The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-06-04

lrS health rlngleO into ner cHeekA
1.-The one you found that-day,~ she
stammered She lifted q tiny glance
up to him from under her long lashes
let her eyes stray far out across the
bottoms toward Alpine island. "Pore-
Ken Hopkins met me up the road
and told me he was sick on the bout
I didn't know Hopkins-then."
IT did-and l knowed Brickbat al
ley. That's why I rode after y'u the
minute got yur note. Hopkins was q
bad man, but we've already talked
about him, and what boone Of him.
All that money he stord tuck away
from i'm at the parsonage the evening
Of the-funeral, and drove i'm out O.
Flatwoods. That's why he went, and
all that stuff he told y'u about-Ken
was jist lies. I've got all that money
hid, and Wen put 1t back In the safe
as soon as you're able t. open It,"
The eyes came back from the distant
point where Alpine island split the sill
yer rim of the bottoms.
II know now that what he said was
all lies, but didn't then. AS soon as
l got on the boat I saw-Ken wasn't
! there, but Hopkins locked the door and
wouldn't let me off. And such cabin
as that house-boat had-tight as Jail.
He made all the apologies a man could
FIR raisin' false hopes about-Ken, and
told me he'd done it all f'r my own
good. Then he told me there was two
men plannin' to rob the safe that night
and he'd brung me on the boat T. git
me out O. danger"
She paused; looked at the man;
went on.
"He said he was goin' t. git you t.
hep i'm and you'd both watch the
house, and after the danger was over
you'd come and bring me home. He
Finger Doolin, the most dangerous pis-
toll fighter in the world. I asked i'm
how e found it all out-not KNOWN
then that he imself was Slim Finger
Doolin-but he said he'd rather tell
me all about it next day. From that
minute was afear'd of him, though he
was as polite and respectful to me as
e could be, short Of lettin' me CO."
She felt the eyes OF the woodsman
upon her. He looked away and she
went on.
From that minute 1 mistrusted he
let on, and as soon as he was gone
tried all I could t. git out. ! was
afear' d"-she looked down at the blan-
ket; crumpled a corner Of it hard In
her fngers-"you might chance T.
hear 'em, and 1 knowed If y'u did you'd
fight, and I was half wild rr fear
they'd kill y'u. Oh, if I'd only knowed
it was you that moved the boatl-
Jack why didn't y'u let me out"
The man stared at the floor and
twisted his great hands till the
knuckles turned white.
Cd" he groaned-"if I only had
But thought you'd be safest there. II
was the worst mistake I ever made In
my life-that and lettin' Hopkins
preach Pap Simon's-funeral, but I
didn't have no good proof on i'm
then"
The girl glanced at his bowed form.
The tick of the tall old clock in the
corner throbbed loud on the silence;
through the open window came the call
OF crows flying home.
TT was away in the night" the girl
went on at last, thoughtful and slow,
"bfore fin'ly got out by beatin' a hole
II the roof with a stove leg, swum |
ashore and run home as fast as 1 could. |
I'd jist got in the yard when 1 saw you
a-standin' there by the winder Then
come that shot and l thought Slim Fin
ger Doolin had-killed y'u. 1 don't
know what happened after-that-"
After that" the man echoed, his
voice low and broken, we've all BEN
-ryin' to coax the bravest and most
girl in the world back 10
ife"
"Life!" she murmured, as II the
word came new and strange to her
after being so fearfully close to death.
oh, want so much t. have it all back
lg' in"
And y'u shall have it back !" the
nan cried catching the appeal in her
-oice. you've got it now. Every
'reath brings the woods and hills, the
and flowers, jist that much
learer-w'y, you're as good as web
his very minute"
The smile in her eyes came alIv-
gain, stole out over her face and
rought back a heartening suggestion
f the dimples.
BY some intangible bridge all unseen
t human eyes, the smile found it's
'ay across to the mans grave and seri-
us face; kindled it-like the CLINT OF
forming upon the front of Black rock.
He picked up her hand touched the
AIDED orchid in her palm.
Il low yu amt rrgot the day we
found it"
He felt the twitch of her fingers
Il tried t ask y'u t'-promise me-
lat day-Tm askin' y'u t'-promiss
1t was the biggest word he had ever
lid in his life. Much like man who
ad committed a crime and awaited