The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-03-22

uothin Dut eyes Its all there-Ti
never get rid"
Chop that kind of talk" interrupl
ed Belding, bluntly. "Tell us whcr.
faqui took you-what happened I,
Ro1as-why you seemed lost for :.
long"
Il reckon Laddy can tell all tlia'
pest; but when it come to Rojas' fin
ish I'll tell what / seen, an SOIL Dicl;
an Thorne. Laddy missed Rojas' fin
ish. Bar none, that was the"
I'm sick man, but can talk put
In Ladd, 'an shore l don't want the
whole story exaggerated none by jim.
Ladd filled the pipe Nell brought
puifed ecstatically at it, and settled
himself upon the bench for long
talk. He talked for two hours
talked till his voice weakened to a
husky whisper. At the conclusion of
his story there was an Impressive ST.
lence. Then Elsie Gale stood up. and
with her hand on Dicks shoulder, her
eyes bright and warm as sunlight, she
showed the rangers what woman
thought of them and of the Yaaui.
Nell clung to Dick, weeping silently
Mrs. Gale was overcome. and Mr.. Gale.
very white and quiet, helped her UP to
her room.
/ Early in the afternoon of the next
day Belding encountered Dick at the
water barrel.
Bedding, this is river water. and
muddy at that" said Dick Lord
knows I'm not kicking. But I've
dreamed some of our cool running
spring, and want a drink from it."
Never again, son. The springs
gone, faded. sunk. dry as dust"
Dry" Gale slowly Strengthened.
We've had rains. The rivers full.
The spring out to be overfiowing.
What's wrong? Why is it dry?'
Dick, seeing you're interested. !
may as well tell you that big charge
of nltroglycerin choked my spring."
"Nitroglycerin? echoed Gale. Then
he gave quick start. MY minds
been on home, Nell. my family. But
all the same l felt something was
wrong here with the ranch. with you.
with Nell. BeldinG, that ditch
there is dry. The are dead. The
little green in that grass has come
with the rains. What's happened? ?
The ranch's run down. Now l look
around l see change"
Some change, yes" replied Belding,
bitterly. Listen, SON."
Briefly, but not the less forcibly
for that, Belding related his story
of the operations of the Chases.
With deep voice that had many
hrealS and tremor he told Gale how
Nell had been bounded by Radford
Chase. how her mother had been
driven by Ben Chase-the whole sad
story.
$50 that's the troubled Poor little
girl' murmured Gale, hrolSenly. 81
felt something was wrong. Nell wasn't
natural, like her old self"
"it was hard on Nell" said Bedding
simply But it'll be better now you're
here. Dick, know the girl. She'll re-
fuse TO marry You and you'll have a
hard job to break her down. as hard
as the one you Just rode in off of. l
think know YOU, too, or. wouldn't
be saying"
For Gods sake, you don't believe
what Chase said?" queried Gale. in
passionate haste: ITS lie I swear
it's lie. l know it's lie And I've
got to tell Nell this minute Come on
In with me. | want you, Beldng oh,
why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Belding felt himself dragged by an
iron arm into the sitting room, out into
the patio. and across that to where Nell
sat in her door. At sight of them she
gave little cry, dropped for an in
slant, then raised pale. still face.
with eyes beginning to darken.
Dearest. | know now why you are
not wearing my mothers ring" said
Gale, steadily and low-voiced
"Dick, | am not worthy" she re
piled, and held out trembling hand
with the ring lying in the palm
Swift as light Gale caught her hand
and slipped the ring back upon the
third finger.
Neil, Look at me. 1t is your en-
gagement ring. Listen. / don't
believe this-this thing that's been tor
turing you. know it's lie. / am
absolutely sure your mother will prove
1t lie She must ha- suffered once
perhaps 'here was a sad error-hut the
thing Won fear is not trne- But. hear
me, dearest; even If ii was true ii
wouldn't make the slightest difference
to me. want you all the more TO be
my wife-to let me make you forget
to"
She rose swiftly with the passionate
abandon of woman stirred to her
depths. and she kissed him.
"Oh, Dick, you're good-so good,
You'll never know-just what those
words mean to me. They've saved me
Il think"
"Then. dearest, it's all right?" Dick
questioned, eagerly. you will keep
your promise? You will marry me?"
The glow, the light faded out of her