Evening star., 1927-10-04
THE EVENING STORY

Thank you, Red" she murmured
with dignity tinctured with condescen'
sion. 1t was too late now to say any
thing else and this seemed to put the
best face upon the situation.
you're quite welcome he replied
composedly. "Wait minute, Miss
Bowman. You ought not to walk
about alone after dark. You're wear
| ing quite valuable rings and plati-
mum wrist watch. There are 20 men
on this ranch no one knows anything
about. Doubtless most of them are
good. trustworthy fellows. but l
wouldn't answer for the whole lot
| That skinny Mexican. for instance
they call String Bean ! wouldn t
trust that ereaser very far. Last night
I noticed you walking quite distance
down the road-alone. Mr.. Maddox
or | will be glad to escort you any
where YOU want to 60.
This struck Charlotte as rather n
! lofty speech from a "bundle stiff. hut.
suppreSsing the obvious retort mat
she knew no more Of him than OF
the others. she thanked him with in
! creased dignity for his advice and
passed on. Nevertheless. she needed
| the warming especially since 1t was
repeated the following morning by her
! host.
&, Before the report was back from
Helena the patient was on the mend.
The afternoon it came. Charlotte, sit
ting beside her sleeping patient, saw
| the doctors car coming UP the road.
She arose softly with a warning finger
on her lips. Silently he held out a
telegram from her to read. The analy-
sis showed typhoid reaction. But
as the invalid was already conva'
lescing it was evident his vigorous
corpuscles had been too much for the
feeble germs.
The physician was a bachelor past
80. far gone to embonpoint, with a
sentimental pale blue eye: and as he
showed her the report a plump hand
stole up and rested upon Charlotte S
where it held corner of the dis
| patch.
For heavens sake. If you want
10 hold girls hand, do it openly and
above board like man and not under
cover of handing her something'
Both whirled about. The telegram
| f1uttered to the floor. The sick man
was sitting upright in bed and the
f1ecks of gold in his green eyes had
become pinpoints Of flame.
You young upstart," snorted the
medical man, outraged and crimson,
crossing over and trying to subdue
Red with his pale blue eyes: ''if you
weren't sick l would knock you
down"
You old pudding, you couldn't
knock man down. If it wasn't for
the presence of Miss Bowman l would
get up and pound you to an even
softer jelly than you already are.'
Doctor" interposed Charlotte, push.
ing him away. remember he is sick
Red, l can take care of my.
self"
Il was afraid of that" remarked
Red, yielding to the hand upon his
chest and sinking back upon his pill.
low with a grin.
Goodbye, DOCTOR" said Charlotte.
Now. Red, you must try to so to
Sleep"
Yes, mom." answered the obedent
Red and closed his eyes.
Three days later the invalid was sit
ting up for the first time. That night
the whole house was aroused at mid.
night by terror-stricken scream. 1t
came from Charlotte's room, but not
from Charlotte's throat.
Mr.. Maddox. who had driven to a
distant ranch that morning to buy
horses, had telephoned that on ac-
count of an accident to his machine
he would have to remain overnight.
Red, who was the only man in the
house, leaped from his bed at the cry
and ran to Charlotte's door.
Are you hurt?" he called. open
the door if you CAM
The bolt was shot back He could
see nothing, for it was a starless,
moonless night; but he could hear
music - the "Miserere" --- weird and
elfin in the blackness of the night.
Listening he became aware of another
sound-a muff1ed accompaniment, as
1t were, of castenets.
"Can you strike a match?" inquired
Red in cautious whisper. Il can't
see anything to hit"
A match fiared in the darkness; and
by it's Pickering light he could see
Charlotte wrapped in blanket, pale
and plucky, shielding the flame with
cupped palms. On the floor by the
dressing table was a huddled head
whose chattering teeth were furnish,
ing the castenet obligato.
$50 it's you. String Bean! thought
so. If you move I'll brain you," said
Red Hawkins. threatening the cover.
he had snatched from the kitchen
| woodbox as he ran through.
But the superstitious Mexican
panic stricken at the unearthly melody
that greeted him when he lifted the
jewel box's lid, made no effort at re
sistance or escape.
BY this time half the men from the
bunkhouse-all more or less armed
and all attired in blankets-had gath
cred at Mrs. Maddox's call, and were
standing just outside the bedroom
door. BY the wavering light of can
die held in the lady's shaking hand
her own costume bed quilt-it looked
! like midnight powwow of big chiefs
Charlotte lit lamp and the half