The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-09-14


fects OF the poison sold at the towI
and rested he would be quite himself
again. She went about preparing d
meal In spite of his words.
He did not seem to notice this. he
had taken his eyes from her at last
and was busy with the fire. She. too
busy and treasured by the familiar
occupation, ceased to watch him. Her
pulses were quiet now. She was even
beginning to be glad of his return.
Why had she been so frightened7 OF
course. after such terrible journey
alone in the bitter cold. he would look
| strange. Her father, when he came
back smelling Of liquor. had always
been more than usually morose and
unlike his everyday self. He would
sit over the stove and tell her the
story of his crime. They were hor-
rible home-comings horrible evenings,
but the next morning they would seem
like dreams. Tomorrow this strange
ness of Pierre's would be mistlike and
unreal.
II seen your sin-buster In town."
said Pierre: He was squatting ON his
heels over the fire which he had built
up to a great blaze and glow and he
spoke in a queer sing-song tone
through his teeth. "He asked after
you real kind. He wanted to know
how you was gettin' on with the edica-
ton he's ben handin' out to you. /
tell him that you was right satisfied
with me an my ways an he'd quit his
books. didn't know as you was
hevin' such a good time durin' my
absence"
Joan was cruelty hurt. His words
seemed to fall heavily upon her heart.
II wasn't hevin' a good time. l was
missin' you, Pierre" said she In a
low tremolo of grieving music. Them
books, they seemed like they was all
the company he'd"
You looked like you was missin'
me-" he sneered. "The sin-buster an
had words about you, Joan. Yes'm,
he give me quite line OF preachin'
oughter develop yer own life In yer
own way-along the lines laid out by
him. | told him as how l knowed
best what was right an fittin' fer
my own wife, as how, with mother
like yourn you needed watchin' more'n
learnin'; as how you belonged to me
an not to him. An. says he. She
don't belong to any man, Pierre Lam
dis he said. neither to you nor to
me. She belongs to her own SELF
I'll see that she belongs to me- /
said I'll fix her so she'll know it an
every other Teller will"
At that he turned from the fire and
Strengthened to his feet.
Joan moved backward slowly to the
door. He had made no threatening
sign or movement, but her fear had
come overwhelmingly upon her and
every instinct urged her to flight But
before she touched the handle of the
door, he flung himself with deadly,
swift force and silence across the
room and took her in his arms. With
Ill her wonderful strength. Joan could
lot break away from him. He dragged
Ter back to the hearth, tied her ell |
lows behind her with the scarf from
lis neck, that very scarf he had worn
when the dawn had shed a wistful
beauty upon him. waiting for her on
morning not so very long ago. Joan
vent weak.
pierre" she cried pitifully, what
re you a-goin' to do to meY
He roped her to the heavy post Of
set of shelves built against the wall.
hen he stood away, breathing fast.
"Now whose gel are you, Joan
'arver?" he asked her.
you know I'm yours, Pierre" she
obbed. "You got no need TO tie me
0 make me say that"
81 got to tie you to make you do
lore'n say it. got to make sure you
re Il. H-l-1re won't take the sure
ess ont of me after this"
She turned her head, all that she
ould turn.
He was bending over the fire, sod
hen he Strengthened she saw that he
cid something in his hand
long bar of metal white at the
naped end. At once her memory
lowed her a broad glow of sunset
llling over Pierre at work. "There'll
e stock all over the country marked
18th them two bars" he had said.
The Two-Bar brand, don't you fer
il itr She was not likely to forget
now.
She shut her eyes. He stepped close
her and jerked her blouse down
ON her shoulder. She writhed away
ON him. silent in her rage and fear
I'd fighting dumbly. She made no
opeal. At that moment her heart
as so full Of hatred that II was hard
led to pride He lifted his brand
I'd set II against the bare flesh of
IT shoulder
Then terribly she screamed. Again.
hen he took the metal away. she |,
reamed. Afterward there was a
'eadful silence. ,
Joan had not lost consciousness.
err healthy nerves stanchly received
e anguish and the shock, nor did
e make any further cutlery. She