Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-06-06

for you"
Don't be. | won't die. Nothing
could kill me-now."
"Why now7"
Because" said the girl gravely
I've got d hghi ahead. a fight to
take you from whatever holds You.
and I'll do it We've just begun
you and l. Starr Stone"
Her face was like a flower Of the
dusk. beautiful and dim. but filled
with a stern courage, a white fire
OF the spirit His hand on hers
closed tightly. Slowly be leaned to
ward her and Sonya leaned to meet
him, his eyes. his breast, his lips. In
the darkening night she kissed him
and knew she had never kissed a
man before. What she had given
Rod Blake was pale friendship com.
pared to the tide of life which en-.
quilted her now.
Then she drew back, pushed the
hair from her forehead.
Strange" she said, what life
does to US against our will, In spite
OF all we've ever known. ever de-
sired. ever planned"
GOD. yesi" be echoed, fever
known, ever planned"
but we can fight backl" she
cried. 1--WE don't need to sink un-
der its blowsi"
ITO a certain point" he said. BE
yond that-no."
"Yesl AS long as there's lifei |
know what the human soul is made
GIFTS strength. its courage. Men
and women too-have done great
things, against all odds, because of
It Strong men, strong women. Every
one falls. Only weakllngs stay
down. Anyone can get up II he
wants to hard enough. If he has
a reason. I'm your reason"
The man groaned a%udibly, an In.
articulate word of despair.
III I had the world" he said
thickly. I'D give 1t all to be worthy
to make you that"
He Strengthened In his saddle,
gathered his reins.
Come" he said, ~ mustn't keep
you. Do you mind II | ride with Won
a bit? It's dark enough-no one will
see you riding with a man whose
head carries a price"
Once again the cold fear shot
through Sonya as she turned and
rode out across the desert at his
side.
At q lift in the dark sage levels
Starr Stone stopped and held out
his hand.
Il have a reprieve," he said
simply. "for a certain length of time.
I'll be in this country for its dura-
ton Do you mind If / keep-com.
ing back-while 1t lasts7"
"Oh," the girl said with a sud.
den catch In her voice, "you break
my hearth What Is all this? What
Is it?"
"Life's mistake--its sins-and pen.
alties," he answered lowly; "lts
grasping at straws, its compensa-
tons. May | come If I'm carefulY"
Gomez" cried Sonya. "Any time,
any placer"
And, wheeling Darkness, she rode
swiftly away to hide the sobs that
shook her.
She came in late at home. Serge
and Babs had long been asleep, but
Lila waited In the dark patio, rock
ing slowly in the frlnged hammock.
They exchanged low spoken words
and went together into the silent
house.
AS Lila struck a light she looked
across Its flame at Sonya.
You've seen him." she said.
Eyes. At Tall canyon"
That was all and the two women
went their ways on soft feet.
That meeting In the dusk at Tall
canyons lip was the beginning Of a
strange and pregnant time. Two
days later Sonya, wringing hot
cloths from a steaming water-bas-
ket on a hogan's sandy floor, looked
up as a shadow darkened the door
way to the east. Starr Stone stood
there leaning his graceful length
against the Intel.
us there anything needing to be
done that a husky man can do?" he
asked soberly. water to bring,
wood to get2"
PLENTY" said the girl quickly.
Both of those. Every one in this
is down except the two lit
TEST children"
Without a word the man turned
and disappeared, and presently he
was back with two baskets of wa.
ter. He set them inside the door
and went away again. returning
with great quantities of the
bleached and straggly dead wood of
the juniper scrub which clothed the
nplands here. BE replenished the
outside fire where Sonya had been
heating her stones for the water
baskets, set the latter In to heat
again, poured fresh water into the