, 1923-09-19

heT ignorance, ner lnexper1enco led
her to put little emphasis on the e.
fects Of he poison sold at the town
saloon. When he was warm and fed
n rested he would be quite himself
again. She went about preparing q
meal in spite Of his words.
He did not seem to notice this. he
had taken his eyes from her at last
n was busy with the IRE. She. too,
busy and treasured by the familiar
occupation, ceased to watch him. Her
pulses were quiet now. She was sven
beginning to be glad Of his return.
Why had she been so frightened7 OF
course, after such a 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-
ffpn hafc hnr harItt n-k " -, Y
tell him that you was right satisfied
with me an my ways an he'd quit his
books. I 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. I was
missin' you, Pierre" said she in a
low tremolo of grieving music. Them
books, they seemed like they was all
the company I he'd"
you looked like you was missin'
me-" he sneered. The sin-buster an
I had words about you, Joan. Yes'm,
he give me quite a line Of preachln'
about you, Joan, az how you he'd
oughter develop yer own life in yer
own way-along the lines laid out by
him. l told him as how I knowed
best what was right an fittin' fer
my own wife; as how, with a mother
like your'n you needed wntchln' more'n
learnin'; as how you belonged to me
an not to him. An, nays he, She
don't belong to any man. Pierre Lam
lig hn ooEI srnfthnr fn ynn MIR fa
me. She belongs to her W SELF
TIL see that she belongs to me- I
said. I'll fix her so she'll know 1t an
every other Teller will"
At that he turned from the IRE 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 Night. 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
all her wonderful strength, Joan could
not break away from him. He dragged
her back to the hearth, tied her ell
bows behind her with the scarf from
his neck, that very scarf he had worn
when the dawn had shed a wistful
beauty upon him, waiting for her On
a morning not so very long ago. Joan
went weak.
pierre" she cried pitifully, what
are you a-goin' to do to meT'
He roped her to the heavy post Of
a set Of shelves built against the wall.
Then he stood away, breathing fast.
Nov whose gel are you, Joan
Carver?" he asked her.
you know I'm yours, Pierre" she
sobbed. You got no need to tie me
to make me say that"
81 got to tie you to make you do
more'n say 1t. I got TO make sure you
are II. H-l-hre won't take the sure
ness ont OF me after this"
She turned her head, all that she
could turn.
He was bending over the fire, and
when he Strengthened she saw that he
held something in his hand . .
a long bar of metal, white at the
shaped end. At once her memory
showed her a broad glow Of sunset
falling over Pierre Mt work. "Thereu
be stock all over the country marked
with them two bars" he had said.
THE Two-Bar brand. don't you fer
git I'll" She was not likely to forget
II now.
She shut her eyes. He stepped close
to her and jerked her blouse down
from her shoulder. She writhed away
from him. silent in her rage and fear
and fighting dumbly. She made no
appeal. At that moment her heart
was so full OF hatred that It was hard
ened to pride. He lifted his brand
and set 1t against the bare flesh Of
her shoulder.
Then terribly she screamed. Again,
when he tool the metal away. she