The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-12-12

appointment II 1t was satisfactory to-
Ingram. 81
Within a week the governor Of the
territory had appointed him.
AS young bride at the Diamond
Tail ranch Barbara was very popular
with the riders In her husbands en-
ploy. In Cattleland women were
scarce, and charming young ones who
bloomed like wild roses could be
counted on the fingers Of one hand
with several digits to spare. Barbara
would have been less than human If
she had not appreciated the homage
of these bow-legge- young bipeds.
None the less. she was not happy.
The one man whose homage she
wanted offered it rarely. Dave In
gram belonged to the old school of
husbands which regards wife as a
property. He had won her. and it
was not in character for him to keep
on winning her. She was his woman
under the law. Naturally, she would
take 1t for granted that he was fond
Of her.
He never consulted her about bust
ness. He rarely told her where he
was going or when he would be back.
1t did not occur to him to kiss her
when he left or when he returned.
There were hours when his passion
for her famed like tow. Yet Bar
bara, hungry-hearted for affection, re-
scented these as much as his days Of
absorption In affairs from which she
was excluded.
Barbara withdrew into herself, mar
rowing her life. A hard, fierce pride
welled up In her. and bitterness lay
like lump Of lead in her bosom. Not
girl given to self-pity, she did her
share Of weeping now when alone be-
hind bolted doors. Sometimes she
told herself that she was to blame.
that she expected too much Of man.
But since she was what she was this
was small comfort. For she knew
there could be no happiness for her in
being less to husband than his lover
ana MS c0mr0oe.
At breakfast one morning Ingram
lifted his eyes from the newspaper.
"See yore friend O'Hara has been
appointed sheriff." he said. "If he's
no better than Jim. might as well have
none at ALL"
Thought yon favored the appoint
ment," she answered.
II did. He's got CUTS, IL he Is a
tenderfoot. But Quantrell's a lot
more likely to get him than he is to
get Quantrell."
II noticed that everybody was urg-
ing him to take the place an that
nobody wanted 1t for himself" she
observed sharply. II think It's a
shame to let him go out against that
Apache Quantrell-for that's all he is
KNOWN no more about trailin' and
such things than a child. You say
yoreself he hasn't got chance. I
don't see what Dad was thinking about
when he let him take It,"
"Yore friend Is a full-grown man.
amt he?" her husband asked indiffer-
emily. "An' didn't say he hadn't a
chance. said the odds were against
him If he really goes after Quantrell
an doesn't lie down on the job. May
be he'll just make blur an let 1t
go at that"
HE won't" she said decisively.
"He wouldn't have taken it If he
hadn't meant to do his best"
"Hope his best Is good enough. I'll
sure not do any mournin' If he gets
that young killer" Ingram replied.
O'Hara rode across to the Diamond
Tail that afternoon.
Barbara came out to the porch to
meet him. At sight of her wave Of
emotion crashed through him. After
the usual banalities Of greeting he told
her that he came to see her husband.
Dave is not here. don't know just