The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-11

a sham. His wound had not been dangerous as the doctor had said. In fact on the night following the day on which Shorty had overheard Corwin talking with Gail, Shorty had got out
 of bed about midnight, saddled his horse, and rode to Ladero.
 With a master-key, such as Red
 mond possessed, he let himself into the stage station. Once inside. he made a systematic search of Corwin's desk.
 But Shorty could not find any pa pers He returned to the ranch
 house and slipped into bed, disap-
 pointed.
 The next morning he could have got
 up.
 Still, he stayed in bed.
 And then one morning his sense of guilt grew so acute that he got up. dressed, and appeared before Gail in the dining-room.
 "why. Shortly" said the girl. The color surged back into her face ana
 her eyes danced. Are you sure you feel strong enough ?"
 was you needin' any work done around here?" grinned the sick man. "Iu reckon I'll go shave, ma am' ne added, 'I won't be botherin' you
 heap longer"
 He backed away, blushing as Gail
 watched him.
 He stood for an instant on the
 porch. stretching himself, drinking In
 great breaths of the keen air, bur-
 dened with the pungent aroma of
 sage; then he sought the lean-to'
 where he found his saddle.
 In the slicker he came upon his nd
 bunk-house, he removed the heaVy
 heard that had fourished during his illness.
 He could hear Gail walking about as she prepared supper. His face whitened as he stood in the sitting room. listening. His soul was in the grip of hopeless longing He crossed
 the room, stepping softly, haltins be- fore the shelf upon which, tilted slightly backward, Calls photograph stood. the face, animated with half smile. looking serenely down at him. He did not remove the picture from the shelf, as he had done another time. but leaned toward it, standing on the tips of his toes. you've sure plumb stampeded me, ma'am,' he said to the bit Of paste board.
 It was only when he heard slight noise at the door that he realized ne had spoken aloud, and then he turned swiftly, just in time to catch glimpse of Calls dress as 1t swished against the door-jamb.
 'Lordy," he groaned, "nne a moon in over her picture, an her hearin' me. an she goin' to belong to Billy! I reckon I'll slope!" But Shorty did not slope" He had fully determined to, and had dragged his saddle from the lean-to, when from the kitchen door issued Calls voice:
 Supper. Shortly" Shorty did not answer. But when, after an interval, he saw her in the doorway, looking at him, he bowed | extrava gantly to her Well, so-ong, ma'am; I reckon I'll | be hittin' the breeze to Laredo. You see, ma'am, Billy wants me; he's been wantin' me right along" There was short silence, during | which Shorty again bent over the sad | dle and took up the fallen rope. He heard Gail coming toward him, but | he pretended he did not see her. But | when he felt one of her hands on his shoulder. he strengthened and looked | at her with an abashed grin. Shorty" she said sharply, ''are you | silly?"
 | 'I reckon I am, ma'am-that is. if | you say so My friends ain't never | give me no prizes for havin' a heap | of sense.''
 1 Well, I should say they wouldn't! Of all the foolish notions! Going | away to ride a horse! And just out of a sick-bed! You come right in here to your supper, and if I hear another word out of you about going away | until I give you permiSsion-In put you back to bed and keep you there!" | Shorty felt like a reproved school boy, and it was not until they had | finished the meal and he realized that | she did not intend to say anything | about the picture, that he recovered | his self-possess
 l He left the dining-room as soon as
 he decently could. and went outside. | where for an hour he sat on the | threshold of the bunk-house. glumly
 regarding the horses in the corral. | At dusk he went to the lean-to,
 secured tobacco and pipe from a sad | d1e-pocket seated himself on the edge l of the porch, and began to smoke. He had just succeeded in getting some 1 so1ance out of the pipe when Gail
 came out, dragging a rocker, which | she drew close to Shorty, seated her self in 1t, and began to sew. | horty knew she was sewing, for | he stole slances at her when he inn | agined she was not looking, and saw
 her fingers plying a needle deftly. And | when at last he got long glance at 1 the object he recognized 1t as the
 shirt he had worn on the night of the | shooting. The thought of the inti- macy between him and the girl arous-
 ed in him an intense and poignant longing. He got up abruptly, without speaking, and walked away. | (To Be Continued)
 | Copyright, 1922, Thompson Feature Service)
 STUDENT GETS COLLEGE DEGREE AT AGE OF Is