The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-28
CHAPTER xXxvIII.

"Please don't Co." cried Diane.
Don't leave me alone with him.
You couldn't do such . thing"
JEFF took . step toward his hench-
man. "Git!"
Lem, grinning, bowed toward the
girl with exaggerated courtesy
"You can see how hit is, miss. We
uns air jest materially bound to do
like JET says"
He was turning to 60 when Je6
halted him with: "You done told me
rs how you could run IN automo-
bile, didn't you, Lem?"
"Sure did, boss"
"Wal, then, you can run that ma
chine what's standin' in front Of the
house into the barn. Diane an me
amt goin' to need hit tonight"
When Lem was gone JET contin-
ued TO Diane:
Mebbe you can see now who's
runnin' things round hye9r. II
Ann Haskell knows what's good fer
her, she amt never goin' to show
up in this neighbofhood no more.
From now on this hyear's goin' to be
. mans country"
While Diane, dumb with terror,
watched, he, went to the table and
poured . dirty glass half-full Of
liquor from the jug. With the glass
in one hand and the jug in the other
he approached her.
"Hyear you be. Have . drink.
Hits good Ticker. I know cause I
made hit"
Too frightened to refuse, she took
the glass, staring ct him with hoY-
ror-stricken eyes.
With . laugh he raised the jug
toward his lips. oval, hyear's look
in 1T you," he jeered, and drank.
With : sudden desperate cry the
girl dropped the glass and dashed
for the door. But before she could
raise the bar he caught her and
whirled her back halfway across the
room.
"You mays well take hit easy,
gal" he drawled, cause you sure
amt a-goin' nowhar till I say you
can. Thar amt no use Of You
a-yellin'. neither, cause don't mo-
body pass along this road now =
days 'cept old Jim Cartwright, an
he amt a-goin' to come by tonight.
He war 1t the store this evenin' an
I seed him a-goin' home bout IN
hour fore sundown. ! done tried al
summer to be friends with you, but
you jest wouldn't have hit that .
way. Best ! could ever do war 70
lay in the bresh an watch you an
Herb. I sure got my chance now,
an ! low I'll jest make up fer al
I've missed. So you mays well make
yourself right to home with me,
honey, jest like you done with Herb
that night when you an him war
caught out in the bresh."
He swung the jug upward tor
another drink. But with his face
upturned and the jug almost touch
ing his lips no stopped - Il sudden
" turned to stone.
Diane, wondering, saw q look Of
amazement and fear come over hts
face. His eyes were fixed on some.
thing behind her, his mouth gaped,
be seemed paralysed . Il 1t sight
Of some apparition.
The girl whirled about.
Ann Haskell WAS standing In tho
kitchen doorway, with Names Jor.
dan. like ; faithful hound. close b.
hind.
The mountain woman Was wear.
Ing her old backwoods ccstume-.e
shapeless dress Of dinsy black, with
black cotton stockings and heavy
shoes. "A black bonnet hung over
her shoulders By it, strings. Her
black hair, streaked with cray. was
drawn back from her scowltng brow
In Q slovenly knot. Her face was
set hard and grim, and her black
eyes cleaned Ike two points Of Icy
Nrht. Even n that moment 81
almost hysterical relief Diane
thought Of the regally beautiful
woman she had seen standing % the
foot Of the stairway II the old Car.
The oyerwrought girl wanted %
cry out, 70 throw herself into the
mountain Woman's arms. But there
Wos something about Ann Haskol.
4 he stood there silently facing
JET Todd. which checked heE: She
.eould have gone 70 the Ann Haskel
Who smiled q her % kindly tho
nieht 81 the party, and Who thanled
~ IS andefetandinkly for tho part
she vas playing Il that AGAR; But
this Ann Haskel with the hard. IN
eompromislng 1aee ana teo danSeI