White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-03
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Discovery.

Drilllnnt IrnpplngS, Iout NY
ards ramada. The leader. entering
the office, announced that they were
on the track of a criminal, the muir
derer of n rurale, Maldonado. He was
an Indian named Felipe. He repeated
the story Richard had heard before.
Would the senor give his respected
permission for notices to be posted
about the camp? A description or the
Indian, u reward for his capture; the
favor would be inestimable.
Richard saw the notice later that
day. It was nailed To the back plat
form Of the Palmyra. He was on Mar
shall's trail, his chief having failed to
keep an appointment with him. They
were to test the gate that afternoon;
Marshall was returning soon to Tue
son.
Richard turned back toward camp,
deep In thought so intent that a sharp
cry had lost Its echo before the import
came to him. He stopped. hearing rum
ming steps behind him. Innes Hardin
was Looping up the bank like a young
deer. with terror in her eyes.
mfr. Rlckardl" she cried. Mr..
Richard! -
She was trembling. Her fright had
flushed her; cheek to brow was glow
ing with startled blood. He saw an
odd flash OF startling beauty. the veil
of tan torn of by her emotion. The
wave OF her terror caught him. He
put out his hand to steady her. She
stood recovering herself. regainlng her
spent breath. Richard remembered
that this was the first time he had seen
her since the murder of Maldonado.
since the meeting with the Mexican
woman at his tent. What was IL
frightened your"
'The Indian. the murderer. Just as
they describe him on those notices. |
must have fallen asleep. I'd been
reading. | heard a noise In the brush
aud there was his face staring at me-"
Her breath was still uneven. Il
screamed and ran. silly to be 50
scared"
He started toward the willows. but
she grabbed his sleeve. "Oh. don't"
She flushed. thinking to meet the quiz.
zical smile. but his eyes were grave,
He. too. had had his fright. They stood
at each other. I'm afraid"
she completed. How he would despise
her cowardicei But she could not let
him know that her fear had been for
him.
He was looking at her. Suppose any
thing had happened TO heri He had n
of nausea. II that brute had
hurt her-and then he knew how 1t
with him
He looked at her grayely. OF course.
He had known 1t n long time. II was
true. She was going to belong to him.
II that brute had hurt her!
She shrank under his gravity this
something she did not understand.
They were silent. walking toward tho
encampment. Richard did not care to
talk. 1t was not the time: and he had
been badly shaken. lines was tremu-
lousy conscious of the palpitatlng ST.
lence. Sne fluttered toward giddy
speech. Her walk that day, Mr.. Rick
ard! She had heard that water had
started to flow down the old river bed
she had wanted to see IL, and there
was no one to go with her. Her SEN
tence broke off. The look he had
turned on her was so dominant, so ten
der. Amused at her giddiness, and
yet loving her! Loving her. They
were silent again.
you won't go off alone. again." He
had not asked II. at parting. His<an-
Election demanding 1t OF her. was of
ownership. She did not meet his eyes,
Later. when she was lying on her
bed. face downward. routed. she tried
to analyze that possessive challenge OF
his gaze, but 1t eluded words. She
summoned her pride. but the meaning
called her. sense and mind and SOU
of her. II cried to her: II, Casey
Richard, whom your brother hates
once the lover Of Gerry Holmes. I am
the mate for you. And I'm going to
come and take you some day. Some
day. when / have time I"
oh. yes. she was angry with him
she had some pride. "Why didn't he
tell me thenf" she cried In a warm tu.
multi to her pillow. For I would have
given him his answer. | had time.
ample time, to tell him that II was
not true" For she wanted a different
sort OF lover. moi a secondhand dis
card; but one who belonged all 60 her.
self; one who would WOO, not take her
with that strange sure look OF his.
You'll be waiting when I come" All.
she would not, indeed She would
show him!
And then she lay quite still with her
hand v her heart. She would be
waiting when he came for heri Be-
cause. though life had brought them
together so roughly. so tactlessly had
muddled things. yet she knew. She
would be waiting for himi
Before he had left her. Richard had
followed a swift impulse. Those bronze
lamps averted still2 Was she remem.
berlng-last night? No mistake like
that should rest between them. He
- sat that gt-eight That ~.