Evening star., 1931-05-16

wen enough I1at Dig eyes sIuUueo
"Didn't he send q letter or
anything? How am to know you men
are employed by my brother?"
I'm afraid you'll have to take my
word" replied Jim, gravely: But
Barnes, here, he can prove his identity:
He lives in Grand Junction, and, OF
course, there are responsible people who
will vouch for him"
Miss, the boss did send word" spoke
up Barnes, touching his hat. And, step
ping closer. he added in lower tone {:
He told me last night you was TO
fetch what come by Fargo"
"Then it is all right" she replied.
heartily relieved. MY luggage Is in
side, on top and tied on behind. The
name is on every piece-Helen Her
rick"
"Ill attend to the baggage, Miss Her
rick" reioined Jim. Meanwhile Barnes
will show you where to eat. 1t might
rest you to walk a little. We have an
eight-hour drive"
"Thank you. I've been riding stead
ily for two weeks, and I'm stlh.
Whereupon Jim set about collecting
the pieces Of baggage marked Her
rick" 1t appeared that the stage had
been loaded down with then-19 in all!
Manifestly. Miss Herrick had come to
stay. To find room for all of them in
the blackboard was going to be task.
He set about this methodlcally, his
mind at once busy and absent. BY
packing carefully under the seats and
on them, too, Jim got the bags all in.
He went to the store and bought rope
to tie some of them on securely. Won
der what she looks like" he thought.
He had felt vaguely uncomfortable
when she looked him over through that
veil. His task completed, Jim stood be-
side the restless horses, waiting. And
it seemed he was waiting for he knew
not what.
Presently Barnes returned, wearing
an excited grin. His eyes were i'm
portant.
Jim. I fixed it. shore gave her an
earful," he said.
Did you? Much obliged cowboy"
"She took off thet coat an veil
Lordy' Utah never seen the likes of
her-red lips, pink cheeks, hair like
gold, an eyes like violets. Jim, for a
minnit went plumb back on my gurl!
But, shucks, thet's crazy. She asked
me to set at table. I did. She's just
as nice an free as Herrick. 1t was
while We was eatin' thet I had the
chanst to tell her about the notorious
Jim Wall. Mebbe I didn't spread 1t
on! An she looked-gee, such eyes!
She said, so Bernie Herrick sent a
desperate to be my escort? How per-
fectly rippin'H Honest, Jim, thet's what
she said So I shet up pronto. When
I jest come away she said she'd walk
a little in the orchard, an after goin
into the Wells-Fargo of1ce shed be
ready"
Have you double me?"
queried Jim, suspicious of this boy.
70 Irsr-
Jim, honest to GaWd, II thet gurl
amt scared to death of you she's new
one on me-" declared Barnes. But there
was fun and evasion in his keen, hazel
eyes. Somehow he had failed to follow
instructions.
III go in the chinks here and get
bite to eat. You watch the horses"
Upon his return Jim espied Miss Her
rick emerging from the yard of Mrs.
BoWes lodging house. She carried the
linen coat on her arm, and without it
did not appear so tall. She had Won
derful step, free, swinging, graceful
stride, expressive of health and vitality.
She did not look slender, as in the
long ulster; but superb, broad OF
shoulder. She wore q half-length
coat over her brown dress. It
had a collar of dark fur which pre-
Sented vivid contrast to her exquisite
complexion. The veil was tucked back
and now permitted sight of a wave of
shining, golden hair. At little dis
tance her eyes looked like great dark
holes set in white. But as she ap-,
preached, Jim saw that they were violet
in hue, warm beautiful, fearless.
Are We ready to go?" she asked
gayly.
yes, If you have seen the Fargo
people" replied Jim.
II have it in my satchel." she re-
turned. indicating the half-hidden re-
ceptacle under her linen coat
Jim tried to interest himself in that
satchel, because he was in league with
robbers. but 1t did not work. Sud-
denly he had murderouS desire to kill
Hays. This girl-for she appeared a
girl in vivid freshness Of youth-seemed
not in the least frightened, absolutely
free from revulsion. Indeed, she was
regarding him with undisguised interest
and delight.
Mr.. Jim Wall, you're not In the least
what my brothers letters have led me
to believe" she said.
Letters! Why Herrick has not had
time to write about me-" exclaimed Jim,
incredulously. "It takes long for a
stage letter to go. I've been at Star
Ranch only a few days"
"Oh. he did not write about YOU inoi-
vidually,' she laughed. But from his
letters about bandits and desperadoes I
had evolved a rather frightful concep-
ton"