| Show i l t y 15 Y I r t r rZ a ar as aD D r J s F By me mev v ERO COPYRIGHT DORAN Inc W N V U L SERVICE s death to escape esc tr dishon-tr r cr at the hands of 01 ofa or a drunken des des- terado Sony Sonya allows allots s her felt elf to be sawed saved sa cd by her repentant tan t attacker The fhe girl eirl Is a n self appoint appoint- appointed td ed 3 physician to the tho Indians king lI on an Arizona sheep ranch with lIh her brother Serge and his ss Ito ICo Lila She Sho Is engaged to Rodney Blake wealthy 1 e New but her heart Is with tho the friendless Na Nava-Jos Nava Nasa Nasa- a- a ajos joe jos and she sho swedes evades 0 a Sonya Eony pulls Little Moon wife ICe of oC oCTo Two T Fingers a through the tho crisis of ot an Illness Two ringers I la deeply grateful Son Sonya again meets the tho man who had Insulted her Ho lie tells her he bitterly re- re regrets re frets grets his action Sony Sonya Is affected lout but Ing She Sho heirs hears rumors of oC oCa ofa ofa a Border Dorder bandit Fl FI C DIablo and vaguely vl connects him with her attacker On Lone Lono Mesa she again comes upon the ge young man manIt It lion hon ho he reiterates his sorrow over his misconduct she ehe Indicates for tor- for forgiveness Dl Day DIS s later at a t dance he tells her his Ills right name namo Is Starr stone Stono but that he goes by a differ differ- different different different ent name In this region lIe He departs with a tall fierce n with whom horn ho Is mysteriously associated Sonya with a 1 feeling ot of shame hanle realizes she slie Is falling In loss 10 with an outlaw An influenza epidemic among the Indians keeps her busy bus for Cor many days dais da s CHAPTER VI VI Continued Continued S 8 SIt 8 It ached all nil the time these days nn anyway a She Slie tried to think thin It was ac for all the fear and suffering she encountered among her lowly 10 peo J Ile Ie but she knew better belter The deep deepest deepest est ache of or all nil the deepest fear fearl king lug far down under ill all the rest II had HI to do with the memory of ot a amans mans s haggard face faco lLo above e her bead the clasp clap of ot an arm that shook shoot and anda a hor harsh horh h voice saying you ou disobey 1 l lets I J et ets s go goecks ecks 1 h hid td passed since the dance at ot the ranch and she had had no breath of ot news s nesa n a t Starr Stone and the sinister f b which he lie had followed from the foor ioor The Servant of ot the Lord born she had come to draw toward as one who ho could tell her things s seemed to have hare vanished from the country She e hid had forgotten Rod nod entirely She had e e even een en ea forgotten the menace of his Ills threat to let no people people-no people noland no land no man tJI e a her from him eser eer In fn this tills world orld Had fled she slie stopped to remember she would have hae writ written written written ten him him dutifully as ns a shield be between between tween herself and hl his presence But she did not remember and In e 1 New Nework fork lork ork Rodney BICke Bl m ike was sending her ller a wire that very ven day dap Ser Serge e goIng Into the little to town ton n for sup sup- supplIes supplies plies it out the next net after noon Doon lint I s wrongs ron It read rad Write rite or shall take tahe plane out by toil Hod Sonya Son a n herself herselt drove droe In late that evening e and sent her answer Nothing Z but hut epidemic she wired Ired Forgive e me Sonya Son SOD a a And as DS she slie left the straggly small dot of ot under the thin sickle of ot a n new ne moon she slie he came upon a tiny c I plodding In 10 the deserts desert s dust Three burro burros their patient little feet felt shuffling In the white sand bore Lore t two 0 packs and a rider the latter a thin old man In rusty black whose silvery hair shone In the dusk Ith beauty t Her lIer heart poun pounding Sonya Son on a drew up beside him Good evening e sir she said How Is all with you your you t Good evening e daughter he lie re- re re replied plied It Is well ell And sou ou oue e much sickness among the Indians bhe s he sold said gra gravely ely and much work That s bid bad I hope you ou pray n a good de dealt deals II t eli ell slid said Sonya Son on a hesitantly carryon yes tes s sir I do I hive have H to-to to to to curry carry on One needs strength you know Just so Just so And strength will III come to you never fear Take that One now that Blue e ed One Three littie nights ago ngo I saw him by a n lit III tie stream and he grasped rasped my iny arm so bO lurd It hurt lie old oM you ou know my daughter are arc soft In the flesh without resistance And he asked ot of you OU the dark h gored hilred doctor om liD an and called celled on God for strength Just 1 io so 0 God Cod he cold aid lId If It I wa ns s strong enough Just so They nil Come COIne to tho knees of or d Go God daughter SOOner or later Sonya swallowed painfully tier Her eyes es f felt lt blurred again with the ex excitement suddenly In her 1 Jell lell ell me Ine she 1 tellIn bald slowly ly te tell In me again v v here was as he lie The Servant waved wa an airy of old d hand d fir Ore ure e of ot line Uno and yellow ello as a ar s r r I uncut a stream im he lie said vaguely tIC S Ie IC south Three nights ago ngo t ell ell I bid d you good night dough tr to toe e e rou must t be getting on tiie he e bo bowed cd politely and the burros burro g tattered r n away vay ny Sonya Son a stepped on the starter and bounced ahead So lie was In the country a again lIe H e would bo Lo here some somewhere here sometime Ma Mn Maybe be tomorrow v Maybe next nett day The winds that blew ble soft softly softly ly Iy up from the south fanned her lace face with a perfumed breath the little littlemoon littlemoon littlemoon moon sv was lS as fair as a maiden maidens s brow them thero were mystery and ecstasy y In ln every shadow of ot the save sage CHAPTER VII Souls Soul's Covenant BUT B UT the morrow morro came cime and brought L Its tiling trips to this hogan and that and nothing happened but death and sorrow and the sun went ent down don do n and rose again on Sonya and her fe feverish ersh work It sac ae wa s at the end of another week when hen the tide of ot life In her seemed at low ebb with all the monstrous labor and the strain ot of human suffering about that slit she came face to face with Ith Starr Stone once again She had just ridden do down don n the file sounding aisle of ot Tall can canyon canyon canyon yon to come out on the dusky lev levels Levels levels els when she he ca saw him film Un d Oro stood like a statue against the great walls all s lip a n dim and shining shay e ot of gold and the man In his saddle held his hat In his hand and loosed at her steadily Sonya loot 1001 ed bad and such n a alight alight light brol e a on her tired face as a s should have hate humbled any man I It t humbled this one to the er sery dust beholding Starr Stone she cried softly In Inthe inthe the silence Oh Olt Starr Stone Slone 1 I lou ou have come corne back I I I d come back from hell sedges s sedges sedges edges he be Bald suld soberly Miss lIss Miss Sav Savaria aria arIn I can snot cant t help 01 myself sef I I don t want you ou to she said swiftly l er You too must come to tome me me-alway me always s She Slie had stopped a n few feet from him film and the man reined close be beside beside side her laying lading a hand on hers looking Into her face as If t he could not look deep enough Of Ot course you know he said simply that I love loe you ou Of Ot Of course she said That I m dust under your feet feet- nothing feet nothing Less than that But Kut I a ant you ou to know too that I love loe you as asa asa a better Letter man wren could never neer love o e you I don t love lave 10 e you you-no ol you ou-no ou no I worship you ou could kiss Iss th print of ot your lit little littie littie tie tle foot In th sand lou You re a white angel on th stairs of ot hen heaven beaten en and andI I m a n de devil II In th pit and pit and hell hel It Itself self Is In those separating miles for forme forme forme me I come back to look loo at you because I can cant t stay sta away and n anai and n-and and I forfeIt f my life lICe e every ery time I f savant ant you to know that as a proof sort of I 1 don t need proof 1 I cried the girl wildly and I know that too tool I h ave known n It ewer ever e er since the night wisht ot of the dance when you iou OU folo followed followed- followed ed- ed when hen you folo followed It cd-It I 1 when les-when les when I I followed followed-aud followed ell and and len left you ou standing there In the open floor Ill III e a the yellow dog I and was was andam amt Nol Nol Because you vou had tol tot Be- Be Because Be Be- Because Because cause If It you ou double cross cross- cross lush Hush I 1 I m here now no let I ct et stall s talk for a little while as ns If It we uc c were ere two r people with Ith nothing be bet between t teen een us to prevent present pre ent Ion re work worb In i n yourself to death he sold said searching her face with Ith elS ty es esIt It Its s My Iy part In life lire A good one oue a great one Ma Ia Maybe bc be But vou sou ou re a n woman oman and so I sweet so beautiful I m afraid for you QU ClU Don t be I won t die nothing 1 could kill now me-now me now 11 hy by now no because said the girl gras gravely ely Ice I ve e got a n tight fight ahead A fight to take you OU from whatever holds you OU and 11 do It ese e e jUt just jui t begun you and I Starr Stone tier Her face was as like lI a n flower lower of ot th the e dusk beautiful and dim but Lut fille d with a stern courage a white fire fir firof e ot of the spirit Ills hand on hers her s closed tI tightly Slowly I he leaned to toward toward ward ard her and Sonya Son a leaned to meet him his eyes his hll hi breast his lips 10 1 n the darkening night she kissed Icier him hl and knew huew she had ne never neer er I a aman aman ar man before Lefore hat she had giver given givenRod r Rod nod Blake was as pale friendship com compared pared to tile the tide of ot life ICe which en engulfed golfed gutred her nowThen now nowThen Then Tilen she drew back pushed the th e hair from her forehead Strings Str I she he said what lite Ili e does to us against our will In spite spit e ot of all we wove ee ve ever I no non n ewer ever c er do de sired ever eer planned God God yea vesi es I he echoed r known ewer ever II planned d 1 I But Rut we can light back I she sh e cried e e don t need to sink un under Its blows 1 I 10 lo a certain point he said Dl B Bey c yond on d that that-no that no Yes Test Teal r As long as there s a life lite I r t I knew V what the human soul Is made Its ot-Its Its strength Its courage Men Men- Men and women omen too have too have done great things thing against all odd odds because ot of It Strong Strongmen men strong women I r rl l try r one tryone falls fails Only weaklings eo stay down n Anyone can get up If It he wants to hard enough If he has hasa hasa n a reason I Im I m your reason The min man groaned audibly an nn In inarticulate Inarticulate articulate word ord of despair If It I had the world he said thickly I d give s1 It all to be worthy orthy to m the ike you that He lie straightened In his caddie addle gathered his reins Come Come he lie said I t keep heep you Do you mind If It I 1 ride with Ith you youn youa youa n a bit It Its s dark no enough no one will ee cee you riding with will a man whose Lead carries conIes a price I Once a again aln the cold fear shot through Sonya as she turned and rode out across the desert at his side At a lift In n the dark Clark sage levels Starr Stone stopped and held out his hand I have hale ho e a n reprieve he said lId simply for tor a certain length of or time I Ill II be Le In thIs tills country for Its dur tion Do you ou mind If I keep corn keep cornIng Ing while back back while It lasts Oh Oh the girl said with a sad sadden sudden den catch In her voice you you break my mv heart heard 1 I 11 hat Is all nil this 1 lilt is s It Life LICe s Its e-Its e its sins and sins and 1 pen he answered ered lowly I its Its grasping at stra straws sits Its dons ilay i I come If I m careful Come Cornel I cried Sonya Son a n Any Any time any place 1 I And wheeling Darkness s she rode rodes s swiftly away to hide the sobs cobs that I I herI shook herShe herShe her herI She came In late Inte at home Serge and nabs Dabs had long been asleep but butI I Isla waited alted In the dark duh patio rock rockIng in Ing slowly In the tho fringed hammock The They exchanged low spoken words and went together Into the silent house houe houseAs As Llla struck a n light she looked across Its flame at nt Sonia Son a louve 1 lou ou s e seen him she said Les 1 es At 1 Tall lall all canyon That was vi as all nIl and the two women went their ways as wa s on soft sort feet teet Tint That meeting In the dusk dust at nt Tall canyons s lip Up was ns the beginning of ot a strange and pregnant time T Two 0 days later Son Sonva Sonya l wringing ringing hot J Qt f y k e t iy t f K Oh Starr Stone I You Have Como Come ComeBack ComeBack Back I cloths from a steaming water L ket on a lingan Kogan s sandy floor looked up as a shadow darkened the door doorway w ly ay to the east cast Starr Stone Slone stood there I leaning his graceful length against the lintel Is there an nn tiling thing needing to be bedone bedone bedone done that a n husky husk man can dog he fished asked soberly ater oter ater to bring wood to get Plenty Plent said the girl quickly Both oth of ot those thoe tho c r Es cry ery one In lu this family Is do down don n except the two lIt lIttlest littlest children a n word ord the man turned and disappeared ared and presently he was as backwith back bad with Ith two baskets Lashus of ot wa water a ater ter lIe He set et them Inside the door and went ent a away aay ay again returning later with Ith great quantities of ot the bleached and strati dead wood ot of the juniper r scrub which clothed th e uplands here lie replenished the th e out outside fire where Sonya Son a had been heating her stones for tor the water Iter baskets set the latter In to heat helt again poured fresh frech water Into the basket at her elbow Anything An thing to eat about he asked practically levy ery ery little Titre was sous as mu mutton t two 0 days da dai back hack but the mans s down and the this woman too and the this Ins went bad on me I carry curry cereals but I m w nearly near out of ot those 0 O h I he said solid briefly I 11 1 fix I tint Sonya Sona went on about her leer lions and In the course of ot an hour lie he was ns back with Ith the dressed car carcass carcass sass cass of ot a freshly slaughtered sheep comment he put small pieces piece to cook this this will III do nicely nicel he sold said when hen bony bon on i n came cause out of the ho hog in nn 1 Ivy e hung bung the tile melt In the tall tull tallest est scrub I could find Ond back Linck of ot the corral rapi cd ed It in a couple of sac sac sits s It s In good shade and should cool out all right v next Nothing sho said But nut this Is priceless And when heu t two 0 hours later Sonya Son a rode rodl out across the hot sago le els Starr Stone rode beside her er on his golden horse Theres There's no one hereabout but and they re few and far apart he said I 1 think we e on t be seen And what If we e arc are tl tI tic e a girl cd ed hy 11 hy by should It mat matter ter 1 M e a won t be And you may need neri me where here you ou re going lit III e a you did back there Oh I will Conditions are pit ful In nearly all these lonely places r o no water water no food no food no wood Ls L cry ery body too III to get set them And what hot have hale Sou ou been doIng about It he asked curiously Getting them myself 01 self wherever I could she answered ered lint hut It Its s be- be beyond be beyond yond me now v There s B so 0 much to todo todo todo do So 0 many sick I vc se e buried |
