The Meeker herald., 1922-10-14
The Cross-Cut
By Courtney Ryley Cooper
yn Little BAc
v Courtney Ryley Cooper

dressed in some of 'SissIe's' clothes,
half hidden between them. Nobody
dreamed that I was anyone else but
the Swede-my head was tipped for
ward, 20 they couldn't see my fea-
lures. We drove outside town and
stopped. Then we said goodby, and
put on an old dress that had brought
with me and sneaked back home. No
body knew the difference"
"But Lnrsen-?"
"You know as much as I do, Son."
"You never saw Larsen agaInT
81 never saw any Of them. That
was the end."'
But Rodaine-7"
Hes still here. You'll hear from
hIm-plenty soon. could see that,
the minute Blindeye Bozeman and
Taylor Bill began taking your meas
ure. You noticed they left the table
before the meal was overt It was to
tell Rodaine."
"Then he'll fight me, tool"
Mother Howard laughed-and her
voice was harsh.
"Rodaine's a rattlesnake. His sons
a rnttlesnake. His wlfe's craxy-Old
Crazy Laura. He drove her that way.
She lives by herself, in an old house
on the GeOrgeville road. And she'd
kill for him. even II he does beat her
when she goes to his house and begs
him to take her back. That's the kind
of crowd 1t is. Just to put 4 good
finish on 1t all, the young 'un moves
in the best society in town and spends
most Of his time trying to argue the
former district Judges daughter into
marrying him. So there you are.
That's all Mother Howard knows,
Son."
She turned to the door and then,
turning, patted Fairchild on the shout
der.
boy" came quietly. you've got q
broad back and . good head. Rodaine
beat your father-don't let him beat
you. And always remember one
thing: Old Mother Towards played
the game before. and she'll play It
with you-dark streets aren't exactly
the place for you"
Robert Fairchild obeyed the In
=
ture,. many an attempt At reasoning
a. he sought sleep that was far away.
Again and again there rose before
him the vision Of two men in an open
buggy, with q person between them
whom Ohadi believed to be an efSemi.
nate-voiced Swede: in reality, only b
woman. And why had they adopted
the expedient7 Why had not Larsen
been with them in realityf It was
hours before Fairchild found sleep.
and even then It was . thing Of
troubled visions.
Streaming sun awakened him. and
he hurried to the dining room to find
himself the last ledger at the tables.
He ate . rather hasty meal, made
more so by an impatient waitress,
then with the necessary papers In his
pocket. Fairchild started toward the
courthouse and the legal procedure
which must be undergone before he
made his first trip to the mine.
A block or two. and then Fairchlld
suddenly halted. Crossing the street
at an angle just before him was a
young woman whose features whose
mannerisms he recognized. The whip
cord riding habit had given place now
to a tailored suit which deprived her
of the boyishness that had been 80
apparent on their first meeting. The
cap had disappeared before close
fitting, vnricolored turban. But the
straying brown hair still was there,
the brown eyes. the piquant little nose
and the prettily formed lips. Fair
child's heart thumped-nor did he stop
to consider why. A quickening of his
pace. md he met her just as she
stepped to the curbing.
"Tm so glad Of this opportunity"
he exclaimed happily. Il want to re-
turn that money to you. IL was so
fused yesterday I didn't realize"
AREN'T you Mistaken" She looked
at him with slight smile. FairchIld
did not catch the infection.
"Oh. no. I'm the man. you know,
who helped you change that tire on
the Denver road yesterday"
pardon me-" This time one brown
eye had wavered ever so slightly, In.
dicating someone behind Fairchild.
"But wasn't ON the Denver road
yesterday. and II you'll excuse me for
saying 80, don't remember ever hav-
ing seen you before"
There was little light in her eyes
which took away the sting of the de.
NAL, a light which seemed to urge eau.
ton. and at the same time to tell Fair.
child that she trusted him to do his
part a. gentleman in a thing she
wished forgotten. More fused than
ever, he drew back and bent low in
apology. while she passed on. Half q
block away, a young man rounded &
corner and, seeing her, hastened to
Join her. She extended her hand
they chatted moment then strollet
up the street together. FairchIld
watched blankly. then turned at q
chuckle Just behind him emanatinl