Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-04

Theron nvaitsy. auSi She and old Anita
6 Log' .J,,n Lasts household: jim
control .;o,,s gm Tor his skin ,oith guns
Is ~hos controlled the val!ey Tor
ono Buck Courtrey seeks 20 nshrp
gs@'" Dejeotediy, E Bet gppegi.s,
carrying an dimos, WeS;d WssS;sd Before
hos ;res ose~ he oives Thdrom. her last
ho caP,, shooting and hands TO her
lessor |" of pistols. she seeks TO learn
rs o.m na,ns e. Of MS murderer aud pops
T. get him 90 nHsr . 'df"rrS s,.Se cross eross
marks soS, S"" looking totoard another
cross, '| |taotios soientnly pledge
Ih@selyos to stand together against
00" AND HERE IT CONTINUES
,rN With an unconscious grace and
nnIse that set we'll upon, her as the
,.,ross Of Lasts, Tharon moved into
In. nyen door and waited.
uI The stranger came closer 9oth giriss
ubjected him to irank anu liz oap,u ,han
scra'V ,t Valley would have been rudeness
nseiL n catalogued the stranger. set
A., atyle of his welcome.
pei Isft him stripped Of surprise, out
x.rdiy before he was within speaking
dls,aneeiid toid the observers that he was
-.nno of some twenty-six or seven, that
yVu"ss sace The first point taken In with
,Isb,ninR swiftness-was different from
as,' faces they had ever seen. that 1t
sss mlosN open, smiling, easy, that he was
,,roieht as a ramroad, indeed, that ne
rods as II he feared nothing In the
earth or the Heavens, that ne carried
no run, that he wore the peculiar
nv ,ru,ferm that Tharon had noticed before.
md that there was something on his
hreast, a dark shield of some sort
wbiob made them think of Steptoe
Service and his disgraced sherin's star.
This thought brought a frown to
Tharons brows. and 1t was there 10
he step and halted. his smart tan hat
IN his hand. The morning sun burned
warmly down on his dark hair. which
was brushed straight back from his
forehead in a way unknown In those
parts His dark eyes, slow and deep
but somehow merry. took In the pretty
picture in the door.
Miss Last?" he asked in low voice.
"Yes' said Tharon promptly >and
Every one waited In Lost Valley for
a stranger to make known his business.
Paula drew back behind her mistress.
The man sat still on his horse and
found The hens cackling about the
barns intruded sharply.
Well" he. said presently, II am "a
stranger, and l. came to see you."
The girl in the doorway felt a hot
surge Of discomfort flare over her for
the first time in her life for such a
reason.
There was something in the low voice
that implied q lack, accused her Of
something. she resented 1t instantly.
eight"
The man laughed delightedly, and
swung quickly down, dropping his rein.
Tharon noticed that. That much was
natural. He held his hat against his
breast with one hand and came forward
with the same quickness, holding out
the. other. Tharon was not used to
shaking hands with strange men.
She gave her hand diffidently, because
he so evidently expected it, and took it
away GEI, swiftly, l., ,, ..s 49,.
David Kenset-and / am from Wash.
ington. d. c."
He might as well have said Tim
huctoo. Tharon Last knew little outside
ner own environment. Words and
names that had to do with unknown
places were vague things to her.
"Yes?' she answered politely. II make
no doubt you've come far. Come In.
Dlnner'll soon be ready" and she moved
back from the door with a smile that
covered her pitiful ignorance as with a.
garment Of gold When Tharon smiled
Ike that she was wholly adorable, and
the man knew 1t at once.
why she had so quickly invited him
m before lie had fully declared himself.
she did not know. unless It was because
or that lack in her which his first words
had implied.
Old Anita, whose manners were the
simple and perfect ones of the Mexican
coupled TO kindly heart, had taught
her now to comport.
win the riders and vaqueros had dulled
ner somewhat, but she could be royal
on occasion.
Now she simply stepped back in the
aeep cool room where the ollas swung
N lhe windows. smiled--and she was
changed entirely from the girl of a
rev moments before.
Tho man came in, laid his hat on the
nat top of the melodeon. walked over TO
4 chalr and sat down. There was an
ease about him, a taking -for-granted.
'nal amazed Tharon beyond words.
Ihen he looked frankly at her and
oegah TO talk as IL he had known her
I've come to live in Lost yaf,,v
Miss Last" he said. "for a long while
MINK Wish me luck"
Come here to live?" said Tharon. ~
@ttler? Coin to homestead?"
he he shook his head.
quick suspicion seized her. Per-
nnps np washington was like Arizona. a
pace from which they imported gum
men; Only this man wore no gun, and
me Te had not look of prowess, No,
Ihls man was different,
men what you goin' to do?" she
asked i.fN as frankly as aachild.
Tho fIrst, he said. I'm going up where
sais pines grow yonder and build my
tou,,,l, mouse, and he waved hand
Wv ,Uwalu me east where the ranges rolled
Up tb. 70 The thickening fringes of the forest
40 paI y. marched back into the ramparts
OF The trailIess hills.
vhdW want to find an ideal spot, a glade
WIZ wiHere the pines stand round the edges,
Soun Sm spring CT living water running
s,,' svMn' ana where I can look down and
yVSer the magnificent reaches of Lost
ehen | shall work" "i'u
,pHidae3 asked the girl succlnctly,
part OF that work." " e''"'
Who for?"
Who for?" p'S'
,rhies' What OUTFIT"
II bs mere re- was hard quality In her Voice,
VIII. m' nad come into ride for Courtrey,
SN SnS ne must know at once thai I,astIs
II Ia no d friend of his, now or ever
part o uiii' VI her thought in
,tbSor no outfit, Miss Last" he said
o,n "In gentle dignity II an, IN say sha
ment," oHiteu states Govern
face '''se came over Tharcn's
government!
Lost VaIIdaHs Mas NO word to conjure by in
tUv for mient inel IT was a farce, a synenvpn o1
one! ss'eq msS duty, u word to suggest The
COurtTey lay aSo OF the place, for even
oi,sna oanaue them-dld it under the Rrsndiich
Al hin, fILlhe Lae or government. She looked
hardenI NeGiniy. ~ and there was a sudden
oo ihen I reckon Mis,ern ,,,