The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-02-11
CHAPTER I

lin the old Western parlance the COM
mendation, Hes a man to ride the river
Uith," Uas the highest possible praise. 1t
meant that one could be trusted in all
emergencies.)
Sun rays were streaming through
the mesquite when Ruth rode out of
the arroyo. In the light Of morning
the dust in the air from the desert
sand, finer than powdered sugar,
gave the atmosphere a faint rose
color.
Ruth Chiswick drew a deep
breath, almost a sigh. The desert
could show its teeth grimly, but it
could be poignantly lovely too. This
was her country. It held her by a
thousand ties, yet she was begin
ming to be afraid of the ruthlessness
that struck at life so savagely. All
plant and animal life had its sting.
Nothing survived without a strug-
gle. Always the desert fought to
destroy.
Ruth was greatly worried. She
had gone such a little way in life,
was so inexperienced. At the part
ing Of the ways, she did not know
what to do. Her problems were
two, though they merged into one.
That her father lived in constant
danger from the lawless rustlers of
Tail Holt she knew. He took no
precautions. Instead of biding his
time until he could crush them he
bluntly deied and threatened. Some
day he would be dry-gulched from
the brush.
Though at times there was stormy
conflict between father and daugh-
ter, the tie which bound them to-
gether was very close. To Ruth
the peril in which he stood had be-
come an obsession. She must ave
him at any cost, and she believed
she had found the way to do it. That
fat slug Sherman Howard was the
leader of the outlaws, yet kept with
in the law himself, as far as she
knew. If he gave the word for his
men to keep their hands off L c
stock the rustlers would obey him.
Nc longer would there be cause of
strife between these light-ingered
riders and Lee Chiswick.
And Sherman Howard had a son
who was no fat slug but a dark
handsome youth with a merry
laugh. Ruth liked Lou Howard very
much. He was wild, of course. She
did not know him well, and there
had been moments when there had
flashed out evidence Of moral cal
~lousness. So it had seemed, but al
ways afterward his warm smile had
banished doubts. He had given her
to understand that she was the one
woman with influence enough to
keep him straight, and she was
young enough to be attracted by
the thought of %snatching so good
looking a brand from the burning.
There was something romantic
about clandestine meetings with the
son of the enemy of her house.
She had flirted with a lot of boys
in an innocent way, but she did not
know anything about love-unless
the emotion she felt for Lou Howard
came under that category. At times
a strange feeling flooded her, al
most religious in its intensity, that
she had been appointed to save her
father by marrying this young man.
Lou was in her mind a great deal.
She was not sure about him.
The last time they had met he
had kissed her. Indignantly she had
pushed him away, but afterward-
thinking of that ardent embrace
alone in her room-she knew her
indignation had been a fraud. She
had been chary of favors to boys.
None of them had ever kissed her
like that, with a fire which had
stirred in her reluctant response.
A young man rode out of the mes
quite and flung up a hand in greet
ing. She watched him as he can
tered forward, flung himself from
the saddle, and strobe to meet her.
A queer little thrill ran through her,
and after it a tremor of fear. He
was essentially a stranger, as many
men are to the girls who marry
them, yet it was likely he was 70
ing to be the most important person
in her life.
II was afraid you wouldn't
come" he said, and kissed her
hand.
Ruth took it away, embarrassed.
Hand-kissing on the frontier was
something alien. II said I would be
here" she reminded him.
s.