The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1925-02-05

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band, he had rescued her.
"And you say / was unconscious all
that timer asked Joyce. II wish /
could understand it, and / wish /
could remember. 1t seems so strange
that part of my memory should come
back to me, and not all of it. Who
were those men and what did they
want of me? Were they Railways
men? And what did he want?'
81 think the explanation is simple,
dear" Lee answered. Railway wants
the secret Of your fathers mine. In
some way he must have learned that
YOU were coming back to the range.
He sent his men to intercept you.
They probably told you that Railway
had your father in his power, and that
is why you proposed to accompany
them, and why you didn't want me"
Not want you, Lee? l wanted you
from the first minute l saw you. I'll
tell you a secret, shall I? Well-lIl
fell in love with you that evening In
the hotel, and I've been in love with
you ever since. There!
"But why was I riding in the ranger
she resumed. "What was it on my mind
so terrible that there seems a sort or
~blackness there? l felt that you could
save me-" She shook her head. NO.
there's more to it than that, my dear.
And-I don't know-perhaps | shall
V know"
Lee slipped his arm about her.
".Joyce. dear, don't try to think. IL
doesn't matter. Nothing is going TO
matter any more. You are no longer
the unknown girl, travelling alone
through a wilderness, whose dlsap-
nearance would arouse no suspicious.
Once YOU are my wife, Railway can
not harm you. And then you nave
Father McGrath behind you, and the
church that he represents, and the mis-
sionarv societies behind that. Rath-
WAYS not fool enough to buck a power
full organization by any crime-hls
one is to lie low and sell all the liquor
he can before we put him out of busl-
ness. Tell me you'll marry me soon.
But the mine, Lee? And poor Lee
boeuf?"
"We'll look into those matters dur
ing our little honeymoon. Tell me
that 1t shall be tomorrow"
Jovce hesitated and while she hest
tated they heard the tinkle OF bels'
and Father McGrath appeared In mis-
horse sleigh, coming up the hill.
They went to the door. The jolly
priest waved his hand and pulled IN.
"WelI Meestair Anderson, and so
we're back again !" he cried heartily,
%grlpping Lees hand with a fist OF
iron. "Tis hard going wi the horse
through the snow, and l reckon III
have to tax to the dogs mighty soon.
This is winter for sure at last!
He s~crutinized the pair keenly. "Ye
havna made another of your queek
changes?" he inquired, with an absurd
affectation of ~archness that set them
both laughing.
NO: I've fulfilled the conditions
that we're imposed on me-" Lee an
swered, and with that narrated his
adventures in the mine.
"And Miss Pelly has promised &c
marry me tomorrow" he ended men
%daciously.
eN-not tomorrow, Lee" said Joyce
And Father McGrath, who had beer
listening to Lees story with many
calculations. looked so severe that Lee
had a sudden terror that he would re
fuse 70 perform the ceremony.
saTba dav after. then, Joyce?" Lee
pleaded.
Joyce interposed no veto this tlme
but was blushing like a rose ana 0 Q
ing adorably confused,
"Weel-" began the father. "WeeI
I'm not in favor of such q%ueeckness
Have YOU two young folks c~onseedere
+be consequences of matreemony, tn
awful and inevitable consequences
Have We thocht O the horror o sittln
+ doom opposite each ither at the breaR
fact table mornin' after mornln 10
t the rest O. your lives togither? HAY
r ve tbocht O. the stunning responsible
t ties of the married state?"
e Lee was beginning to grow aiarme,
e hut Of a sudden he discerned a twink
in the worthy fathers eyes. ana SUI
d denly Father McGrath smote Lee vi
lently upon the back. r
o "Tll do it, mon! = he shouted. i
e do II It's the one practical joke TN
{? is nermeesible to a meenister. D
h lIeve in m%atreemony. IT'S the gran
est O. the deespensations of Our Loi
ON airth Mony's the time I've numm'
and hawed and pretended ma TO
willin' when a young pairs colae
d me to marry them, he thinking he's g
st +he wurrld's desire by the foreloc
or and she proud and happy wi her me
it but by ma means quite all thai
i'd fond imageenation pictures her.
"And I've laughed in my sleeve a
st thocht. Ha, ha, We scullions' us I
tran we're asking me to spring on
er and I'm going to shut 1t fast. ana
VS. I'VE married them. And It'll no De
. ~E0 mo