The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-14
(Continued from yesterday.)

(Continued from yesterday.) Her pause said a thousand things. It made Maurie stand very straight. He was taking the burden of a wom- ans happiness upon his shoulders and such a womani 1T will never forget!' The density of his emotion made him grammatical. Come with me, an we'll sit out the dance. Send Carey away
 But if he don't want to go?"
 'Tn bust his jaw for him if ho don't"
 ''Please-Maurie!
 "An right he said. relently slow ly. 'TIl see you later"
 As he retreated, Jac turned to Dave Carey He was standing stiffly like a soldier awaiting orders.
 ." I'll see you Iater!' she quoted. "1 wonder if I should consider that a promise or a threat MT. Carey? Or Is 1t just a westernism ?"
 Dave Carey expanded. He knew that the girl in the fluffy pink dress was watching him with white face.
 Poor oP Maur1e," he said gently ''He atn't much on manners. He was never given much of a bringin' up. Maybe you. noticed L sort of in his way of talkin'. You're lookin' sort of sad.''
 She was gazing pensively on the
  Carrigan. Now she lowered a gloomy eya to the floor.
 T try to seem gay. MT. Carey.'
 "But there's somethin' eatin' on your mind.'
 She looked up with childish ad- mira ton.
 How could you tell? But you Westerners see everything
 The clear music of Dolly MaKwelPs laughter floated to her. Her brow clouded.
 1T cannot help being unhappy. MT. Carey"
 Carey's hand slipped down on ns hip, and then he sighed No one had been allowed to wear a six-gun into the dance haN.
 ''Somebod botherin' you? Pint him out!"
 "If there were, you would protect me, MT. Carey, know.-'
 ''Would 1i'
 you've no idea how secure ft makes me fell just to hear you speax that way"
 'Honest?''
 "Yes, for I know that you could keep danger and trouble far away from me-"
 He cleared his throat. His chest arched.
 (which I'd say throw a six-gun about as fast as anybody in these parts.''
 "sTh5ow ..:9 2 sixgun,, @ M MT, CaTsy?" s.
  six-pun cannon - draw my re- vo1ver.''
 "Oh. MT. Carey! Do you mean that you have ever drawn your revolver upon a man?"
 con man? Me? guess maybe you ain't heard any of the boys tell about me!'
 "Oh, yes. Of course, I've heard a great deal about Dave Carey. You're the first man MT. Carrigan pointed out to me when came into the dance hall"
 "Is that straight? We'll, Carrigan alma bad hand himself. I guess, pur you can see by the way he handles himself that he ain't much in a fight
 Gan you tell simply by looking at Easiest thing in the world Watch their hands. Look at big Maur1e Gordon over there. Too big! All beef! No nerve! If him an me was to mix. I'd fill him full of lead before he ever got his gun clear.'
 MT. Careyl You wouldn't shoot at poor MT. Gordon?" He knows enough not to pick no trouble with me"
 MT. Carey, somehow I feel that I can talk frankly to you"
 He swened visibly. His face was red.
 Tag dance!" believed. the an nouncer. SdTT1Sdn WdS T1SlLlS to OdIlCe dSdlI1 with Dolly Maxwell. The co1emn face of Ben Craig. drew near. His stare was a promise as she started | off with Dave Carey. With the rehearsal on Maurie Cor don to help, she talked very smoornry | now. She reached her great point: | But they cannot bury me in this country. I look upon the stars at night and do not feel alone. And I | feI the strength and truth of the men of the desert. Somewhere among them | I shall find - Here she noted Carrigan standing | at the edge of the hall | He had been tagged quickly, of course, because of pretty Dolly Max | well. She signalIed him with a great a ppea1 n her eyes and before they had taken half a dozen more steps his hand fell on the arm of Carey. As she slipped into the arms of Carri- gan, her smile of farewell to Carey was sad and wistfuI. He stood stock still in the middle of the floor. jolted freely by the passing couples. In his eyes was a melancholy light of the traveler who sees the last towers of h.s home port drop below the horizon.