Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-14
ana sripped his arm in her streni

| " u
poor Thomas. makes one more notch on
my record: I'm not sayin' quit An
you're tn bravest man In Corvan, too !"
At Lasts Holding the vigilsntcs
stopped for rest ana food.
They. had bcen In saddle the better
part OF forty-oight hours
Young Paula, Jose and Anita sci. up
steaming meal, and they ate like
fanlshed men, by relays az the big
table In the dining room.
Tharon Last sat quietly at the
boards boards ,h1aS heaS throughout the meal,
planning for the future.
And Billy and kenset watched her,
each with a secret pain at his heart.
Lord, Lord said Billy 70 himself,
shes listenin' when he speaks like sne
never listened 10 any one before |"
In kensets mind drilled over and over
again the ceaseless thought "a hand or
heart,.she could hit them both with
woman oh, Tharon. Tharon - and he
did not know he spoke her name be-
meath his breath
But other things were crowding for
| ward-he was leaning forward telling
that circle OF grim lean faces that II
they could not handle this thing them
selves, there were those in the big world
OF below who could--that there were
that gun no matter where Courtrey or
| Ellen hid II, that Lost Valley, no mat
ter what Its isolation or its history, was
yet In the United States Of America, ana
Then the Vigilantes we're gone with
| jsngle Of spur and bit-chain, and he
was the last to go, standing by Captain
IN the dim starlight Tharon stood be.
reason the grim purpose Of their
acquaintance seemed TO drift away to
| leave them together alone under the
stars, man and maid Kenset stood
faint outline Of her face. She was still
In her riding clothes, her head bare with
lie ribbon half united In the nape ol
her slender neck
The tree.toads were singing. OF by the
spring-house and the cattle IN the big
corrals made the low. ceaseless night.
sounds common ~ a herd
Tho riders were gone. the raqueros
we're az their posts around the resting
into tho quiet of the night.
or q girl
She was strange to him. unfa,hom-
changing blue eyes which appalled, him.
How would he feel toward her when
the thing was done--when she had kill
ed Courtrey?
But she must not be allowed 10 do
II, Not though II took hts life,
II she was pledged to this thing, he
was no lees pledged TO It's prevention.
he felt a sadness within him as he
say the soft curve Of her cheek, tho
outline OF her tawny head.
with an Impulse which he could not
govern he reached cut suddenly and
took her hands In his and pressed them
against his heart. The pounding Of
| hands into his.
But he aid not .spsak----he could not.
But he had no need. He could have
said nothing that would have cleared
or her what was in that pounding heart
OF his--for to save his life ne did not
know
Ana. Tharon frowned in the darkness
and drew her hands from under those
"Mr. lienset," she said steadily.
E"you're always tryin to make mo weak,
to break me down with words an looks
ssr,n an touches These hands 9 yours
| Don't put EN- on mo again :"
And with a sudden, sharp sayagery
| she struck his hands OFF his breast.
whirled away in the darkness and was
| gone.
.kenset. two days later, gave Sam
unpostmarked but sealed with tape and
waI, Drake, who owned some half
nreed ironwoods' rode the best one down
<enset had cautioned him not to talk
before he left---he feared brakes
propensity for speech. But he was the
eon'y man IN Lost Valley whom he felt
with the courier's departure he rod,
back TO the Holding and told Tharon
and a., Conford what he had done,
These men are the best to be had
nertS ne ssid a. and o, they will 60 anywhere on
But Tharon frovned and struck a
fist into a soft palm.
What you mean" shs cried. by
%t,N "a 4.
thts2 won't have It! won't wait !"
What meant when I caught your
bridle that day In the glade" answered !
the man; Ito stop you from bloodshed."
his INTERRUPTED work and set himself to
Drake.
But in Lost Valley a leaven was ris-
inE; mI,h It T., had begun insidiousy to work
Tharons band at Courtrey's doorstep.
y burst up like O. mushroom with a
chance remark made by Lola Of the
Golden Cloud--Lola. who had seen,
since that night in spring when Tharon
Last stood in the door and promised TO
get" her fathers killer, that Courtrey
was slipping from her. A woman like
Lola 10 hard to deceive.
Much experience had taught her to
teel the change Of winds in the matter Of
allegiance.
She knew that surely and swiftly this
man had gone down the path Of un-
reasoning love, that no would give any
to win for himself this slim mistress OF
Lasts Holding.
Therefore she played the one card she
held, hoping to rouse the bully. and aid
JUST the thing she was trying to avert,
Buck" she said, her black head on
his shoulder, her dark eyes watching
ooVertiy his careless face, "the Last rlri
10 lost to every Valley man. Sooner or
later she leave the country, mark NV
word, with this Forest Service fellow.
doesn't know It yet"
With a slow movement Courtrey ieos-
ed his arm about Lola and lifted her
from him. His eyes were narrowed as
he looked into her face. W.
For Gods sake" he said, what
knowledge" said Lola. long knowI.
edge Of women and men"
III thought that" said Courtrey
slowly his eyes losing sight of her ss
ne seemed to look beyond her Ill
tsSswS% ttsSSssht tSSatiwhy i,y he hsl ,.d II that's tn
And he rose abruptly. though he had
Just settled himself In Lola's apartment
for pleasant chat as was his habit
whenever he rode In from the Strong.
wall ILG,s" ,s, hi, he ssid ss presently, y nights
this gin for mine,--mine you under
like I've had you. She'd blow my head
on tn first time I stopped hoidin' her
hands" He laughed at the picture he
had conjured, then went on.
AN so / feel grateful 10 you, old
girl, for that remark II sets me
=, And he stopped and kissed her on the
lips The woman returned the kiss, q
nIn |