The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-06-22

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other in all this country answered to
the description of the Blue-eyed One
with Bronze col0red Hair. Sonya felt
cold, as If wind of portent had blown
| across her spirit. And swift on its
heels a sadness came, the odd, unac-
countable feeling Of personal loss and
I sorrow which had assailed her that
night at Myra's.
She shook herself mentally and
| actually, and was angry at herself
| again, and when this man spoke she
listened. forgetting.
'Tm a violent man, Miss Savarin,"
he said strangely, land my life won't
bear tn light-but thing like that
makes my blood boil. There amt no
manner of use hurting something that
can't fight back, and woman an
| child-well, they're set aside, some
| way, like starvin' kitten, or dog
that no one wants. No kind Of man
would do them a harm-not an be
| man."
"You think that-honestly? said
| Sonya. Fright in your hearth"
| "Why, of course" he said surprised.
Don't your"
Eyes, oh, yes, a woman feels like
| wondered"
| Have you been back to Lone
Mesa?" he asked presently.
NO" said Sonya, 81 haven't. I've
| been pretty busy. housekeeping and
Sewing. Have your"
"Twicet. At night. Watched tn
moon come up across tn desert, and
it was wonderful. A man can't de-
scribe it-like new life comm to
dead world"
81 know" said Sonya, 1--WE seen it
from there myself"
"Alone? My Cd Miss Savarin, you
shouldn't be goin' around this country
by yourself like that"
| "Why not? Pm perfectly SAFE Every
one knows me, and there isn't Nav
ajo, drunk or otherwise, who'd say
a word to me-"
mot tn Navvys, no, ma'am," he
said painfully, 'but they amt all there
are, you know"
How well she knew! But she was
sorry the inference had been drawn.
LAS for being drunk-will you be-
lieve me when say / haven't touched
a glass or a bottle since-since that
day-on tn cliff? Every time I've tried,
your face has come before me plain
as plain-the white fury of it, the
courage-G-dl / choke an quit try
in"
I'm glad" she said didn't tell
you it was never too late to look up?
Didn't II"
"Sure you did, but that don't mean
anything in this case. I'm just telling
you that your face stopped my liquor"
It'll stop lot of things for you,"
the girl said in a rush and was as
tonished at herself.
"What-do you mean?" he said
slowly.
"I-oh, l don't know!" said Sonya,
trembling, "only l know you've got to
stop-stop that Border stuff. That
you've got to change-the leopard
spots"
"You," he said, wetting his lips,
which had suddenly lost their color,
"you-want me to-do that?"
YES" said Sonya thickly, "yes."
"Then, by Cdr he said through
his teeth, "Fll-"
What he meant to say was not ap-
parent, for at that moment they both
heard what they had been too tensely
strung to hear before-the roar of
motor in the sky. A small gray ship
slipped down directly over their heads
and dropped to landing on the desert
| out beyond. The man took one look.
and reaching out an arm, he pushed
| Sonya and Darkness back into the
canyons mouth, I'm d'Oro shielding
them both. The touch of his breast
against her shoulder, the scent of him,
tobacco and sweat, the nearness of his
| bronze cheek, sent a wave of weakness
over the girl
| "Get back!' he rasped, "for TIL love
of heaven! Go in deep, please, an
don't come out till it's gone"
| Then he had struck his heels to I'm
| dOro's shining TANKS and was out like
flash across the sand.
| For moment Sonya sat where he
had left her, shaking as with a chill,
bewildered and little scared.
What was this?
What had driven the blood from his
| face?
And why did he go straight to the
| plane If he was frightened?
| Here was the answer to some of her
questions, that she knew instinctively.
If only she could go out there her.
self She could not even see from
where Darkness stood, so prompt and
so efficient had been his action. But
she must see. Sonya's lips set as
they did when she faced crisis for
her skill, and she dismounted and,
dropping Darkness rein, went forward
| carefully the few steps that separated