Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-07-12


away. You see, this isn't Reno"
Then he laughed rather boyishly,
| and from that, and the way he
slouched on his sombrero, Madeline
realized he was half drunk. AS she
instinctively recoiled she not only
gave him a keener glance, but stepped
into a position where better light
shone on his face. 1t was like red
bronze, bold, raw, sharp. Like that
! of all women whose beauty and
charm had brought them much before
the world, Miss Hammonds intuition
had been developed until she had a
delicate and exquisitely sensitive per-
ception of the nature of men and of
her effect upon them. This crude cow
boy, under the influence of drink, had
affronted her; nevertheless, whatever
| was in his mind, he meant no insult
Il shall be greatly obliged to you
| If you will show me to the hotel" she
said.
LADY, you wait here" he replied,
slowly, as If his thought did not come
swiftly. I'll 60 fetch the porter"
She thanked him, and as he went
out, closing the door, she sat down In
| considerable relief. 1t occurred to
her that she should have mentioned
her brothers name. Then she fell to
wondering what living with such un-
couth cowboys had done to Alfred.
She alone Of her family had ever be-
lieved in any latent good in Alfred
Hammond, and her faith had scarcely
survived the two years of silence.
Waiting there, she again found her
self listening to the moan of the wind
through the wires. Then Madeline
heard a rapid pattering, low at first
and growing louder, which presently
she recognized as the galloping of
horses. She went to the window,
thinking, hoping her brother had ar
rived But as the clatter increased
to roar, shadows sped by-lean
horses, flying names and tails, SOM
breroed riders, all strange and wild
In her sight. Recalling what the con-
ductor had said, she was at some
pains to quell her uneasiness. Then
out of the gloom two figures appeared,
one tall, the other slight. The cow
boy entered, pulling a disheveled
fgure-that Of a priest, padre, whose
mantle had manifestly been dis
arranged by the rude grasp of his
captor. Plain it was that the padre
was extremely terrified.
Madeline Hammond gazed in bewil-
derment at the little man, so pale
and shaken, and a protest trembled
upon her lips; but it was never
uttered, for this half-drunken cowboy
now appeared to be q COOL grim
smiling devil; and stretching out a
long arm, he grasped her and swung
her back to the bench.
"You stay thereI" he ordered.
His voice, though neither brutal nor
harsh nor cruel, had the unaccount-
able effect Of making her feel power
less to move. No man had ever
before addressed her in such tone.
1t was the woman in her that obeyed
not the personality Of proud Made
line Hammond.
The padre lifted his clasped hands
as If supplicating for his life, and
began to speak hurriedly in Spanish.
| Madeline did not understand the Ian
guage. The cowboy pulled out huge
gun and brandished it in the priests
face. Then he lowered it, apparently
to point it at the priests feet. There
was red flash, and then a thunder
ing report that stunned Madeline. The
| room filed with smoke and the smell
Of powder. When she could see dis
tinctly through the smoke she expe-
rienced sensation of Unreasonable
relief that the cowboy had not shot
the padre. But he was still waving
the gun, and now appeared to be drag
| ging his victim toward her. What
| possibly could be the drunken FOOLS
intention? This must be, this surely
was cowboy trick. Madeline no
sooner thought of 1t than she made
certain her brother was introducing
her to Wild West amusement. She
could scarcely believe it, vet 1t must
be true. Probably he stood Just out
side the door or window laughing at
her embarrassment.
| Anger checked her panic. She
Strengthened up with what composure
this surprise had left her and started
for the door. But the cowboy barred
her passage-grasped her arms. Then
Madeline OWNED that her brother
could not have any knowledge Of this
indignity. It was no trick. Poise
dignity, culture all the acquired
habits Of characterized before the
instinct to fight. She was athletic
She fought. She struggled desperately
But he forced her back with hands
Of iron. She had never known a mar
could be so strong.
"What-do you-mean?" she painted
"Dearie, ease up little on the
bride" he replied, gaily.
Madeline thought she must BIZ
dreaming. She could not think clearly
She not only saw this man, but a.st
felt his powerful presence. And the
| shaking pripst the haze of hIun crool1a