Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-03
,..,,,,o,t, 1870, bp Dodd. Mead CO..
sr,prs THE STORY

Is notorious Controlled the vaHey for
ard nus p,f Courtney seeks TO oust
years ,,n, Is shot from behind. re
h,ns hs. Tkaron her last tes9n Vt JpoV
gS'V NV and hands TO her nS me e' mama
pistos' ,n"rdsrer and potos TO- get
ot ~ Tbnron meets many oJ we
him NJ tbe villdgo store, Sho teHs
ssl..y, ss.,,,.,,, he Is an assassin, She meets
oorin Ike stranger Who St9ppg" & ~ ,,,i
cSts teto nights ooos, sbic1d Min
form fs u" heraidry on his breast
"", ,wp HERE IT CONTINUES
.,n right," he said airly, gimme my
time. I quit = III, ,,o,oo
=, under the play there was a
oso For a second Tharon held
n'a nUno, YOU mean. Billy?" she asked
..arn,v that the boy Jumped.
r,or he laughed, still in that light
fasn,Hhn sWhst said" he affirmed dogsedly
nv, tbo mistress Of Lasts took a
.,I,uh Suht on his hand that was authority
~ force and leaned down 10 look
anxlSSSSly aSSS Billy" II W. she said with culver
a., ~ yoice Lasts couldn't run with.
IN ne, yo,i boy An what's more.
eosa,sbt out SyO' ali III riders of tn Holdin'
,ouId stand by tn place.
Billy fully soSerSd, siTaShrsng slnteSina hand
spu The red light Of the sunset flushed his
.hseks but It never set the glow that
was In his eyes go. rb,ro," he
aid quietly, when I'm a-jokin Win
sa, san, I'd stand by Lasts an you to my
W. nont ypti know fhat
aT ~ a long moment Tharon regarded
n'" Yes / d." she said, but somehow l
don't like to have you talk hathaway
plly. Don't do It no more" ,.s
'"A III right" promised the rider, "
rou saw So boss. Only don't talk about
arn' me, then. I'm very sensitive.
And he looked away with smiling eyes
~ where the deep black shadows fell
prone into the valley from the FORBID
ding face Of the great wall. .uu,.
Only the towering peaks were alignt
with crimson and gold, which haloed
their bulk In majestic mystery,
Night was coming fast across Lost
Valley, while the tree-toads out by the
springhouse set UP their nightly chorus.
TITS Eden, thought the man as as
ures tn world, made an forgot with
ali It's trimmins-innocence an
sweetness an plenty, an tn silence Of
| perfect peace. not to overlook tn last
| unnecessary evil, tn livin' presence OF
his majesty. tn devil"
Then the light died wholly and there
came the disturbing sound OF boots on
the ringing stones The rest of the
riders were coming In to claim their
share Of Billys Eden.
JAMESON, Hill and Thomas we're as
y good as their word. During the week
that followed the spectacular denounce-
ment Of Courtrey and Service at Bas-
TONS store, they went quietly, TO every
settler In the valley and declared
themselves. In almost every instance
they met with eager pledges OF approval.
They knew, every man of them, that
this slow banding together for resist
ance against Courtrey and his power
meant open war. For years they 'had
suffered indignities and hardship with
out protest. While Jim Last lived they
had had sort Of leader, an example,
though they had feared to follow in his
lead too strongly.
They had copied his methods of
guarding possessions, of corrallings every
cattle-brute at night, of keeping every
horse under bars. Last had looked
Courtrey in the face. The rest dared
not.
Now with Last gone, they felt the
lack. as II bastion had been razed,
leaving them in the open. Secrecy in
Lost Valley had been brought to a
work Of art They could hold their
tongues
But with the new knowledge Tharon
Last took on light, halo.
Men spoke in whispers about her
DARING They felt 1t themselves
Word Of her Lightning quickness with
her daddy's guns. of her accuracy, went
softly all about and about, garbled and
accentuated. They said she could shoot
the studs from the sides of n mans belt
and never touch him. They said she
could drive a nail farther than the
ordinary man could see. They said she
could draw so swiftly that the motion
OF the hands was lost.
A. A slow excitement took the faction OF
the settlers.
But out at Lasts Holding a grave
anxiety sat upon Tharon's riders. Con-
tord knew-and Billy knew--and Curly
Knew more about Courtrey's intent than
some or the others Young Paula. half
asleep In the deep recesses Of the house,
nad witnessed that furious encounter by
tne western door on the soft spring day
When Jim Last had come home to die
s az dusk She knew that the look in
Courtreys eyes had been covetousness
rahd IA she had told Jose, Jose. loyal
and sensible. had told the boys. So
now there was always one or more of
them on duty near the mistress of
Lasts on one pretext or another To
.l,haron, who knew more than all Of
'hem put together, this was funny.
N her these days. and often she sent
them away, to have them turn up at
'he most unexpected times and places
You boys" she would say whim-
s %SsiIy. you think Courtrey's goin' to
That's just what we are afraid Of
Inaron, answered Conford gravely
once we know it'd not be lvin'."
And Tharon had looked away toward
Joses cross. and frowned.
NO, she said, AN it won't be any
way, Twin or dead"
one night toward the end of that
sr week strange cavalcade wound up
nnlohg the levels past the head OF
% in'aGK 1K CouIee, forded the Broken Bend
~ silence save for the stroke OF hoof
tow,. Mp iron shoe on stone, and went
sg lung close. and they had nothing u,
say In the darkness.
AZ tne Holding Tharon Last waited
''en on her western doorstep.
h,s as uiey rode In along the sounding
seemed 'he io nv muitied ri ringing of the hoofs
.,rs,a trs neart N her breast leaped with a
strange thrill, a gladness. She felt as
M wo ner fathers spirit stood behind her
tI1atng the first step toward the full
n"1meht OF her promisg.
ness. ~ '"e Soit uark-
v,nSSere v,nSe was no moon and the very
rSss,s SSSas seemed to have hushed their
""'aSpers IN the cottonwoods
tba inaTon, said the man who rode in
o. e ,sd. sesd. and she recognized the Voice
~ Jameson from the southern end or
oS valley we've come. "
,vsisII nhst was all. A simple declaration,
awaiting her disposal. ''s''''
.ssu.htord. not half approving his
Sar hSart heavy with forebodIng stood 9 af
I'S n'stress's shoulder and waited, too
sonna long moment there was no
tSs,rra tS,ra save save the eternal tree-toads at
Il i'a sssmnS SOnSSert. Then the girl spoke, and
that ths,, 10 those shadowy listeners
Snu conviction. 'N'' VI 'oufase
time h hass slsd,n H"r,. said Tharon simply, oh