White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-08-25
mo, ma'am. You thought 50. but

| ~" S Soo say ludI! i saw MIN
fall from his horse when I shot"
I'll tell you about that, Miss Ann"
he said, and related to her the same
story he had told the sheriff.
II don't believe word of It," she
replied, and there was a sob in her
| voice. you're doing it because I'm
in trouble about it, and now-they're
| going Toto"
II know" he said gently. "Don't
you worry, Miss Ann. I'm hard citi-
zen. Anyone will tell you that. I'm
only gettin' what's comm to me. An,
about McArdle-it's sure enough true
killed him. If hadn't of, how would
know he'd made his brags that he
was comm over to yore place even
when you didn't want him?"
She could not wholly deny that bit
of corroboratiye evidence. But she
saw another possibility, more likely
one. maybe you found him before he
died. Maybe he told you"
He shook his head, meeting her ewes
steadily. mo, ma'am. l told you the
straight of it. He said something no
decent man would say. I called for
a showdown an beat him to the draw.
He had better than an even chance"
She threw out her hands in an inn
patient little gesture of abandon. Il
don't care what you say. If you did 1t
and / don't believe it yet-you did it
for me. You're shielding me now.
That's why you gave yourself up, SO
that people wouldn't blame me. And
I had treated you mean-wouldn't let
you be my friend. Then you do this
for me. But I won't have it. I'm go
ing to stop it. I'll tell them I did 1t
and they'll let you CO." Ann ended
on rising note close to hysteria.
The gunman was close to death.
The dull roar Of it's menace echoed
up to him from the street block
away. He did not think Of that now.
In his blood there drummed q beat Of
Joy. In that hour he was nearer to the
woman he loved than ever he had been
before. But no flicker Of feeling was
allowed to reach his poker face.
Nothing to that" he said quietly.
"This is private grudge an those
holding it will git me If they can.
You're not in this. What's the sense
Of you mixin' in? It won't help me
any, an you'll get in bad yoreself. II
was you I'd go straight home an not
say word to anybody Maybe things
wilt work out all right for me: You
never can tell"
! His GOODNESS chilled her, but she.
would not give up. go home!" she
repeated. leave you here to- die
when-when-" She put her hands,
up to- her face and broke into violent
sobbing.
The Texan stepped closer and
touched! her arm gently with his hand:
Don't you take on thataway," he
begged. Don't you.''
/, After a. time, through the catches
] Of her breath he caught the, answer.
/, what Kind ct woman do you think
| i am-to go home and fold my hands
while-while-"
II think yoaire' the salt Of the earth,
Miss Ann" he told her simply, "You'vs'
risked' a. heap. in tryin'' to, help, me-
what folks will think, an" what this
crazy mob would be liable, to do If they
found you here with me- IT'S the bigs
gest thing any woman ever did for me-
; except my mother: But there's no.
way you can help me more, than you've
done already: SO + say, don't get yore
name mixed up with me, i'm this: FIJI
likely make the grade. rye been In
| tighter, places than this ant come
through all right. Do, L look like L
was; worried about it?"
| Before he' had finished speaking
+ there rose a sound SUCH as Ann had
mover heard Before. 1t had INIT some
thing of the wild beasts triumphant
scream when it has brought it's kill to-
bay. At that yell of hundreds Of
voices answering the cali of the old
savage, blood-lust she shuddered' with
terror. The dread of it crashed over
her senses like q, great wave lifting
her. from her fet. The room tiltedand
objects swami together. in, a, haze of
| bubbles
| When her eyes; opened she found
L HERSELF looking up into the face Of
| Stone. He was supporting her in, his
arms
"You' fainted," he explained.
| An appreciation Of the Situation
|. flowed back into her mind!
| "1-was frightened. IT'S, aneadful.
/ If someone, would talk to Them, would
i axplain things"
/ He shook his head. mo use They're
/ beyond talk be. said quietly.
\ But there naust be some, way.
I There must be- she pleaded desper-
! ately.
\ Wen fight 'em off," he promised.
'ATime for you to 60, Miss Ann. If
Mike figures IT'S safe, have him let
| YOU out the back way. Their you go
straight home"
She was pallid beneath the tan
Fer lips trembled. He knew that she
was shaky on her legs.
at you die it will be for me-" she
told him in whisper. "1'M never for
get it-neyer as long as live"