The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-01-16
CHAPTER xxxv

CHAPTER XXXv
Ellen was too excited to sit in
her room at the Holden House and
wait for her father to come and tell
her the news.
A thought flashed to mind. Her
father would be at the Round Top
Hotel, where of course he must have
driven jeff after the storming OF
the jail had been abandoned. He
had told her to stay there, SO she
had better return to it. Slipping
through a side door, she walked
swiftly down the dark street.
Several men were standing round
the doorway of the Round Top when
Ellen drew near. A buggy pulled up
at the door and somebody got out.
It was Doctor Harris.
"Goddlemighty!' he ripped out.
whats the sense in patching up
you dunderheads when you start
rampaging over the country soon as
my back is turned?"
A moment later Ellen was face to
face with Calhoun Terry. None of
the tumult that filled her found ex-
preston. She said in a small muir
muir, ''Is my father here?"
Terry looked at her, surprised.
She ought not to be out alone on a
night like this. eyes. He's with
jeff. I'll tell him you are here.
Better wait in the parlor."
He led the way, closing the door
behind them. "Jeff saved our lives,
with your fathers help" he said.
eyes, was there. He saved yours.
as you did his this afternoon"
"You were there?" he repeated.
"Yes. JEFF and father wouldn't let
me 60 with them, but / couldn't
keep away" A vibrant wire
strummed in her voice. She won
dered if he could look at her and
not know the truth.
He thought he knew why she had
been unable to stay away, and he
said gently: 81 think jeff will be
all right in a few days, though his
fever is high now. He was fine,
wasn't he?"
Calhoun had sudden sense of
the tragic futility of life. She was
so young, so eternally young, and
she demanded all good things of
life. The girl was dancing on the
quicksands of the future, the warm
hope in her heart of a happiness
ever after. But life would maui her.
For all his good intentions jeff
would fail her, because of the fatal
lack of stability in his character.
"Yes-and so were you," she said.
He said nothing for a moment,
but his look gave significance to
his silence that kindled in her bosom
hot excitement. Yet when he
spoke his words ignored this.
would you like to see jeff from
the door? / don't suppose the doctor
will let you go nearer now, because
he doesn't want him excited" 3
''Not tonight" she said. "Pll wait
here for father"
''I'll tell him you are here"
He returned in a minute. "Your
| father has to take the wagon back to
the corral. have offered to see you
to your hotel"
His restrained manner chilled her.
AS she walked beside him, Ellen
caught herself thinking how strange
was a woman's fancy. Out of a
thousand men it flew to one. When
his voice was kind, it played on
chords in her heart. If he walked
beside her in friendliness, she trod
the hilltops in world reborn. But
when his eyes had no gifts for her,
| she was drenched with woe.
Terry spoke of jeff.
"He is very loyal to his friends
and will 60 to any lengths for them.
/ suppose you know he sent the
money found in Turkeys cabin to
Jim Tetlow's wife to support the
little children" Calhoun did not
know exactly why he was marshal
ing tall1ing-points in favor of Brand,
unless it was because he had been a
little less than fair to him and felt
he ought to acknowledge it to the
girl who loved the reckless scamp.
eyes," Ellen agreed listlessly,
and turned the conversation to the
first subject that came into her
head. "What do you think is going
to happen when the settlers meet
these invaders? Will there be bait
tie and d great many men killed."
He shook his head. 81 don't know.
Your father and are riding up the
Buck River valley. We are leaving
as soon as we hear from Washing
ton. ! don't think we shall get any
favorable response from the govern
ment. Ellison arranged for it to
keep hands off. Our idea is to try
to be mediators between the two
parties and fix up settlement Of
some sort.
81 don't see how you can do that,
with both sides acting outside the
law trying to destroy their enemy.
You and father had better not get
| mixed I'D in it. You will only get