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Show ! pLANGFORD OF THE THREE BARS 1 J l j By KATE and VXRGIE U. BOYLE bT 1 Copyright A, O. McOIurg & Oo.. 1007. I 5 L 1 CHAPTEB XIV. 9 Channel Ice. 2V A jolly party sot off for Yelpcn Sun-jjjlyav Sun-jjjlyav morning. Hank Brucbachcr had tejreniained over night on purpose to ..tttfscort them to the river in his bus. It 'Rad boon caught on tbo wrong side, itll'he channel bad closed over about tho taSihiddle of the week. Tho ico had been LmytTY thin at first; there had been no 3lrop of the thermometer, but a gradu-vMjil gradu-vMjil lowering night after night had at last JBjnade men doeni it safe to cross on feKfoot. A rumor to this effect had drift-Mi& drift-Mi& iu to tho tired jurors hanging around Jmjind killing time, waiting to be called. uMSundaj in Kemah was impossible to ijlnanv. "Besides, they had had a -week f(jf it. They were sure of a good din-I din-I ftjer at Velpen, whero there had been JMtio such fearful inroads on tho supplies, rand the base of whose supplies, moro-LWbver, moro-LWbver, was not cut off as it was at Kem-Lwah Kem-Lwah ov tho closing of the river, which jgiyas not yet solid enough for traffic. JrKThat consideration held weight with iwany. Saloon service was a Tittle bet-Jwicr, bet-Jwicr, "and that, too, had its votaries. Bns-jftineES Bns-jftineES appointments actuated Gordon '7Rnd perhaps a few others. Ennui puro jand simple moved the court and the j court's arista nt. Jig It was about 30 in the morning. It jKTvas frosty, but bright, and tho little iKcold snap bade fair to dio prematurely. Ba little while, will you, Dick, while I "(elance at tho news; you won't have to 'M;plav, just talk she likes to talk." and Inricd himself in the folds of the jig-ling jig-ling paper: much jiggled because !ank had uo intention of pemittiiyr av vehicle to pass the outfit of which ic judge was passenger whilo ho, Hank rnchncher. held the reins. He was an jthority of the road, and as such, he (fnsed "to be passed by anything on licols. The rattle of the wagon drowned all iheront conversation. The judge's out-lread out-lread arms had forced Louise very ose to her neighbor on tho right, who id the instructions to keep her nused, but even then he must bend is head if ho wero to obey orders rictly arid talk, lie choso to obey, ast night, ho had been worn out with io strain of the week: he had not been bio to forget- things. Today well, iday was today. "Are you going to hear the bishop t" iked Louise. It was a. little hard to ake conversation whon every timo , snrely was wonderful weather for juth Dakota. ''Where is Mnry?" asked the .nidge, i Louise came lightly down the stairs, ;adv to put on her gloves. "She went out to the White's an mr or so ago to do the week's wash-ic, wash-ic, T suspect. Mr. Langford took her tout." 'I "Louise! On Sunday!" Even the itolerant nudge was shocked. S "It's true, Uncle Hammond," per- tiflisfed Louise, earnestly. & She wore a modish hat that was im-jinenscly im-jinenscly becoming, and looked charm-jling. charm-jling. Gordon stood at the worn, wooden tcps, hat off. desnito the nipping air, fjraiting to assist, her to tho place the '-gallant Hank had reserved for her. $ He Eat down at her right. Judge Dale at her left. The jurvmen filled the other places rapidly. T?he heavy wagon lurched forward. The road was good; .there had been no snows or thaws. Now "ytns Hank in his element. It is very c probablo that he was tho most unreservedly unreserv-edly contented man in seven States that fair Snndny morning alwavs excepting Munson of the Three Bars. A few strangling buckboardB and horsemen brought tip the rear. Judgo Dale, taking tak-ing to himself as much room as it was possiblo to confiscate with elbowa slyly pressed outward chickonwlng-wise, fished out his newspaper leisurely, loaned over Gordon to say in a matter-of-fact voice, "Just amuse. Louise for one lifiol one's eyes one found one s self so startlingly close to a man's fino face. m "Surely!" responded Gordon. "An incomparable scholar an indefatigablo workman truest of saints." There was grave reverence in his lowered voice. "You know him wcllf" 'Yes. I see him often in his I.n-dtau I.n-dtau mission work. Ue is one of tho best friends I have." Tho river gleamed with a frozen deadness alongside. The horses' hoofs pounded rhytbniicallly over tho hardened hard-ened road. Opposite, a man who had evidently found saloon service in Kemah Kem-ah pretty good, but who doubtless would put himself in a position to mako comparisons as soon as. over his unsteady un-steady feet could carry him there, began be-gan to sing a rollicking melody in a maudlin falsetto. "Shut up!" One of tho men nudged him roughly. "Right 3'ou are," said tho singer, plonsantly. whose name was Lawson. "It is not seemly that wo lift up our voices in worldly melody on this holv day and in the presence of a lady," with an elaborate bow and a vacant grin that made Louise 6hrink closer to the judge. "I suggest we all join in a Bacred song." nc followed up his own suggestion with a discordant burst of "Yes, We Will Gather at the River." "He means the kind o' rivers they havo in tho 'place around the corner,' -' voluntoered Hank, turning sround with an knowing wink. "They have rivers there plenty of 'cm only nono of 'em ever saw water." "T tell you, shut up." whispered tho man who had first chided. "Can't you sec there's a lady present? No more monkev-shincs or we'll oust you. Hear?" "I bow to tho demnnds of the lady," said Lawson, subsiding with happy gallantry. "You havo many 'best friends' for a. man who boasted nor. so long ago that he stood alone iu the cow country," coun-try," said Louise, resuming the interrupted in-terrupted conversation with Gordon. "He is one of the fingers," retorted Gordon. "I confessed to one hand, you will remember. "Let us sec," said Louise, musingly. musing-ly. She began counting on her own daintily gloved hand. "Mrs. Iliggins is the thumb, you said?" qucstioniuglv. "Yes." "Mr. Langford is the first finger, of course V "Of course." "And Uncle Hammond is tho middle mid-dle finger?" "You have said it." "And tho bishop is the third finger?" fing-er?" "He surely is." "And and Mary is the next?" "Sorceress! You havo guessed all right." "'Then where am 17" she challenged, half in earnest, half in fun. "You might havo left at least the little finger fing-er for me." Ho laughed under his breath an unsteady un-steady sort of laugh, as if something had Knocked at his habitual self-control. There was only one answer to that gay, mocking challenge only one and that ho could not give. lib forgot for-got for a little while that thcro wcro other people in tho wagon. Tho poor babbling, grinning man across tho way was not the only drunken man therein. Only ono answer, and that to draw the form closor closer to him against his hoart for there was where she belonged. be-longed. Fingers? What did ho care for fingers now? He wanted to lay his face down against her soft hair it was so perilously near. If only ho might win in his fight! Hut even so. what would it matter? What could thero over bo for her in this cruel, alien land? She had been so kindly and lovingly lov-ingly nurtured. In her heart nestled tho home call for all time. She was bound in its meshes. The would draw her sooner or later to her butc and inevitable in-evitable destiny. And what was there for him elsewhere nfter all these years? Kismet. He drew a long breath. "T'm a poor maverick,-,. J supposo. marked with no man's friendship. Hut you sco I'm learning tho languago of the brotherhood. Why don't you compliment com-pliment me on my adaptability?" She looked up smilinglv. Sho was hurt, but he should never know it. And he, becauso of the pin in him, answered almost roughly: "It is not a language for you to learn. You, will never learn. Quit trying. You arc not like- us." Sho. because sho did not understand, felt the old homesick choking iu her throat, and romembercd with a reminiscent remin-iscent shudder of the first awful timo she had spun along that road. Everybody Every-body accmcd to spin in this Btrango land. Sho felt herself longing for tho fat, lazy, old pogging horses of her country home. Horses couldn't hurry thore brcauso tho hills were too inn 113 and tho roads too heavy. These lean, shaggy, range-bred hnrsos were diabolical diabol-ical in their predilection for going. Hank's siirelv wore no exception to the rulc. He pulled thorn up with a grand flourish ar the edge 01 tho steep incline in-cline leading directly upon tho pontoon that bridged tho narrowed river on tho Kemah side of tho islnud. and they stopped dead still with tho cleanness worth- of cow ponies. The suddenness of the halt precipitated them all into a goneral mix-up. Gordon had braced himself for the shock, but Louiso was wholly unprepared. Sho was thrown violently against him. The contact paled his face Tho soft hair ho had longed to caress in his madness brushed his cheek. JI shivered. "Oh!" cried Louise, laughing and I blushing. " wasn't expecting that!" J Moat of (ho men wero alroad3' out j 1 and down on the bridge. A lono pedestrian ped-estrian was making his way across. "All 8afe7" inquired Judge Dale, as j he came up. "A little thin over tho channel, but all safe if you cross a-foot." "Suppose wo walk across the island," sugggested the judge, who occasionally overcame his indoienco in spasmodic efforts to counteract his growing portliness, port-liness, "and our friend Hank will meet us hero in the morning." So it was agreed. The littlo party straggled gaylv across tbo "bridge Tho walk across the island was far from irksome. The air was still bracing, though ragb of smoky cloud were beginning be-ginning to obscuro the sun. Tho gaunt coltouwoods stood out in somber sTlhou-etto sTlhou-etto against tho unsoftoned bareness of tho winter landscnpc. Louise was Bomewhat thoughtful and pensivo since her littlo attempt to challenge intimacy in-timacy had been so ungraciously received. re-ceived. To Gordon, on the other hand, had come a strange, new exhilaration, exhil-aration, nis blood bounded joyously through his veins. This was his day he- would live it to the dregs. Tomorrow, Tomor-row, and renunciation woll, that was tomorrow. Ho could not oven rcsor.t, ap, being a man, hu should have resented, re-sented, the unwelcome and ludicrous attentions at-tentions of the drunken singer to the one woman in the crowd. bee.nn60 whon-over whon-over tho offender came near, Lionise would press closer to him, Gordon, and once, iu her quick distaste to tho proximity prox-imity of the man, bIic clutched Gordon's Gor-don's coat sleeve nervously. It was the second timo he had fclt her hand on his arm. He never forgot either. But the man rcccivod such 0 withering chastisement from Gordon's warning C3'cs that he ceased to molest until tho remainder of the island road hod been traversed. Then men looked at each other qucs-tioningly. qucs-tioningly. Along, narrow, single-plank bridgp. stretched across the channel. It was not then so safe as report would have it. Tho boards were stretched lengthwise with a long step between each board and tho next. What was to bo done? Hank had gone long since. No ono coveted tho long walk bnck to Kemah. L'vciy one did covet the comfort com-fort or pleasuro upon which each had set his hoart. Gordon, tho madness of his intoxication still upon him, constituted constit-uted himself master of ceremonies, no stepped lightly upon the noar plank to rcconnoitcr. Ho walked painstakingly from board to board. Ho was dealing in precious freight ho would draw no rash conclusions. When he had reached whnt ho considered tho middle of tho channel, ho returned and pronounced it in his opinion safe, with propor care, ami advised strongly that no one Htep upon n plank till tho ono in front of him had lef it. Thus the weight of only one person at a time would materially ma-terially lessen the danger of the ice's giving way. So the little procession took up its line of march. Gordon had planned that Lonise should follow her undo and he himself would follow Louise; thus ho might rest assured that thcro would be no encroachment en-croachment upon her preserves. Tho officious songster, contrary to orders, glided ahead of his place when tho line of march was woll taken up, usurping anybody's plank at will, and trotting along over the bare ico until finnlly he drew alongside Louiso with an amiable grin. "I will be hero rcadv for omorgen-cis. omorgen-cis. " he confidod. mcaninirly. "You need not be afraid. If tho ico breaks, I will save j'ou." "Get back, 3ou fool," cried Gordon, fiercely. "And leave this young lady alono? Xot so was I brought up, young man," answered Lawson, with great dignity. "Give me 3our hand, miss, I will stendy 3011." Louiso shrank from his touch and stepped back to the end of her plank. "Get on that plank, idiotl" cried Gordon, wrathfulty. "And if you daro step on this lady's board again, I'll wring 3our neck. Do vou hear?" He had stepped lightly off Iub own plank for a moment while ho drew Louiso back to it. The ico gave treacherously, treach-erously, and a littlo pool of water showed whoro his foot had been. Louise faltered. "Itr it flows so fast." she said, nervously. "Jl is nothing," he reassured her. "I will be more careful another-time." It was a perilous place for two. Ho hurried her to the next board as soon as tho subdued transgressor had left it, he himself holding buck. It was indeed an odd procession. Dark figures balanced themselves on the slim footing, each tho length of a plank from tho other, tho lino Kcem-ing Kcem-ing to stretch from bank to bank. Tt would have boon ludicrous had it; not been for tho danger, which all realized. .Somo half-grown boys, prowling along the Yolpcn shore looking for safo skating, skat-ing, gibed them with flippant rudeness. Lawson took fire. "Whoop'cr up, boys." ho yelled, waving his hat enthusiastically. He prauccd up gayly to tho judge, tipping along on the bare ice. "Your nrm, your honor." he cried. "It is a blot on 1113 escutcheon that I have left 3-011 to traverse this danger-bristling danger-bristling "vn3- alone .you, the judge. T3ut trust me. If the ico breaks, I will save you. I swim like a fish." "M3 friend," said Dalo, fixing on him eyes of calm disapproval, "if 3-011 arc the cause of U13 boing forced to a cold-water plunge bath against my wishes, I will sentence you to the gallows. gal-lows. Now, go!" He went. He was hurl, but he was not deterred. He would wait for the lad-. A gentleman could do no 'less. Louise stopped. Gordon stopped. Tho wholo back line stopped. JSach man fitood to his colors and his plank. Louise, glancing appealing' over her shoulder, gavo an hysterical little .laugh. "Movo on!" cried Gordon, impa-tiontl3'. impa-tiontl3'. Instead of moving on, however. Law-son Law-son came confidently toward Louise. Sho stifled a littlo feminine scream in her handkerchief and stepped hastily backward. "Don't be afraid," said Lawson. Gordon resnressed a rising oath, and cried out, "it you dare " but Lawson had already darod. His heavy step was upon Louise's frail support. Sho thought shudderingly, intuitively, of tho dark, swift, angry current under its thin veneer or ice tho current that was always hungr3' and ato islands and fertile fields in ravenous mouthfuls. "She ran back to the end of her plank. "Havo no fear," said tho drunken man, blandly. He stepped to tho baro ico at her side. "A man can't walk pigeon-toed always," ho confided. "Bo-sides, "Bo-sides, there's not a particle of danger. These fools arc making a mountain of a molehill." Gordon camo forward quicklv. "Run ahead. Miss Dale, I'll" tend to this follow," he said. Ho extended a firm hand. He meant to clutch the man, shove him behind, and keep him there. But at that moment mo-ment tho ice began to givo under Law-son's Law-son's clums3 feet. A look of blank, piteous helplessness came into his drunken e.yes as he felt the treacherous ico sinking benoath him. He tottered, then, with frantic, unthinking haste, sprang to the plank, but it, too, began to sink. He laid desperate hold of tho girl. "Savo mo'" he shrieked. Louise was conscious of a quick, awful terror, a dreadful horror .of swaying and sinking, and then sho was muffled against a rough coat, strong arms clasped her tightly and boro her backward. Shivering, sho hid her face in tho coat, clutching the lapels with nervous strength, "You'll spoil your Sunday clothes," she moanod, trying desperate to bo calm and sensible. And Gordon held her at last as ho had dreamed in his mad moments of holding her close against his heart in the place ho had not dared to tell her he had already put her. His face was pressed against the fair hair that he had longed with an indescribable longing to caress such a short time ago. His Hps brushed the soft, strands with infinito tenderness. Isow was his dream como true. This day was his. No one might take it from "him. Tomorrow To-morrow but that was tomorrow. To-day To-day was his. He would livo it to the end. Closer he held . her tho dear woman there was no ono else in all the world. When he released her, sho was confronting a mnn whose faco was as white as the ico around them. "Ts this the last of us?" sho questioned, ques-tioned, tromuloush-. He flung Ins arm over her shoulders again. He did not know exactly what he jdid. Men wero coming forward rapidly, awaro that a great tragedy had threatened, had been averted. Dale was hastily retracing his steps. Lawson had crawled to a place of safety on a forwnrd plank after having been flung out of tho way b3' Gordon in his swift rush for Louise. He was grinning foolishly, but was partial- sobered by the shock. "Back! All of you!" cried Gordon, nnpciiouyh- Hp was vcr3 pale, but he had "regained his Eelf-control. "Idiots! Do 3-ou want another accident? acci-dent? Back to your places! We'll have to go around." Tho ice was broken in many spots. Louise had reall3- gone through, "but so quick had boon hor rescuo that sho escaped with wet feet onl B.y making mak-ing a portable bridge of "two of the planks, U1C3- skirted tho -awning holo in safety. It was a more dangerous undertaking now that two must stand on a plank at tho samo time. Luekily, tho greater number were ahead when tho accident occurred. It was not much pnst noon but Gordon's day was ended. It wns as if the sun had gone down on it. Ho found no opportunity to speak to Louise again, and the tomorrow, to-morrow, his tomorrow, had como. But tho one day had been worth while. CHAPTER XV. The Gamo is On. Contrary to expectation, the case of tho Stalo of South Dakota against Jcsso Black was called soon after tho sitting of tho court Monday afternoon. No tcstimonj' was introduced, however, until the following day. Inch by inch, step by step, Gordon fought for a fair jur3' through that tense afternoon. Merciless Mer-ciless in his shrewd examination, keen to detect hesitancy, prejudices sought to bo concealed he clevorl3- and relent-lcssl3' relent-lcssl3' unearthed. Chair after chair was vacated onl3' to be vacated again. It seemed there was not a man in the county who had not heard somewhat of this much-heralded crime if crime it wore. And he who had heard was a prejudiced partisan. How could it be otherwise where feeling rau so high where honest men mostly felt resentment resent-ment against the man who dared to probo the wound without extracting the cause of it, and a hatred and fear cur-iouslj cur-iouslj intermingled with admiration of tho outlaw whoso next move after obtaining ob-taining his freedom might bo'to cut out of the general herd, cows of thoir own brands where tainted men, officers or cowmen, awaited developments with a consuming interest that was not above , H manipulntinc tlic linc3 of iustice for Ihcir ovrn selfish ends! Yes, despite 'j f.ho obstacles in the "way, Gordon -was . j determined to have au unpro.iurticed j n"ury in so far as it liiy in human power , I; to Heat Biieh a one in Iho box. So ho ' , workcd, and worked hard. . t This impanelling of tho .iury v;as not j,i j intcrcatiuj; tq tho crov.'d. lany had 'jij no hint of its deeper meaninc. Others 1 1 saw it in thn liht of child's play a certain braggadocio on tho part of the ; 1 young lawyer. Thcywanlcdthcactu.il show to beciu the examination of q witnesses. They cuine and went rst- . : lessly, impatiently wailinp;. Wiser ji heads than theirs know that tho game jj was already en in deadly earnest. If !;. these had been lucky enough to gel ;i scats in tho ?inall nr.d overcrowded ! courtroom, they romninod glued to them. ''!,! Thoy were waiting to see what manner ; , of mcu would bo chosen Jesse's peer to 7ass judgment on his acts and ) , mete cut 'or him .iust deserts if they 'i' were capable of a just verdict. The -J.i.f square-jawed, keen-witted, cleau-cu pj capta'n of justice, who. had forgotten ,J Ji that the campaign had aged him ir .1.: rcvocably and that some whitened hair would never grow brown again, meant i ; that thC3 should bo capable. The op :', posing lawyers smiled tolerantly at the J i. numerous challenges. These smilc3 wont far to convince many of the infalli ;!: , bility of their defence. Amused toler (l ' nnco is a powerful weapon on more ; 1 Holds than one where men war with p. their wits. It is a wise man who cul h't tivatca the art. ! "We havo chosen tho right man.-" j', whispered Langford to Mary. Thc had secured seats near the front ttnd M wero of those who knew tho gamo wa? j beine played. . A- "He is great," returrled Mary. If only her father could be thcro to help! The odds were fearful. Louise, sittina ! I at her table within the bar, -with faith in this man's destiny sufficient to re jj j movo mountains, smilod down at her ' jjjj'j friends. njl "Louise is an angel, " said Mary, a- f ectionately. jlj! "Yes, she is," responded Langford. 1 1 absentlj', for he was not looking" at the till girl reporter, nor were his thoughts on her sido of the rail. Ho wished for the lOj sake of "WilHston's "littlo girl" that M there wcro not so much tobacco stench Jl in the room. But this was a vaguo and jrl intangible wieh. Ho wished -with the- ITi whole strength of his mandhood which Ir was muchthat this man on trial 1 might bo made to ipay the penalty of his crime as a stepping-stone to paying LjaiJ the penalty of that greater crime of jJ whicn he "firmly believed him guilty. jflt! His own interest had become strangely jjj j secondary since tho hot July day when jjjl he had pledged himself to vengeance. This falling off might have dated from Mil a certain September morning whon he ill had lost himself for all time to a U' girl with pain-pinched faco and fever- jijij brightened eyes who wore a blue wrap- jjjj per. His would not bo a personal tri- jf J umph now, if ho won. J Court adjourned that cveninq -with Igj the jury-box filled. The state's frieutlfe Ig j were reeling pretty good about it. lltj Langford made his "way into tho bar Hi where Gordon was standing apart, lie j passed an arm affectionately over his jI friend's shoulder. Hi "You were inspired. Dick." ho said. Hj "Keep on the same as you navo begun j' and wo shall have everything our own D But the Ore had died down in the I young lawver's "bearing. It "I'm tfrcd, Paul, dead tired,' he j said, -wearily. "I wish it wore over." I "Come to supper then you'll feel I; better. You're tired out. It is a touch i strain, isn't It!" he said, cheerily. He I was not afraid. Ho knew the fire would I burn tho brighter again whon thoro was IU need of it in tho morning. n: They passed out of the bar togcthor, Bj At the hotel, Mary and Louise wero al- Hi ready seated at tho table in tho dining- , H room, -where tho littlo party usually sat ; Ht together when it was possible to do so. Judee "Dalo had not yet arrived. The B landlady was in a worriod dispute ivith j 9! Eed Sanderson and a companion. The : men were evidently cronies. Tboy had jm their eyes on two of tho thrco vacant jlB places at the table. W "But I tell vou theso places aro U taken," persisted tho landlady, who W served as head-waitress when such ser- 'jw vices wero necessary, which -was not V often. Her patrons usually took and hold possession of thiugsat their own awoot -will. " . . M "You bet tbcv are," chimed m Kcu, Hj deliberately pulling out a chair nest to Rf Louise, who shivered in recognition. Hf "Please " sho began, in a small Hi voice, but got no farther. Something in his bold, admiring stare choked her B into silence. . , D; "You're a ruightv pretty tnrl, if you Bj aro a trottin' round with tho Three Ml Bars," he grinned. "Plenty time to H change your live " fll "Just move on, will 'ou," said Gor- " ( don, curtlv. coming up at that moment Rr with Langford and shoving him nsido Hi with unccrcmtQious brevity. "Q'his is H, my placo." Ho sat do quietly. , BJ; "You damned upstart," blustered Sanderson. "Want a littlo pistol plav, do vou?" , 'rGeutlcmcn! gentlemen!" implored tho landlad-. H "I'm not entering anv objection. said Gordon, coolly. "Just shoot whv :H don't youf You havo tho drop on H( me. " i II For a moment it looked as if San- , H dcrson would take him at his word and Bjj meet this taunt with instant death for H the sender of it, so black was his an- ' H gor. But encountering Langford s U level gaze, he read something therein. M shrugged his shoulders, replaced his H pistol, and sauntored off with his com- fl panion just as Judgo Dalo camo upon IB tho scene. Langford glanced quickly 'B across tho tablo at Mary. Her eyes H wore wido with 6lartlcd horror. She, (II too. had seen. Just abovo Bed Sander- 'U son's temple and extending from tho B forehead up into the hair was an uglv B scar not like that left by a cut, but ,11 as if tho flesh might havo been deoply fl bruised by some blunt weapon. iM "Mary! How pale you are!" cnod Louise, in alarm. IB "I'm haunted by that man," sho JK continued, biting her lip to kecpfrom M crving out against tho terrors ot chis W country. "He's always showing up in V unexpected places. I shall die if I ovor i meet him alone." )B "You need not bo afraid, said Gor- dou, speaking quietly from his place at . her side Louifo Hashed him a swift, K bowildering smile of gratitude. Thou 1 m she rcuiemborcd she had gnovuuco f against him and she stilToned. Hut then the feel of his arms camo to hor tho m foci that sho hnd scarcely been con- scious of yesterday whon the dark ffi water lay ar. her feet and she blushed M and studied hor plato diligently. j U Under this cover, tho young ranch- i man comforted Mary, whom tho others ( I had temporarily forgotten, with a loug, 1 caressing look from his handsome eyes 1 I that was a pledge of tireless v:gilanc I 1 and an unlorgetttng watchiuluoss til. future protection. t I (To bo continued.) i I.' |