Show the th e man mamie from IL 0 M yon 10 r mp d e by HAROLD TITUS ISM MM harold daitus altug we weli alow a is a a on a CHAPTER VII continued 12 ile he smiled at dawn and then at cen ben and for the life of min him could think of nothing adequate to say tor for an n instant when he did speak he said gald levelly in a ladys house bouso the only thin tiling to do Is to reply in kind that true the other owed slightly but his eyes did not meet Ell Eff lotts im glad you are so generous he said and probably only ben caught the mockery in the tone am I 1 too late for ten tea dawn dan aunt em standing in the doorway watched this his with grimly set lips dawn replied that brandon Rr anIon was only just in time and ben picking up his cup cap and coat prepared to go you were talking of dunces dances he said to dawn theres one rn en the cards for saturday night rm im told would you mind going with a mere employee tier her face lighted id lore she said and the honest enthuse aam in her voice caused nicholas brandon to look at her sharply saturday night then goodday good day mr air brandon with that challenging smile lie he turned to the woman in the doorway goodby good bood by I 1 guess IT ill have to call you aunt em the only name I 1 know you byl As ben passed out beneath the hemlocks and turned into the street amazed at brandona Bran dons manner he be brushed against a man who he thought afterwards must have been standing there in the twilight he could not be certain but he be bell believed ered that he had bad never seen that heavily bearded face before ne looked over his shoulder later to see the man who had s started on in the opposite direction return and pass slowly before dawn mcmanus home again CHAPTER VIII nicholas brandon was a man ot of for ty five ue he was rich he was po powerful erful he had achl achieved eved much of what he held to be desirable but ids experience had been empty of things that most men crave above all else he had bad not seen dawn me ble manus in three years until she came back to lineup that november ue he had known her always he had watched her grow from infant to child from child to a wistful shy girl under the cloud of her fathers tragic disappearance but the transition from girlhood to womanhood had been made during her longest absence from the town that had bad been her only home and so when he be saw her after her arrival instead of the young girl he be remembered toward whom he had always been gentle and kind while he sought to pilfer her heritage he encountered a lovely compelling young woman she charmed him stirred in ill his heart long neglected and now twisted and distorted wants which given liberty in his youth might have been fine and open and clean ile he wanted dawn mcmanus as he never had bad wanted anything before slowly a clear understanding of that desire struggled through to his bla consciousness ness in the beginning it was only an unidentified disturbing urge but when the realization finally took shape lie he proceeded deliberately and methodically toward the formulation of a plan as was his way in attaining any goal he saw dawn frequently dropping 11 in to visit briefly in passing taking her in his bis cutter on a drive to a camp once casualty casually asking her to do this or that with him but he could not interest her despite his persistent efforts and now another element was injected into the situation when he encountered ben Sl rl llott that afternoon in friendly conversation with dawn it required all his resourcefulness to retain a show of self control inwardly he seethed with a hatred which now dow had the element of jealousy for an embittering em alloy lie he hated ben elliott with all his soul and mingled with his passion for dawn mcmanus was a species of hate as w well ell he do hated bated her for her cleanliness for her sweetness for her power to attract young men to her A double motive impelled him thereafter to plot and scheme and strive to possess the loot hoot owl without that timber and the tidy fortune it might some day represent dawn would be without resources and a girl without property he believed would be easy prey but complications rose to stir his ire and chagrin and so BO this night it was very late he sat in his office with lydia on the other tide side of his flat topped desk desh lydia just that she needed no other name for identification in tincup the women who with her occupied d that short and bleak and isolated row of houses across the tracks section thirty seven it was called by the town needed none but a given name lie ile had bad summoned her and she had bad orne ome according to instructions furtively and alone long after the rest of he town slept she sat a bit tight lipped her but ant III eyes on brandona Bran dons face and lla its arned to him elm talk crisply and savely the tuan man finished calm and assured in his dictatorship and froni from his bis mariner manner he fie might have hare been issuing an order to a subordinate had bind to do with a commonplace detail of his business affairs hut but after he be had stopped the woman leaned just a bit further forward its a rotten deal she said in a quick nervous manner why ashes only a girl brandon and the boy hes as clean as a hounds bounds tooth toom its rotten I 1 brandon randon Il shrugged and looked away 1 I dont care to he be mixed up in this she went on 1 I 1 dont fancy playing any such game De defiance flance was i as there and it struck the mans temper ills dark eyes swung back to rocus focus on her face and about his lips was the beginning of a mali mail cious smile you refuse re fusel it if I 1 do nhat hat lie he leaned quickly against the desk edge one word to the immigration people and you yon go back to canada do you think they forget the canadians lydia blinked rapidly and bit her lips you turn me cupl she said sharply brandon leaned back laughing comfortably fort ably L I 1 thought I 1 if ff you refuse try it my friend and then try canadas memory youve been safe from their law for three years yeam rs in twelve hours I 1 could and would toss you to them and have the satisfaction of a duty done for a moment they sat in silence then lydia spoke vath a bitter shake of her head 1 I know when ahen im licked she said crisply its rotten a foul blow but IT ill have to go through with it it it seems I 1 she rose and her breath was som somewhat quick but some day nick brandon slip I 1 for years as I 1 get iti it youve had others carry your dirt for you remember the time will come when this poil power er you feel so sure about will crumble 1 the time will come when have no one to turn to no one to threaten into fighting your fights for or youl I 1 wonder you do then 7 that he said easily Is distinctly my own on altair affair CHAPTER IX it was saturday night and tincup P was dancing in the odd fellows hall ball a violin a cornet and a piano made music for the scores who had paid their fee and danced in the glaring barren room and among them a cynosure for all eyes went cen ben elliott and dawn mcmanus it was the first time many of the townspeople had bad had a real good look at dawn since her return it was ben alliotts elliotts Ell Elli lotts otts initial encounter with a social function in tincup it was their first appearance in public together er curiosity prompted much of the neck craning because dawn the daughter of denny mcmanus Mci lanus always had bad been a conspicuous figure but now her loveliness was heightened by a flush and both men and doiren forgot that she was known chiefly as the daughter of a murderer ben dressed in a decently fitting business suit instead of the woods clothing in which they had always seen hina him looked even more youthful than usual the two were apparently having the time of their lives ben talked how he be talked 1 tie lie talked of this that the other thing constantly he felt be must talk and keep talking of impersonal matters or he be would find himself blurting words of love into dawns ear there in a public dance hall ball he felt that unless he be kept talking of trivial things he would find himself shouting you are the most lovely thing that ever breathed and 1 love you love you love you youl I 1 so he seized upun upon every subject that came into his head eagerly almost desperately pera tely now he be as telling her of the new bookkeeper he be had hired the day before queer fellow in a way seems to be capable of a much better job than keeping books for the hoot owl ive guessed at booze disastrous family experience per peri tence ence and any number of things but none seems to fit him blin at first I 1 was a little leary of letting hl him in into tit the office and nil had him in the mill a couple of days but gee you cant let a man chos certainly a high grade office hand do work like 1 I him in and told him I 1 needed a bookkeeper but had just had one experience a man that made me a little jumpy I 1 had a boy out there who BBS as A little light fingered lie ile get away va with ith anything luckily but I 1 told martin john martin his name Is 18 that I 1 was going to out dut him on the books it if hed take the lob job with the understanding that I 1 was going to suspect him of a lot of things for a long time tie ile gave nie me one of the funniest looks ive ever seen ana said he be afraid to be suspected so there he Is were lo in the new office now ile he and I 1 each have a little 4 aa I 1 I 1 1 I should think be ashamed of fl room just big enough tor for abed a bed and I 1 like him a lot the dance ended and they walked toward vacant chairs and were so occupied with one another that they did not notice the hush bush that had fallen over the place nor the woman who had entered until she had bad crossed the floor and stopped before them lydia stood peering through the ranks of onlookers that clustered about the doorway until the floor was cleared then with a short imperative word she shouldered her way through and into the room she stopped just within the threshold and shook the light snow from her fur coat and that gesture was enough to cause words to dle die in the throats of those who saw lydia herel beret lydia from thirty seven invading this place where here decent people where good men and women and little children were assembled I 1 the woman did not hesitate head up intently she crossed the floor straight toward ben elliott who eyes fast on dawn to alas no change in her mobile face still talked with animation unaware of the hush about them he did not stop talking until the womans comans shadow fell upon him then he looked up saw her and rose ile he rose because a woman was standing there evidently waiting to speak to him ue he did not know her had seen her before lie ile had no time to observe and judge lie bould have risen anyhow because he was natural ly courteous to women lie did more than rise lie he ever even bowed just a trifle when he saw that her eyes were 9 so 0 fast on him tie ile did not notice that dawn started that one hand lifted quickly to her cheek lydias voice sounded sharp and hard bard and rasping in the silence 1 I should think be ashamed of yourself ft 1 she said ben had started to smile but this changed to a frown of perplexity ashamed maam he asked why I 1 yes yea ashamed asham edt 1 theres that poor girl lo in my house sick and crying for daysi days you brought tier her here you youre the one who got tier her to come to lineup and now when she needs you you wont come near hert herl ben looked at dawn who was shrinking back in her chair at other people whose faces reflected incredulity or vicarious guilt or fright SYNOPSIS ben elliott from froin yonder arri arrivers veis at the th lumbering town of 0 tine tincup U P with don stuart old very tick sick man loan whom he has befriended he defeats defeat bull bu 11 duval king of the river anil and town bully in a log loe birling contest nicholas brandon the towns town leading citizen resents stuarts stuart prea trying to force orce him to leave town and elliott El llott resenting the act knocks him down elliott 1 ie arrested and finds find a friend in judge able armitage the judge hires him to run the one lumber c camp mp the hoot owl that brandon has not been able to grab this belongs belong to dawn whose father has disappeared with a murder charge ing ine over his head brandon ends duval to beat up ben and ben worst batig fit a list flat fight and thrown throw him out ol of camp dots don stuart dies him leaving a felt letter or tor for elliott to be used when the going becomes too tough ben refuses to open ri on ih the letter believing he win can the fight by his own efforts piro fire breaks mill ben leading the victorious out in th the light fight against the names flames discovers the fire started with gasoline elliott gets sin an offer of spot cash for logs 1098 that will was money to tide him over but IL definite time limit Is set ben provide meets L I 1 alanus and discovers she Is dawn not a child as he had supposed but a beautiful young youn 9 woman the railroad bridge over which the hoot owl lumber and tit at once to meet the time limit imposed in the must pass contract to Is blown superhuman efforts dan ben builds up B by a new bridge overnight overn leht and himself drives drive train rain over the rickety structure to lineup the making the delivery with minute to only a low few it maam am I 1 that in I 1 I 1 dont un nn derstad derst iler stand nd you he its ills eyes were taking her in now from her costly fur coat to the emerald earrings and the hardness of her eyes ant anil as in a daze he classified her put her in the shameful niche which was hers A great rush hush of bewilderment swept into his face dont under understand 1 lydia laughed harshly ill say you yon under understand I 1 maybe you think you can abuse a girl like that and get a way away with it in this town but bill not while ab ashes els in my house you cant I 1 A wave of humiliation overwhelmed non what could a man do in a situation like this what could he ray Y he fie was fouled outmatched nothing in his experience stood him in stead to meet such an emergency as this one why why this Is nn an outrage he began weakly but his fighting spirit surged upward steadied him ive never seen you in my life I 1 I 1 dont even know what n ant youre talking about I 1 this Is either cither a mistake or Illi mistake 1 the woman cried shrilly dont try to get away with that I 1 I 1 suppose it does surprise you to have me find you here beret but youve kept out of sight dodged me and stop he thundered stop it I 1 say 1 for an instant his conviction checked her movement was going on about them people shifting to see and hear bear better one man mounting a chair the crowd by the doorway had turned back to him after watching dawn mcmanus lanus scurry down the stairs but elliott was unaware of all this theres no stopping me now belll ott 1 ive come to show you up op youve come to make trouble on a foundation of liest he said and stepped closer to her ills his face was drawn and pale now dow laws jaws set and his eyes flared dangerously this Is some outrageous plot he said evenly and so low that only those nearest him could hear bear tills this Is done deliberately to give me a black eye before these people herel here youre a party to a filthy scheme whoever you yon are amsl fine words elliotte Ellio 1 fine words but this girls tears and misery are on your head and it if you wont help her I 1 will she goes back where she came from tomorrow I 1 with that she turned and self com posed almost proud in her bearing crossed the floor ben watched her go until she had disappeared down dio the stairway then he faced about wondering what he could say to dawn me mcmanus but she was not there his face went blank in amazement bewilderment she ducked out a man whispered and the sound carried through the room gonet gone pled fled because she believed this woman ufa ills heart went cold but he gathered himself |