Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-22

n T IS doubtful if Walter Wheeler grasped
! much Of the techmcalities that followed.
Dick talked and he listened, nodding now
and then, and endeavoring very hard to get
the gist of the matter. There at least
foundation of mutual liking and respect
to go on, and there no doubt OF their
earnestness. Now and then Wheeler stopped
him with a question:, and Dick would break
in on his narrative to reply. Thus once:
you've said nothing to Elizabeth at all?
About the walIing off, as you call it?
mo At first I was simply ashamed of it.
didn't want her to get the idea that
wasn't normal"
81 see. That was at first
Eyes. Now, as 1 tell you, I begin to think
I've told you that this walling off is an I'M
conscious desire to forget something too
painful to remember. It's practically always
that I can't so to her with just that, can
I? I've got to know first what it is"
cid begun to think there was an under
standing between you"
Dick faced him squarey.
There is didn't intend it. In fact,
told her l was going to Norada. | didn't
mean to speak to her until I'd cleared things
up. But it happened anyhow 1 suppose
the way those things always happen
I The talk lasted we'll over an hour.
The result of some indecision was finally
that Elizabeth should not be told anything
until they were ready to tell it all. And il,
the end a certain resentment that she nad
become involved in an unhappy situation
died in Walter Wheeler before Dicks white
face and sunken eyes.
Louis Bassett, when he started to the old
Living stone ranch, now the WATSON place,
was carefully turning over in his mind Da'
vid's participation in the escape OF Judson
Clark Certain phases of it were quite clear,
nroyided one accepted the fact that, follow
oil a
tenderfoot had gone into the mountains
alone, under conditions which had caused. the
posse after Judson Clark to turn back and
give him UP for dead.
Had Donaldson sent him there knowing
he was a medical man? If he had, would
Maggie Donaldson not have told 1t III her
confession? She had said "a man outside
that she had at first thought was member
of the searching party" Evidently, then,
Donaldson had not prepared her to expect
medical assistance.
Take the other angle. Say David Living
stone had not been sent for He knew moth
ing of the cabin of it's occupants until he
stumbled on them. He had sold the ranch,
distributed his brothers books, and appar-
emily the tOwnspeOple at Dry River believed
that he had gone back home. Then what
had taken him, clearly alone and having
doubtless given the impression of departure
for the east, into the mountains? To hunt?
w
ly and alone?
Bassett was inclined to the Donaldson
theory, finally. John Donaldson would have
been wanting DOCTOR and not wanting one
from Norada. He might have heard of this
eastern medical man at Dry River, have gone
to him with his story, even taken him part
of the way The situation was one that
would have a certain appeal. 1t was posi-
BILE anyhow.
But instead of clarifying the situation,
Bassett's visit at the WATSON place brought
forward new elements which fitted neither
of the hypothesis in his mind.
To WATSON himself whom he met on
horseback on the road into the place, he
gave the same explanation he had given to
the storekeepers wife WATSON was tall
man in chaps and a Stetson, and he was
courteOusly interested.
"Bil and Jake are still here" he said.
They're probably in for dinner now, and I'll
see you get a chance to talk to them. l took
them over with the ranch Property, you
say Well, hope it's better land than he
had here"