The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-09-06

But she stopped with her hand on
the great iron latch and surveyed the
room completely for any sharp thing. |
any pointed thing. any place where
one might tie 4 rope-of bedclothes,
cav. Finding none of these. she
opened the door and went silently
away.
The sound of the bolt falling echoed
In the empty passage.
So. This was the end. Not forever
could they keep her in this barren
room. Sooner or later she would have
the means She only prayed 1t might
be soon-before she must wear the
scarlet dress for Manuel There must
be something hidden somewhere with
which one could slash 4 vein In 70
slight 4 thing as 4 woman's wrist.
The bed, perhaps. 4 spring under
the huge tick filled with feathers,
maybe But the bed was old when the
land was new. and 1t was laced with
rawhIde so steel-like, hard. and dry
that 1t had outlasted centuries
1t was Al hopeless n the great barr
In the window set In the ancient mud
Of the walls
And Sonya Savarin, who had guard
ed life 80 well, now stood at bay. hold
inx her breath. bordering desperately
how she might destroy It.
II only she had her bagsl Her little
case of instrumental But she had
nothin9-and Starr Stone was dying
now, perhaps. or would tomorrow.
There was nothing left to do. no
foes to face with lifted head. no
schemes OF hope to make. no one whom
she might coax to help her.
| And 20 1t last Sonyx. having IL
hausted ill her resources, scant ut
best In this terrible situation, made
ready to bow in resignation. She
knelt By the ancient bed. which had
no doubt seen tragedies before. and
folding her hands addressed her soul
to Its Maker In sorrow and humility.
How long she knelt 30 she never
afterward could recall Sometimes she
prayed, weeping, for that other SOU
which had 20 Erievously misspent III
days, and these were fervent prayers
abased and agonized before the heaven
~ throne, begging for that mercy OF
the eleventh hour which has been oil
vinely promised: sometimes for Serge
and Lila and little Babs, even FOL
Darkness For herself she asked scan
favor. 1t had been always 30 witt
her. Service to her fellow men, com
fort for all suffering things, had beef
her passionate aim In life-
OF herself she thought last ant
least, of Starr Stone most
II only they had met in those earl
days OF which he spoke, before tina
one misstep had put him in 81 Diablo'
power, made him an outlaw, Borde
renegade. When the sweetness, tn
kindness In him had been paramount
Before sin and wrong had put th
leopard spots upon him.
But the spots were changed at iai
when 1t was too late. To his facs b
had repudiated Ell Captain. signed b
own death warrant. for anyone leavin
= tho dark service OF this monstrou
bandit put himself ION the spot"
9 truly ~ any In more modern places.
! And he had done 1t deliberately,
prove to her that he Was change
even to the death. The courage whit
had shone In his face In that repudi
> ton had been magnificent He knee
= none better, tho fate Of Ell Dlablo
y double-crossers and he double-cross1
u him high-handedly and with supren
. finalIty.
u "Oh, Start" wept Sonya with h
% forehead on her clasped hands. 20
d my man OF all men! Ny one and on
- lovel'
y In the warm dark silence the hes
IS In her seemed to melt In anguish, I
20 tides OF life to run swiftly out
For her It was the ebb OF I'M
q things, the last low hour before
., end. In dull coma Of hopelessne
u her face swollen with weeping.
o. sank lower and lower against the Ert
: bed, her lips apart, her black ne
=. dIsheveled.
!" And Into this last deep abyss th'
dropped tiny sound
= SO low and soft It was that SoE
~ was not conscious Of Il until II B
~ repeated itself several Nnes-ths
= most inaudible scrape Of metal agai
metal
er The outside bolt. huge and hea
slipping slowly In its slot
~ with her breath caught In her thr
up Sonya Savarin listened.
II After 1 tense interval 1t came ags
ne and tho gentle creakinE Of the r.
Ut door on IT. hinges
Instinctively the girl ahrank b
'ed against the bed
ne, MANUEL
'dy Manuel. her master
er- She stifed 4 scream on her o.
ess mouth. her hand across It
len And then 4 voice, whispering
est the darkness. 4 breath of voice
'ou lovely n music. said "SenoritaI |"
ust she could not speak, and agail
whispered, "Senorita7"
.Si." said Sonya, gaspIng, Il