Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/197

ANOTHER MYSTERY "I do," she broke in earnestly, "I would stake my life upon his innocence."

For a moment Big Donald looked searchingly into her face then down at mine. Finally he held out his hand, and helped me to my feet.

"You shall have the benefit of the doubt. Lieutenant King," he said, somewhat sternly, "for I have reason to trust this young lady's judgment. However, as a mere military precaution I must ask for your weapons."

An instant I hesitated, feeling that now he had come, my pledge to Miss Denslow had been fulfilled; that any opportunity to escape was justly mine. This giant might be able to crush me in his arms, yet, with weapons in our hands, he stood on even ground, and I was tempted to fight It out then and there. He read the temptation in my eyes, his lips smiling, his hand extended for my revolvers. What a fine-looking fellow he was, his face representative of character, strong, manly, his entire bearing indicative of force, and cool, resourceful courage! The light of the lamp revealed his clearly chiselled features, and the threads of gray in his hair. Suddenly, in a a flash, there came to me a strange thought—here was a man to be loved, to be loved of woman. "Dear Jean, he had called her, "dear Jean." The words seemed to burn me as I recalled them. He seemed the older, twenty years or more; but what of that? The difference was not too great to be spanned by love, and he was one to appeal to the imagination of such as she. Hesitating still I saw her leaning forward, eagerly watching our faces, puzzled by our attitude. Her hand touched his [ 183 ]