The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-24

and it's brought him to this" He
turned down the steps. "I'll run
your car in to Verdi and come out
tonight. If things get worse
phone"
And then again that half-smilc
came to the mans face. Funny"
he said, then added, "You may be
interested to know that in the eyes
of the law you and / are both GRIM
inals now" He shrugged his heavy
shoulders. well, what the law
thinks won't drive me to morphin.
In fifty years I've learned enough to
blast half the regulations in Verdi"
He smiled. cts a very wicked
world. Ted. When you reach my
age you'll realize it. In the mean
time, keep Bob quiet"
Again the silence of that desert
morning fell about the hacienda.
Once Ted looked into the room
where Bob lay either unconscious
or asleep. Beside him sat the girl.
her eyes fastened on the pale face
among the pillows. He listened for
a long time to the slow, faint breath.
ing, then left the room and paced
the porch for an hour when the girl
joined him.
Lighting a cigarette she inhaled
eagerly. 1--WE been afraid to smoke
in there" Her face was white and
worn, and with pang of ren,orse
Ted remembered that she had been
with Bob through the long night and
morning.
Better get some Sleep" he told
her. "I'll stay with Bob until Price
comes back"
She shook her head. "What's the
use? I couldn't sleep. I couldn't
bear to be alone now. Talk to me"
She sat down beside him on the
steps. "Has Bob a chance-I mean
an honest-to-God chancei"
"Price thinks So"
"Who shot Bob?"
Ted told her all he knew of the
past night. Bob and the Mexican
must have seen each other and fired
almost together"
"And the Mexican?"
"Dead."
"Then there is no one to know1"
Radcliffe shook his head slowly.
Morales may suspect"
Again the girls eyes dropped, and
he added: Don't you think you'd
better lie DOWN. There may be a
hard night ahead for us BOTH"
"But what will the end be-"
II wish l knew. If Bob gets better
it means war until either he or Mo-
rales wins. The whole border will
be brought in, for those two men
are raising a storm that will sweep
the country"
"Will it bring you into the fght?"
Bob was my friend-whether he
lives or dies my hand is against his
enemies"
She rose. then suddenly swayed
forward. Ted caught her and carried
her into the house. Quietly he laid
her down on his bed. She looked up
at him and whispered, "I'm so tired
and afraid for Bob-and everything"
Radcliffe nodded. II know. It
will all come out right. I'll call you
if there's any need"
Outside he resumed his lonely
vigil. Twice the phone rang, and
each time he said that Bob was rid.
ing the southern range and would
not be back for several days. Once
during the afternoon he thought Of
the girl inside, wondering what part
she might play in the hidden life of
his friend. She seemed a strange
blending of tenderness and almost
brittle hardness. She was like some
one living beyond both happiness
and unhappiness. And once he re-
membered her eyes as she looked at
Bob.
! At last he forced himself to think
of other things. Hours passed.
Toward dusk the cook brought him
a tray of sandwiches, and suddenly
he recalled that neither the girl nor
he had eaten all that day.
! Hc carried the tray inside and.
seeing the door open, tiptoed to
where the girl lay sleeping, one arm