The Coolidge examiner., 1936-04-17

SOureQ ana twisted anu ISfmenLtu
to fury by repression.
But that reflection of passion
was fading, now; astonishment and
bewilderment and chagrin were
sweeping up to replace it. And
then, in a darkening flood, came
deep anger against this intruder.
West raised a hand halfway to
his breast. 1t was his right hand.
Kerry should have noted the ges-
ture, but he did not. He was
too close to the answer of an old.
ranking question, now. -.
No light of recognition was in
Tod's face. Too many years had
passed. A lad of seven Kerry had
been on that day in old Jacks
camp, and West in his early twen-
ties.
Young rallied himself. More I'm
portant things in his own way of
reckoning values might be close at
hand, but he had run that rapid to
render aid to this girl. That came
first and so he spoke, but with diff
fculty kept bitterness from his
tone.
"You might" he said pointedly,
"help the young lady back into the
boat"
Still West did not move; nor did
he respond. The canoe was withiu
length of a paddle from the skiff,
now, and Kerry could hear the
light, quick breathing of the girl.
81 said you might, voice rising
and thickening, - help the young
lady back into the boat"
West turned and looked silently
toward shore. Young, staring up
at him, felt an Unreasonable loath-
ing for the man arise. Put the
blame for old Jacks ruin on him.
had he? And, perhaps, profited by
the tragedy himself?
He lifted one foot, flicked it
across the gunwales and with a
heave of his agile arms was stand
ing face to face with the older
man.
Il take it the young lady doesn't
relish having you here at all. Why
don't you get out?'
The heavy jaw trembled ever so
slightly and a red flood swept into
the cool and calculating gray eyes.
81 happened to see from back
yonder. l happened to see your lit
tie game of a, of tag. I'd say
your welcome aboard here was at
any time highly questionable. I'd
say that the least you could do
would be to get out now. You
forced her to dive once, and an
other swim shouldn't do you
any :"
LET go, you"
Young's quick grip on Vests
arm, brought words heavy with
rage. @
81 won't let go until you :"
The man was no weakling. Kerry
felt the tremendous strength In
those arm muscles, felt the vast
power in the stalwart legs and
broad back as West swept an arm
out to clip him into close embrace.
But he had the advantage of bet
ter cOmpOsure, of better stance and,
perhaps, of an older, ripper hatred.
He drove a knee against Vests
thigh, he half turned, grinding a
hip smartly into Vests groin. He
showed with both hands and, Civ
ing a strangled roar of anger, the
man went backward into the river.
A lovely girl was waiting in the
chill waters of the Mad Woman and
quickly Kerry stopped, taking her
hands in his.
She came up, with light kick
of her small feet, the bunt of n
trim, breechclad knee against the
boat, and stood close to him, drain
ing water. For the space of n
slow breath he clung to her hands
and his eyes, smiling now because
of the things which churned in him,
things that, should he let them,
might stir too much rage and a
modicum of pain, plunged their
look deep into hers.
''There !" he said and laughed,
because there was nothing else to
do. with confusion and embarrasS-
ment flooding such lovely face as
that.
She drew her hands down the
sleeves of the red shirt, stripping
water from the fine flannel. Her
eyes went past him to the swim
ming West, making suddenly and
stoutly for shore, and in them
showed an anger, surprising in in
tensity for face so gently
moulded.
The man gained the shadows,
waded, dripping, to a beached canoe
and dragged it afioat with savage
jerk. He stepped in, drove the pad
die against bottom stoutly enough
to spin the craft about and turned
on the girl such a look as Young
had never seen on mans face.
"All right" he said chokingly and
nodded just once, sharply. "All
right. Nan! For this you'll
be a pauper"
With no more, with only a quick.