New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-02-18
CHAPTER iii-Continued.


II is extremely doubtful If & plains
man would have possessed this knOwl-
edge. Rnt a plainsman has not the
knowledge of life itself that the noun
'sineer has. simply berauSe he does
not see II IN the raw. And he has not
half the Intimate knowledge of death,
mn absolute requisite OF Self-com-
poSurc. The mOuntaiueer knows life
in its Simple phases with little tradi-
dOn or convention "a blur the vision.
death Ii i very intimate acquaintance
that may be met in any snowdrift, on
any rocky trail and these conditions
are very deadly TO any dclusions that
he has ia regard 10 himself. He ac-
quiica m ability ia see just where he
stands, ana Of course that means self
possession. This quality had something
30 do with thc remarkable record that
lhr mountain men. such as that mag
nihccnt warrior from Tennessee, made
Ia thr inrr war.
Crausron knew e|xartiy what Snow
bird would do. Although of Il higher
order, a'' WAS 2 mountain creature,
even a., himself. She meant exactly
what she ,lid. n H. hadn't climbed
from DIu's prone body, she would
hsNc -lol quickly aud very straight. II
hc tried - attack either of them now,
her finger would press back before he
could blink an eye, and she wouldn't
weep any hysterical tears over his
dead body. If he kapt his distance,
6lc wouldn't shoot a all. He meant
"a keep his distance. But he did know
that hr could Insult her without dan
ger 20 himself. And by now mis- lips
had acquired their old curl of scorn.
"Fh "a. Snowbird." he said. I'm
leave YOU with your sissy. But | guess
you saw what I did 10 HMM two
minutes"
= saw. But You must remember
he's sick. Now go"
"lf he's sick, let him stay In he'd
and have a vet nurse. Maybe you can
be thil."
The iids dr0opcd halfway over her
gray eyes. and the slim finger curled
morr tightly about the trigger. "Oh,
} wish ! could shoot sou, Bert :" she
ssid. She iidnt whisper It. or hiss II,
o. iurl II. IT do any Of the things most
people are supposed 10 do in moments
OF violent emotion. she simply said
N. and her meaning was all the
clearer.
but YOU cant AMI m pound that
ynilk SOP OF yours TO II Jelly every time
} see him. I'd think, Snowblrd, thar
you'd want a man"
lie started up the trail; and then
hi,c did 4 strange thing. Hes more az
~ man than you are. right nov, Bert"
t.c told him, Hell prove II some
dag" Then her arm went about Dams
pcck and lifted his head upon her
and In Cranston's plain sight.
she bent and kissed him, softly. on
jbc lips
cranst0n's ansWe was an oath. II
dripped from his lips. more poisonous.
malicious than the venom of a
His features seemed to tight
ca. the dark lips drew away from his
teeth. No words could have made
him such an effective answer as this
|iule action Of hers. And as he turned
lp thc trail. he called down to her
j name-that most dreadful epIthet
mat foul tongues have always used
10 women held IN greatest scorn.
ban struggled IN her arms. The
kiss on his lips, the instant before,
had not called him out of his half
anaatasztagA IL Ia r..lr a-.1,..l
rcai. rather lust an Incident In a bliss
Tui dream. But the word called down
nc trail shot out clear and vivid from
Ne silence. lust a. IA physicians face
rAl often leap from the darkness af-
or The nnrsthesla. Something infinite.
y warm and tender was holding him.
PRESSING him back against a holy place
Int fhrobh'd and gave him life aud
strength hut he knew that this word
'ad ~ hr answered. Ard only actions.
,0t other words. could be- It's payment.
M De voices Of hi body called TO
10 lp sill. hut Tine voices Of the
p'ii. Nhf,r higher. r1llcr promptings
rsm rlli'h no man 20 the glory Of I
hre,l from which d. sprung, can )
.vor quito escape. vrrc stronger Yet. :
w. iugg"d upward. sfrainlng. But he 4
idnt even have The strength 10 break {
be i.ld tlat The soft arm had about
~ neck. 2
"oh II I could only pun the trig- q
she was crying IF | could
nly Kin him-"
"ic' me, ho pleaded. "Giye me =
be- pistol ~ Rim him" a
And be- would. There was no finch
* in the gray eyes that looked up
, her. She teamed forward. as II to :
VI the weapon 10 his hands. but al
noe drew u back. And then a single Z
~ caught NJ her throat. An instant q
they heard CrlnstOn's laughter I
: he vanished around the turn of the n
-si. b
For long minutes the two of them "
ere SIN. The girl stiH held the mans v
cad upon her breast. The pistol had a
IN the pine needles. and her
rrveus hand pluckad strangely at the Q
Of y mountain fower. To Dams =
rrs. there wss something trancelike. i
hint 81 paralysis and lnsensibiIity -
her posture He had never seen C
rr eyes like this. The light that he y
nd always beheld q them had van Z
he'd Their utter darkness startled y
In. n
lie sat up straight. and her arm that n
been about his neck felt at her {,
he. He tool her hand firmly in his Il
Vi their eyes met. c,
We must 60 home. Snowblrd." he r
~ her simply. I'm not so badly Il
VT bHt that ! ran make IT," %
She nodded: but otherwise scarcely "
-cined 60 hear. Her eyes still flowed "