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

ter told me of your meeting with
that vile Pickins. That same
| Pickins was once an enemy of
fathers. Since I've lived West I've
learned there are bad gunner and
good gunner. My brother Ash is
one kind-you are the other"
"Thiry Preston, first you are
cruel, then you are kind" replied
Rock, hoarsely. IF you want to
drive me away I advise you to
keep on bein' cruel" :.
!. "You wouldn't stay herewith
! us-and-and leave me alone? ?" she
asked, with a simplicity wholly free
of vanity.
"Yes, / might-if you cut me
cold or slammed the door in my
face" he answered.
THAT / couldn't do. If you stay
on, living here and eating at our
liable, l could not help but talk to
you, be with you some. think it
would be nice-if Ash wasn't
around to make me so sick. I'm
afraid | might like you. There
isn't any reason why l shouldn't.
Now, if you stayed-you'd-
you'd"
She broke off as if unable to find
adequate expression. But her voice,
her look, were more than sufficient
to make Rock fight temptation.
How easy to lie to this innocent
grill He could do hat and stay on
here, and deceive Ash Preston, too.
Eyes, Miss Thirty, / would" he
returned, swiftly, to get by the
danger. Il would be a very great
deal worse than any cowboy you
ever knew"
"So-you see," she said, entreat-
ingly. "Then you and Ash would
fight over me. First with fists,
probably, like a couple of beasts.
Then with gunsl -. Oh, that's the
horror of it. There would be
blood spilled. He might kill you,
which would be terrible. But most
likely you would kill him."
Suppose I did," flashed Rock,
torn between pity and jealousy.
She leaped up to stand rigid,
with clenched hands and swelling
bosom, with such blazing eyes of
passion that he was stunned.
eff it was not my death-I'd kill
you myself" she cried, intensely.
How wonderful she was! Almost
he forgot all in sheer ecstasy. Then
remorse laid hold of him again.
was torturing her.
"Miss Thirty, forgive me again."
he pleaded. you've said an awful
But / was to blame. Please
sit down. That was only my
Listen, I hope I'll never
get into any kind of q fight with
"Oh, what are good intentions
to me-where a woman is con- |
,erned? You couldn't keep out Of
It. You have a fiery temper.
And Ash-that devil would make |
a saint fight" (
'Ill just make up my mind | |
won't fight. I'll keep out Of his ]
way. I'll do a~nythin'." I
Except let me alone. Oh, / can't i
trust you, Mr.. Rock. / daren't trust
the situation" ]
"But, girl, be reasonable. Nc one S
yet ever made me do what I didn't I
to do. If I say / won't fight t
words or fists or guns--I t
"Not if he insulted you vilely be-
lore my family-and others? Not
4 he slapped you, spat in your '
face, kicked you as if you were a t
7
Girl, in that case I couldn't be c
80 sure of myself. But / might 9
stand all that for you" Q
"Then l wouldn't have you do Q
t." she cried. Il wouldn't let you o
'e a coward-be despised by my 9
'eonle-all these ra~nge-riders, and b
,our friends" 8
"Those WHO know me would unA, !
lerstand. Reckon | wouldn't care S
lbout others" S
"But it'd be dreadful to make 7
fool of yourself over
she protested holly. Il .
wouldn't allow it." l
@You might not be able to help ]
t. I'd have to be a fool-or else ]
True Rock-one or the other. And s
I'd certainly rather be a fool than 9
lurt you"
"But you've only seen me oncel" '
The exclaimed despairingly.
am not committin' myself yet, {
because I'd hate to embarrass you
without bein' sure. But I'm I
if SEEM you the the other
lay wasn't enough, this time is. !
"Oh, please go away tomorrow :
before it's too late" she implor- |
ID. t
"You want me to go as bad as I
asked Rock, weakening. J
II beg you to. I've begun to be 9
of you, and | wasn't at first. 8
so sharp--so keen. You'll !
/
Suddenly in her agitation, she I
a hand to her lips, as if to t
silence them. Her eyes dilated. She