The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-09-17

toward me, did yuh?" he asked.
II don't know why I should"
said Lois. "You were never a
special friend of mine, as far as
I remember"
Maybe I could be-" said the
foreman. Maybe I've tried to
be. Listen. I guess you know I
stand in purity we'll with Mr.. Fer
ris. Fact is, he couldn't git rid of
me even if he wanted to. It amt
no secret to you that Lonergan's
got the mortgage on the Cross
Bar, and put me in to run it,"
Lois was silent, and Curran con-
tinued, 81 shouldn't be s'prised if
I was to be the owner of the Cross
Bar one of these days. Half
owner, anyways. And that time
amt so far away. been watch
in you for a good while, Miss Lo-
is. You're growed up to be a
woman now. 1t amt fair to
yoreself, livin' up here in the hills
and runnin' as wild as a scrub
pony. And now Hooker's gone,
yuh can't go on Twin here alone"
what d'you want me to do a
bout it,"
'Ill tell you what I been think
in" answered the foreman, SUI
premely confident. ''How about
you and me gittin' hitched? YOU
IL find yoreself Twin like a
queen, compared to this"
"That's sure some picture you
re DRAWN, Mr.. Curran," answered
Lois. "Only it don't seem to reg
lister somehow. I'd rather have
my broncs."
Curran glared at her, a self
possessed little figure, standing
erect in her chaps and stained
overalls. With one hand he could
have swung her into the air. De-
sire and thWarted will united IN
the resolve to overcome her, to
break her, as Dave Bruce had
broken Black Dawn.
He seized her in his arms and
tried to press his lips to hers.
A resounding slap Redeemed the
foreman's cheek. Lois broke a.
way, confronting him with fists
clenched and heaving breast.
"You try that trick again, MIR.
Curran, and I'll set the herd on
you," she said.
Curran's glare had something
of fear in it. He had seen enough
of Lois strange power over the
wild broncs.
He turned away, went slowly
back to where he had left his
horse, climbed into the saddle.
"You think over what l said' ne
called. you'd be crazy to turn
down a proposition like that.
Think you'll be gittin' a better
one, huh? I'll see yuh at the
hangin', and I'll be comm back
here for my answer soon"
Lois watched him ride away
She felt perfectly secure: "A
whistle from her would nave
brought the herd running head
long with Black Dawn leading a
fighting, tearing, kicking, crunch
ing fury.
Il hate him." she said to her-
self. you're bad medicine MT.
Curran. I'm glad that you got
beaten up yesterday"
Suddenly, to her aStonlshment'
she felt tears upon her cheeks. 1t
was years since she had sheo
tears. She had learned to take
everything philosophically. Lie
wasn't meant for happiness. AT
least. Lois had no happiness IN
hers, save for rare talks with
Hooker when he was sober. she
tried to search her mind to tlno
out what she was crying about
The discovery came to her as a
shock.
Suppose he didn't do it" she
whispered to herself. Suppose
Dave Bruce is innocent. Sup
pose it was-Lonergan"
She was thinking of Dave a.
gainst her will. She was remem-
bering there had been something
different about the way he had
looked at her and spoken to her
from the ways OF all
the other men she had known, ex-
cept Hooker and Sheriff Coggs-
we'll.
81 wouldn't like him to be hung
if he didn't do it," Lois whispered.
AS the afternoon wore on, the
knots of men in the main street
of Mescal became thicker. once
Dave was recognized as he stood
tiptoe at the window. He heard
shouts raised, and saw fists shak-
en- in his direction.
It was a little before sundown
when Sheriff Coggswell brought
him another meal, and a pack OF
cigarettes that he himself had
honeht for him. "Well. how yuh