Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-02-04
CONTINUED from last weekly
Chapter 40
lOVE-AND

Chapter 40
LovE-AND DISGRACE
Rock stood stiff and immovable as
the pine tree by his side, but his
mind, his heart received the fact OF
that embrace with tumultuous vio-
lence.
Scarcely had she clasped him when
she uttered a cry and released the
%convulsive hold. her hands unlocking
and sliding down from each shoulder
as II bereft of strength.
"Oh-pm-beside myself she
whispered.
Taking her hand. Rock led her to
a seat on the bench under the pine,
where she sank almost in collapse
her head bowed. Rock resisted his
natural impulses-crushed down the
exultation of the moment.
F'Thiry, why did you-do that?'
he asked, In a low whisper, hold ng
her hand tight.
IL don't know"
But dare I take it-as most any
man would such action from a girl?'
again at myself. What must you
think Of me?"
Reckon | think all that's wonder
full and beautiful. But / think also
I'm entitled to an explanation"
"Trueman, how can ! explain what
i scarcely ftdllKt Z she dfu Win
pathos. I'D been hours with Dad
and Ash. Oh. it was sickening. We
begged-we prayed Ash to give up
plans he has. He was a fiend. So was
Dad. But l kept trying till | was ex-
hausted. AS | came across to my
cabin / was thinking Of how you met
that Half Moon outfit. How you re-
scented suspicion against Dad! My
poor sick heart must have warmed TO
you with something-surely with
gratitude. You seemed my only friend
/ was wondering how | should thank
you-tomorrow Then you rose
right out of the black ground. What
fright you gave me! And when you
spoke IL just"
She faltered and broke off leaving
him to guess the rest. Rocks COM
passion overcame his more powerful
emotions.
'Thiry. you've explained how up
would not make You fling your arms
round my neck"
Pm guilty she replied distantly.
'If you can't he Observation-Disclosures
erous-then take it how you will. l..
After all, | belong to the Preston tut
fit"
These words tinged with bitterness.
accompanied by the withdrawal of her
hand from his gave Rock the cue.
This was his hour. His intelligence
recognized it. but his conscience
would not let him rush mad.y to AXE
advantage of her weakness at this
critical time.
'Trueman, it's late. I must go in"
she said.
Reckon you can spare me an
hour" he returned. his voice gruff
with the strain of his emotions.
Indeed no! / must go. Good night,
she. replied, nervously rising.
n rrfsnG rRnI Ins~ o-~. - 1911
and pulled her down on the seat. this
time closer to him. and he held her.
You stay here. Reckon | might
remind you that Ash is not the only
bad hombre o. the range
Very well, if you detain me by
force, Thirty said, colby. Why
were 0 waiting for me at this I'M
heard-of hour?"
II saw you go into Ash's cabin. and
j thought I'd wait till you came out.
Reckon 1t never occurred to me you'd
be so long. But l kept waitin'. At
that the time flew by"
Then you were spying. on neon
us?' she queried. a quicker note in
her voice.
Reckon so, if you want to use hard
words. But sure my strongest mo-
tive was just to see you, talk to you
a minute"
We'll, since you've done that,
"Thiry, you upset e~verythin' when
you put your arms around my neck
he said.
Don't harp on that she flashed,
hotly. Il did such a thing be-
fore. I'll couldn't to any other man.
1t just happened. If o want to
spare me let me forget it,"
could you ever?"
II might make myself"
''Reckon IN never let you, re-
Joined Rock, stubbornly. You've
froze up the last few minutes. That
hurts. | have my v battle to fight
and you're not helping me-"
If you had a hundredth part of my
battle TO fight-you-you'd flood the
range in blood"
II love you. My life is wrapped up
in you. And don't we read that
self-preservation is the first law Of
.nature?"
THE most selfish. yet"
"Thiry, let me make YOU battle
mine,' he pleaded. TELL me what
weighs so upon You. Tell me your
II have no secret" she replied,
shakily.
'Oh, / would If l dared" she whis-
pered, in poignant pain.
Rock had wrenched that truth from
her. Therein lay her weakness, the
vulnerable spot upon which he must
remorsely make his attack. If she
did not already love him. certain 1t
seemed that he could make her. This
horrible secret was clamping her
heart, and Ash's baneful influence
was like a poisonous lichen.
''Thiry, you might dare anythin'
on my love" he began
"Oh Mono! If it were only my
self"
Rock realized that Thirty was gov
erned by her emotions. She was too
honest for base secrets, and certain
ly too honest to hide her love, once
she realized it.
''Thiry, there are only two people
in all the world-you and me-"
How silly, Trueman, You are self
"well, if it's selfish to love you
worship you-to wan your burdens
on my shoulders-to saw o from
trouble, d~isgrace-to make you hap
py--then indeed | an sure selfish"
Hurriedly she rose, n all but re-
leased herself.
do you speak Of love and-and
disgrace in one BREATH" she queried.
Chapter Al
CATTLE THIEVES
Eyes. And you understand, he re-
piled sharply.
IL do not"
''Thiry darling, 7 can forgive your
falsehood to all except me-
What" she cried, pride and fear
~Aun