Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-12-20

III iio iAAAe
After 1t, would he be as strong as
he was now.2 To be near-her.
Barnes led the onslaught of ranch
hands upon Helen, and the welcome
she received could not have been any.
thing but gratifying.
Jim got on the horse Barnes saddled
for him and followed Helen who to his
surprise took the road back up to the
ranch house. Perhaps she had for
gotten something. But when he turned
the bend she was mounting the trail
that led up tile ridge. If there had
been giants on huge steeds pulling Jim
back, he still would have kept on.
When they got up to TIE level ridge,
among the pines. he trotted to catch
up with her. But she. kept a little
ahead.
Ills thoughts locked around the
astounding fact-this was the trall
they had ridden down, after that en-
counter when he had kissed her. Sight
and hearing, his sense of all around
him, seemed strangely intensified. The
pines whispered, the rocks had Il secret
voice, the sky tXrned blue, the white
clouds sailed, the black Henrys doomed
above and the purpleagray valley deep
ened Its colors below.
Helen halted her horse under the
very pine where they had stopped to
listen to the hounds and cowboys rae
Ing up the ridge after the deer.
My sense of direction seems to be
all right" said Helen.
Helen, | fear it's better than your
sense-of kindness, let me say. !.
Why did you bring me here?i'
please look at my clneh," she re-
piled, coolly.
Jim d%ismounted. more insure of
himself than ever. In any of the many
crucial moments of his career. He did
not understand a woman He could
only take Helen literally.
Her saddle cinch was all right, and
he rather CURLY told her SO.
"Then-maybe It's my stirrup.' she
went on, lightly, as she removed her
booted and spurred foot.
We'll, | cant see anything wrong
with that, either. Helen.''
Something thudded on the ground,
Her gloves and her sombrero. But
they surely had not fallen. She had
flung them A wave as Irresistible rs
the force Of the sea burst oyer him.
But he looked up, outwardly cool. And
as he did her gloyed hand went to his
shoulder.
"Nothing-the matter with-your
stirrup,' he said huskily.
NO. After all, It's not my cinch-
nor my stirrnp. Jim. could any OF
your western girls have done better
than thts2'
"rhan what?"
Than fetching You hereto this
plaee-where 1t happened.
Yes. They would have been more
merciful."
But since | love yoll-''
you are mad" he cried.
And since / want you-presently-
to behave somewhat like you did that
day.
He reeled under that. The truth was
almost overwhelming. The strong,
earnest light Of her eyes told more
than her words. Her pallor had van
ished. She was no longer cool.
Jim, you might have saved me
this. But perhaps 1t Is just as well.
You are laboring under some delusIon
that | must dispel. | want you
ask you to stay"
IF you are sure-I viii stay. Only,
for G-d's sake, don't let 1t be any
thing hut-but-'
Love" she added. Jim, | am sure
II | were going back to England, I
would want you to go, just the same.
It's what you are that has made
me love you. There need be no leveling.
| lived years down In Robbers Roost.
That changed me-blew the cobwebs
out of my brain. This wonderful West
and you are alike. want both"
but | am nobody. | have moth
Ing he cried haltingly.
you have everything a
needs to make her happy and keep
her safe. The fact that I did not know
what these things really were until
lately should not be held against me-"
but 1t might be generosity--pity-
the necessity of a woman of your
kind toto pay"
True. 1t might be. Only 1t isn't.
... | brought you herei"
Jim wrapped his arms around her
and for the reason that he was
ashamed to betray the tears which
blinded his eyes, he buried his face
in her lap and mumbled that he would
worship her to his dying breath and
In the life beyond.
She ran soft ungloved hands through
his hair and over his temples. People,
cities, my humdrum existence had
palled me. | wanted adyen-
ture, love. Jim, | regard myself
just as fortunate as you think you are.
Lift me off. Wen sit a while under
our pine tree. Jim, hold me as you
did that other time-here -
1.-THE END.1
.J;u Jsfxu