Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-01-07

Walk, I reckOn?" asked Tom
laconically.
Wal, you can u if you like.
An thet day an till / come back
you-all work on the new pasture
fence"
"All right, Pa" drawled Tom.
Rock, tibet doesn't sound much
like work to you. But your job is
to keep these three harum scarums
from ridin' off into the woods.
You'll have your hands full, fer
they're shore Indians"
BOSS. if | can't hold them in I'll
do the work myself" replied Rock,
Before the hour passed, Mrs.
Preston and Alice came out, and
Thirty, too, and they all sat around
on the porch and grass enjoying
the cool breeze coming up the Pass.
The moon shone brighter as the
clouds grew more oYen. There were
woments Of pale gloom, then a
long interval of silver light. The
shadow of the pines on the white
grass fascinated Rock. And pres
emily he found that being there,
except for the silent Thirty so dis
turbing to him. was no different
from being in the company of most
any hospitable Western family. The
discordant note-Ash Preston-was
absent. Rock made himself as
agreeable as he knew how, to the
youngsters especially, and then to
the mother, who responded readily.
She was of pioneer extraction, SIM
pie, virile, and sincere. She had q
hearty laugh; she liked news of
the outside world.
Preston retired within his cabin,
and soon after the boys slouched
away, their spurs jingling, their
dark lank forms silhouetted against
the moon-blanched grass.
Trueman S to say good night.
Thirty had been standing some
moments, in the shadow of the
cabin, apparently listening.
"Mr. Rock, would you like to
walk with me to my cabin ?" she
asked.
4Why-pleased, I'm sure" re-
piled Rock, haltingly, scarce able
to conceal his amaze and joy. What
old9ashioned courtesy! Good nights
were exchanged, and Rock found
himself walking away under the
great dark pines, in the Swallowed
moonlight, with Thirty beside him.
Thirty walked beside him, slender,
housekeeping, with her profile
showing clear-cut and cold in the
moonlight. AS she did not speak,
Trueman dismissed the idea that
her invitation was simply an old
fashioned courtesy. Therefore he
made no attempt at conversation.
When they had covered most of the
distance to her, cabin, without ex-
changing a single word, he felt
anew and provokingly the growing
excitement of this situation.
AT last she slowed her step, hest
tated, and halted under the mag
nificent pine tree that made dark
shade around her cabin. Outside
the circle there were spaces of sill
yer moonlight, and then streaks
and bars of black shadow across
the light. The night wind breathed
in the huge spreading mass of
foliage overhead. How supernatur-
ally beautiful the place and mo-
ment!
The girl confronted Trueman,
and her face had the sheen Of the
moonlight, her eyes the darkness
and mystery of the shade.
"Mr. Rock, | want to talk to
YOU" she said, very quietly.
"Yes?" rejoined Trueman, en-
couragingly, but he was not in the
least encouraged.
"Have you been-whofly honest
in coming out here to Sunset
Pass 2" she asked, gravely.
"Honestl-What do you mean?"
flashed Rock, his, pride cut and his
,blissful anticipations fading.
what did you tell father"
Il asked for a job" returned
Rock, CURLY.
"Did you let him believe the job
was your sole reason for coming"
"No. He said / hadn't been long
in trailin' you up. He was good
natured and nice. So I didn't deny
it. / laughed and agreed with him.
"Oh-you did" she exclaimed,
somehow shaken out of her reserve.
That's different, I apologize"
''Miss Preston, you don't owe me
any apology" rejoined Rock, stiff
ly.
eyes, | do. I thot you'd deceived
Dad-the same as so many riders
have done"
D1-r- III r - pa IT,