The Arvada enterprise., 1923-11-01

saloon. When he was warm and fed
and rested he would be quite himself
again. She went about preparing a
meal In spite Of his words.
he did not seem to notice this. He
mad taken his eyes from her at last
and was busy with the nre. She. too,
busy and reassured 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 Il terrible journey
alone In the bitter cold, he would look
strange. Her father. when he came
back smelling Of liquor, had always
peen 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.
hut the next morning they would seem
like dreams. Tomorrow this strange
ness Of Pierre's would be mistlike and
unreal.
Il seen your sin-buSter In town."
said Pierre. He was Squattlng on his
heels over the fire which he had built
up to n great blaze and glow and he
spoke in queer sing. song tone
through his teeth. 'He asked after
you real kind. He wanted to know
how you was gettin' on with the edca-
tion he's ben handin' out to you I
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
hevln' such a good time durin' my
absence"
Joan was cruelty hurt. His words
seemed to fall heavily upon her heart.
81 wasn't hevln' n good time. was
mlsSn' you, Pierre" said she in a
low tremolo of grieving music. "Them
books, they seemed like they was all
the company l he'd"
''You looked like you was missin'
me-" he sneered THE Sin.bustcr an
I had words about you. Joan. Yes'm,
he give me quite line of preachin'
about you, Joan. ms how you he'd
oughtcr develop yer own life in yer
own way-along the lines laid out by
him. told him ms how | knowcd
best what was right an httln' Ter
my own wife: as how, with mother
Ike your'n you needed watchin' morc'n
learnln'; us how you belonged to me
an not to him. An, says he, she
don't belong to any man, Pierre Ian
dis he said, neither to you nor to
me. She belongs to her own self
I'll see that she belongs to me- l
said ri fix her SO she'll know It an
every other fcller 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
all her wonderful strength. Joan co1ld
not break away from him. He dragged
her back to the hearth, tied her el-
bows behind her with the scar. from
his neck. that very scarf he had worn
when the dawn had shed n wistful
beauty upon him. waiting for her on
n morning not so very long ago. Joan
went weak
Pierre" she cried pitifully, "what
are you a-goln' to do to meT
He ropcd her to, the heavy post of
n set Of shelves built against the wall.
Then he stood away. breathing fast.
"Now whose gel nre you. Joan
Cnrver?" he asked her.
"You know I'm yours. Pierre" she
sobbed. "You got no need TO tie me
to make me say that"
II got to tie you TO make you do
more'n say It. got to make sure you
are II. H-l-fire won't take the surs-
ness out OF me after this"
She turned her head. all that she
could turn.
He wns bending over the fire. ana
when he Strengthened she saw that he
held something in his hand {.
long bar OF metal, white at the
shaped end. At once her memory
showed her n broad glow OF sunset
falling over Pierre at work. "'rhere'll
be stock nll over the country marked
with them two bars" he had said.
"The Two.Bar brand. don't you fer.
gIt II" She was not likely to forget
II now.
She shut her eyes. He stepped close
to her and jcrked her blouse down
from her shoulder. She writhed away
from him. silent In her rngc and fenr
and fighting dumbly. She made no
appeal At that moment her heart
was so fun OF hatred that It was hard
cned to pride. He lifted his brand
and set II against the bare flesh OF
her shoulder.
Then terribly she screamed. Again,
when he tooh III" metal AWAY, sh"
screamed. Afterward there was n
dreadful silence.