New Britain herald., 1923-04-27

thought of her own misery, Tt is
 may come at any moment, l know 1t is best you go,"
 Blaze saw her lips trembe, The urge to take her in his arms was great,
 "Youll go round by the river, won't yon'--please she implored further, Don't go through the valley"
 Kildare turned and held out his hand to My Man; otherwise he would have been unable to stop the words that were on his tongue He vaulted into his saddle lightly;; Mercedes eyes followed him.
 "You know" he began, moro at case from the safety Of his position, this thing through Did you ever sec that before9" He held out the charm Melody had found,
 No trace of recognition showed in Mercedes eyes.
 "The man who owned that" Blaze went on, murdered your father"
 You mean" she gasped, that you know who did it?"
 I'm not giving him a name yet, but will before I'm through"
 Mercedes bowed her head, her hand against her cheek. Blaze knew the memories that were flooding her mind. His voice grew husky as he went on;
 ''l told you the morning we found your fathers body that l would stop at nothing in your service. haven't forgotten. You wonder, I know, why l stay with Acklin. He's as hard and unrelenting as a steel trap: a throwback from thirtv-hve years ago when the big cattle-men were all like him. He's got an evil name--well earned, no doubt-and with good req son, in that I am in his employ you find il hard not to suspect me at times. Yet in spoite of that l have tried to be real friend to you. Men have called this valley desert. But it bloomed once. The fields were green; flowers fought for your favor here in this patio. Little things | are able to vii great good | from most hopeless clay If you | ever have cause to think of me, re- that. You know nothing of | my past, and my talk tells you little; | but I'll be keeping my word with you. 
 They shook hands. Blaze saw her eyes were misty. My Man had reache | the gatet whren he turned for a last | look at her. She was leaning against ! pillar of the veranda. He saw her lips tremble. Sweet and low, her words reached him.
 "Goodby Biaze."
 Minutes passed as she stood there. Kildare was long out of sight before she sang into a chair her eyes strain ng at the distance that lay beyond .he Rebel her ears dulled to ordinary sound. She knew Kildare must be safe in the lower Santa Rosa hills by now. Thoughths Of her father lovered in her mind. She wondered why she found Blaze so much like i'm.
 Suddenly there burst upon her con iciousness the mad gallop of a horse Ssteban was coming back, She felt elieved. She became alert, her enses on edge again. The pattering loofs sounded very near; they seemed o be on the porch itself. Rising, he hurried round the corner of the eranda and came upon Basilio beat ng out barbarie rhythm on an bandoned fiower-tub. In lieu of he had possessed himself f part of the lid of a box; and. de- pite sharp nails, the little tot held he sticks in vise-like grasp.
 Where you get these things?' Mercedes demanded as she stopped own to take them away.
 Tn the barn. Don't take them way" Basilio pleaded.
 But, nino, they are covered with ais. Feel"
 As she held out one of the sticks , him, she saw some strange. mean lgess marks on it. Curiosity her to put the two pieces ,gether. Her heart stopped as she ead the words they made: 'Dyna- 
 Continued in Our Next Issue)