The Coolidge examiner., 1932-08-12

asked grimly. what kind or a
man would / be If ran away after
that? Am | the one lookin' for
trouble? Did print bills sayin'
I'd kill him on sightT His face
was hard as hammered iron.
"You know why he did that-be-
cause you jumped on Jasper when
he wasn't looking and beat him
when he couldn't defend himself"
He laughed scornfully. That's
the story he's telling, Is itf
"And now Fathers crazy mad. II
you don't go away"
"rm not going" he cut In harshly.
Then some one will be killed"
she cried despairingly.
"Yes."
His brown, competent fingers
were on the barrel Of the rife he
had been carrying In one hand.
There flowed through her a sense
Of his virile power. This man was
dangerous. His force expressed IT.
self in the cool quiet eyes. In the
clean lines of the face and figure, In
certain wary stiffness that meant
reserve strength.
"If you'd only go-while there's
still time"
Her distress touched his not very
accessible heart, the more because
he knew her capable Of fierce and
primitive passion. Independence and
courage were Of the essence of her.
But her pride could not stand out
against the shadow of tragedy
lowering In the background.
81 can't go. What would folks
sayT
Does II matter what they'd say
II you were doing rightT she asked.
1T would matter to me. Besides,
I'd not be doing right TO go. This
is where l live-the only country l
know. ! can't let anyone run me
out. I've got to go through"
"Why have you?" she pleaded.
Its all wrong. this feud. II you'd
Just 60 away, for a while, maybe
things would quiet down. Then you
could come back"
He shook his head. "No, | can't
go. don't want TO have any trou-
BILE with your father. but II he's
bent on It. why it'll have to come"
With a little gesture Of hopeless
ness she gave up. 1t was Of no
use. Before making the attempt
to move him she had known It
would be. For, according to the
frontier code he was right. None but
weakling could run away after
an enemy had served notice that
he was looking for him.
AS she turned away his voice
stopped her.
"I1l promise one thing. It'll be
fair fight far as I'm concerned
no layin' In the bushes an waitln'
for him."
Her dark troubled eyes rested in
his. Their appealing beauty dis
turbed him. He would have liked
TO give peace TO her worried soul
But he could offer no assurance.
When the hour came. If ii lay with
in his power, he must strike her to
the heart
Much stirred, he watched her
Iissom young body as ii moved with
/ light rhythm toward the house She
belonged to the enemy clan, but he
could not hold her in cold disap-
proval. An enemy. yes! But al.
ready he knew her very dear one
whose presence filed the secret
places of his heart
AS Jasper Stark moved about the
! streets Of Mesa with his slouchine
gait his eyes furtively questioned
/ public opinion to discover what II
thought Of him. His manner Of
braggadocio still sat on him. but Il
was a hollow mockery. lie was full
+; of shame. resentment, and self-pity
Hatred surged in him.
He sent for Gitner. That hardy
ruffian straddled into an upstair:
room of the Gilt Edge and looked a
young Stark with a scarcely veileC
sneer. WANT TO see me?" he asked
Yep. Heard the old man say any
thing about me. Carl"
''The old man don't mention yorC
name. It's understood at the Circle
Cross that Matt's through with you
Why?"
"Sit down." Jasper growled, witt
annoyed impatience. Il wantta talk.
He pushed the bottle on the table
toward the other man.
Gitner took chair and drink
He offered no comment. There wa!
a tactical advantage in forcing th'
other to lead and he availed himsel
Of it.
"Shove that bottle north or west,
Stark said surlily, and then pouret