The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-04-16
-
.C.Stead
Anthor ~
Kitchener 0Nd
Oaaer Roesns''
TheCoWPunCher
MnsfrosjoNs b.
IRWIN MYERS

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He started his motor. and even In
| his despair felt a thrill of pride as the
faithful gears engaged and the car
climbed back to its place on the trail.
Was all ~faithfulness, then. in things Of
steel and iron. and none in flesh and
blood? He followed the trail. Why
stop now? The lOng-forgotten ranch
buildings lay across the stream and
behind the tongue of spruce trees. I'M
less some wandering foothill fire had
destroyed them. He forded the stream
without difficulty. That was where he
| had carried her out. a.. He felt
his way slowly along the old fence.
That was where she had set up bottles
for his craftsmanship. He
| stopped where the struggling gate
| should be and walked carefully into
the yard. That was where she had
first called him Dave. . . Then
he found the doorstep and sat down
to wait.
When the sun was well up he arose
and walked about. His lips were
parched; he found himself nibbling
them with his teeth. SO he went to the
stream. He was thirsty. but he drank
only a mouthful the water was fat
and insipid. The old cabin was
in better repair than he would have
thought. He sprung the door open.
1t was musty and strung With cob
webs. He did not 60 In but sat down
and tried to think.
Later he walked up the canyon. he
must have walked swiftly. for the sun
was not yet at the meridian when he
found himself ut the little nook In the
rock where he and Irene had sat that
afternoon when they had first laid their
hearts open to each other. Suddenly
one remark stood up in his memory.
1.-The day is coming" she had said,
when u country will want men who
can shoot and ride" And he had said.
"Well. when 1t does 1t can call on me-"
And today the country did want men
who could shoot and ride. and he had
flown into the foothills to nurse q
broken heart. Broken hearts
can fight as we'll as whole ones. He
could be Of some use yet. At any rate
there was e way out.
Some within led him through the
grove of spruce trees on his way back
to the ranch Here. In an open space,
he looked about. kicking In the dry
grass. At length his toe disturbed a
few bleached bones. and he stood and
looked with %unseeing eyes far across
the shimmering 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 Of
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. 49,.
Again his head went up and the old
light flashed in his eyes. THE first
thing is to kill the wolf." he said
aloud. "No other innocent shall fall
to his fangs. Then-my country"
Darkness had again fallen before
Dave found his a 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 q 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 q
thousand hands to him-hands Of
habit and association and customs Of
mind-all urging him back into tho
old groove: all saying: 1.-The routine
IL the thing. Be q spoke In the wheel ;
60 round with the rest Of u.s."
"No." he reminded himself. mo, I
can't do that. I 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 hel 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 q woman.
He drew back. and the light fell on
his face. but hers was In the shadow.
And then he heard her voice.
"Oh. Dave, I'm so glad Why,
what has h~appened!" The last words
ran into q little treble Of pain as she
noted his haggard face.