Nebraska Newspapers

    THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE
BigTown
SllimnMacIeodRa
v r
CopvjrighV by William MacLeod
CHAPTER XIII Continued.
Ho made n vain circuit of the roof,
then passed to tlie iiwxt house.
Agnln he wnn out of luck. The ten
ants had made safe the entrance
against prowlers of the night. He
knew that nt nny moment now the po
lice might appear In pursuit of him.
There was no time to lose.
He crossed to the last house In the
block and found himself barred out.
As he rose from his knees ho heard
the voices- of men clambering through
tho scuttle to the roof. At the samo
tlmo he saw that which brought him
to Instant action. It was a rope clothes
line which ran from post to post, dan
gling from one corner of the building
to another and back to the opposite
one.
No man in Manhattan's millions
knew the value of a rope or could
handle ono more expertly than thlB
cattleman. Ills knife was open bo
fore ho had reached the nearest post.
Ono strong slash of the blade severed
It In six long strides ho was nt tho
second post unwinding the line. Ho
used his knife a second time nt tho
third post.
With deft motions Clay worked
swiftly. Ho was fastening the rope
to the chimney of'tho house. Every
Instant ho expected to hear a volco
raised In excited discovery of him
Pmlipltnil In Hlf. ulin.lit.ra TY..I IiIm I
Angers were as sure and ns steady us 1
though ho had minutes before him In
stead of seconds.
"There's the guy over by tho chim
ney." Cloy throw tho slack of the lino from
tho roof. Ho had no tlnio to test tho
strength of tho rope nor Its length.
As the police rushed him he slid over
tho edge and began to lower himself
hand under hand.
Tho wide caves protected him. A
jnnn would have to hung out from
the wall aUovo. tho ledge to Hue'Ulm.
Clay's eyes were on the gutter ubiive
while ho Jerk'ed his way down a foot
nt n time. A face and part of a body
swung out into sight.
"We'vo got yuh. Come back, or I'll
shoot," a voice called down.
A revolver showed against the black
sty.
The man from Arizona did not an
swer and did not stop. Ho know that
.shooting from above Is an art that fow
mon havo acquired.
A bullet sang pufct his ear Just as he
swung In and crouched on tho wlndow
filll. Another ono hit tho bricks close
to his head.
Tho firing stopped. A pair of uni
formed legs appeared dangling from
the eaves. A body and a head fol
lowed these. They begun to descend
Jerkily.
Clay took a turn at tho gun-play.
Ho fired his revolver Into the air. Tho
spasmodic Jerking of the blue legs
abruptly ceased.
"Yuh'd better give up quietly. Wo'ro
boun'd to get yuh," nn ofllcer shouted
from tho roof by way of parley.
The cattleman did not unswor ox-
ccpt by the. smushlng of glass. Ho had
forced his way Into two houses within
tho past hour. Ho was now busy
breaking into u third. Tho window had
not yielded to pressure. Therefore ho
was knocking out tho glass with tho
butt of his revolver.
Ho crawled through tho opening
Just ns some one sut up In bed with
n frlghtoncd exclamation.
"Who Is s s s It?" a masculino
voice asked, teeth chattering.
Clay had no tlmo to gratify ldlo
curiosity. Ho ran through tho room,'
reached tho head of tho stairs and
' went down on tho banister to tho first
floor, no tied buck to tho rear of tho
houso and stole out by tho kitchen
door.
The darkness of the alloy swallowed
hUn, but ho could still hear tho shouts
of the men on the robf and answering '
ono from new arrivals bolow.
Flvo minutes later ho was on board
n street car. no was not nt nil par
ticular as to Us destination, lie want-1
ed to be nnywhere but here. This
neighborhood was getting ontlroly 'too
active for him. .
CHAPTER IX
Tho Qangman 8ee Red.
exactly thirty minutes utter Clay
sad left him to break Into tho houso,
Johnnie lifted his volco in n loud wall
for tho police. Ho had read some
where that ono can never find an
otfife when ho is wanted,, but tho
Btitt-of-Bnshan roar of tho cowpunchcr
brought thorn running from nil dlroc
Sons. 'Out of tho confused explanations of
the, range-rider tho first policeman to
reach, him got two lucid statements.
"They'ro whlte-sUTUr" a straight
girl. This busher says his pal went Mi
to rescue her half an hour ago and
hasn't showed tip since' ho told his
nates.
WIth Johnnie
Pi
bund
by
Dlustrattolis by
Ram
they made a noisy nttaclc on tho
door of Number 121. Almost Mm.
ately it was opened from the Ins,
Four men had come down the stall.
In a headlong rush to cut off the es
cape of ono who hnd outwitted and
taunted them.
Thoso who wanted to get In and
those who wanted to get out all tried
to talk at once, but as soon as the
police recognized Jerry Durnnd they
gavo him tho floor.
"We're after u flat-worker," ex
plained the ex-puglllst. "He must bo
tryln' for n roof getaway." lie turned
and led tho Joint forces back up tho
stairs.
Thugs and olllccrs surged up after
him, carrying with them in their rush
the Runt. He presently found himself
on the roof wltb thoso engaged In a
man-hunt for his friend. When Clay
shattered tho window and disappeared
Inside nfter his escapo from the roof,
Johnnie gavo a deep sigh of relief.
This gun-play got on his nerves, slnco
Lindsay was the target of it.
Tho bandy-legged rnnge-rldor was
still trailing nlong with the party ten
minutes later when Its scattered mem
bers drew together In tacit admission
that the hunted man hud escaped.
The gung. leader was In a vile tem
per. If this story reached the news
papers all New York would be laugh
ing at him. , Ho could appeal to tho
police, havo Cloy Lindsay arrested, and
get him sent up for u term on tho
charge of burglary. Dut -lie could not
do It without the whole talc coming
out. One thing Jerry Durnnd could
not stand was ridicule. Ills vanity
was ono of bis outstanding qualities,
and ho did not want It widely known
that tho boob he had Intended to trap
hnd turned tho tnblcs on him, man
handled him, Jeered nt him and locked
him In n room wlt,h hla three hench
men. Cut Off From tho Street, Clay Took
to the Roof Again.
Johnnie Green choso this malapropos
moment for reminding the olllccrs of
tho reason for tho coming to the
house.
"What about tho young lady?" ho
asked solicitously.
Durand wheeled on him, looked him
over with an Insolent, malevolent eyo,
and Jerked n thumb In his direction.
"Who Is this guy?"
"He's tho follow tipped us off bis pal
was Inside," answered ono of tho pa
trolmen. Ho spoke In a whisper closo
to tho ear of Jerry. "Likely ho knows
moro than he lets on. Shall I nmko a
pinch?"
Tho eyes of the gang leader nar
rowed. "So ho'fl n friend of this sen.
ond-story bird, Is ho?"
"Y'botchnl" chirped up Johnnie,
"and I'm plumb tickled to tako his
Just, too. Now, about this yero young
lady"
Jerry caught him hard on the side
of the Jnw with short-arm Jolt, Tho
rango-rider hit tho pavement hard.
Slowly ho got to his feet nursing his
check.
"What yuh do that for, doggone it?"
ho demanded rosentfully. "Me,. I
wasn't lookln' for no trouble. Me,
r -
Durnnd leaped ut him ucross tho
sidewalk. His strong fingers closed
on the throat of the bow-legged
puncher.
Tho ofllcors pried Jerry looso from
his victim with tho greatest dlfllculty.
Ha tried furiously to get at bun,
lunging from tho men who wcro hold
ing his arms.
The puncher sank helplessly against
the wall.
"He's cot all he can carry, Mr. Du
rand," one of the bluecoats said, sooth
ingly. "You don't wantta croak tho
little guy. Gimme tho Word, an' ril
run him In for & drunk'
Jerry shook his head. "Nope. Let
lilm go, Pete.'
The policeman walked up to the
Hunt and caught him roughly by the
arm. "Move along outa here. I'd
ought to pinch you, but I'm not gonna
do It this time, sec? You beat It 1"
Durand turned to one of his follow
ers. "Tall that fellow. Find out where
he's stnyln' and report"
Helplessly Johnnie went staggering
down tho street. Ho did not under
stand why he had been treated so, but
tho Instinct of self-preservation car
ried him out of tho danger zone with
out argument about It. Even as he
wobbled nwny he was looking with un
wnverlng faith to his friend to right
his wrongs. Clay would fix this fel
low Durand for what he had done to
him.
Clay did his best under the handicap
of n lack of entente between him nnd
the authorities to search New York
for Kitty. He used the personal col
umns of tho newspapers. lie got in
touch with taxlcab drivers, ticket-sellers,
postmen, and station guards. All
the tlmo he know that in such a maze
as Manhattan it would be a miracle If
he found her.
But miracles are made possible by
miracle-workers. The Westerner was
n slxty-horse-power dynamo of energy.
He felt responsible for Kitty and he
gave himself with single-minded devo
tion to tho Job of discovering her.
When Clay met Kitty at last It was
quite by chance. As It happened, Bea
trice was present at the time.
Ho had boen giving a box party at
the Empire. Tho gay little group was
gathered tinder the awning outside tho
foyer whilo the limousine that was to
take them to Shanley's for supper was
Swing called. Colin Whltford, looking
out Into tho rain that pelted down, ut
tered an exclnmatory "By Jove I"
Clay turned to him inquiringly.
"A woman was looking out of that
doorway at us," he suld. "If she's not
In deep water I'm a bad gucsser. I
thought for a moment she know me or
some one of us. She stnrtcd to reach
out her hands and then shrank back."
"Young or old?" asked the cnttle
in nn.
"Young a girl."
N "Excuse me." The host was off In
an Instant, almost on the run.
But the woman had gone, swallowed
In tho scmldnrkness of a side street.
Clay followed.
Beatrice turned to her father, eye
brows lifted. There was a moment's
awkward silence.
"Mr.- Lindsay will ho back pres
ently," Whltford said. "We'll get In
nnd wait for him out of tho way n lit
tle farther up the street."
When Clay rejoined them ho talked
In a low voice with Beatrice's father.
The mining man nodded agreement
arid Lindsay turned to the others.
"I'm called nwny," he explained
uloud. "Mr. Whltford hns kindly prom
ised to play host In my plnce. I'm
right sorry to leave, but It's urgent."
His grave smile asked Beatrice to
be charitable in her findings. The' eyes
sho gave him were coldly hostile. He
knew Beatrice did not and would not
understand.
Tho girl was waiting where Clay
had left her, crouched against n base
ment milliner's door under the shelter
of tho steps.
"I I've looked for you everywhere,"
moaned the girl. "It's been awful."
"I know, but It's goln' to bo all right
now, Kitty," he comforted. "You're
goln' home with me tonight. Tomor
row we'll talk It all over."
Ho tucked an arm under hers and
led her along the wet, shining street
to a taxlcab. She crouched In a cor
ner of the cnb, her body Bhaken with
sobs.
The ypung man moved closer and
put n strong arm around her shoul
ders. "Don't you worry, Kitty. Yore
big brother Is on tho Job now."
Ho knew her story now In its essen
tials ns well as he did later when she
wept It out to him In confession. And
because sho was who sho was, born to
lean on a stronger will, ho acquitted
her of blame.
CHAPTER X
Johnnie Makes a Joke.
As Kitty stepped from tho cab she
was trembling violently.
"Don't you bo frlghtecnd, H'l pard
nor. You've como home. There won't
anybody hurt you hero."
Tho Arlzonan ran her up to his
floor in tho automatic elovatbr.
"I'vo got h friend from home stayln'
with me. He's the best-hearted fellow
you over saw. You'll sure llko him,"
he told her without stress as ho fitted
his key to tho lock. In another mo
ment Lindsay was Introducing her
casually to tho embarrassed ,and as,
tonlshcd Joint proprietor of the apart
ment Tho Bunt was coatloss and In his
stockinged-feet. He hnd been playing
a doleful ditty on a mouth-organ.
' Caught bo unexpectedly, ho blushed a
beautiful brick red to his neck.
I "Heat somo water, Johnnie, and
make a good stiff toddy. Miss Kitty
hns been out In tho rain."
He Ut tho gas-log and from his bod
room brought towels, a bathrobe, pa
Jamas, a sweater and woolen slippers.
( m n loungo beforo tho flro ho dumped
tho clothes ho had gathered. He drew
up tho easiest armchair In tho room.
"I'm goln' to the kitchen to Jack up
Johnnlo so ho won't lay down on his
Job," ho told her cheerily. "You take
yoro tlmo and get Into these dry
clothes. We'll not disturb you till you
knock."
'When her timid knock came her host
brought In a steaming cup. "You drink
this. xlt'U warm you good."
""What Is It?" sho asked shyly.
"Medicine." he smiled. "Doctor's or
ders." While she sipped tho toddy Johnnie
brought from the kitchen a tray upon
which were tea, fried potatoes, ham,
eggs, and buttered tonst.
The girl ate ravenously. It was nil
easy guess that she had not before
tnstcd food that day.
Clay kept up n flow of talk, mostly
about Johnnie's culinary triumphs.
.Meanwhile he made up n bed on the
couch.
Once she looked up nt him, her
thront swollen with emotion.. "You're
good."
"Sho I We been ncedln' a UT sister
to brnce up our mnnners for us, It's
lucky for us 1 found you. Now I px
pect you're tlied nnd sleepy. We fixed
up yore bed In here because It's warm
er. You'll be able to make out with It
all right. The springs are good."
Clay left her "with u cheerful smile.
"Turn out the light beforo you go to
bed, Miss Colorado. Sleep tight. And
don't you worry. You're back with
old homefolks again now, you know."
Tired out from tramping the streets
Without food and drowsy from the
toddy she had taken, Kitty fell into
deep sleep undisturbed by troubled
dreams. .
The
Runt Was Coatless and in
Hla
Stockinged-Feet.
The cattleman knew he had found
her In the nick of time. She had told
him that she had no money, no room
In which to sleep, no prospect of work.
Everything she had except the clothes
on her back hadbeen pawned to buy
food nnd lodgings. But she wns young
nnd resilient. When she got bnck
home to the country where she be
longed, time would obliterate from her
mind the experiences of which she hnd
been the victim.
It was past midday when Kitty
woke. She fbund her clothes dry. After
she dressed she opened the door that
led to the kitchen. Johnnie began to
bustle about In preparation for her
breakfast.
"I'lease don't trouble. I'll eat what
you've got cooked," f lje herded.
""It's no trouble, maam.Tf the's a
thing on earth I enjoy doln' It's sure
cookln'. Do you like yore nigs sunn;
side up or turned?"
"Either way. Whichever you like,
Mr. Green."
While she ate he waited on her so
licitously. Inside, he wns a river of
tears for her, but with It went a good
denl of nwe. Even now, wan-eyed nnd
hollow-cheeked, she was nttrnctlve.
In Johnnie's lonesome life he hnd
never before felt so close to n girl ns
he did to this one.
"I I don't like to be so much bother
to you," she said. "Mnybe I enn go
away this afternoon."
"No, mn'nm, we won't have thnt a
tnll," broke in the rnnge-rlder In
alarm. "We're plumb tickled to have
you here. Clay, he feels thataway
too."
"I could keep houso for you while I
stay," she suggested timidly. "I know
how to cook and the place does need
clcnnlng."
"Sure It docs. Say, whn's the matter
with you boln' Clay's sister, Jcs' got
In Inst night on the train? Tha's the
story we'll put up to tho landlord If
you'll gimme the word."
Johnnie told the story of tho search
for her, with special emphasis on the
night Clay broke Into three houses In
answer to her advertisement.
"I never wroto It I never thought
of that. It must have been "
"It wus that scalawag Durand,
y"betcha. I uln't still wenrln' my pin
feathers none. He was sore because
Clay hnd fixed his clock proper."
"I've got no place to go, except back
home nnd Tve got no folks there but
a second cousin. She doesn't want me.
I don't know what to do. If I had a
woman friend some one to tell mo
what was best "
Johnnie slapped his hand on his
knee, struck by a sudden Inspiration.
"Say l Y'betohn, by Jollies, I'vo got 'er
the very enol You're d n you're
suro whlstlln'. We got a lady friend,
Clay and me, the finest little pilgrim
In New York. She's sure there when
tho gong strikes. You'd love her. Ill
fix It for you right away. I got to go
to her houso this afternoon an' do
some chores. I'U bet sho comes right
over to seo you.v
Kitty was doubtful. "Maybe we bet
ter wait and speak to Mr. Lindsay
about It," sho said.
"No, mn'nm, you don't know Miss
Beatrice. She's tho best frhmd. 'Why,
I shouldn't wonder but thnt sho and
Clay might get married ono o' these
days. He thinks a lot of her."
"Oh I" Kitty know Just a little more
of human nature than the puncher.
Then I wouldn't tell her about me If
I was you. Sho wouldn't like my beln'
here."
"Sho I You don't know Miss Beatrice.
She grades 'way up. I'll bet she likes
you flue." ,
When Johnnie left to go to work
that afternoon he todk with him n res
olution to lay the whole case before
Beatrice Whltford. She would flx
things nil rfght. If there wns ono per
son on earth Johnnie could bank on
without fall it was his little boss.
It was not until Johnnie had laid tho
case before Miss Whltford and restat
ed It under the Impression thnt sho
conld not hnve understood thnt his con
fidence ebbed. He hnd expected an
eater interest, a quick enthusiasm.
Instead, he found In his young mis
tress a spirit beyond hls understand
ing. Her manner had n touch of cool
disdain, almost of contempt, while she
listened to his tnle.
She asked no questions and made
no comments. What he had to tell met
with chill silence. Johnnfe's guileless
narrative had made clenr to her thnt
Clny had brought Kitty home about
midnight, hnd mixed n drink for her,
nnd hnd given her his own clothes to
replace her wet ones. Somehow tho
cattleman's robe, pajamas nnd bedroom
slippers oMruded unduly from his
friend's story. Even the Bunt felt
this. lie began to perceive himself n
helpless medium or wrong Impressions.
"I suppose you know thnt when th
manager of your upartment house finds
out she's there he'll send her pack
ing." So Beatrice summed up when
she spoke nt last.
"No, ma'ani, I reckon not. You see
we done told him sho Is Clay's sister
Jos' got In. from the West." the punch
er explained.
"Oh, I see." The girl's Up curled and
her clean-cut chin lifted a trifle. "You
don't seem to havo overlooked any
thing. No, I don't think I care to have
anything to do with your arrange
ments." Beatrice turned and walked swiftly
Into the house. A pulse of anger was
beating In her soft throat. Sho felt a
sense of outrage. To Clay Lindsay she
had given herself generously In spirit.
She had risked something In Introduc
ing him to her friends. They might
hnve laughed nt him for his slight so
cial lapses. They might hnve rejected
him for his lack of background. Tlroy
had done neither. He wns so genuine
ly a man that he had won his way In
stantly. Pacing up nnd down her room, little
fists clenched, her soul In pnsslonnto
Pacing Up and Down Her Room, Lit
tle Fists Clenched, Her Soul In Pas
sionate Turmoil.
turmoil. Beatrice went over it all again
ns she had done through n sleepless
night. She hnd given him so much,
nnd ho had seemed to give her even
more. Hours filled with n keen-edged
delight Jumped to her memory, hours
that had carried her nwny from the
fnlseness of social fribble to clean,
wind-swept, open spaces of tho mind.
And after this nfter he had tacitly
recognized her claim on him ho had
Insulted her before her friends by de
serting his guests to go off with this
hussy he had been spending weeks to
search for.
Not for a moment did she admit,
perhaps she did not know, that an In
sane Jealousy was flooding her being,
thnt Irer Indignation wns bnsed on per
sonal ns well as moral grounds. Some
thing primitive stirred her a flare of
feminine ferocity. She felt hot to the
touch, an active volcano ready4 for
eruption. If only sho could get a
chance to strike back In a way that
would hurt to wound him as deeply as
ho had her I
Pat to her desire came the oppor
tunity. Cbiy's card was' brought In
to her by Jonklns.
"Tell Mr. Lindsay I!U see him in a
few minutes," she told the man.
The few minutes stretched to a long
quarter of an hour before she descend
ed. As soon as his eyes fell on her,
Clay know that this pale, -slim girl In
the close-fitting gown was a stranger
to him. Her eyes, star-bright and burp
ing like live coals, warned him that
the friend whose youth had run out so
eagerly t meet his was hidden deep
In her today,
"I reckon I owe you nnd Mr. Whlt
ford nn apology," ho said. "No need
to tell you how I happened to leave
last night. I expect you know."
"Why take the trouble? ' I think I
understand." She spoke In an even,
schooled voice that set him at a dis
tance. "Your friend, Mr, Green, .has
carefully brought mo tho details I
didn't know."
Clny flushed. Hor clear volco carried
an edgo of scorn. ."Yon .mustn't iudfift
by appenrnnces. I know you wouldn't
be unfnlr. I hnd to take her homo and
look nfter her."
"I don't qulto see why unless, of
course, you wanted to," the girl an
swered, tapping the nrm of her chair
with Impatient finger-tips, eyes on tho
clock. "But, of course, It Isn't neces
snry I should see." -
Her cnvnller trcntment of him did
not nffect the gentle imperturbnblllty
of the westerner. .
"Because I'm n white mnn, becnuso
she's n little girl who enme from my
country nnd can't hold her own here,
because she was sick nnd chilled and
stnrvlng. Do you see" now?"
"No, but It doesn't mntter. I'm not
the keeper of your conscience, Mr.
Lindsay," she countered with hard
lightness.
"You're Judging mo Just tho same.
If you'd let me bring her here to see
you"
"No. thanks."
"You're unjust"
"You th'nk so?"
"And uiiMnd. That's not like the
little friend ' I've come to-Ulko so,
much."
"You're kind enough for two, Mr.
LIndsny. She really doesn't need an
other friend so long ns she hns you,"
she retorted with n flash of contemptu
ous eyes. "In New York we're not
used to being so kind to people of her
sort."
Clny lifted a hand. "Stop right
there, Miss Beatrice. You don't want
to say anything youll be sorry for.''
"I'll say this," she cut back. "The
men I know wouldn't Invito a woman
to their rooms at midnight and pass
her off as their sister and then ex
pect people to know her. They would
be kinder to themselves and to their
own reputations."
"Will you tell mo what else there
was to do? Where could I hnve tnken
her nt that time of night? Are repu
table hotels open at midnight to lone
women, wet and ragged, who come
without baggage either alone or escort
ed by a man?"
"I'm not telling you what you ought
o have done, Mr. -Lindsay," she an
swered, with a touch of hauteur. "But
since you ask me-why couldn't you
have given her money and let her find
a place for herself ?"
"Because that wouldn't have saved
her."
"Oh, wouldn't it?" she retorted, dry
ly. He walked over to the fireplace and
put nn elbow on tho corner of the
mantel.
"Lemme tell you a story, Miss Bea
trice," he said presently. "Mebbe It'll
show you whnt-I mean. I was runnln'
cattle In the Galluros five years ago
and I got caught In a storm 'way up
in the hills. When It rnlns In my pnrt
of Arlzonn, which nln't often, It sure
docs come down In sheets. The clny
below the rubble on the slopes got
slick as Ice. My hnwss, a young one,
slipped and fell on me, clawed back to
Its feet, and bolted. Well, there I was
with my lnlg busted, forty miles from
even a whfstlln' post Jp the desert,
gettin' wetter nnd colder every blessed
minute.
"There wnsn't n chance In a million
thnt anybody would henr, but I kept
flrln' off my fohty-llve on the off hope.
And Just before night a girl on n pinto
enme down the side of thnt uncurried
hill round a bend nnd got me. She
took me to a cabin hidden in the bot
tom of a canon nnd looked after me
four dnys. Her father, n prospector,
hnd gone to Tucson for supplies and
we were alone there. She fed me,
nursed me, and wulted on me. We di
vided a one-room twelve-by-slxteen
cabin. Understand, wo were four
days alone together before her dad
enme bnck, und nil tho time the sky
was lettln' down a terrible lot of wa
ter. When her father showed up he
grinned nnd said, 'Lucky for you Myr
tle heard that six-gun of yore's pop!'
He never thought one evil thing about
cither of us. He JuRt accepted the sit
uation ns necessary. Now the ques
tion Is, what ought she to have done?
Left me to die on that hillside?"
"Of course not. That's different,"
protested Beatrice, Indignantly.
"You're trying to put mo In the
wrong. Well, I won't hnve It. That's
all. You may take your choice, Mr.
Lindsay. Either send that girl away
give her up have nothing to do with
her, or "
"Or?"
"Or please don't come hero to soo
me uny more."
He wnlted, his eyes steadily on her.
"Do you sure enough mean that, Miss
Beatrice?"
Her heart sank. She knew that she
had gono too far, but she was too Im
perious to draw back now.
"Yes, that's Just what I mean."
"I'm sorry. You're leavln' mo no op
tion. I'm not a yellow dog. Sometimes
I'm 'most a man. I'm goln' to do what
I think Is right."
"Of course," sho responded, lightly.
"If our Ideas of what that Is differ"
"They do."
"It's because we've been brought up
differently, I suppose." She achieved
a stifled little yawn behind her hand.
"You've said It" He gave It to her
straight from the shoulder. "All yora
life you've been pampered. When yon
wanted a thing all you had to do was
to reach out n hand for It Folks were
born to wait on you, by yore way of It
You'ra a sailed kid. Ask mo to $ara
my back on a friend, and I've got fo
say, 'Nothln' doln'.' And if you was
Just a few years younger I'd advise
yore pa to put you in yoro room and
feed you bread and water for askin'
It
The angry color poured Into ber
cheeks. Sho clenched her hands till
tho nails bit her palms. "I think you're
the most hateful man I ever met" she
cried, passionately.
TO S9 90I4TINUED