Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1932-12-08

was gloatlngly satisfied with the out
come. He had always coveted her.
He came a step closer and the fire
light showed how the muscles of his
throat were working. Gloria's y e
widened. But not yet did she fear.
Mr.. Grafton" she began.
Gloria" he cried out. "Gloria !"
His hands, suddenly flung out, were
upon her. She tore them away,
wrenched herself free from him, and
started back.
"0hi" she cried, shrinking not so
much from him as from the thing she
read so plainly at last. aSurely, you
do not think you m~isinteF-
pref. my being here at all, my be-
Ing with Mr.. King.
NO." cried Grafton wildly. Il mis-
interpret nothing. You gave yourself
to him you saw your mistake; you
hated him. You have come to ne. /
have always loved you; / want you"
Her cheeks famed red with hot an
ger. She drew back from him. He
followed, his arms out. She was
amazed, for the moment shocked into
CONSERVATION. Then she marked the
small stature, little taller, little
stronger, than her own the pale face,
the narrow chest, the slender body.
You know what / mean, what /
want" he was muttering. "That sweet
young-thing innocence is all right In
its place but that place Is not here
alone In the mountains with a man."
Man! |" she burst out scathingly.
You, a man! Why, you wretched
little beastl"
But Grafton, his brain Keeling with
het fancy, came on. His arms CROPPED
for her. Gloria swept up a dead pine
limb that lay by the fire and swung
1t In both hands and struck him full
across the face. He reeled back, his
hands to his face.
"You beast!" she painted. "You COW
ardly. contemplate beast"
His mouth was bleeding. And she
read in the gesture and In the mans
whole cringing attitude that danger Of
any physical violence from him was
past and done with.
An absolutely new sense of citation
sang through Gloria's blood. She was
fully mistress Of the situation, and
had found within her an ~unguessed
strength.
Mr.. Grafton she said swiftly. .'you
have made a mistake. Mr.. King has
never offered me violence Of that sort.
Remember that, though we are alone
and In the mountains, | am the same
Gloria Gaynor that you have known.
And be sure that you treat me as
| such.n
He nursed his battered lips and
stared at her. The blow had dazed
him. The stick was still In her hands /;
a shiyer ran through him. His desire
went out of him.
Il wish to God / had never seen
you." he groaned.
She had meant from the first to take
the upper hand. Now she was al
most glad that this had happened.
For now she was very sure Of herself.
She dropped the stick and wiped her
hands.
1--WE have other things to think Of"
she said. She began dragging the
blankets from her bed. tumbling them
to the floor. +sTake these" she com
manded.
II vas a fool for ever leaving San
Francisco" he muttered bitterly. you
let me think that you cared for me,
and now you treat me like a dog. ]
spent time and money trying to be the
one to find gold In these internal
mountains"
Gold! He stopped at his WI word,
his eyes flying wide open. During
these later hours, fleeing from Brodie's
men, stumbling upon Gloria, swirled
away by mad longings, he had not
thought Of gold. But here was Kings
camp; straight here had King come
after Gloria had brought him her IA
theirs message and old Honeycutts
secret. Then the gold was herel He
began looking about him eagerly. King
was gone? Then not for men TO bring
help to Gloria but to aid him In carry
Ing Off the gold. He began questing
feverishly, shuffling about In the
shadows while Gloria, busy with her
plans for moving, wondered at him,
Presently, he came upon the bag which
King had meant TO take out with him
that day the horse was lost.
He went down on his knees by the
sack, got a heavy lump In his hands
rubbed at it, and finally sat back, star
ing up at her with new flames Of an
other sort leaping in his eyes.
ats next thing to solid gold!n be
gasped. 'sThere are thousands-thou'
sands Millions"
1t struck Gloria that there wal
small justice in Grafton reaping any
reward, having done nothing to earn
1t. "We have the things to move
Come, hurry"
why should we move, after all7' hs
demanded sharply. Nov that l have
got up here, why not stay7 King
would know where to send for us, and
and those cursed dogs Of Brodie',
would never think Of looking up here
ever II chance did lead them along the
- 80 H. - A--f