Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-01-28

boldened him. Still he drew back the
better to see her averted face.
whats one more offenses he
queried. I've ruined my hopes To-
night-or have found them glorified-
r.. oh. Thiry-how I love you!
Kiss me good night"
Not Yet she seemed weakening
He felt her culver in his arms.
"Then let me kiss you? II might
be the first and the last time. II
Ash finds me u I'll have 10 leave
this country. Else III have to Kill
him."
you'd 60 away for me-" she flash
ed. suddenly quickened and reVivttied.
and her hands went 10 his shoulders.
Il promise you
You love me so much
Thirty girl. / love you more than
l can prove"
Blindly. with unreckoning impulse,
she bent and met his upturned lips
with her own. Quickly, with a gasp,
she broke away to stare a moment,
as if some realization had stricken
her, then she fleJ across the porch
and into the house.
Ash Preston did not return 10 sun
set Pass for a week after the Fourth.
Rumor drifted down by a rider that
Preston was hunting for the Next
can who had beaten him at a dance.
Ii was an anxious and bruoding
time for Trueman Rock until Ash re-
turned, sober yet showing the effects
of n prolonged debauch. One moment
Rock stood on the porch. his hand
quivering. while Ash strobe over from
his cabin. Sullen. his face black and
blue, still swollen, he presented no
encouraging aspect. But manifestly
that moment proved he did not 1aw
or suspect Rock had been his a. sail
ant. Then the suspense of this meet
ing for Rock ended when Thirty al
most tainted in Ash's arms.
Jaw, Thirty. I'm sorry rasped out
Ash. Tears were streaming down his
bruised cheeks. Il was drunk tibet
night. I'll never go to town no
more"
This had happened in the middle
of the afternoon, upon Ash's arrival
home. Gage Preston was absent. Ii
was Rocks opinion that Gage did not
care to be present when Ash met
Thirty and Rock. Supper that night
no longer seemed something like a
funeral feast. Gage Preston anne in
late, and his gruff heartiness, his
steely glance, embracing Ash and
Thirty and Rock, were strangely at
variance.
Rock did not tarry with the family.
lie carried away with him a Ook from
Thlry's eyes-the first in which she
had met his since that unforgettable
moment on Winters porch-and
1t drove him to pace under the pines.
He paced a beat from the open
back 10 the gloom OF the thick
spreading trees. On the soft mats of
pine needles his feet made no sound;
the black shadow of the slope
his figure could not be seen. But his
sharp eye caught a dark form
crossing in front of a cabin light. He
heard a voice low but clear-Gage
P~reston's: Ash, come hyar."
Then two dark forms made black
bars. to obliterate the light,
passed on. Rock watched,
,rouching to peer thru the gloom ST.
entity he sank behind the log by
which he had crouched. Immensely
that 1t lay between him and the
approaching men.
What you want?" growled Ash.
Not so loud, you - re-
,hed Preston, in low HARSH tones, Il
want to talk"
Wal, | amt In no humor."
sit down there, ordered Preston,
With heavy contact of hand upon his
0on's person.
Rock felt the jar of the log where
Violently. Preston had pushed Ash.
Voiselessly craning his neck. Rock
aw the dim figure of the father,
over.
Rock espied Ash sitting not ten
eet from where he lay. 1t seemed to
that cold blood oozed from his
fery marrow. If caught there he
'ould have to fight for his life