Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-12-15

| slant they were level with Dick's
| grave questioning. Suddenly, sweet
ly, she blushed.
"Oh-hi" she faltered.
Then the blush turned to a scarlet
fire. She whirled past him, and like
a white CLEAN was gone.
Dick became conscious of the quick
ened beating of his heart. He expe-
rienced a singular exhilaration. That
moment had been the one for which
he had been ripe, the event upon
which strange circumstances had
been rushing him.
With a couple of strides he turned
the corner. Laddy and Lash were
there talking to a man of burly form.
"Hello. there's the young fellow"
spoke up the burly man. "Mr. Gale,
I'm glad to meet you. My names
Belding."
His greeting was as warm as his
handclasp vas long and hard. Gale
saw a heavy man of medium height.
His head was large and covered with
grizzled locks. He wore a short
cropped mustache and chin beard. His
skin was brown, and his dark eyes
beamed with a genial light.
young man, did you run into any
thing as you came out?" asked Bel
ding, with twinkling eyes.
"Why, yes; 1 met something white
and swift flying by" replied Dick.
"That was Nell Burton, my girl
S~tepdaughter, l should say" said Bel
: ding. "She's sure some whirlwind, as
and meet the wife"
In Mrs. Bedding. Gale found a wom-
an of noble proportions and striking
appearance. Her hair was white. She
had a strong, serious, well-lined face
that bore haunting evidences of past
beauty. The gaze she gent upon him
was almost piercing in it's intensity.
Her greeting, which seemed to Dick
rather slow in coming, was kind
though not cordial. Gales first
thought, after he had thanked these
good people for their hospitality, was
to inquire about Mercedes. Mrs. Bel
ding said the girl had suffered no
great hardship, other than mental, and
would very 0 o be rested and well.
Nov, Gale" said Bedding, when his
wife had excused herself to get sup
per, "the boys, Jim and Laddy, told
ne about yOn and the mix-up at Ca
sta. I'll be glad to take care of the
girl till it's safe for your soldier
friend to get her out of the country.
That won't be very soon, don't mis-
take me. | don't want 70 seem
oyer-curious about you-Laddy has
interested me in you-and straight
out I'd like to know what you propose
to do now"
Il haven't any plans" replied Dick /;
and, taking the moment as propitious.
he decided to speak frankly concern
ing himself. II just drifted down
here. My home is in Chicago. When
l left school some years ago-I'm
twenty-five now-I went to work for
my father. He's-he has business in
terests there. l tried all kinds of IN
side jobs. l couldn't please my IA
Their. To tell you frankly, Mr.. Bel
ding, l suppose l didn't much care"
what do you var to do"
II want a mans job. l want to do
things with my hands. l want action.
| want to be outdoors"
Relding nodded his head as if he
understood that. and he began to
speak again. u something short, then
went on. he~sitatingly:
"Gale-you could 90 home again
to the old man-it'd be all right?'
Mr.. Bedding, there's nothing shady
in my past. The governor would be
glad to have me home. That's the
only consolation I've got. But I'm
not going. I'm broke. l won't be q
tramp. And it's up to me to dc
something"
How'd you like TO be a border
ranger?' asked Beiding. laying a hand