Evening star., 1934-08-12

coarse piece OF Colorado as an orchid on a
woodpile. She looks expensive what is meant
Gloria had slung hash, and danced q bit in
the chorus, and sold magazines and cigarettes.
and while blond that has rustled the main
stem can stin look like bud, it will not have
dew on it. She has learned to keep Gloria
all to little Gloria and still collect on promises.
80 she looks like million.
The mountains all around are wrapped in
white and the white Is drifting down the VAL
teys. In no time ut all Gloria Is very cold She
has Platts letter telling her to arrive today
and that If he does not meet her she is to come
up to Ozone on the stage. And she grows an
noyed with Piatt or the stage.
After q while she hears q noise and turns
and sees q man riding up very fast When he
stops all she can see of his face is q pair of
tight eyes staring at her between q hat brim
and the collar Of a sheepskin coat. He jumps on
his lathered horse and touches his hat. How'd
do" says he.
nod and looks down the track with the express
sion she has learned to use while waiting on q
corner of Broadway.
well, I'll bel" mutters the man, and picks up
the mail sack and starts tying it to his saddle.
Pretty soon he tries her again. "Waitin for
somebody"
Certainly. I'm waiting for the stage from
Ozone" And she looks down the tracks again,
very elf-possessed.
DLATT has told her in his letters not to talk
to anybody, and especially not to mention
his name. He says that in his responsible posi-
ton there is no telling what might happen to
him from even q stray word.
The man finishes tying the sack. well" he
says then very cool, "the stage is stormbound
between here and Ozone"
-As far as can see there Is not any snow.
I'll wait" And she goes on looking down the
track. like she expects a taxi along any minute
See the mountains? An see that white
comm down the draws? That's snow. and it'll
be here in 10 minutes. You better come with
me-"
Gloria eyes him like she's learned to meet
that proposition.
He gives her an eye Of his own. '1Jow, Little
Red Riding Hood, don't worry" he says. so
far's as this VOLTS concerned you're about as
welcome as q sore on the trigger finger But
bein' found you guess findin is keepin'.
got cabin back here ways
Now Miss Gloria Gage Is not afraid of meet
ing fate worse than death. Familiarity with
that peril has given her contempt, which is
sometimes q dangerous state Of mind Also
she has a gun in her purse. hard fake of
: snow suddenly stings her and it is going to be
dark soon. So she decides to go.
You'll have to leave your bag an you'll have
to ride sideways" the stranger tells her. "Tn
walk ana lead the horse"
Gloria has never been on q horse BEFORE also.
the horse has never had q Gloria ON him be-
fore. She yips she swings up.
Don't Squeal! Hang on!"
She sticks and the man slides out of his
coat and wraps up her legs. She sees he has
on tight leather jacket and that he has
strapped onto him pair Of guns five times
as big as the one in her purse Furthermore,
she sees his face is gentle, like a hawks. As
he takes the reins and starts OF she notices he
keeps a sharp lookout.
Pretty soon the wind is cutting like knife
: and whirling snow around them. Gloria's hands
get numb as she hangs to the saddle horn
and she feels like Lady Godiva would in the
same place. She decides she might as well
have frozen beside the tracks. 1t gets dark
and Gloria does not care for Colorado nor for
horseback riding.
pY AND by. just as she has decided to quit,
- they stop and she sees they have come
to a little log cabin. She cannot stand until the
man has held her q minute. Then he kicks
the door open and takes her inside and lights
a dingy lamp. 'Tn make a fire as soon as I
git my cayuse into the lean-to," he tells her
She feels sick, but she notices that the
inside is not inviting She has expected the man
must have Just left it, but she sees 1t has not
been used for long time. The furniture is
rusty cook stove and q table and some rough
chairs and hunks 1t does not look good to
Miss Gloria Gage from New York who has
quite refined taste.
Soon the man stamps in with the mail sack
and his saddle. He fastens the door with a
wooden bar and then he goes over and hides
the sack under one Of the hunks After which
he strips blanket on and covers the window