The Man Thou Gavest

s last half-hour could not be responsible for his sensations. He justified every minute of it by terms as old as man's desires and his resentment of restrictions. "Our lives are ou

upon Jim White's opinions. In that troubled hour the sheriff stood like a rugged sign

and-thank God!" But he felt that the future could be ma

drugged and he had just sense enough left to know it! He vaguely realized that the half-hour with Nella-Rose had been a danger

ng in fury-and he was thankful for it! He was shut away from possible temptation; he even found it easy to think of Kendall and of Ly

of the elements, gaining force every minute, did not alarm her while the memory of her great experience held sway over her. She shook her hair back from her wide, vague eyes. She was undecided where to go for the n

on the table before him, declared: "I am quite all right now," a

ging scenes and the tense climax. He even began to speculate upon the particular star that would be fitt

ven o'clock! The stillness out of doors bespoke a sullen break in the storm. A determined drip-drip from roof and trees was like the ticking of a huge clock running down, but good for some time. The fire had died o

ck. Chilled and obsessed by an unnerving sense of danger, Truedale waited for-he knew not what! Just then something pressed agai

la-R

hty still. They may

y? W

father, and the others-the

Nella

trail-here! I-I was trying to get away but the streams were swollen a

owed that Burke was here and they meant to get here before Jed and-and da some killing on their side. I-I thought it was fun when they-all meant to take Burke alive, but now-oh

and Truedale collected his sense

ust not be her

is pure madness. Great heavens!

of the situation

s outside. Their quick ears were sensing danger or-the comi

y will have you killed that minute. Burke is the only one in their minds-they don't even kn

th you?" That thought

upon her feet and

elf to you. You-you wa

dignity went straight

you so, little girl,

her fear of the oncoming raiders; she s

e?-from

felt almost ashamed to hold it in his own mind. They so i

not go aw

ling, y

he

men ready to fire at any moving thing in human shape, he could not let her go! That

her to him. "What does anything matter but ou

S

e secrets of the still place

ed a right many things to the rhododendron slick back of the house! See, pus

on the wet, sodden leaves; the next they were crouching close under the bushes where even the heavy rain had not penetrated. Half-consciously Truedale recognize

as past. Nestling close in his arms, h

shoot, we'll

o happen he wanted it to happen! In another half-hour he meant to put an end to the farce and m

im light Truedale watched the shadowy forms enter Jim's unlocked cabin and presently issue forth, evidently convinced that the prey was not there-had not been there! Then as stealthy as Indians they made their way to the other cabin-Truedale's late shelter. They kept to the bushes and the e

l right!" It was Je

in' for Jim White. White ain't more'n fifteen miles back; w

d from the cabin an

ispered Truedale

ai

yson. There was a crackling of underbrush by feet no longer feeling need of caution,

uedale dar

he face upon his breast. She was

ve him. He went to the house and grimly set to work. First he lighted a fire; then he righted the chairs and brought about some order from the chaos. He was no longer afraid of any man on God's earth; even Jim White was

. The natives knew how to estimate such weather. By daylight the streams would be raging rivers on whose currents trees and animals w

ns as they were. All power or inclination for struggle was past; the inheritance of weakness which old William Truedale had feared and wit

ful spiritual anarchy he had flouted them openly; they made no claim upon his attention now, except where Nella-Rose was concerned. Appearances were against him and her, but none but fools would allow that to daunt them. He, Truedale, felt that no law of man was needed to hold him to the course he had chosen, back on the day when he determined to forsake

oward her and too

le to come with me now-at once-to the m

ke a child trying to

one to a burying back in the hills; he'll be gone a right lon

Something seemed tighteni

w; he left it wri

another minist

is no

there is another. We must

Truedale's breast was

it?" Truedal

ils are full of rocks and trees; it means"-the words sank to an awe

-Rose, but where

no place

ted while Truedale faced this new phas

ht with bitterest scorn. Unknowingly he was being tempted by the devil in him, and he fell; he had only himself to look to for salvati

zed at last, might destroy him and her at any moment; bereft of every one-everything

e but here-no one

led place where Truedale seemed to sta

he said, "let us ac

ossed his

en, with his wider knowledge, he realized the step he had taken. Whether it were for life or death, he had blotted out effectually all that had gone to the making of the man he once was. Whatever hope he mi

. But during that hour Truedale led Nella-Rose from the house. Silently they made their way to a little hilltop from which they could see an open s

his woman for my wife. Bless us; keep us; and"-af

opped to the frightened

commandingly, with a force th

was a faint, fri

ling, k

him with tr

lov

love

ou tru

! yes

life or death, it is you and

a mood Nella-Rose lost all fear of him and walked by his side as complacently as if the one mini