San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-24

, ready fer drivin'-and a two-mar
| trick-an them comm back from the
pass like a lot of ninnies scared out
by lay like that"
"But they didn't know, Perly, v
said Briston. How'd they know
them guns was blind? An the Black
Rustler amt to be fooled with. He's
killed too many men along this Bor-
der. You know his fame as a gun
man."
"Well, somethin's goin' TO be done
this time, or / miss my guess. Boyce
Clendenning's ribbin' up a plan for a
ride, an when that comes off / think
he'll have his man."
That's man-size trick" said
Briston, saint no one along TIL line
been able to do it for five years now,
sheriff or big ranch or single aveng-
err. I'd have TO see it done TO be-
lieve it,"
"Well,' said Perly, turning back
to wash up, aim believin' in .Boyce.
He's n quiet Teller, but he thinks a
heap. uses his bean in other words,
an he don't fly off tn handle. l
want t be in when tn cattlemen
ride"
yes" said Val, grimly, ~and so
do l."
"But you won't" said Briston.
"I've heard you speak like that a
time or two, girl, an I don't want
you to think serious along that line.
Loss or no loss, a party like that
would be amt no place for q woman.
an your dad will sit on you good an
plenty when he comes home an
hears you talk
And the feeling spread that per-
haps Clendenning could do what he
promised.
Val Harmon began to sing about
the rooms of the ranch-house as she
had not done since the black day
which had seen the Redstar's loss.
Not that she had forgotten the king.
She would never forget him-not in
thousand years. But something
within her babe her wait and hold
herself with patience. Somewhere,
deep within her consciousness, there
was a strange. abiding faith that
sometime, somehow, she would hear
the long-roll OF his running feet,
know the splendor of his matchless
speed again.
And in the meantime new glory
seemed to sit upon the summer
world, to ciothe the heavens with
mystic beauty. For the hand that
Nelantrie had leaned from his sad
die to kiss was conscious of that
caress in every pulsing vein. The
girls eyes were sometimes drowsy
with that memory, her soft lips
parted with the wonder of il.
But there was one at. Paradise who
watched her with anxious and trou-
bled heart-Briston, who had seen
the girl grow up and loved her in a
half-paternal way.
"There's somethin' new come to
her." he told himself, smoking in the
dusk beside the talking spring. "now
what tn hell can it be? Where's she
been TO find it," and he thought
uneasily of that night at Hunnewcll's.
He made few gentle probes into
Ears confidence, but for once in his
knowledge of her he got nowhere,
found nothing he wanted or did not
want to know.
Val Harmon was her fathers
daughter. John Harmon had loved
once-and with every fibre of his
Hehrt, brain ana BODY.
She did not know it yet, but every
faithful nerve and pulse within her
was awakening to the gentleness
and vital charm of the man from
Oblivion whose reckless blue eyes
were beginning to hold such a keen
dismay when he looked at her.
And so it was that she rode more
often to Refugio and sat in Father
Hillaire's garden. That sharp and
kindly man studied her with more
distress than did Briston, for he
knew sad deal more.
My daughter" said Father Hill
laire- one day, "are you happy?'
The long brown orbs flashed up
at him with 80 swift and tell-tale a
light that the wise priest was answer.
ed.
"Yes, father" she said simply, Il
am-but for one thing
The other sighed.
you have known me all your life.
VAL" he said. "Have / ever advised
you wrongly in all that time?"
"No, father" she said wondering
ly.
Would you listen to me now--if
advised something that nightmare
you less happy?"
II should listen and heed you,