| Show I II II I I II I I S. S CHAPTER IX Continued After Atter a while I. I ler r hand 10 rose role to his face tace and stroked It softly th then n nae he she drew herself away from him ae and with wih a wan wart smile amle upon her er fool tool lips of said ld me The wind hn has haa made mOe a No o o no ho he cried forcefully You asked me what I think of ot you you you- Well Vel VII now you know Still Sti smiling she be shook her head slowly then the she he told him Come I hear br the rain But Dut I 1 want to talk tal to you I have no so 10 much to say say say- lay lay- What bat Is s there to talk about tonight tonight to tonight to- to night night Hark They could fee rather than hear bear her the first warnings warnings warn warn- ings Ing of ot the coming downpour so 80 hand In n hand they walked up the grav gravelly ly beach each and anti Into tho the fringe of the forest where glowed the dull dul illumination from tram canvas wals walls When ten len they paused b before Core the Countess Counters tent Pierce once more enfolded her herin helln In his arms and sheltered sheltered shel shel- tere her from the boisterous breath of ot th Ur nigh J lBs His emotions wore were in a similar tumult but as asyet asyet asyet yet he could not voice them he could merely stammer You havo have never told mo me your our name Hilda May Iy I call I-call l call you that She nodded Yes Yes when when we are alone name nam e. e 1 Hilda ililda ld a Halberg that was wa my Hida Hilda Hilda Iilda Phillips Pierce tried the sound curiously The Countess drew back abruptly with witha wih a shiver then in answer to his quick concern said std I I-I I 1 I think Im I'm Im cold cold He lie Ie undertook to clasp clap her closer but h she IId d him off oft murmuring Let it I be Hilda HIda Halberg for tor or to toI to- to night h Lets Let's not t think of of- of Lets Let's e I not think at all Hilda bride a bride of 1 I the storm Theres There's a tempest bt In I my blood and who can think with witha a tempest raging She raised her face and kissed him upon the lips then disengaging ing herself herselt once mor more from his hungry hun bun bunI gry arms she stepped inside her shelter sheler The Th last he saw of ot hervas her was vas wa her luminous smile smie framed I against the black background then L she he let Jet the tent fly Jail ali aU As Phillips turned away big raindrops raindrops rain rain- raindrops drops began to drum upon the tho nearby tent roofs the tops spruce I overhead bent low limbs threshed I as at the gu gusty ty night wind beat upon them But he heard none of it I felt feltI I none of ot It for In his ears rang th I music of ot the spheres and on his I face tace lingered the warmth ot oi a woman's womans woman womans woman's wo wo- wo- wo mans man's lips the first love kiss that he had ever known Tom Linton roused himself from froni froma troma a chilly doze to find that the rain I had como come at a last It I was a roaring roaring roarIng roar roar- roar roar- I ing night his tent was wa bellied in hi L i by the force torce of ot the wind and tl tho tise e I raindrops beat upon It I with wih the I force torce of oC buckshot Through the thc I I entrance slit silt sit through the op open n I stovepipe hole the gale poured S I j bringing ct dampness with it I and rendering ren ren- j i I 1 dering the interior j as draughty as I I Ia a a corn Rolling more c tightly In his blankets Linton addressed ad ad- dressed the th-e to darkness through chattering chat chat- I teeth Darned old fool This'll teach him He strained his ears ears S for tor sounds of Jerry but could hear nothing above the of or wet canvas the tattoo tattoo tattoo tat tat- too of drops and the roar of ot wind in the treetops After the first vio lence of the squall squal had bad bd passed he ho fancied he could hear his former partner stirring so he arose and peered o out t. t into the night At first ho he could see sec nothing but in time he dimly made out Jerry struggling with his tarpaulin Evidently the they i fly y hail had hal blown or up and Its owner was it I. I Linton grinned That would drench the theol theold theold ol old dodo to the skin and hd hed he'd soon be around begging shelter sheler But ut I 1 wont won't let him in In not if ho he drowns Tom Toni muttered harsh harsh- harsh I J ly Jy He recalled one of ot Jerrys Jerry's gibes at the saw-pit saw a a particularly Unfeeling un- un uni i feeling nay nY a a downright dO venomous j insult which had rankled steadily I I ever since His former friend Had seen fit tit to ridicule honest perspiration Iton tion and nd to pretend to mistake ll it I I for tor raindrops That remark had been utterly uncalled for br and It had betrayed a wanton vanton malice malce a malevolent malev- malev malevi i desire to wound well wel here I Iwas was a a chance to even the score When Jerry camo dripping to tho the II tent door Tom decided he would poke his head out into the deluge j I I and ad then cry ory in evident astonishment astonish astonish- ment meat Why Jerry youve you've been working haven't you Youre You're all sweaty Mr fr Linton giggled out al r loud That would be b a refinement QI or sarcasm sarcasm sarcasm-s a get-back get of the finest fines fin fin- ln- ln es est If I Jerry Insisted upon coming comins in out of the wet hed he'd tell tel him gruffly to get out of there and try the lake for tor a a change But Mr Quirk made no move in the direction of ot the ten Instead he built bui a a fire In his stove and crouched over f it It endeavoring vainly vainly vain vain- ly to shelter himself from the sheler drivIng driving ing rain Linton watched him him with mingled impatience and resentment Would the old fool n never ver get enough Jerr Jerry was the most unreasonable unreasonable un un- reson reasonable e the most tantalizing J In the world At After r a time Mr Linton found that his teeth were c clattering chattering and that his frame had been smitten as by i y an ague reluctantly he crept back Into bed He le determined to bu buy beg borrow or steal some some- more bedding on the te morrow morrow morrow early early on the morrow In order to forestall Jerry Jerr Jerry have to find a ft tent ent somewhere and Inasmuch a at ao I there here were none to be had here at I Linderman he would probably have to return to Dyea Dyea That would deJay de- de lay Jay him seriously nough seriously enough enough perhaps so th that t. t the jaws of winter would close down upon him Through the he drone of ot pattering drops there came ce the faint sound of ot a cough Mr Inton sat lat at up In bed PneumonIa Pneumonia monia he exclaimed Well Wel Jerry Jer was getting exactly what he de deserved de de- served He lie had called him Torn Tom Tor an old fool a dam old fool Cool fool to be precise The epithet in Itself p meant netting lt nothing nothing-ir If was In fact a fatuous and feeble 1 term of ot abuse ter as compared to the opprobrious titles which he and Jerry Jerr were ere in n the habit of or exchanging it jt it wa va was that abominable adjective which hurt Jerry Jerr and he had railed each euh other man many names at times Umes they had exchanged ex ex- changed numerous gibes and Insults I 1 but nothing like that hateful word wor i old had hal ever er pawed passed between between them until this thle fatal morning Jerry Quirk himself was WIS old the oldest man In the world perhaps but Tom had exercised an admirable regard for his partners partner's feelings and had never neer ca ca cast It up to him Thus Thul had his consideration been repaid However How How- ever eve the poor fellows fellow's race was about run for Cor he couldn't stand cold or exposure Why a it 1 wet foot toot I sent him to bed bed How then could a I rickety ruin of his antiquity withstand withstand with with- wih- wih stand the tho ravages of oC pneumonia pneumonia- galloping pneumonia at that that Linton reflected that common de decency decency decency de- de would demand that he wait vait over a day or two and help bury the theold theold theold old man people man people would expect that much of him Hed He'd do tin it Hed He'd speak spek spek kindly of f the departed hed he'd even erect a 0 cross croes and write an anon anon anoon on oon It it-a it It- It Itkind a kind kindy lying epitaph extolling n ine he dead ded mans man's virtues and omitting all aU his hla faults Once moro more that hacking cough sounded and the listener stirred un un- un easily Jerry had some virtues virtues virtues-a a afew few ew e of the common elemental sort he he was WI honest and anti he was WI brave that matter mater no so were most people Yes the old oll scoundrel had hal nerve nere enough Linton recalled a a. certain day long lor past ast when he and Quirk had bad been sent pent out to round ro roundup roundup up some fome cattle catte rustlers Being the youngest deputies in the sheriffs sheriff's I office th tha toughest Jobs invariably fell CeU to thet them Those were the good I glad days Tom reflected Jerry had made a I reputation on that trip I Iu lie he had saved his companions companion's life life Linton flopped Clopped nervously s In his bed at the memory Vh Why think I of days dead and gone yone Jerry was WB an altogether different man in those times He ne neither criticized nor I permitted others to criticize his teammate and so far as that particular particular par par- obligation went Linton had I repaid it with compound Interest If I anything the debt now lay on Jeny's Jenys side I Tom Torn tried to close the book of memory and to consider nothing I whatever except the tho rankling present pres- pres ent but now that his thoughts had begun to run backward he could I I not head heid hod them oft off He wished Jerr Jerry wouldn't cough it I was a distressing distressing dis die I sound and It I disturbed his rest Nevertheless that hollow hacking complaint continued and finally the listener arose lit l a lantern tn- tn lantern lan lan- tern ter put on a 0 slicker a ad d untied his tent flaps Jerrys Jerry's stove was sizzling in the partial shelter sheler of or the canvas sheet over o it I the owner crouched In an attitude of ot cheerless dejection How you making out Tom in inquired In- In gruffly His voice was cold I his manner was both repellent and andi hostile hostie I WhO me Jerry peered up from under his glistening souI sou I wetter wester weser Oh Im I'm Im doIn doln fine tine Linton remained silent ill fit at lease ease water drained off or his his' hisco co coat t his ils Is lantern lanter flared in the wind After a 0 time he cleared his throat and inquired Wet Vet Naw aw There was a long pause then the visitor Inquired Are YOU von h hunh nh Again silence claimed d both men I until Tom broke out Irritably Well Vel you aim to set here all al night Sure I aint sleepy I dont don't mind a a. little mist and an Im I'm om plenty warm This cheerful assertion was belled belied by the tho miserable quaver In which it f was ws voiced I Why dont don't you you run you er run over ove to tomy tomy I my tent Linton gasped and swat wal- lowed loved hard The Te invitation was wa out out the damage was done Theres lots of or room Mr Quirk spared his callers caller's caler's furtner further fur fur- ther feelings by betraying no triumph triumph tri tri- whatever Rather plaintively he declared I 1 got room enough here It I aint exactly room I need Again he cou coughed hed Here Get a move on you quick Linton ordered forcefully I rhe The he Idea of ot you OU setting around hatching out a a lung lung-ful of or pneumonia nia bugs bugs' Git Gt Ill I'll Il bring your our bed ding Mr Quirk rose with alacrity Say Sy Lets Let's Lt's take my stove over to your tent and warm her up I bet youre you're cold No not Im I'm Im comfortable enough enough The speakers speaker's speakers teeth played an ac accompaniment accompaniment 1 ac- ac to this mendacious denial denIal Of course Im I'm Im not sweatIng sweatIng sweatIng sweat- sweat Ing any but but I I spose the he stove would cheer things up eh Rotten RoUen night aint it I Worst Vort I ever saw Rotten countr country coun coun- tr try for tOr that matter I You said something Mr Linton I I chattered He lie le nodded his head with I vigor wih I I It I was wet work moving Jerrys Jerry's i belongings but the transfer was i J finally effected the stove was set setup setup I up and a new fire started This 1 I done Tom Torn brought forth a bottle botte of whisky I Here said he take tako a sniffer I It'll Il do you good I Jerry Jery eyed the bottle bote with wih frank astonishment before beCore he exclaimed Why I didn't know you was a man You been a secret vice from me No And Im I'm Im not a drinking man I brought it J along for iou for you I I-er I er I I that that cough of ot yours used to worry me so so- so Pshaw I cough easy You know Inow that You take a a Jolt jol and and Linton and Linton I flushed with embarrassment and embarrassment and Ill I'll Il have one with you I was wag lying Just now Im I'm Im colder n a frogs frog's I belly bely Happy days said Quirk as he I tipped the bote bottle A long life Ure and a a. wicked one Linton drank in his turn Now then get out of those cold com- com Heres Here's HEres HEre's some dry under under- clothes thick clothes thick too Well We'll Vel double up those thoe blankets ion blankets for to to- to night night and and Ill I'll Il keep the tho fire fhe a Ill I'll Il cure that cough If i I 1 sweat you as white a as a washwoman's thumb do nothing of ot the sort Jerry Jerr declared as a he removed his sodden garments and hung them theta UI up Youl crawl right Into bed belt with me and well we'll wel have ha a good sleep Youre You're near nea dead But Linton was wax by no means re no- no 10 assured hi his tone ton was as querulous when he ha cried cred Why didn't you come in before you caught cold Spose you get Jet sick on me InC now But you wont won't I wont won't let lot you ou I I In n a panic of oC apprehension he dug dugout dugout out his his' halt hal of oC the contents of ot the I medicine kit and began to paw I through them Whoa got gt tho the cough coush Tho The syrup auP Jerry you or me s speakers speaker's voice broke miserably I Mr Quirk laid aid a ft trembling hand upon his ox partners partner's shoulder his hla hil voice olce too was shaky when he said sid Youre awful good to me Tom The other shook off oct the grasp rap and anil undertook to read the labels on tho the bottles bottes but they had become unaccountably unaccountably unac unac- blurred and there was a painful lump in his hil throat It I seemed scented to him that Old Jerrys Jerry's bare bar legs looked pi pitifully tu 1 and spidery spid try ery and that his bony knees had a arh rh rheumatic ma tc appearance hell Holl Hol I treated you ou mighty t mean men said he But Dut I most moI died wh when n you ou began to cough 1 I thought sure sure sure- sure Tom choked and shook his Isis gray head th then n with the heel of ot his hs harsh palm pains he wiped a a drop of moisture from his cheek Look at mo mo He le tried to laugh end and failed Jerry likewise struggled with his tears teIl he You YoU you dam old fool cried affectionately Linton smiled with delight Give into It I to me he urged Lam Lm me mI Jerr Jerry I 1 deserve it It Gosh 1 was lonesome A hour half later Inter the two friends friend were lying side by side In their bed and toe stoye stove was glowing com Coin cor- cor torta bl They h had d ceased shiver shiver- verina ver- ver Ing ina Old Jerry had spooned up Close cloe to old ol Tom and his bodily heat was grateful Linton eyed Eyed the fire fre with tender yearning a good stove you got a a. a corker aint she I r been thinking about trading you a half Interest in my tent for tor fora tora I a a half hal Interest in her her I The trades trade's made There was WILS a a moment of or silence What my LaY Eay wo We hook up together together sort sort of oC go for tor a while I got a long iong outfit and a |
