in Lost
Valley. Not even Buck Courtrey him
self I'd back Jim Last against him,
even. in fair draw. Why?"
,Oh. nothin','' said the girl, "only
--llsten-Glory!" she added, slipping
down from the window to stand quietly
IN the gloom; that's him now! ], was
--.why-there's somethin' gone wrong
with FL Rey's feet! 1-2--3, 4, 8,
6-1-2-boys--he breakin'! The
king amt singefootin' right, for the
first time since Jim Last put halter
on him Come-come quick -
Ordinarily, Tharon was a bit slow
IN her movements, as the very graceful
often are. Now, she was across the
room to the western door before man
had moved. They joined her there and
she stood at attention, one hand at her
breast, the breath held still in her
throat. The light, shining through from
Of her tawny hair. Silently the riders
grouped about her and listened.
Sure enough. Down along the range
that rang as some open stretches do,
there came the clip clap of hurrying
horse, only now the hoof beats were
regular for little space, to break
halt, start on, and again ring true in
the beautiful syncopation of the born
singlefooter. The king was coming
home, but, alas not as he had ever
come before, in full fight, proud and
nnwnrful Ha hold hia gpnpd mud aap -