| Show FLAME of o the th BORDER Co Copyright DobI Doubleday Do Doran C o I By Y VINGIE E ROE E P US V fee SYNOPSIS Seeking death by throw Ing In herself herselt from the summit of ot Lono Mesa Mosa to esc po dishonor at nt the hands of ot n a drunken desperado Sonia Sona allows herself herselt to be rescued by her suddenly sobered and repentant at- at At Attacker The girl eirl Is 1 self elt appointed ph to the Navajo I Indians liv- liv livIng Ins Ing on an Arizona sheep ranch with her brother terse serge his wife site Lila Lila and their small email daughter DIbs Gibs She Sho SheI I engaged eng to Rodney Blake cw ew but her heart Is sith the friendless Na ajos ajos a and she evades a wedding wedding- Sonya Son a n pulls It It- tit tittle Ittie tie tle Moon loon w sue Ue e of or Too Tso T 0 Fingers a 11 at 1 through the tho crisis of or an ill Ill Ill- Illness ness Two Tso Fingers Is deeply grate grate- grateful ful tul Sonya a again aln mett meets the tho man who had In her Ito IIo tells her he bitterly regrets his action and ani an has h h- h never had a 1 minute s peace since that dav day Sonya Is 19 affected but un- un un for forgiving unforgiving She Hie hears rumors of II a nor Boner bandit El m n Diablo who s ho crucifies his double croser and vaguely v connects him with her On Tone Lone T one Mesa ho cho ho again ln comes come upon the tho strange young loung oun man but she no longer feira rs him CHAPTER Continued IV-Continued IV Continued 5 5 o M 11 ho I Is the bandit across the Border norder who ho crucifies hl his double double- double cried aon cony on i 1 1 Ill III e a n shot chot and gasped gi d at nt the sound of ot her own words It 11 seemed as If another l per person person sun son epol pol o e them so wholly holly hind lind they been The man s eyes c e cs es flashed lashed up to tiers hers and once again n ln then the the were ere wild ns as any hawks hn I s the buck blick of ot the pupils spreading over the blue bue of ot the Slowly the color drained from his face ln le leasing levins It ich eh white Its bronze the lips pile as blue bue me milk Good G-d G dl C-dl G dl I he said saIl and was wa silent 1 J 7 he fie girl was silent sent too and for forthe the frt flat time she felt fet a n flash of fear feu as ItS It If she had set In motion sinister forces of ot which she 1 1 new nothIng They stared at nt etch cich other fOr n a moment aghast at nt this thing which had sprung between them stark rh and tenable and then Sonya Sony nicked flicked her rein reID mo mo ed ed In her sad saddie saddie die reco recovering She knew she hid touched disaster dl asler too deep for n nw w omens s hand and she drew e o 1 o she said ild s swiftly don t an anser saver s I 1 t have as ed ell And its It s no proof anyway ay I dont don t wan ant roof hat 11 hat hats s past Is past I take our word The min man wet his stiff stilT lips lou ou do Do you ou believe whet winI I ve ye been trying to tell vou sou ever sInce that that-da that day that da that I could kill hili self for what I did Do you iou OU be e me cs les said Soma sot ot that It matters m but I dolie doHe do doHe He lie tool took ok out n It white handl and wiped his flee fice which w as n sweating h In the high cool windo wind Ind o 1 so he unsteadily not no not tint It matters to matters to you ou But nut It does doc to me meby by W hy by I don t know but It does docs lore More than anything has ever mattered In m mi my whole hoe d-d d d d life life- life I I leg e eg your pardon I Granted said the girl Serge Serges s swears sears ears Ser Serge e My y brother Ill I'll It matters and Iye Ie I ve spent t J 1 ours alone up here and other r laces lacee wondering about It and sib h It docs does I ve ye known Inon Ino n women omen all m my life In eral e Ce era countries and ne newer neer er erA A one that staged cd In n my mind a aneck week neck ck after I left Jett her lier I Im m a bid hilot lot a as I told toM you before and It Idon Ion don t mean n a Ireat dell deal shat I think oneVa one Va way or another only I aunt t ewer eer e er felt so sorry In all my dl s over nn anything thing I was as just when you rode around th lb wall tall nil yonder Sonya regarded hIm st steadily It does docs matte mattes matter she ilie said mid hat shat nn anyone one s and does docs o No min n to himself alone aone as the Good J 1 00 ook say saye To every min his hie ph phi and u a certain amount of ot Influence nd ind to e c ery ruin his ic le too for that Influence lou ou ve cc got Ince so somewhere III e here for nd ind somethIng s e 3 chan changing In the girl went tent ent on there a I 1 CLa eon eLn eLna eona a hinge change In you iou ou since since-since since since the faceIn time lime line I saw you ou In your our face t In your lour speech lou ou re f using more gs s on nn the end cud nd of ot your words cords foone for forone forone r one thIng tiling and our eyes e cs S ire dlf dit rent ferent If they eren t when hen I look It you I Id ld d be he 10 lower lesser er thin than i I am and that s 8 plenty low lo Granted said Son 1 and watched Latched the lie slow tide of red re-d that s t his II ser er up 0 user o er pl pull 1111 hul s Put rut the lie very fact ot of c e outwardly out argues change e In ardly Id I d trust you iou now a 11 con coi con way wiy lie drew a Ion long breath breith of or fru smoke and turning away iwa wa looked out 01 os er or the spread d of desert under tinder the early after afternoon noon sun 11 ben hUI he lie turned back bach to her Son Con Si I saw wis shocked at th the look 1001 on his face a n sunken look loob hug lI huggard gard as If Ir some cruc cruel vise of ot the spirit hid bid suddenly been set upon A fI lie He smiled for the first time In 1 Jr r experience of ot him and some BOrnt thug leaped In Sonva's heart lik lika e n a captive bird struggling to be free Miss Hies S1 Sl he s ld tint s the S and the cruelest crudest thing nu ewer er said sal In your life Its a dangerous thing tiling too fur too for me et I Ito etI in you said It 1 It 11 II bt be something something to remember among worse orse memories And nos no's III be he getting along Please come here whenever you ou stint wint lilt to I one olle tiles Is ours from now not onIle on He lIe swung ung Into his saddle and the girl Irl put out n a quick hand and his sleeve iNo o 1 she said swiftly SImy S Imy why should you ou ghe It up thIng here lucre for you something good I moss 1 I now It Its s your e eyes es when hen you look out yonder onder n a peace and a n Neil Ing heilIng and I I want you to ha e that Hint ou lou ou need It It It-It It Its It-Its It Its s something ot of the the-of of the soul If you vou see what I mean elv he looked d at her shook hIs held heed ii I MiG G-dI G G-d G dl I he slid said softly 11 hat t 1 5 i oman you fuu are uru I I i didn t i I how now there was ns one like you outside ot of oth th stor story bool bools s sl I Are you by any uny an chance cliance a Ii lady lidy preacher o 1 o s slid lid Sonya of ot course not notI I m a ph physician But I Im m a woman first and I can see when hen a heal ts t's sick as well sell elJ a as 1 i body bod oure loure ou re In your sou soul your our character or I mIss my guess and gues and I usually don t do that so o he said you ou hn l en ent t now nut But It don t matter In this hits case It its s too late lite for medicine e en yours ours It Its s not sald s Soni Sonya Son 1 and was at nt the passion of ot her tone Its It s ne Cr nos er too late ot l till T-ine T one s s last then hat 11 hat are arc you to do he be asked her gently senty smiling Into her eyes again again- again change ch th spots of ot th leopard Be careful 1 lucre here s no n mote mOle treacherous bea beast t all e An AnIm I Im m telling you iou OU true Miss S I m a leopard at nt heart crue cruel and and not fit for you to speak to like 1110 this straight out man to toman toman t man I I don t deser desere e I It t If It you vou knew what an nn who I am nm you d 11 turn your horse an nn ride for that do down n trail like all possessed and 3 ou d be right Maybe I do l 1 now now-a now a little littleSon Son Sonya a Hashed flushed but I Im m not afraid I Im m ne never ne er afraid of ot anything an thing o 1 lou re like a white angel In armor he said gravely you hll en t any need to fear en E I could not hurt you jou OU when hen I panted anted to lou on re safe any am am where where time Th de ll dc II himself couldn t hurt you iou OU I II ill you remember what I say say- tint say that It Its s newer never too lute lite to chan change e III remember he said politely au an thinks O l Isow ow good by and good luck always Miss a n Good b by said Som Soma Sousa a and the same to you ion ou lIe He cm carried his hat In hIs Ills hand ns as ashe ashe he whirled the horse around the corner of ot the ancient stone house and did not look ook back and Ion Sonya a listened to the shod hoofs Ing Into the defile that led do down don n the lie face of ot the sheer heer cliff clIf bhe She sit stiffly quiet In her saddle and wis IS conscious of a n strange tumult tu to within her spirit lint hat hud had she slie done telling tall ing here In this hIgh solitude with this m mysterious rIder ridi whose chose hose Inner self was ns black with unnamed sins sins very ery pros pres presence s once ence In 1st the land was a menace flail a portent of disaster For she knew I pest st all fill doubting that this was the eyed Blue e Blue ed One of ot whom the Servant I spoke In his vague that henchman of ot Beelzebub who ho Went ent I before trouble And she who ho owed 0 him hatred who oho had vowed cowed 1 0 to tat c her tier pound of ot flesh h from him because or of what hat he lie had tried to do that th tind dui dl at nt the mesas s rim I Sic She had d tall tilled ed cd is with Ith him and j without t scorn IThe 1 I The next nest div d IV she site went to see lit I It tit tic Moon loon and ind refused refaced the bundle handle or of c sheep Fitch pelts which T Two 0 lingers ers of o feted foed her lIong along with the gorgeous g finished ct et is the t laid across her lier knus Sons Son a stroked the lie latter lItter with Ith e lingers but 1 shook hook her r h ead smiling 11 hat hat I did for sou ou she hi told them In a 1 wis ais IS a n gh giring-a giring n Ing-n service to my people You ou are my n r y people I 1 ha hale cho LII tho the I n 1 n before the Great Spirit I I et ct be ItIs It 11 Ii Is sell After a long silence Two Iwo 1 0 ringers said It Is well ell And we and Ill the l ajos n s around here ate ale our little I l I eople under your feet A soft blanket to keep beep sour our heels hees from the stones It Is I very well sell ell the girl said rarely ely and knew ho he spoke the truth I 1 here hus is to come n a day when silica hen she would hate ha hn e ample and an tragic proof of ot Unit but It was ns just justas t tas as well sell ell she could not sec see ahead I rom w is ash she rode dow doss do n h along the levels le leel el of ot the tho sage to tow here the debouching canyon on had hind ghee gl gh ell lip up Its pitiful small caravan tint that day da she had hind seen Mr Ir Satter from Crom the lie school tat tal lug Ing aw n ly IY the children On an Impulse she turned and rode Into this rugged d cut that LI bl b th the rising land She Slie round cd id a far In turn and came upon n a For Por a time she sat on o tier lur horse horel and contemplated u It-u It good hogin hogun hO set against the Hie canyons can on s ball I 1 there here was wis little sign of pro Iso o rug bloomed on oh Its hand made loom the hogan seas bale of comforts the 1 cds on n its Ito lt floor door being thin and ind scent St I ii I these wire here He sery ery pOor She blie he did net nd c cull cill III or mm moie e about but sit still In her saddle uniting and pi her patience II was tins re rewarded rewarded warded for n a soft step slop sounded Ie be behind behind hind her and she turned to see ec e the slid lid buck the squaw w and tin the littlest child of ot that lint pitiful drama In is slit had She smiled at them and ind hi n Son i l Si 1 smiled n o window Indo of oher her soul opened and disclosed a alight alight light The family came callie carefully c up to her herI I come conic to sec cee If It nil all Is us well ell ti ith you and 5 yours ours she told the manIn man In n 1 I It Is well ell with this one he re- re replIed replied re replied plied touching the child but but not nots s tills this his one touching the lie mother IIer heart runs away awn n In at walls r and she does not eat cat And looking closer Son Soni saw siw In astonished sorrow sorrO tint that It was ns so Indeed In Indeed deed The om n who had been plump and hale Inie some come weel eel s was ns now n a scarecrow her old set 11 vet inch et n h lunging hinging loo loose e on tier her form her lur tragic eyes es sunk In ho hol JO loos slIer Her Iler brown lips 1001 ed cd dr dry drand and hard hird For a n moment the girl Irl felt such sucha a repulsion re against the whole white race as to give gl her an nn actual I I Am Hosteen Nez He said Pres Presently i y ent and and She Is Cactus Flow Flaw Flower Flo er er nausea ITer hands ached to get hold of ot Satter 5 fat neck for tOr one go good minute So she s slid uld I I sec eec Have flare you J told her tier that the little ones will be becomIng comIng coaling home tome soon Did the lie agent tell you when alien hen to go after themo them o o eald eaid the min and I do J not know where here to go I Oh said Sonya onra under her he breath the dirty be beast 1st Aloud she said slowly Well Well 10 you ou tell her to look 1001 up to the east eist and nm before many class dua s she will III see eec her he children coming comIng- Whit Is your ion Our name naDle The man hesitated since tin the mm nim Ing of ot one ones S 0 own n name Is not good but this tills was wis lS n a desperate matter 1 I am nm ez 1 I cz he sili said presently and she i he Is l Cactus flow or er And And 1 l am Sonvi Doctor Sonvi-Doctor Doctor Sony Sonya from from down don do n on the desert h he lone f one Mesa and I will III see sec the stun oho ho took tool tile lie children Mule 1 I e c four sleeps maybe rive five You ou ou tell her lier eat ea it and set get stron strong I will sill III tell her slid l e ez cz ind and his eyes ejes e es looked so co decInto deer deep Into Son Ion I is s that the bill s heart hurt their probing 1 I will null come again she said Bald mi ind turning Dati hiss went sent ent back down n the greet greit cut of ot Blue band ind canyon ng as she had come Tint That night talking lIh us lilt Serge r ind In the t us lilt p with Ith I ed Bibs asleep on her lap she protest protested ed pl t the tr ire It ment of the Indians bv by the slides hIlts white In authority Sere smoked In silence hl lids his dai dal dark k eyes ye gazing alIng out nion the grit sij sake e stretches that were ere turning purple Ie In the falling failing shadows s hid he salt said presently y ou nu re rethe rethe the best little scout es e eer er lint hut I Im ro afraid hint some come diy you ou re to get yourself Into a peck of ot trou tro blo m messing In where there here ou our don t b Ie be belong blong lon long Messing In there l fre I 1 don t he- he h longi I cried the hotly Do Du you y call helping that mother mothr get In her young oun ones olles buck bick for the summer vacation v messing In when stun she sites s ac a tunny grieving herself herselt to death In her ignorance an and fear r Suppose It were Illy 1111 j 11 and nd Labs for In iii stance Serge mo moed ed uneasily une knocked knock out the dottle doUle of ot his pipe pIlle b vo 1 11 ell of course l es es of or course coerce e I Tint Thuit s sit It t fh s a s s III It from the white mius mansi Ie lew point Well ell ell 01 oil nil sr do-sr sou ou tin just hold yourself In to 10 hall me out of j Jill III for I mil muy m need It it I rill in ht f 1 J thug Illig Ing over 01 to that tint school |
