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Show THE TIMES-NEW- NEPHI, UTAH S, VI o A GWYN it before the week Is out," said the mother, a touch of bitterness In her voice. "I would have given all I pos- LOVE AT FIR8T SIGHT BYNOPSIS. Kenneth OwrnM waa Ave years old In tha spring of 1111 when hla (athar ran away from Kentucky with Rachel Car-U- r. a widow. They took with thorn Mlada Carter, Raohal'a baby 'Kennath'a daughter. In orhe (all a broken heart. mothar dlad Hla grandparents brought him up to bate tha name of Rachel Carter, "an evil woman." . . Kenneth, now a young lawyer, aeeka lodging (or tha night at tha (arm ot Phinaaa Striker, near Lafayette. Ind. It appeara that Kan'a father haa recently died and that he la on hla way to take poaaeaalon of extenetve landa ha Tha Strlkera haa Inherited. bought their farm of Ken'a father and a mortgage runa to hla father'a widow tha Raohel Carter. A beautiful nineteen-year-ol- d girl, who aaya aha knew hla father well and refuaea to give her name, la visiting the Strlkera. Ken la much lntereated In her. In the morning the girl la rone. Striker telle Ken ahe waa planning- to elope with Barry Lapelle and her mother eame In the night and took her home. Aa Ken goee on hla way Striker tella him: an" "That girl waa Viola Gwynhand-omA ehe'a your dashing youna; fellow rldea up and Introduces himself aa Isaac Stain, a Barry Lapelle. farmer, fives Ken a message from Viola to call. At Lafayette Ken finds that the will dlvidea aa extensive property between Ken and Rachel Qwyn. Viola la not mentioned, but has decided not to oontest. Ken calls at Viola's home and finds Rachel Instead of Viola. Rachel telle him that Viola la really Mlnda Carter, though ahe doea not know It, and puta her own and her dauerhter'a future in hla hands. fen aaya he doee not make war on women. Ken and Viola meet and quarrel. e, half-alater- ." CHAPTER VIII Mother and Daughter.' Rachel Qwyn was seated at the parlor window when Viola entered the word with you, house. "May I have mother?" said the girl, from the doorway, after waiting a moment for her mother to take some notice of her presence. She spoke In a very stiff and formal manner, for there had been no attempt on the part of either to make peace since the trying experiences of early morning. Viola had sulked all day, while her mother preserved a tony silence that remained unbroken up to the time she expressed a desire to be alone with Kenneth when he called. Apparently airs. Owyn did not hear Viola's question. The girl advanced a few steps Into the room and stopped again to regard the motionless, unresponsive figure at the window. Mrs. Owyn's elbow was on the sill, her chin resting In the hand. Apparently she was deaf to all sound Inside the room. A wave of pity swept over Viola. All In an Instant her rancor took flight and In Its place came a longing to steal over and throw her arms about those bent shoulders and whisper words of remorse. Desolation faung over that silent, thinking figure. Viola's heart swelled with renewed anger toward Kenneth Owynne. What bad he said or done to wound this tony, indomitable mother of hers? The room was cold. The fire had died down; only the huge backlog bowed splotches of red against the r "1i ISC va sess If It could have been kept from Kenneth Owynne. Salt la an open sore, that's what It Is, Viola. It smarts, oh, how it smarts.'' Viola, ignorant of the true cause of her mother's pain, snapped her fingers disdainfully. "That's how much I care for his I opinion, one wsy or the other. wouldn't let him worry me If I were you, mother. Let blm think what he pleases. He comes here and the very first thing he does is to " "He will think what he pleases, my child," broke In her mother; "so do not flatter yourself that he will be affected by your opinion of him. We will not discuss him, If you please. He will go his own way and we will go ours. There need be no conflict between us. What did he say to you out there?" "He was abominable I Officious, sarcastic, insolent '' "In plain words, he gave you a good talking to," Interrupted Mrs. Owyn, rather grimly. "He said some things I can never forgive." "About you and Barry V "Well not so much about me and Oh, you Barry as about the way I needn't smile, mother. He Isn't going to make any fuss over Barry. He told me In plain words that he did not care whether 1 married him or not or ran away with him, for that matter. And now I have something I want to say to you. We may as well have It out now as any other time. I am going to marry Barry Lapelle." There was a ring of defiance In her voice. Rachel Gwyn looked at her steadily for a moment before responding to this challenge. "I think It would be only fair of you," she began, levelly, "to tell Mr. Lapelle Just what he may expect In case he marries you. Tell him that you will never receive a penny or an Inch of land when I die. I shall cut you off completely. Tell him that. It may make some difference In his calculations." Viola flared. "Tou have no right to Insinuate that he wants to marry me for your money or your lands. He wants me for myself be wants me because he loves me." "I grant you that," said Mrs. Owyn, nodding her head slowly. "He would now. You be a fool not to want you are young, and you are very pretty. But after he has been married a few years and you have become an old song to him, he will feel differently about money and lands. I know Mr. Lapelle and his stripe. They run through with love as they run through with money quickly. And when he haa wasted all his love, Barry Lapelle will still want money to wast. Be good enough to make him understand that he will never have a dollar of my money to waste never, my child, even though his wife were starving to death. I mean It!" "Then," cried Viola, hotly, "you are the most unnatural, cruel mother that ever " "Stop I Tou will not find me a cruel and Inhuman mother when you come creeping back to my door after Barry Lapelle has cast you off. I have nothing more to say." "But I have something more to say," cried the girl. "I shall tell him all you have said, and I shall marry him In spite of everything. I am not afraid of starving. I don't want a penny of father's money. He did not choose to give It to me; he gave half of all he possessed to his son by another woman, he Ignored me, he cut me off as If I were a " "Be careful, my child," warned Rachel Owyn, her eyes narrowing. "I cannot permit you to question his acts or his motives. He did whst he thought was bent snd we I mean you and I must abide by bis decision." "I am not questioning your husband's act," said Viola, stubbornly. "I am questioning my father's act." Mrs. Gwyn started. For a second or two her eyes wavered and then fell. One corner of her mouth worked curiThen, without a word, ahe ously. turned away from the girl and left the room. Viola, greatly offended, heard her ascend the stairs snd close a door; then her slow, heavy tread on the boards above. Suddenly the girl's anger melted. The tears rushed to her eye. "Oh. what a beast I was to hurt her like that." she murmured, forgetting The Room Was Cold. The Fire Had Died Down. ; In front of it wer the ashes of a once smoking sprightly blaze. She shivered, and then, moved by a sudden Impulse, strode softly over snd took down from Its pe beside the fireplace the huge turkey wing used In blowing the embers to life. '8h was vigorously fanning the backing when a sound from charred black faintly behind indicated that her mother had risen from the chair. She smiled as he glanced ever her shoulder. "I met my brother out there In the grove," said she. I thought maybe you and ha bad been discussing Barry Lapelle and e snd what happened last night, so I started to give him a piece of my mind. He knew all about H, oven If he did not get It from you, Bother," Mid the girl, darkly. "I'hln Striker told him everything." Ivorbody la town will know about the harsh, unfeeling words that had aroused her Ire, thinking only of the wonder and pain that had lurked la her mother's eyes. "The only person In all the world who has ever really loved me poor, poor old mother," She stared through ber tears at the flames, a little pucker of uncertainty clouding her brow. "I am sure Barry never, never ran love me as she does, or be as kind and good to me," she mused. "I wonder I wonder If what she says Is true about men." Later on, at supper, alio abruptly asked: "Mother, how old Is Kenneth V Rschel Owyn, started out of a profound reverie, gave her daughter sharp, Inquiring look before answering. or six, "I do not know. Twenty-firI suppose." "Ild you know bis mother V "Tes," after a perceptible pause. "How long after she died were you and father aaarrlodf e By George Ban McCutcheon 5ed, Oeprrtsal ay at A Cemsaay, la. "Your father had been a widower nearly two years. "Why doesn't Kenneth spell his name as we dor "Kenneth was brought up to spell It In the way, I guess," was Rachel Owyn's reply. "You need not ask me questions about the family, Viola. Your father never spoke of them. He was a strange man. He kept things to himself. I do not recollect over hearing Mm mention his first wife or his son or any other member of his family." "I should think yon would have been a little bit curious. I know I should." "I knew all that was necessary for me to know," said Rachel, somewhat brusquely. "Where did you first meet father?" She regretted the question the Instant the words were out of her mouth. The look of pain almost of pleading In her mother's eyes caused her to reproach herself. "Forgive me, mother," she cried. "1 did not stop to think. I know It hurts you to talk about him, and I should have "Be good enough to remember in the future," said Rachel Gwyn, sternly, her eyes now cold and forbidding. She arose and stalked to the kitchen window, where she stood for a long time looking out Into the gathering darkness. "Clear the table, Hattle," said Viola, presently. "We are through." Then she walked over to her mother and timidly laid an arm across her shoulder. "I am sorry, mother." she said. To this Mrs. Qwyn did not reply. She merely observed : "We have had very little sleep In the last six and thirty hours. Come to bed, child." d CHAPTER IX A Roadside Meeting. Kenneth remained at the tavern for a month. He did not go near the house of his stepmother. He saw her once walking along the main street, and followed her with his eyes until she disappeared Into a store. The business of taking over the property, signing the necessary papers, renewing an agreement with the man who farmed his land on the Wea, taking account of all live stock and other chattels, occupied bis time for the better part of a fortnight He spent two days and a night at the little farmhouse, listening with ever Increasing satisfaction to the enthusiastic prophecies of the farmer, a stout individual named Jones whose faith in the new land was surpassed only by his ability to till It. Kenneth found It difficult to think of his father's wife as Rachel Owyn. To him, she was unalterably Rachel Carter. Time and again he caught himself up barely In time to avoid using the unknown name In the presence of others. The possibility that he might some day Inadvertently blurt It out In conversation with Viola caused him a great deal of uneasiness and concern. He realized that he would have to be on his guard all of the time. There seemed to be no Immediate prospect of such a calamity, however. Since the memorable encounter In the thicket he had not had an opportunity to speak to the girl. For reasons of her own she purposely avoided him, there could be no doubt about that. A week or so after his return from the fsrm Kenneth saw her riding off on horseback with two other young women and a youth named Hayes. She passed within ten feet of him but did not deign to notice him, although her companions bowed somewhat eargerly. She was a graceful and accomplished horsewoman. He watched her out of. the corner of his eye as she csntered down the street, sitting the spirited sorrel mare with all the ease and confidence of a practiced rider. Later on, urged by a spirit of restlessness, he ordered Zachatiah to saddle his horse and bring blm around to the front of the tavern, where he mounted and set out for a ride up the Wild Cat road. Two or three miles above town he met Hayes and the two young women returning. The look of consternation that pasaed among them did not escape him. He smiled a trifle maliciously as he rode on, for now he knew what had become of th missing member of the party. Half a mile farther on he came upon Viola and Barry Lapelle, riding slowly side by side through, the narrow lane. He drew off to one side to allow them to psss, dolling his beaver ceremoniously. Lapelle'i friendly greeting did not surprise him, for the two had seen a great deal of each other, and at no time had there been anything In the lover's manner te Indicate that Viola had confided to him the atory of the meeting In the thicket But he was profoundly astonished when the girl favored him with a warm, gay smile and cried out a cheery "How do you do, Kenneth t" "Better turn around and ride bark with us, Kenny." said Barry, politely but not graciously. "I am oa my way te the Wild Cat te see a man on business," said Kenneth, lamely. "Kenny Viola, tuckering repeat r this you and I should work haad la I am (lad yea earn to m with the Hawk girl'a atory. Hawk and hla crew will find to waiting for theia when they come. They will not find their Job a simple one." "I guess you'U need a little help, Mr. aald Stain dryly. "So make ber brow. "Where have I beard that steadfastly declined these Invitation. Gwynne," choice. You an' me wlU work la nam before? I seem to remember Trentman's place was known far and your cahoots with each other, or we'll go oh, as If It were a thousand years ago. wide aa a haven lata which '"cleaned at It single-handDo they call you Kenny for short?" In sailed river out" the hop gamblers "W will work together, Stain," said "It grew up with me," he replied, of recovering at least enaugh of their Kenneth, promptly. "I will be guided "Ever sine I can remember, my fortunes to enable them la return to by you. Shake hands." more productive field down the folks" The two men shook hands. Tbea He broke off In the middle of the reaches of the big river. the lawyer In Owynne spoke. Kenneth thought he was alone In sentence, confronted by a disconcert "You should see this Hawk girl Could It be possible that the gloom until he was startled by the ing thought and again somewhere In Viola's brain or rather sound of a man's voice almost at his plans. We keep In touch with their must not let them catch ua In Mlnda's baby brain that famlllat elbow. napping." name had stamped Itself? Why not? "Evening", Mr. Gwynna." "She's If It had been Impressed upon his own out the lank so. Martcomln' to see ra in a day er Whirling, he mad Hawk went down to Attica shadow a man In of a not a less degree baby brain, why leaning against him an' a feUer named Sugga today, tree close by. upon hers? who's been soberin' up at Mart's fer "Good evening," he muttered In some the He lifted his hat and rod off. He had gone not more than twenty rods confusion, conscious of a sens of he's past few days. Th chances are gene down there on this vry when he heard a masculine shout from guilt In being caught In the act of business." behind ; turning, he discovered that the spying. "You are sure nothing la likely to "I'v been follerla' you fer qalte a couple were still standing where he happen tonight T" had left them. Lapelle called out: ways," observed th unknown. "Guess "Not till the dark ' the moon, sh "Your sister wants to have a word you don't remember me. My nm Is sex." with you." Stain, Isaac Stain." "By th way, why Is she turning She rode swiftly up to where he was "I remember you quit well. said against her father like this?" waiting. Kenneth, stiffly. "May I lnqulat why Moll is after Barry Lapelle T Just want to let you know that I you have been following mo, Mr. no"Well, about that. She's an un-question Intend to tell mother about meeting Stain?" common girl, I might eay, Barry out here today," she said, un"Well, I Jest didn't know of anybody an' I guess Barry ain't blind." smiling. "I shall not tell her that we else I could come to about a certain "I had planned It In advance, however. matter. It has to do with that feller, "She see," mused Kenneth, reflectively. wants Lapelle for herself. But We did plan It, so If you want to run Lapelle, up yander in Trentman's doesn't she realize that if they attempt so. do and tell her yourself, you may place. Fust, I went up to Mrs. ciwyn's this outrage her own father stands a It will make no " bouse, but it was all dark, an' jobody pretty good chance of being shot?" "Is that all you wanted to say to to home 'cept that dog o' her. He "Lord love ye, that don't worry her tne, Viola T" he Interrupted. knowed me er els he'd have Jumped none," explained th hunter. "Sh For a moment she faced him me. Course, everybody's heerd queer don't keer much what happens to him. hot words on her Hps. Then things about him, but this beats nny- Why, up to this day he licks the daya surprising change came over her. lights out o' her, big as she is. You c'n Her eyes quailed under the Justifiable hear her yell fer half a mile. That's scorn In his. She hung her head. how she comes to be a friend o' mine. "No," she said, miserably. "I thought I happened to be huntln' down nigh It was all, but It Isn't. I want to say Mart's place last fall an' heerd her that I am sorry I said what I did." screamln' you could hear' the blows He watched the scarlet flood sweep landln' on her back, too so I Jest over her cheeks and then as swiftly stepped sort o' spry to'ards his cabin fade. It was abject surrender, and yet an' ketched him layln' It on with a he had no thrill of triumph. "It's wilier branch aa thick as your thumb, It's all right Viola," he stammered, an' her a screechln' like a wildcat in a "Don't think anything awkwardly. Well, what happened inside th trap. more about It We will consider It next minute made a friend o' her fer unsaid." life an' an enemy o him. "No, we'll not," said she, looking "I should think It would." am "But I Will Kenneth. up. sorry, "When I got kind o' wor out with to you try forget It?" him I up an' told him if I aver wollopln' I He shook his head. "Never Forgetheerd of him lickln' his gal agtn I'd ting the bitter would mean that I come down an' take off what little hid would also have to give up the sweet" there was left on him. He said he'd said he, gallantly. never lick her ag'in as long as he lived. "I must be going now," she said, bitSo I ses to Moll, sez I, If you ever got "Good-by ing her lip. Kenny." A anything to complain of about this faint frown clouded her brow after she d here weasel, you Jest had uttered the name. "I must ask come straight to me, an" I'll make him mother if she remembers hearing fasorry he didn't get into h 1 sooner.' ther speak of you as Kenny." Well, sir, after that he never licked her came an "Say, Viola," Impatient without fust tyln' somethln' over her shout from Barry Lapelle, "are you mouth so's she couldn't yell, an it going to take all day?" wasn't till this afternoon that I found It was plain to be seen that the out he'd been at it all along, same aa young man waa out of temper. Kenever, 'cept when Barry Lapelle waa neth could not repress a chuckle. there. Seems that Barry stopped him "Better hurry along," be said, grimfrom lickln ber once, an' that mad ly, "or he'll take your head off." "Moll Come Hoofln' It Up to My Moll foller him around Ilk a dog try-IShe rode off In high dudgeon and he Cabin." to lick his hand. No, sir, sh won't was left to curse his Jest. be heartbroken If somebody puts a rifle What a blundering fool he had been! thing I've come across yet Martin ball between Mart's an' loses It Her first, timid little advance and he Hawk's daughter, Moll, com hoofln' some'eres back Inside eyes his skull. She'd had met It with boorish, clownish wltl It up to my cabin this mornln' an' told do It herself if she wasn't so Dusk was falling when Kenneth me th derndest story you'v ever sure somebody else is goln' doggoned to do it rode slowly Into the town again. He heerd. She came to me, she sex, on sooner or later." me account of beln' an old friend of had reached a decision during that "You say there was no on at hom lonely ride. He would not remain In Rachel's, an' she claims to be a de- up at Mr. Owyn's T" observed Kenneth, He foresaw misery and cent, honest girl In spite of what ber Lafayette. apprehensively. "That's queer. Where unhapplness for himself If be stayed dodgasted father Is. Seems that Barry do you suppose they are?" there for, be It here declared, he was Lapelle an' Vloly are cclculatln' on "That's what I'm wonderln' about In love with Viola Owyn, No, worse gettln' married, an' the old woman Mrs. Gwyn never goes nowhere, 'cept then that he was In love with Minds objects. Some time thia past week, out on th an' I'm purty sure Carter, and therein lay all the bitter- Vloly told Barry she wouldn't marry she didn't farm, Some one's follerln' us ness that filled his soul. He could him anywheres 'cept In her own mothways back. I've got so's I c'n never have her. Even though she cast er's house. Well, from what Moll sea, a good hear an acorn drop forty mile away." off the ardent Lapelle, still he could Barry has got other ldees about It Tbey drew off Into the shadows at not have ber for his own. The bars "'Pears that Barry ain't wlllln' to roadside and waited. A few secwere up, and It was now beyond bis take chances on gettln' married Jest the onds and then Kenneth's ears that way, an' besides he's sort of got caughtelapsed power to lower them. tha sound of footsteps In th The Incomprehensible and Incredible used to bsvin' anything he wanta with- soft dirt road, and presently the subhad come to pass. He had fallen In out waltln" very long fer It Now, 1 dued murmur of voices. love with Viola Gwyn at first sight, don't know whuther Violy's a party to Two vague, almost Indistinguishable thst stormy night at Striker's. The the scheme or not maybe she Is an' figures took shape In the darkness mnybe she ain't But from what Moll down discovery that she was hla own the road and rapidly drew nearses on Hawk his to a of there's foot deluded scheme course, had, er. They pasaed within ten feet of n' now senses temporarily, of best be Rachel Gwyn by grab-bi- the two men but get the black voiceless shadows. realised that the strange, primitive InVloly some night an' rushln' her "Well, I guess I know now why stincts of man had not been deceived to a hi din' place down the river where there wasn't nobody to home yander. and would not be denied. Barry Aggers he c'n persuade her to That wss Vloly an' her ma." him live an' ever afterblood from bad marry Ills known the truth happy "You you don't Kenneth started. as Is. the Moll ses It's mean It!" the Instant he first laid eyes upon the ward, ssyln' II fixed up, 'cept the time fer doln' It lovely stranger. Sine that first night "Yep. An' If you was to ssk me what there hsd been revelations. First of Martin Hawk an' a half dosen fellers air doln' down here by th river II, Viola was the flesh and blood of an from some'eres down the river Is to theytell I'd you. Mrs. Owyn Jest simply took evil woman, and that woman his mor- do the Job. All she knows Is It's to be down there to Trentman's shanty Vloly o' the dark an' la the own that's foe. moon, tal not an' showed her Notwithstanding her Barry Lapelle playln' Innocence and purity, It was Incon- fer off. Moll ses she believes Vloly cards. Maybe you didn't hear what ceivable thst he should ever think of knows sbout the plan an' sort of they was sayln' when we fust beared tsklng her to himself ss wife. Sec- sgrees 'em talkln'. Well, I did. I heared Vloly believe a was be double "I don't with In It, broke ondly, Stain," chsrged say, plain as day, T don't keer what be"She must hersecret that would not lend Kenneth. forever stand you say, mother, he swore to me he tween him and ber: the truth about self to a trick like that" never plnys except fer fun.' An' Rachel her mother and the truth about herself. Stain shook his head. "Tbey say Gwyn, sh ses. There sln't no setch There wss but one thing left for hlra shs terrible In love with Barry, an' thing ss playln' fer fun In that place, knows a woman'U what would do He wind to up gosh only go away. so don't talk foolish.' That's all I his affairs at one and put longing and stoop to In order to git the man she's beared 'em say an they ain't spoke a temptation as far behind htm as pos- set her heart on." word sence." sible. "Nevertheless, Viola Is not that "Come along, Stain," said Kenneth, Ills wanderings had carried him kind." asserted Kenneth, stubbornly. starting forward. "We must follow and I've been "See here, Stain, through dark, winding cowpaths thinking long behind, to see that they reach were a stone's throw of while you lanea to within talking. If there Is home safely." Jack Trentman's shanty, stsndlng really anything In this story, I doubt Fifteen minutes later th two men, alone like the pariah It was, on the the wisdom of going to Mrs. Owyn standing back among the trees, saw steep bank of the river near the ferry. with It and certainly It would be a lights appear in th windows of Mrs. Back In a clump of sugar trees It bad plan to speak to Viola. We've Owyn's house. Then they turned and seemed to hide, as If shrinking from got to handle this matter ourselves. I wended their wsy toward th public the accusing eye of every good snd want to catch Harry Lapelle red hand- square. Tbey had spoken but few honest man. Kenneth had stopped at ed. That Is th surest wsy te con- words to esch other while engaged la the edge of the little grove and was vince Viola that he la an unworthy th stealthy enterprise, snd then only gaslng fiercely at the two lighted win- scoundrel. It is my duty to protect In whispers. A certain determined endows of the "shanty." He was thinkmy my sister snd I shall find day thusiasm hsd taken th place of Kening of Barry Lapelle, thinking of the to do so, whether ahe likes It or not. neth's previous depression. The excitefoul tuck that seemed almost certain Tou know, perhaps, that we are not ment of possible conflict, th thrill of to deliver Viola Into bis soiled and on the friendliest of terms." dventur had brought a complet "You said Stain. I lawless hands. The fierceness of his know," "Yep, change In him. Ills romaatlc km wss gas was due te the knowledge thst might as well know thst I am on flame. Lapelle wss now Inside Trentmso's their side, Mr. Owynne. Whatever the notorious shanty and perhaps ( ta- trouble Is between you an' thera two women. I srn for thera an' sg'ln you. bling. "It Is a hard t think f yew This evening, as on two or three That's understood, ain't It T s brother." "It la." replied Kenneth, Impressed earlier occasions, he hsd been nrged by Barry te come down to the shanty by the hunter's frankness. "But all ease ilk sad try hU luck at poker. He bad th wore reason why la ttw aa oowturvaaa hand. ." good-looki- n' rebel-Uousl- white-livere- n' half-sist- to" low-dow- |
