New Britain herald., 1925-01-28

Nlss.L-N-NS-S
 "oH, HARRY" SHE CRIED. THEY'VE HURT YOU" His rifle was in his hand. A blood stained rag was tied around his face, and the face itself was pale and drawn, with something in it which she had never seen there be- 1 fore.
 There was an unyielding hard ness in his look a gloomy des- peration.
 "Oh, Harry" she cried. "They've hurt you!"
 He looked down at her in won- der, as she arose.
 That's nothing. Just a nick
 She breathed d sigh of relief.
 And dad? Is he back there wait ing? Didn't he recognize my voice want him here, too. before I tell you the great news!"
 There was no answer from Harry Gloster. She waited another instant and then his silence began to mean more than words.
 Harry" she whispered. What happened - where is he?'
 Where he can't answer you Joan. But he left something for you that he said you'd never seen."
 He took out large oval locket and handed it to her. She received it with trembling fingers.
 "Tell me the whole truth" she pleaded.
 He rode on with the rest of us after we got out of Wickson. He said nothing about being hurt, but after we'd decided that each of us had better go on his own way. and Rainey had gone off, said goodby to Buck, and noticed that he was riding shaky in the saddle. l sneak ed along behind.
 "As soon as he was beyond a hill he sort of fell out of the saddle - more like fall than getting off He pulled off his coat. Then saw what had happened and went up tc him."
 He paused.
 "In the end" he concluded Buck wanted me to give you hi' love if I ever saw you again, and give you this pair of pictures.
 She opened the locket, wipint away her fast falling tears to se' what was inside. Within she found two pictures, one of 8 smiling gir enough like Joan to be her sister But the fashion of her clothes wal 20 years gone by, and she knew i was her mother, unhappy Kat' Cumberland.
 l The opposite face was the strang est she had ever seen. It was tha of young man, with dark hair ant eyes, a face spirit-thin and won derfully handsome.
 She did not need to be told hi name. It was her father. Dan Bar ry from the knowledge of whom she had been so carefully shielded through so many years. She closed the locket again, but still the twt faces were burning themselves int her brain.
 She looked up to Harry Gloste again, and by his expression sh' knew that he had seen the resem blance also. That was why he stoot so far from her.
 q came to tell dad" she sait slowly, that you and he are free The whole countryside is buzzint with it. They've telephoned th' news everywhere. Joe Macarthur, a he lay dying. made a full conf. sion that showed you had nothing to do with the killing of Nichol and Springer, and that there wa really no crime to charge to eithe of you. I came to tell you that yo' were both free, and now" ! He neither stirred nor spoke, bu watched her with 8 cold and dis tant regard that froze up her powe of speech. Fear was taking her b the throat.
 Harry" she whispered, "wha has happened? Why do you look a me like that?" [ T saw Daniels die, Joan. He die , for you. And I swore then that I never take q step to win you ava , from that wild freedom that yo t loye. That's your life and that { your happiness, and God pity tn , man that tries to step between yo l and it."
 But If I come to you. Harry, an tell you that l know how terribl ; and how foolish are the things have done"
 Joan, half a step toward m would mean" And so. suddenly, they were | zach others arms.
 A wedge of wild geese, flying low sent down their wavering and dis sonant chorus, but Dan Barry daughter did not hear. THE END
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