The citizen., 1920-02-19

ROAD. lie went along II little way.
Vague Impressions suggested that he
should know the spot, and yet he
could not identify II. Then, with a
sudden shock, II came 10 him. II was
the hillside on which Doctor Hardy
had come TO grief; the hillside on
which he had first seen her bright
face. her wonderful eyes. A
poignancy of grief engulfed him,
sweeping away his cheap philosophers.
Here she stood. young and clean and
enhancing. thrust before him In an
instant out Of the wonderful days Of
the past. And would she always fol-
low him thus7 With an unutternble
sinking he knew that was so-that
the world was not big enough to hide
him from Irene Hardy. There was no
way out.
He started his motor, and even In
his despair felt thrill Of pride as the
faithful gears engaged and the car
climbed back to Its place on the trail.
Was all falthfulness then, in things Of
steel and iron. and none in flesh and
blood2 lie followed the trail. Why
stop now1 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. 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 wns well up he arose
and walked about. His lips were
parcbed; he found himself nibbling
them with his teeth. so he went to the
stream. He was thirsty. but he drank
only O mouthful; the water was fiat
and inslpld. The old cabin was
in better repair than he would have
II was musty and strung with cob
webs. He did not go 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 at 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 mp in his memory.
'The day is coming" she had said
when our country will want men who
can shoot and ride" And he had said.
"Well, when II does II can call on me. y
And today the country did want men
who could shoot and ride. and he had
flown into the foothills TO nurse n
broken heart. Broken hearts
can fight as well as whole ones. He
could be Of some use yet. At any rate
there was way out.
Some whlm led him through the
grove II spruce trees on his way bach
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 unseelng eyes far across
the shimmering valley.
brownie" he said at length
Brownie" The whole scene came
back upon him-the moonlight, and
tSfR hA
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 goi
caught. And he had said that
was life. He had said IL was
only nature.
And then they had stool 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 frs,
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 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 q
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 a spoke In the wheel
go round with the rest of u.s."
"No." he reminded himself. mo.
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 he? Yes
he had given his revolver to Irene
Well. there was another In his rooms
Continued next week.