Evening star., 1935-08-18

desperate killers l guess they must have
wrecked their car somewhere Why, honey,
they'd blast us off the face of the earth to get
ours - or they d take it and leave us trapped
here without -" He paused, thinking, and
suddenly he swung to face his WIFE MARY,
could you meet them = alone?"
"Of course, Mack, if it would help"
Il hate to have you do it, honey, but it's
our only chance. Listen - when they get
here you be dumb. You don't know a darn
thing except that all the gas has leaked out of
the car, and I've gone miles across the hill to
borrow some. Thatll hold them here - or
ought to-" He paused, in doubt, and then his
face lighted. you persuade the man who's
hurt to get undressed and in bed if YOU can.
Then send the other fellow to the spring for a
pail of water. When you We started this fellow
on his way to the spring, you run for the mine.
Stay there until call you. Don't hesitate,
sabe? You've got to be clear of all this"
"Yes, Mack. But honest, you -
mo butts - and don't worry about me.
I've good plan, honey. They haven't a
gamblers chance He spoke with forced
bravado. "G'bye, soldier" He drew her to
him and held her tightly for moment. Then
he was gone. running swiftly toward the shed.
He drained the gas from the car into can
which he carried far out into the brush He
delved in the shed and raked together a
strange assortment of paraphernalia. Laden
like pack horse, he staggered down the trail
in the direction of the spring.
Shadows were creeping up from the canyon
to entold the house when Mack. his work
completed, crawled through the brush to-
point from where he could watch both the
cabin and the road. A cool breeze moved
across the hills and died, leaving strange
sense of suspended motion - as though the
world had ceased to revolve and was waiting,
breathless, for coming events.
In his hiding place Mack stirred uneasy
and Mary, unkempt, her feet shutting in old
slippers, came out and sat dejectedly on the
steps.
She fitted perfectly into the balance of the
dismal picture "a shiftless woman, filthy
shack isolated in sea of gray sage Through
the desert Mack had seen such women, pride
and love long gone, living through endless
years in squalid, lonely cabins.
Never, even for day, had Mary let herself
60. Always, at the expense of untold laber,
she had fought doggedly to retain her self
respect against the surroundings. Mack,
watching her now, saw with startling clarity
that this picture of her was the true image of
what she would be in the future if he kept her
in the desert. He realized for the first time the
intensity of her fight, and he cursed himself
for blind, stubborn fool Somehow soon,
he'd have to - he whirled, half rising, as the
two men for whom he waited came around
the base of the hill and began to run, lurching
crafty, toward the house.
Dark against soiled white shirts, Mack
could see the straps which
) supported guns in shoul-
der holsters. The stronger
! !. !. ] . ! ; ! ! ! ! ! !" ! ! ! ! |
of the two carried heavy
satchel.
Mack's nerves tight
ened apprehensively as
they approached the
cabin. Mary had risen to
her feet and was leaning
against the wall. With a
lperfect pretense of indif-
ference, she watched the
Fmen come up.
Mack knew one awful
moment when he thought
of the chance he had taken in letting her meet