Evening star., 1940-09-03

| ling. Is 1t that you consider Jim
a sort of interloper-that the In
innate life he and I might share as
man and wife wouldn't be fair to
the memory of your father?"
At the moment Brick wasn't quite
sure what she felt on that score.
But most certainly what Jim Brad
street had done to her pride and
emotions was Incompatible to the
dent his son had put in her ego, and,
since sweet reasonableness had new
er been one of her most noticeable
traits, she considered his sons ac-
tions as base trickery? "I wish you
would promise me not to see Jim
again, mother"
do you want me to make a prom
ise and then break it?"
Coldness splintered in Bricks
eyes. "Why should you break it?"
Because, strangely, I love Jim,
darling. For two years, now my life
has been pretty empty-lonely--"
II can't see that you need a man
like Jim Bradstreet," Brick said
with careful dignity, and for mo-
ment she contemplated telling her
mother about Jim and herself.
Questions Bricks Fairness.
"Are you being quite fair, Brick?"
Liz said gently, her beautiful eyes
appealing. Have you ever heard
me say that you don't need a man
like Carl Jamison?" There was
some strange new note behind her
soft tones.
Mother happen to-Carl loves
me-"
Il hope he does. darling"
For the first time in their lives
the silken fabric Of their relation
ship strained thin. They looked at
each other with hostile eyes, tears
not far behind. Then Brick straight
ened her slender body. "All right.
Go ahead. Marry Jim Bradstreet,
but don't count me in after that.
And don't expect me to be nice to
Craig Bradstreet while he's here.
I'll be staying as far out of sight
as possible, and when Carl
Quite suddenly she was not cer-
tain what she would do when Carl
came, so she walked out of the
room with careful dignity, but two
tears rolled down each cheek-hot,
angry tears.
Brick was out of bed the next
morning while it was half dark.
Helping to gather the cavy was one
of the things she enjoyed most at
Chuckomovi, and the few dudes who
were of the same opinion and who
got out early enough to go along
she tolerated with polite superiority
But the thing that really disturbed
her self-possession this morning
was the fact that Craig Bradstreet
slid into a place across from her a
few moments after she seated her
self at breakfast in the bunkhouse.
He smiled at her and said, Good
morning" She inclined her head
coolly and after that glanced at him
only surreptitously, pretending that
she was not conscious that he was
there. But she could not deny that
he was quite good-looking in West
ern clothes that weren't new nor
shiny-in fact they looked as if they
had been made for him. except that
was some time ago, and they were
the sort of easy clothes that a girl
can look at once and forget unless
they are worn by man like Craig
BradStreet.
R;das WITH c&.r.
When breakfast was over and
about a dozen of them started from
the corrals. Brick found place be-
side Steve Bingo at the head of the
group and stayed there as they
headed for the range land that
rolled itself up from the floor of the
plateau to the base of the noun
tains. When they divided into two
parties she saw to it that Craig rode
with the main group south along
the dirt road while she went north
with Steve and a selected few. As
they found the strays they worked
them into the main band OF horses
feeding at the base of the cliffs.
Already the sunshine was begin
ming to slip down into the other side
of the valley, but the foot of the
cliffs was still in shadow. Finally
they met the second group and it
would have been only a matter of
jogging peacefully along behind the
horses back to the corral if Bricks
palomino, Zebra Dun, who headed
the band, had not taken it into his
fine head that freedom was worth
the effort and dashed away along
the edge of the arroyo.
Steve Bingo laughed and said,
Hes yours, Brick. Go get him be-
fore he puts notions into the rest
of their heads"
She accepted the challenge be-
cause out of the corner of her
eye she could see that Craig Brad
street had been working his horse
closer and closer to hers. But she
was not swift enough to cut in on
Zebra Dun before he had a chance
to outdistance her hopelessly. New
ertheless she continued in stiff pur-
suit until her horse became too
Winded to follow with any degree
of speed, then she swung off and
watched the high1-headed palomino
make for the comparative safety of
the cliff trail and it was at that
moment she realized she had not
been alone in the chase. Craig
Bradstreet brought his horse along
side and dismounted too. Smart
animal. He doesn't like dudes
either"
Craig Offers Apology.
Brick gazed uncertainty after Ze-
bra Dun and then looked at Craig.
After all, what use was there in
quarreling with stranger that she
wouldn't have to see after two or
three days?
That's better" he said. "You
look rather silly when you're of two
l.