New Britain herald., 1924-12-24
nEGIN HERE TO-DAY

GloStcr saves the lifo Of stranger, Lee flames, from the murlerous hands of scoundrel by the name Of Joe Macarthur,
 Joan" lives with an old rccluse, Buck Daniels, presumably her father in an out-of-thr- way ranch house, She complains to him that she never Is allowed Co go where other girls go. One night she slips from her bed and rides to school house several miles distant, where a dance is in progress From a hid sMg place, Joan oYerhcars q lovers quarrel between two of the young dancers. John Gainor is jealous. If you're tired of me, I aint go- ing to bother you no more, NeIl.' says Galnor. "Hut we got to have q showdown right here and noW!" NOW 60 ON WITH THE STORY
 "You'rn trying to break my hcart," she sObhcd.
 "Oh. Nell" cried the man softly. "Oh, honry, I'd go through fire 10 makc you happy Don't you kno" thut""
 And, quite regardless Of whoever might he looking, he caught Nell in his arms, 1t was such an unexpected ending to the little drama that Joan caught her breath, smiling and nolling in sympathy, She was so glud the breach was healed that she wanted to run out and shake their hands and tell them how hap py she was.
 "Stop crying. dcar," Gainor was saying. "I'm q brute the way I been talking 10 you. I'd like 10 get down on my knees and bcr Vour pardon. Please stop crying, Aeu, and I'll never talk about flirting again."
 And indeed the whole body Of Nell was shaken and quivering. But it was not with sobs. To the utter amazcment of Joan, straight toward whom the face Of the girl was turned, Nell was laughing, inn pudently, silently, with her face crushed close to the shoulder of her lover.
 But folks will see us,," Gainor muttcrod. drawing back.
 Nell buried her face in her hands.
 "Oh, Nell" groaned the man, "Tll never forgive myself! Will you?"
 He thought she was still crying, no doubt. But Joan, shocked and thunderstruck, knew well enough that she was merely hiding the last of her laughter.
 Oh. shameless woman, she thought. And her anger rose,
 And now they were walking of affectionately arm in arm with the girl looking sadly up at Gainor and saying: T only want you to be kind 10 me, John. Just d little kind to me"
 "Kind to you,' Gainor replied, his voice a great trcmor of en- thaeiasm. "Ncn, I'll work for you una my hands arc raw. I'll make you happy if have to-
 His voice faded in the distance. So to the very end Nell had trcked Ilim. using the tears which laughter had brought to her cyrs 10 3ubdue hinl. He should be warned, thought | Joan.
 She unused ahout how it might be done until she was astonishcd to find herself laughing softly.
 After all" Joan murmured to herself, she was wonderful! wonder if any other woman in all the world could do that to a man? ?'
 Tn the meantime. the music in- side tho school had swung into the air of a Spanish waltz song whose vorls she had heard and learned from a cowpunchor who had once worked for Buck Daniels,
 Ehc stole around 10 the farther side of the school. There she found that thc way WAS easy, for thc foundation had hccn laid close 10 a ragged mass of black rocks Tn these she climbed and at the ton found herself at the level ot a window not more than three feet away. And by shifting her head from sidc 10 side she could survey the whole room.
 Rnt she did not care 10 shit it. for inc instant her glance passed pcross the room it fell upon the form of man like a lion com ,,rcl with the best of all tn" others - big. wldc-sh"ud"reh fellow who oyerfon"d the chair he sat on, with a head covered Witl curling taWny hair thrown back 10 re.. against the wall. and lace half stnrn and half handsome. and wholly careless Of all that went on around him.
 Two youngsters Of sixteen or sc,cntcru went spinning hy III doubfc time, through the maz'S ol new dance. and the big man ol inc ,awny hair so far reused thh,- slC as to lounge forward in ms chair and clap his hands m inc swift time of their shuitlug ret
 Finally h, arose, threw back ms El oI1lIETS, AI1I htl'NNiN"A
 little - he Ioomed a whole heau taller than the crowd - and 'eft ,b, hall Now she could look about to Sec who else vas there bu' when she looked ehc found that shc was seeing nothing on every s,de of nor hut that handSo'n. hronzed face and the head or tawny hair. .,.
 sac stole lack down the rock An at once t seemed to her that she had been incredibly bold in ad- >euturlng as she had done
 And if Buck Daniels should ever kno"--
 Sine hurried aIound the school agaln. Sine supped away into the the targfe of cedar and cactus uh'il sho reached Tcter again. and as ne v vninnied welcome no louder than whisper. she threw her arms
 t t.-,,..v+ head and drew il