The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-06-17

ffiftA rom nin FhNNHs ne 0NNtNf NFAfH
OF Mary. while sin Ia gone "iiig Aisch, 20
leader ~ soviet" sang. sets khe ranch
on fire and kidnaps MARY. NAt the
"sahsht' camp she hears that charlie
Doreawald, Annie's fisnoe In Cleveland.
10 one % their leaders.
"She didn't make none too good n
jump out here" commented his
friend Has she ever told you any
thing about herself yetT'
mot TO speak Of none. no. She
sets and cries good deal Says
shea broke and blind and all alone.
She's got one friend back home
girl sho used 90 room with. but she's
going TO get married. and no she, this
lady. Miss Warren. comes out here
plumb desperate. not knowing what
kind Of feilrr I am. eor what kind
damn shame. Wild. and you know Il.
! say I'm up against II right now. g."
THE real question. Sim. II wha,
are folks going TO say There's PEG.
pie IN this valley that amt a'golng
20 stand Il for you and that Eiri 20
live there unless you're married.
You know hat"
''Of eourNc I know that. But DO
you suppose ia marry that girl even
II she was wililng7 No. sir.
wouldn't--not a.tall. II wouldn't bo
right"
Now listen. Sim. Leave 1, 70 me.
ia nay that II you ever do want 20
get married. sim.-and YOU got 10 n
she stays hrro-why. here's IN. one
and only chanel Of your whole life.
or course. n the girl wasn't blind.
sho wouldn't never marry you. I
don't believe any woman would. real.
Tho way she II, and can't see. MAYBE
she win. after while. like. when
she's s.ntlcd down. an you say. II
looks uke a act OF Providence 90
me"
They pushed along No the road
un,G finally they arrived. within a
few miles Of their own homcsieada.
Al the little roadside store and post
office kept by old Pop Bentley. They
would have pulled up here. bu, as
they approached tho dusty figure Of
tho mail carrier OF that route came
out and held up a hand.
Hold on. SIM" said he. II heard
AZ Nels Jenscn's place that you had
gone down the river. Wen. us time
you waH gettin back"
sim Gage Ami,ea with a sense OF
his own Importance AZ he took the
letter. turning u over In his hand
whats Il say. wldy' said he.
His rslEhbor looked at the inHcrip.
ton. tits for her." said he. Miss
Mary Warren. In care OF sim Gage.
who's II from said sim.
Here's some writing on the back. ."
Prom Annie H. squircs. 1891
Oakford Avenue, Cleveland. Ohio
But listen
That's the Eiri tina, Miss Warren
told me aboutr' said sim. That's a
letter from her. Ia better be get.
ting back"
II Just told you you had" said the
mail driver. something Of pity In his
tone. I'm trying 10 tell you why
you had. why l brought this letter
down Ia, you Amt got no place to
get hack To-"
what you mean?" said wild
Gardner. suddenly.
'Ifelra loose In this Wiley today
said the mail carricr. Five Urea.
when come thru before noon. Wild.
your house ~ gone, and your harm.
too. sim. Eomebodys burned your
hay and your barn. and shot your
stock. and set your house afire--it
would Of burned plumb down N Nelr
Jensen hadn't got there Just in time.
They saved the house. II wasn't
burned very much anywaya so Nas
told me"
Sim Gage and his COMPANION.
g,upefied, sat looking at the bearer
OF this news.
"Who done IT, asked Wild Gard.
ner. rrimly, after a time. THAT
amt no accident"
Pop Bentley In here said Biz
Alock, the squattcr, come up the
valley this morning right early"
THAT hcIlionr' exclaimed Sim.
Hes always made trouble in this
valley. We seen him down below
here. driving a broad.tiro wagon.
Yes. n company wagon. and a
company team. We found that
wagon hitchcd above your lane, Sim.
Your mail box was busted down.
There wasn't no Big Aleck around.
nor no one else"
mot no one elsc7-No one In the
house7"
'Nels said there wasn't"
Light down. SIM" said Wild
Lets 20 In aud talk to Pop Bent.
ley"
Pop Bentley. the keeper OF the
meaeor grocery store and llttle.used
postoffice. met them with gravity on
his whlskered face. lie was a tall
and thin man. much stopped. who
as far as the memory OF man. had
always lived here In Two.Forks Val
| ley.