The evening world. Newspaper, January 27, 1914, Page 17

eat gee. sas! a tale net aily M her eyer or the red which had eud- denly come into her cheeks. “Ranchers?” There was a sneer in Duncan's laugh. “Well, you might call them that. But they're only nesters. They've got a few head: of cattle and a brand. It's likely they've !! put their brands on quite a few of eettin’ sideways to us is Texas Bianca.” AUTHOR OF THE TWO-G oor ev OUTING Pu Ri} - @eMoras OF PRECEDING CHAPTHRS. peo queried the bartender. “He talking tO the parson, but could not the Double R cattle,” “Nobody knows, Used to own the saan berotach pda "loge fats mounted her*pony and'had ridden , "You mean”—— began Shella in a Star—Dakote’s brand. Bold out to she the away through the sunshine of the Jw voice. ik tor Glee kat he tae to Gon too hot for him an’ “I mean that I think they're his freight.” rustlers—vattle thieves!" said Duncan venomously, The flush had gone from Sheila's cheeks; she turned a pale face to the Double R manager. “How long have these men lived in the vicinity of the Double R?” “Doubler has been hanging around here for seven or eight years. He was here when I cami ebbe he's been here He bought his ‘rom another nester morning. Sho had been married—it oerrancuet was her wedding day—and that was 0 ¢ Dakols’s month ago. Mit te Shella: “We Well, she bad “found a change. What would her father say when he ie Perm Somes fn: a) &s Nard of it-of her marriage to « a cowboy, an unprincipled scoundrel. CHAPTER Il. What could he say? The marriage , ‘(Continasd.) could be annulled, of course. It was The Choice. Pad a‘ who suspected of it. very loud about it.” 'Not safe?” i He's lightning with a fow'’s that?” in’t you heard about it? I thought everybody’d heard about that deal. Blanca sold Dakota the Star, Then he pulled his freight immediate, A week or so later Duncan, of the Double R rides up to Dakota’s shack with a bunch of Double R_ boys an’ not legal, could not be leg: ‘What would her friends say when Hi!" ahe cried in horror, taking a step toward him they heard of it—as they must hear it if she went to the law for redress? Bee rene in the East, Adee) good wishes, whose respect, she desired? and looking into his eyes: Mockers there would be among them, about five vear brand—the Sta —Texas Blanca. “They've been stealing the Double 66 for evidence of ‘nsin- she was certain; there were mockers R cattle, you say?” questioned accuses Dakota of rustlin’ Double R cerity—for the élightest erywhere, and she feared their She! cattle. Duncan had found twenty tign that would tell her that he was woule? the a hed Krekarred oe = ws Pint T think.” ae 5 ee Rath ad ced inched at her—aye, tha’ bad lon't you have ~ cattle whicl mn marl sec! herely tr) ng to scare her. “Oh, you would strike her—whe rested?” them ar- Glance had run his iron on them an’ you coward!” she cried, for she that she had passed a Duncan laughed mockingly.. “Ar. sold them to Dakota for Star stock. taw nothing in his eyes but cold reso- cabin with a strange cowboy—had rested! ‘That's good. You've been Dakota showed Duncan his bill of sale, bees married to him! * A month had passed since the af- ternoon on which she had ridden up to the porch of the Double R ranch house to be greeted by Duncan with the information that he had that morning received a telegram from her father announcing her coming, It had been brought from Lazette by a puncher who had gone there for the mail, and Duncan was at that moment her Preparing to drive to Lazette to meet * her, under thé impression that she living where there's law. But there's no law out here; no law to cover ue stealing. ns our own. And hen we've gol ave the goods. The sheriff won't do anything when cattle are stolen, but he acts mighty sudden when a man's hung for steal- ing cattle if the man ain't caught with the goods.’ “Caught with the goods?” “Caught in the act of stealing. If we catch a man with the goods and bang him there ain’t usually anything all regular, an’ of course Duncan lation. couldn't blame him. He smiled with straight lips. “You ” he mocked, “how odd it Fate shuffling us three in this game, Ge have your choice. Do you care | orc for the death of a ing?” For a tense instant she looked at Aim, and, seeing the hard, inexorable glitter in his ¢; he cringed away from him and sank to the edge of the bunk, covering her face with But there was lowin' they’: revonoughe an fe did, ‘But sore! sure eno n’ ul ota was re some disturbed in bis mind, He didn’t show it much, bein’ one of them quiet kind, but he says to me one day not long after Duncan had got the calves back: ‘I've been stung, Pete,’ he says, soft an’ would arrive that day. There had 0 even like; ‘I've been stung proper, by During the silence that followed been a mistake, of course, DUt WhAt cat tncco mee he lote as sole te that ed oiler, Not that ‘I'm phe could hear the parson outside— qiq it matter now? da had fateh these men, Dakota and Doubler, Corin’ for the money end of it; Dun- in the act of stealing?” “They're too foxy.” “If T were manager of this ranch and suspected anv one of stealing any of its cattle, 7 would catch them!” ‘There was a note of angry impatience in Sheila's voice which cal Dun- can to wok sharply at her. He red- dened, suspecting disparagement of can findin’ them calves with my stock has damaged my reputation.’ Then he laffed—one of them little short laffs which he gets off sometimes when things don’t just suit him—the way he's laffed a couple of times when someone's tried to run a cold lead proposition in on him. He fair freezes my blood when he gets it off. The damage been wrought and she closed her lips. A month had passed and she had not told—ashe would never tell. evidently they had formed a ship, The sounds came nearer; Hheila heard the parson try the door. Khe became aware that Dakota was standing over her and she looked up, shivering, to see his face, still hard und un; ng. “| re pane to open the door,” he Conversations she had had with Duncan; he seemed a gentlenian, liv- ing at the Double R ranch house with his sister, but in no conversation with any one had Sheila even men- tioned Dakota's name, fearing that cs a or the nr his managerial ability in the speech. "1 tala. nit word sue was on her feet, something in her manner might be- "Mebbes he sad, with an attempt “Well, ho saya to me: ‘Mebbe I'll be standing before him, rigid with anger, her secret. To every one but at lightnes: ‘But as a general thing runnin’ with ca one of these her eyes flaming with ecorn and herself the picture of her adventure nosing out a @ustier ts a pretty tick- days.’ \ An’ that's all he ever nays that night on the trail must remain lish proposition. Nobody goes about about it. Likely he expected Blanc: “You wouldn't dare to do it!” she invisible. ork with a whole lot of en- to come back. An’ sure enough said hoareely; “you—you"—— She She looked furtively at Duncan, im." has, Heckon he thinks that mebbe snatched suddenly for the butt of the stretched out beside her on the * There was scorn in Dakota didn't get wise te the calf weapon that swung at his left hip, What would he say if he kn a's voice, scorn in her uplifted deal.’t but with a quick motion he evaded would not be pleased, she was cei But she did not look at Dun- — ,, mn his place,” said Blacky, eying bs. the and and stepped back @ pace, sain, for during the month that she car why?" he repeated. “Well, be- Bianca furtively, “I'd be makin’ some \osming oo "he said almost daily with him—he had forced cause it's perfectly natural for a inquiries. Dakota aln't no man to trifle wil “Triti “I reckon Ke the ty a low voice, which an air hor to see that he had taken a liking Moulin’s voice was pres- tarted for the door, to h the hi Nf had ob- can, +4 don't ‘the Caner! ag le a r oor, to her—more, she herae! ob- can, n e them nesters—Da- N “ " nant with awed admiration. “I reckon the telltale enn ot something kota especially=and I'd like mighty ain't no one whb knows Da- had not encouraged this, of , for she was not certain that though he bars in Well to get something on them. But ¢! 4 per taking any chances on Da- ota.” “Why?" Again the monosyliable wan pregnant with scorn, “I forgot that you ain't acquainted out he mm! ed the manager. “No a's goin’ to trife with him—he's discouraged that long ago. fquare, 0} liked Duncan, treated her well—almost too well fact, for she had at times felt a c tain reluctance in accepting his little attentions—such personal service as kept him almost constantly at her side. His manner, too, was ingra- Gating! he smiled too much to suit , her; his presumption of proprietor- ship over her irritated her not a little. Aa she sat beside him on the grass she found herself studying him, as she had done many times when he not conscious of her gaze. He was thirty-two—he had told her so himself tn a burst of confidence— though she believed him to be much older, The sprinkling of gray hair at his temples had caused her to lace his age at thirty-seven or eight. there were the lines of his face—the set lines of character—in- Gicating established habits of thought which would not show so deeply in @ younger face. His mouth, she thought, was a trifie weak, not exactly weak either, but full-! and sensual, with little curves corners which, she 9 sure, cated either vindicti perhaps both. “You have been here a month now," he bd “How do you like the coun- ond “T luke it," she returned, ss She was looking now at the other are as they “The Lord knows the country needs square men,” observed Blacky. ‘He caught a sign from a man seated at a table and went over to him with 2 & bottle and @ glass. While Blacky was engaged in this task the door opened and Dakota came in, ot something seems to discourage a man when he’ close to him—close enough to do any shooting. I've seen Dakota throw down on @ man so quick that it would make you dizsy.” “Throw down?" “Bhoot at a man. There was a gambler over in Lazette thought to euchre Dakota. A gunman he was, from Texas, and—well, they carried the gambler out. It was done so sud- for Dakota might have impelled him to warn Dakota of the presence of Banos, ona he ae nae Oe aed fizger, but Dakota at that ment was looking in another direction and did not observe the signal. He continued tq approach the bar, and Blacky, baving a leisure moment, came forward and stood ready to serve him. A sbort nod of ic Blacky ee i ‘ # 3 $ g i den that nobody saw it.” i att oe i cif i passed between the three, ani placed a bottle on the reached for @ glass. Ceol sign with Dakota made his bead—short feel_ cheap. Creaned “Creased him?” “Grazed his head with the bul ped Done it intentionally, they say. Told folke he didn’t have any desire to send the gambler over the divide; just wanted to show him that when was playin’ with fire he ought to be carefi There ain't no telling what Dakota'd do if he got riled, thous! x Bhel gare was on Duncan fairly, her eyes alight with contempt. ‘So picture, watching the shimmer of the Yousre all afraid of him?” ahe said, gun on the distant mountain peaks, With a bitterness that surprised the “It improves,” he said, “on ac. Manager, conte “Well, I reckon it would amount to g “Not drinkin'?” queried Movlia, “I'm pure as the driven snow,” drawied Dakota. “How long has that been goin’ on?” Moulin’s grin was sceptical, “A month.” Moulin looked searchingly at Dakota, saw that he was in earnest, and gud- denly reached # hand over the bar. “shake!” he said, “I hate to knock my own business, an’ you've been & pretty good customer, but if you mean it, it's the most sensible thing you ever | CHAPTER Ill. This Picture and That. done, intance—like th 10." He Of course you didn't hit It regu- 048 finshed s smile at her, showing his @bout that, if you come right down lar, but there's been times when T've teeth. to the truth,” he confessed, reddening @ littl ae are afraid of him, too, I sup- “I reckon {t ain't just that,” he pees. “but I ain't taking any fool- have seen no one except your sister, a few cowboys and yourself. T haven't paid muc! ation to the cowboys, I like your r, and Tam not in the habit of telling people to countin' my dust!" He was suddenly serious, catching Dakota's gaze and winking expressive); their faces what I think of them, The “Friend of yourn here,” he said. country does not appear to be densely “A while ago you asked for my Dakota tool ing ce at the populated. Are there no other ranches opinion 0F people of this country,” men at the card tables and Moulin saw am going to express that his lps straighten and harden. But in the inatant he was smiling grave- ly at the proprietor. “Thanks, Pete,” he said quietly. around here—no other cattlemen?” “The Double R ranch covers an area of 160 square miles,” sald Duncan, “The ranch house is right near the centre of it. For abut twenty miles opinion ‘now. It tm that, in spite of his unsavory reputation, Dakota ap- pears to be the only man here!” . 2. oe «© 8 © @ “Tiut you're some reckless with the in every direction you won't find any- In the Red Dog saloon at Lazette, English language when you're calling body but Double R men. There are some punchers pn holiday played him my friend. Maybe he'll be prov- Iine-camps, of course—dugouts where cards at various quietly drink- ing that he didn't mean to skin me on ing. Behtnd the rough bar Pete Mou- lin, the proprietor, stood, talking to his barten: der, Blacky. “Bo that jasper’s back again,” com- the men hang out over night some- , times—but that’s all, To my knowl- edge there are only two men with shacks around here, and they're that deal.” amiled agaip and then left ti bar and strode foward Blanca, latter continued his card playin: moatly of no account, One of them mented the proprietor. Dakota’ \° 1s Doubler—Ben Doubler—who hangs “Which?” ‘The bartender followed Pere*h’ puter the sound of nie for: out near Two Forks, and the other is the proprietors gase, which was on a mer victim's voice he turned and & fellow who calle himself peste. man ed looked up slowly, his face wearing a who's got » shack about Cty Bors tows bland amil down Ute, a Uitte off the te eral other men. The bartender’s face jt wi in to Mouitn that Blanca trail.’ oa) showed lexity. ‘ had known all along of kota'’s net to her at cere- ‘“They are ranchers, I suppose?” Moulin laughed. “I forgot you ain't presence in the saloon-—perhaps hi : 4 ‘e was averted so that been here that p" he “That seen him enter, The other se ‘ » j Y agazin “What's he cailin’ himself ‘Texas’ m: ~White teeth in a ‘Moulin's admiration and friendship | back in their chairs, watching, some of them knew something of the calf deal, and there was that in Da- which Impending troub! ta quietly, can pay for those ca:ves now.” It pleased Blanca to dissembie, But it was plain to Moulitn—as it must have been plain to everybody who watched ca—that @ shadow crossed his face a. Dakota's words. BKvidently he had entertained pe that his duplicity had not been dis- 0 vered. “Calves?” he said. “What calves, bl Pistol. “I theeng it mus’ be mis- “Yeo,” returned Dakota, a slow, grimly humorous emile reaching his face, “it was a mistake, You made it, Blanca, Duncan found it out. Duncan took the calvee—they belonged him. You're going, te and for tl /" “r ey, heem?” bi lanca’s with t i now wore an expression of sneering contempt, and his black eyes ha taken on @ He bag at slowly: “I pay for no calves, y _ “You'll pay,” sald Dakota, an om- inously quiet drawi in his voice, “Or .what?”’ Blanca showed his eh smirk. “This town ain't big enough for both of us,” said Dakota, his eyes cold and alert as they watched Bla: hand at his cartridge belt. “One o will le it by sundown. reckon that's all. . He deliberately turned his begk on Blanca and walked to the door, step- ping, down into the street. Blanca looked after him, sneering. An in- stant later Blanca turned and smiled at his companions at the table. “It ain't my funeral,” said one of the card players, “but if I wan in your lace I'd begin to think that ‘ayin’ here was crowdin’ the tion of this rt try," he continued. much. I come back here to stay. Da- kota—hees got the Star too cheal He tapped his gun holster rignifican ly, “To-night Dal where else. To-morrow who takes the Star? You?" He pointed to each of the card players in turn. “You?” he question ‘You take it?” He emiled at their ni ive ai “Well, then Blanca tak Pest Dakota sive himself ti oe e . The six o'clock was an hour and thirty minutes late, For two hi Sheila Langford had been on the tion platform awaiting its coming. A brakeman descended, the conduc. tor strode stiffly to the telegrapher' window, two trunks came out of the alighted and was folded into Sheila's welcoming arms. For a moment the two stood thus, while the passengers smiled sympathetically. Then the man held Sheila off at arm's length and looked searchingly at her. 9 car, and a tall man of fifty “Crying?” he said. “What a wely come!" “Oh, daddy!" said Sheila, In thin moment she was very near to telling him what had happened to her on the day of her arrival at Lazette, but she felt that was impossible with him looking at he: “Then nothing happened to you after all," he laughed, patting her Nothing, in ‘spite of my she answered. The op- portunity was ,gone now4. she was committed irrevocably to her secret. “You like it here’ Duncan hi made himsolf agrei ie 'y, though & little lonesome after—after Albany, I miss my friends, of course. But "1 oes slowly away from the platform, Langford solemnly waved a farewell to it. “This is the moment for which I have been looking for months,” he said, with what, it seemed to Shella, was almost a relie! He turned to her wit! yk after the of joo) and leaving her he aperoned station nt and together they ex- amined the trunke which had come out of the ba, car, Bhe saw the station agent now, beckoning to the driver of the wagon, and ashe went over to the. of the station platform and watched while the trunks were tumbled into the wagon. The trunks were in; the station agent held the horses by the bridles, quieting them; the driver took up the reins; Sheila was helped to the seat by her father, he jumped in himself, and they were off down the street, toward a dim trail that led up @ slope that began at the edge of town and melted into space. The town seemed deserted. Sheila saw a man standing near the front door of a saloon, his hands on his hips, He did not appear interested in either the wagon or its occu- pants; his gase roved up and down the street he nervously fin- gered his cartridge belt, He wa: brown-skinned man, almost olive, Sheila thought as her gaze rested on him, attired after the manner of the country, with leathern chaps, felt hat, boots, spurs, neckerchie “Why, it Is sundown alread: Sheila heard her father say, “What a sudden change! A moment ago the © light was perfect!” A subconscious sense only permitted Sheila to hear her father's voice, for her thoughts and eyes were just then riveted on another man who had come out of the door of another saloon a little way down the street. She rec ognized the man as Dakota and claimed sharply. She felt her father turn; heard the driver declare, “It's comin’ off," though she had not the alightest idea of his meaning. Then_she realized that he had halted the horses; saw that he had turned in his seat and was watching something to the rear of them intently. “We're out of range,” she heard him say, speaking to her father, Ww ‘s wrong?’ This was her give Blanca till sundown to ff town, It's sundown now an’ Blanca ain't pulled his freight, an’ it's likely that hell will be a-poppin’ sorta Tipe. A COMPLETE NOVEL EACH WEEK IN THE EVENI Next:—“THE MAIDS OF PARADISE,” by Robert W. Chambers, Author of “ “The Fighting Chance,” Etc. for afraid te look at Daketa—whe wae walking slowly toward the man who ett at in front of the saloon. though in spite of her fat the fascination of t old her gaze eteadily on t! actors, Out of the corners of her eyes she could see that far down the street men were congregated; they stood in doorways, at convenient corners, eyes ted toward Dekote and the ha In the sepulchral calm fallen there came to ears sounds that im another time she would not have noticed. Somewhere « door came to her ears dog, the neigh of a rp! @ sounds smote the quiet atmos- phere, they seemed odd te the point of unreality. However, the sounds did net lot jstract her attention from the chi tors in the scene which was being worked out in front of her; the noines died away and she gave her entire attention to th saw Da- kota reach @ point about thirt from the man in front of the saloon— Blanca. As Dakota continued to ap- ch, Shetla observed an evil rey to Bianca's face; saw a glint of metai in the faint 1 ; heard the cragh of His revolver; shuddered at the flame spurt. ed to see Dakota fall— Instead, she saw him smile—in much the fashion in which he had smiled that night in the cabin when he bad threatened to shoot the parson if she did not consent to marry him, And then his hand dropped swiftly to the butt of the pistol at his right hip. Sheila's eyes closed, swayed and felt her father’s arm come out and grasp. her to keep her from fall- But she was not going to fall; she had merely closed her eyes to blot out the scene which she could not turn from, She held her breath in an agony of suspense, and it seemed an age until she port—and then another. Unable longer to Shella opened her eye Dakota walk forward and and over Blanca, looking down at him, his pis- tol still in hand, face was down in the dust of the street, and ¢n, as Dakota stood over him Sheila saw @ half-breed's body move convul- ively and then become still, Dakota jeathed his weapon and, without looking toward the wagon in which Sheila sat, turned and strode uncon- Gernedly down the street. A man oame out of the door ¢' the salcon In front of which Bianca's body lay, looking down at it curiously. Other men were running toward the spot; there were shouts, oaths, For the firat time in her life Sheila ber} 9¢ had seen a man killed—murdered— and there cameAo her a recollection of Dakota’ irda that night in the oabi "Have you ever seen a man die?” She had surmised from his manner that night that he would not henitate to kill the parson, and now she knew that her sacrifice had been made in vain. A sob shook her, the world reeled, blurred, and she cov- ered her face with her hands, “Oh!” she said in a strained, hoarse volos, “Oh! The brute!” “Hey!" From a great distance the driver's voice seemed to come. What's that? Well, mebbe, Hut I reckon Blanca won't rustle any more cattle, “Lord!” he added, in an awed voice; “both of them hit him!" Blanca was dead then, there could be no doubt of that, Shella felt her- “Hey! self swaying and tried to grasp the end of the seat to steady herself. She heard her father's alarm, felt hit voice raised in rm come out again nd then darkness set- recovered consciousness arma were still around her and the buckboard was in mo- tion. Duak had come; above her countless stars flickered in the “1 reckon she's plum shocked,” she ard the driver “I don't wonder ford, and Sheila f over him, “Great guni dered at the tone hi man is a marvel wi you notice how cool he took “Cool!” The driver laughed. “It you get acquainted with Dakota you'll ud out that he's cool, He's an iceberg, that's what he is!” “They'll arrest him, I suppose?” queried Langford, “Arreat him! What for? Didn't he give Bianca his chance? That's why I'm tellin’ you he's iP She remembered Dakota's words in the cabin, Was Fate indeed running i genent? game it might be cal whiver run Shetla won- used, CHAPTER IV. Kindred Spirite. Looking rather more rugged than when he had arrived at the station at Lazette two weeks bet bis ft anned, but still retaining the smooth, sleek manner which he had brought with him from the Mast, David Dowd Langtord sat in a big rocking chair on the lower gallery of the Double R_ranchhouse, montelly Duncan, who was seat: profile toward Langford. “Bo this Ben Doubler has been a thorn in your side?” questioned Lang- ford softly. “Tha near by, his returned Duncan, “He has been and etill is. And now I'm willing him to you, J don't know when I've more tickled over getting rid man.” “Well,” said Langford, leaning fur- ther back in his chair and clasping ota his hands, resting his chin on his thumbs, hie lips curving with an itonic smile, “I suppose T ought to feel extremely grateful to you—es- pecially since when I was negotiating the purchase of the ranch you didn’t hint of @ nester being on the prop- erty.” didn't sell Doubler to you,” mald Duncan, Langford's smile was shallow. “But I get him just the same.” he said. “As ual thing it In pretty hard to get fa noster, tant it?” “LT haven't been able to get rid of this one," returned Duncan, “He don't seem to be influenced by any- thing 1 say or do. “Tried everything: de a gesture of dlaguat, Duncan “The law!" he said. haven't been such a ‘What for? have. & section, and he took up @ quarter section, The only difference between us a that I own mine—or did own it until you bought it—and he ain't He ts on the other ee ir proved on his. of the river and I am on thi rather," he added with « grin, the other side and you are om thi, en ne eee mene monecednee ‘Langtora '¥ obliquely at Duncan, drawling sign! antl ‘force? ye ave tried everything, I told that he might. ong method by whi , Doubl not half ho jome obstinate.” 9, are Doubler being t fe bad business. But how are you going te prevent him wee there?” “Have you tried” becca you. Doubler’s land was especially de- sirable. It was a quarter section ly- ing adjacent to good water, and pro- vided the best grass in the vicinity. Duncan had had trouble with Doubler over the water rights, too, but had been unsuccessful in ousting bim be- cause of the fact that since Doubler controlled the land he also controlled the water rights of the river adjoin- ing it. The Two Forks was the spot which could be used for thirsty cattle in the vicinity, for the river at other points was bordered with cliffs ia and was inaccessible. And Doubler would not allow the Double R cattle to ‘ter at the Two Forks, thor he had issued thie edict after Buncan, however, ald not explata this noan, ywever, not ez! iy to Langford Du was watching Langford with "a crafty omile, “You reckon en running him off or”——He leered at Langford significantly. ta had dering from the subject. LA really haven't gives a thought to the ich I ought to deal with ler. Perhaps,” he added with a jal smile, “I may make @ friend of im. He observed Duncan's scowl, and hts emile grew. oe » Keach day durin; her father had jccompanied him on his ration. R Shell rides of expl She had detected a change in her father—he seemed coarse, domineer- ing, entirely unlike his usual self. She ‘PS, attrib this change in him to the country—it was and rough, and of course it was to be that —or any man, for that mat- ter—taking an active interest in ran ject the spirit of day she rode alone along the |. A dim trail led along the river and she felt certain that if she followed it long eno’ it would lead her to the crossing, after riding half an hour and cnecenterind Searae but hille and rock cliffs wan to doubt, it she rode on for another if hour and then, ig esd over her inability to find the shallow, he halted the pony and looked about She supposed that one crossing would do quite as well as another, and so she emiled and continued on toward the riv ‘There wana the edge of wi once been a swamp, though now it was dry and made fairly good foot- ing for her pony. The animal acted strangely, however, when she tried to urge it thyough the fringing shrub- bery, and me war pelled to use 7 quirt hyay vont t! middle of the stream. Evidently something hed gone wrong. Shetla over the pon: mane into the water, ity) was fast! Ite the knees, ss “ clutching at her heart, cold water of the river ainet her booted legs. wiedge came to her in a sickening flood. pony fairly into a bed She leaned over and againet the @ fell ne Aad audden, Vf guia! ‘a neck, hte shoulders, lace ben: water would flow over them terate all traces of their no one would ever know wi come of them. Bome time later—it might have five minutes or an hour—BShella not have told—#he heard the pony neigh again, and this time it seemed there was a new note in the sound—a note of hope! She raised her head und looked up. And there on the bank before her, uncolling his rope e saddle horn and looking very and grim, was Dakota! mat motionless, not knowing yr to ery or laugh, finally com. peal, uttered com- “That's wnat I'm aiming to do,” he said, and never did a voice sound sweeter in hi she almost forgave crime he had committed against her. He seemed not in the least excited, continuing to uncoll his rope and coil it again into larger loo your hands over your head hia command. he did as she was bidden. He not dismounted from his pony, but had ridden up to the very ed«e of the quicksand, and as she raised her hands she saw him twirl the rope iched it as it satled out, sat- th lown around her wi and was drawn tight, There was now a grim amile on his face. “You're in for a wetting,” he aald. “I'm sorry, but it can't be helped. Get your feet off to one sida t mixed up with And keep your head above “Ye-s," she answered tremulously, dreading the ordeal, dreading still more the thought of her appearance when she would finally reach the bank. : pulling? eu was ip etroogly, tostantly, re been could sh NG WC The Common Law,” over her appearance. of Duncan Bheil nger “He Is a brute!” After breakfasting on the fo! morning windmil 4 the travel lasily in their wide ¢ when she saw Duncan riding { iy from the ranchhouse, ike ta's pony. She started toward corral gates, intending to call to him ‘to return, but thought better Re impulse and hatled him taunt mle th accept “Please im to ks," she suid, and Duncan his head, bowed mockingly and. tinued on his way. 4 There was Dakota fe. diamounted pony to a rail of there was a smile