United States or Micronesia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I'll ride with you," he granted, feeling that for all her friendly advances the shadow of his taint lay between them. They were three miles or more from town, the road running as straight as a plumbline before them. A little way they jogged on slowly, nothing said. Rhetta was the first to speak. "What made you run away from me that day I wanted to speak to you, Mr. Morgan?"
"He had to stand up like a man for what he was sworn to do, or run like a dog. Mr. Morgan wouldn't run. Right or wrong, he wouldn't run from any man!" "No," said Rhetta, sadly, "he wouldn't run." "You talk like you wanted him to!" "I don't think I would," said Rhetta. "Then what do you expect of a man?" impatiently. "If he stands up and fights he's either got to kill or be killed."
He was lacking in his ready words, older, it seemed, by many years, crushed under the weight of this terrible calamity that had fallen on his town. He went away after the sheriff, leaving Morgan and Rhetta, the last actors on the stage in the drama of Ascalon's downfall, alone. Beyond them the fire raged in the completion of the havoc that was far beyond any human labor to stay.
It had been visible since four o'clock, seeming to hesitate as if nature intended again to deny this parched and suffering land the consolation of rain. Now it was rising, already it had overspread the sunset glow, casting a cool shadow full of promise over the thirsting prairie wastes. "It will rain this time," Rhetta prophesied. "It always comes up slowly that way when it rains a long time."
When Morgan lowered his hand Rhetta started out of her expectant pose, producing with a show of triumph a short piece of broad white ribbon, with CITY MARSHAL stamped on it in tall black letters. Judge Thayer laughed as Morgan backed away from her when she advanced to pin it on his breast.
It had more houses than it could use now, since so many of its population had gone; empty stores were numerous around the square, and more would be seen very soon. The fair was over, the holiday crowd was gone. That was all. Rhetta Thayer came back the same evening the last correspondent faced away from Ascalon.
She put her arm around the weeping girl, whose sorrow was too genuine to admit a doubt of its great depth, and consoled her with soft words. "And he looked so big to me, and he was so clean, before that," Rhetta wailed. "He's bigger than ever, he's as blameless as a lamb," said Violet. "After a little while you'll see it different, he'll be the same to you."
How much more keenly, then, was this charged atmosphere sensed and explored with the groping hand of trepidation by Rhetta Thayer, finely tuned as a virtuoso's violin.
Surely, as I coaxed you into taking it, I've got a right to ask you to give it up. You've done what you took the place to do, you've got Craddock out of it and away from here. Your work's done, you can quit now with a good conscience and no excuse to anybody." "Why," said Morgan, reflectively, "I don't believe I could quit right now, Miss Rhetta.
Only the day before Judge Thayer had told Morgan that Rhetta was still at Stilwell's ranch, whither she had gone to compose herself after the strain of so much turmoil. Morgan could only feel that she had gone there to avoid him, shrinking from the sight of his face.
Word Of The Day