The Coolidge examiner., 1932-11-18

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own life? You want TO shield me
from what people might say, even
at the expense of shutting me off
from living" She flung toward him
little appealing and rueful smile
Why are you making 1t so hard
for me, Dave stone? | don't want
10 go all the way. -. Or don't
You really careW
lie felt her beating against and
wearing away the hard rock of his
resolution not to compromise her by
involving her fate with his.
"Say care for you. Would thar
make Ii right for me 70 speak? I'm
Dave Stone. We can't get away
from that"
II don't want to get away from
it," she answered, her eyes meeting
his bravely. ITS Dave Stone
want. I'm tired of fighting. | want
to rest. 1t is only your stiff pride
that stands between us-that is, IL
you do care"
Her work hardened hands moved
ever so slightly toward him. In ner
look were gifts of more than friend
ship.
In that long meeting Of the eyes
. the barrier between them was
burned away. He knew, by the
clairvoyance of love, that nothing
else mattered. If he had been a
bad man" he was now one no long
er. That belonged TO yesterdays
seven thousand years. He WAS at
the sunrise of a new day. lie had
sloughed his past as forest crea
ture does its horns.
So he took her in his arms and
told her. as lovers have since time
began, how wonderful she was and
how amazing this experience that
had come TO him. AS she looked AT
him she wondered how she could
have thought that face impassive
and those eyes hard.
An hour later they remembered
that this is world made up of
more than two. Slowly they moved
toward the house. A cry startled
them. Julia was standing on the
porch with Ethel. Her hand point
ed up the trail.
A horse and rider were coming
down 1t in a very strange way. The
man in the saddle sagged forward
in the seat like a drunkard. He
lurched unsteadily from side TO side.
Julia ran to meet him. She
stopped the horse and helped the
rider dismount.
phil" she cried.
He was pale and haggard and pit
eOusly spent. His breath came with
difficulty. On his shirt below the
shoulder was a wide deep stain OF
blood.
Ethel looked up whitefaced NJ
her sister and murmured. Hes dy-
ing"
No" the boy reassured. He
closed his eyes. then with an effort
opened them. II was to Stone he
spoke. wills is up therein Horse
Thief park. They've got him cor
nered-Gitner an his crowd"
Stone carried the boy into the
house and looked TO his hurt. "Clean
wound in the shoulder. Ought to be
all right. He's lost q lot of blood
of course. but he'll make that up
fast"
Fellow got melville ! was
comm down the canyon" Phil whis-
pered. I'VE fixed 1t. wills an |
did-that | was TO come for help II
he goi caught. He was AT the other
end of the park Iookin' up brands
when ! heard the shootin'. lit out.
Get help TO him quick"
The message given. phil tainted.
BY the bedside of the wounded
boy they held a hurried council.
Doctor Sanders had 10 be brought
and a posse TO be raised. But 1t was
essential that help he got TO Wilson
Met ann without delay.
"lf only knew the way" Stone
lamented. But I'd never find the
place"
Instantly Julia caught his mean
Ing. You'd go alone-if you couId?'
she cried. "Then I'll take you. I've
been there"
She had flushed from despair to
sparkling life. Her tortured soul
craved the chance TO do something
for the man she loved beIeaguered
in the hills.
You wouldn't be afraid to 60
with me?"
NO"
Then wen start right now"
To make sure Stone questioned
Phil as 10 the exact location of the
hidden valley in relation to Guada-
loup canyon. For there was q
chance that Julia's memory might
fail at the critical moment.
The parting between Ann and her
Texan was not dramatic.
You'll be careful. won't your
Sbn asked