Picture-Play Weekly (Apr-Oct 1915)

PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY •21 Kit the parson's hat was not hanging on is accustomed peg. Then he hadn't got lome yet, apparenth. 'What's the matter?" Texas repeated the girl, lowering his tone to suggest her that if her answer to his question i,"as anything she might want him to lold in confidence, she could depend on 'is doing so. "Oh. Texas !'' Dabbing at her stream,ng eyes. Belle sat up and gave him a [t'ide, horror-stricken stare. "W hat am j going to do ? I never meant to do tnything bad — honesth-, Texas, I idn't !" Texas stiffened, as a man who awaits , blow. "What is it?" he asked her. "What ..ve you done?'' She was overtaken by another burst jT weeping. "Oh. I deserve to be punished this »vay for it. I know !" she cried at last. j'j"Listen. Texas. I'll tell you. Maybe mou can help me. I'd grown tired of the I way 1 was living. Xever having anjifun. Just cooking and washing and ironing and dusting and sweeping the jliouse. I missed the dance hall. Day ibefore yesterday, when he — when he Kvent awa\ to be gone for these last ,|two days, an idea came to me. W hy Inot go over to Hillsvalc, and spend an 'evening with the lights and the laughter land the music going on all around me? .He'd know it. if I went to the dance hall •liere in town. But he couldn't find out if I went over there. I — I didn't mean anything wrong, Te.xas." she repeated, with tremulous earnestness. "It was just to have a dance or two, and come back home again." Texas' jaw had hardened as he stared iJown at her. "Belle, you hadn't ought to have done It. ' he reproved her. "If he should find ait, you know it would hurt him.'' "But he's going to find out !'' she hurried on. "That's just the trouble. I met a man over there in the Hillsvale dance hall. They call him 'Handsome Jack' Malone. I danced with him once, and then he asked me to come to the bar and have something. I was waiting there with him for the glass of sarsaparilla I'd asked for, when he tried to kiss me. Then it dawned on me what I'd done. I started to run away. He grabbed me in his arms, laughing, and still trying to kiss me, and I slapped him in the face, and then tore myself away from him. I heard him call something after me, somethhig that sounded like a gay promise " She broke into tears again for a moment, and then opened her hand and showed Texas a crumpled letter there. "It zl'os a promise," she finished, "for I've just got this letter from him. From "Handsome Jack.' He says he's coming ■"Don't you go to the crossroads !" lie ordered shortlj. "But," she hopelesslj' explained, "I haven't told you the worst. Here in this letter, he says if I'm not there he'll come here to the house after me. My husband will know then '' Texas, his brow furrowed, strode up and down tk.e room. "I won't never hold up another stage as long as I live," Te.vas vowed solemnly. "You ha\-e mv w ord for it — and I ain't never gone back on that to no man vet."' over here by the night stage to Red Gulch to see me this evening. He wants me to meet him at the crossroads. Oh, Texas, what shall I do?" Texas jerked his head over his shoulder to look toward where the sun was sinking even then over the crest of the mountains — from whence the parson might be returning at any hour now. He turned back to the girl. "'I've never broken my word to a man yet." the wondering Belle heard him muttering to himself. "But I reckon this is where I've got to do it — it's the only way !'' Texas swung around on her. ""Don't j^ou go to the crossroads." he repeated. " I'll take care of the rest." Turning to the door, he strode from the house without a single glance at her.