Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-06-19

thought. He sprung the door open
II was musty and strung with coo-
webs. He did not 90 in but sat uo"n
and tried To think.
Later he walked up the canyon, he
must have walked swiftly, for the sun
was not vet at the meridian when ~
found himself ut the little nook III 'n'
rock where he and Irene had sat llih'
afternoon when they had first laid 'he''
hearts open to each other suddenly
one remark stood up in his memory
"Thc day is coming" she had Salu'
'whcn our country will want men WI"
can shoot and ride" And he had SAN
well, when it does II can call on me-
And today the country did want men
who could shoot and ride, and ne ha'
flown into the foothills TO nurse
broken heart Broken hearts
can fight as well as whole ones. lie
could be of some use yet. At any rate
there was n way out.
Some within led him through the
grove of spruce trees on his way DacA
to the ranch. Here. I'm an open space
he looked about, kicking Tn the drs
grass. At length his toe disturbed II
few blcached bones, and he stood ana
looked with unsecing eyes far across
the Shmmering valley.
Brownie" he said at length.
"Brownie" The whole scene came
back upon him-the moonlight. and
Irene's distress, and the little bleed
ing body. And he had said he didn't
know anything about the justice or
God; all he knew was the critter that
couldn't run was the one that got
caught And he had said that
was life. He had said 1t was
only nature.
And then they had stood among the
trees and beneath the white moon and
pledged their faith.
Again his head went up and the old
light flashed in HIS eyes. "The first
thing is to kill the wolf" he said
aloud. mo other innocent shall fall
to his fangs. Then-my country"
Darkness had again fallen before
Dave found his car threading the
streets Of the city, still feverish with
its newborn excitement of war. He
returned his car to the garage; an
attendant looked up curiously--it was
evident, from his glance that Dave had
ALREADY been missed-but no words
were exchanged. He stood for a mo-
ment in the street. collecting his
thoughts and rehearsing his resolves.
He was amazed to find that. even
In his bitterness. the city reached a
thousand hands TO him-hands of
habit and association and customs of
mind-all urging him back into the
old groove; all saying: "The routine
Is the thing. Be spoke IN the wheel ;
go round with the rest Of u.s."
NO" he reminded himself. mo,
can't do that have business on
hand. First-to kill the wolf"
He remembered that he had given
his revolver to Irene. And suddenly
she sat with him again at the tea
table. Where was he? Yes,
he had given his revolver to Irene.
Well, there was another In his rooms.
In the hallway Of the block In
which he had his bachelor apartments
Dave almost collided with woman.
He drew back, and the light fell on
his face, but hers was In the shadow.
And then he heard her voice.
ooh, Dave, I'm so glad Why,
what has happened?" The last words
ran into little treble of pain as she
noted his haggard face.
"You-Edith?" he managed to saw.
Whatever"
She came toward him and placed
her hands on his 1--WE been fere a
hundred times-ever since morning
ever since Bert Morrison called I'D to
say you had disappeared-that there
was some mystery. There isn't, is
there, Dave? You're all right, Dave,
aren't you, Dave?"
CTO BE CONTINUEDJ