The evening world. Newspaper, March 18, 1915, Page 19

The Ex old story of Bernstein's you aa well stop now! I caw fasts plain, common wolf. I told Miss Ridgeway not to go out for fear it t scare her, and of course she /” ahe Tt locking tor tt,” wasn’ he eald slowly, Al Beare Bigremprs4 was “No.” Spite o} jh he was angry with the girl, and angrier still that! the old scare should have been re-/ vived in Rider, which was the only thing to account for his perturbed bearing. If he had to shoot the thing ; and make the men eat it they should e called to him. CHAPTER X. | (Continued,) HE whole thing was #0 In- i stantaneous, 80 like a flash- light photograph, that Rider had not even time to guess who he was. But he was no dream, for there lay his track. It was not the secrecy of the thing that knocked the foreman silly, so much as that the girl concerned was Sophy Ridgeway, on whose straight- Ress he would have set his life. i on earth”—— Rider mutter- ed wildly. “Hazard ain't that kind— besides, she can see him all she wants to;' and there's no one else except the men. God have mercy on me, the men! It can't be one of them; I ain't right in my head,” and he Bis shoulders. There was no sense in trying to follow the man since he must be one of their own lot, and— “Well, God knows I can't speak to ser,” ‘groaned Rider; and suddenly howght better of it, he would, and that very in- “Sataat. Ho banged the storehouse door end flew after Sophy, but without a he made heavy weather of it. ead of catching ? to her, he met her, coming to him from the Fiver valley, as if she had been tak- pogo otroll. 1 my sake, crak ee i bh | bat bis courage ebbed as he did it. ) mo day for you to be out,” he lamely. “I up my mind too, second day I saw you—though it's no business of mine.’ prophet a you me oer senanted sharply. And suddenly sho knew. Rider must have been in the Her eyes, even in the ly is no busihoss’of yours, ‘ne added coolly; she was not going to-have Rider ask questions till she could tell the answers to Hazard. Rider lied; he had been right when he knew he could not speak out to hor. “Coming down here, I suppose end. of all the crazy places to walk!" He writhed over the sudden Telef in her laugh. “Mr, Hazard said there was a wolf Up,there this morning, so of course I she announced, rotorted Rider blunt- ad heard nothing of Hazard Wolf, and he did not want to hear her lle. “I guess not, too, since I didn't see him. I just went out to take the air. Good night, Rider.” “Air! Rider gazed Into the drift- ing snow and spoke aloud ‘to it as Sophy opened her doer and shut it f ipa her. “I bet I'll put a spoke An that kind of alr; it's not whole- some for tag x fe was tearing back to the store- house to follow the man, with the \eonviction that he had been a fool not to'do it before, when the cook's voice smote on him from the bunk house door. “Say, wos that Miss Ridgeway? The boss and Olsen have been hunt- ing for her half the afternoon— thought she was lost or something.” “Well, she ain't,* snapped Rider, “You send after the boss and tell him so!” Olsen's society had put Hazard out of the show, and Rider disappeared hotfoot to the storehouse, It was dark when he got there; he had to light matches to find the hole in the rocks; and when his last one burned out, stood with it scorching his fin- rs. There was nothing to be scen inside the apparently shallow cave ‘but a few rocks, and all trace of the way Its occupant had taken out of it ;Was gone. Every trace of a track, ven Rider's own, was drifted over, He turned angrily and went home, “Like father like daughter,” he mut- tered, “and God knows there ain't an honest bone in Ridgeway! [| s'pose I could tell Hazard—but I guess I'll see if he don’t know first. If he does—— | We what makes me mad is there ain't any need of it: he can talk to her in plain dayligh No—it ain't f him; it’s some one she's ashamed of; ke" He had not he should turn sick at the it of a blanket coat. It was young est, plain, as he vanished through bunkhouse door; and it was the ) straw to Rider. “Lord, I can't that.” he muttered, and found sllmeelf hanging at the office door. “Migs Ridgeway's all right,” he blurt- ed from the doorway. “I met her out Noa YY Somebody had to shield g ‘But I guess you know.” Hasard, very cross from tramping after a girl who had not i H i who fied miraculously down lake. he mumbled , “ahe—she told me you saw a ‘als meraing T 414." snapped Hazard, Ridgeway oughtn't to go out then,” miserably. » look here,” Hasard misun- “if you're going off on that ty i ji | grabbed at It to make sure it was on /Y. know t former bugbear was only viain wolt. © meant to keep away from Sophy, but as he sat working in the office she The snow had stopped and faint stars were shining as he went over to her, wrathful still, and inside her door d disarmed. His blanket had been made into trreproachable leggings, his fur coat hung mended on the wall. Sophy stood by both of them. The man thought he had never seen any- thing so sweet as her tace over the whiteness of her old washed jersey, “I didn't mean to be @ bother to-' she said quickly, Well, you were,” returned Hasard baldly. “You'd no right to go out alone. You're your own mist: course; but there are ings ft know be! lon't think 1 did,’ gently. “I felt it Please don’t be angry.’ “I'm uot.) Only you might have fayed out forever, if you'd got lost id strayed on that hungry wolf. ‘Grandmoth me Sophy looked at him curiously, as if she meant to say something and changed her mind. “No,” she an- swered in a different voice, “1 don‘ think he would now.” And long afte Hazard remembered It. “You don't mean you shot him,” he exclaimed, “Me! i never shot anythin, never saw him. I tell you tr it I had; I think I'd have lain down and screamed. But I didn’t, And— your coat was so comfortable, Mr. Hazard.” a groaned Hazard; in an. other minute he would bo telling her the whole camp might be ea! by adored the very snow she walked.on. But he was to all appearance totally unmoved. “You must. have jooked very fashionable in it,” he commented, senso and wore it. Was that why you nted to S00 me nals cabl She was coming from a vain search urned “for it late on Christmas Eve when sho For a moment she wonted to tell you I was sorry you were worried,” she answe! quietéy, and this ti rd. 1 ran on Hagard, Saene eee ee ut coy alee ia tna Was tempted to break her silly word wilderness, Supposing he sald things Of honor; but bis silence as he joined and found she did not care to hear her ,put the wolf-man out of her them, x “TL always think whatever you do is “You're worried,” she sald abruptly, right, and you know {| he said 4 Jo 4 re roughly. “Take a day off in the and clearing to be done. You Good night.” ingly. “You're not angry G What Gea't bea ts gh eee night?" suddenly, would not have looked at his ¢ “I “Was he?” was pretty frightened was more like the wolf-man and all his works. it. was no news to her that Rider's little “So was I,” wie queer little gee were always on her with laugh. But Hazard ad enough An ly for one evening; he hurried out of ways had @ way of looking after me, anor. she added hastily. ‘Not Hke this,” ungraciously. the way the cold takes ; he seems to have a grouch all T had to give him beans to- rrying young West for 11 upset the men if he Lord, that was near,” he thought; been near, for that matter, all I've got to keep away m hi her, or Til be telling her to take, me she’s got mo one else to turn to, Meanwhile, I'd give half the mine “o) to get her something decent to eat, slightingly. and so would Rider.” but Miss Ridgeway's food; he ha with any red handkorehi ed the foreman. “I didn't think she’ devil like him.” And in a voice there whole bunkhouse to bed. CHAPTER XI. down on Lastluck, a vicious, picking them up. de good?” Hirvloae “aneniy, Hes: MAS “Good ?* Hazard pounced on one, lit it, sat with the first smoke of a week through his nostri! yw what good is tl the simplest business hard. When the shifts were over the men ojpj}j; scuttled back to the bunk house like sone ee . 06 yee aad a Bu jour box of cigarette ends. rabbits to a burrow, but, for all row on earth did you think of them?” “You think of me,’ mine that Hazard expected to pinch and drew back. He had let his hea touch her sleeve, her parr rat D . it was by accident or not the touc The men grumbled wonderfully lt. th rough air tale ennde tar teak Even Kelly made no remarks, chojtng. She longed to let it Iie there, except when he openly broke up the yet till Hazard knew the sort of girl old thermometer that was the treas- Ridgeway'e ‘daughter was—till she ure of the bunk house, “I ain't going. knew herself—how could #he? to be taking no back talk from it,” A he growled, “about it'’e being only Hazai when me own nose tells his change, let it go. “ exul drawbacks, the output of the queer out any day did not lessen. tle, the fragments into a snow bank. The only person in the outfit who though no one but Rider noticed it— Sophy Ridgeway. ening World. Daily’ Mags went oe with the Aa man wolves if she would only believe be snc thousit Niles wer eae sent and her promise of allence suddenly appeared to her as madne: een ae her Gry suns in Peshrent " ° expeditions to find the man and te! ‘but I’m glad you had that much him,so, but the cave was empty: and might, she could not ached her door. & He shut it behind them, and we won't be sending down began to dig at the stove; the lamp ’ oll was done long ago. gold, anyhow; there's a lot of digging Ol! was done I got into the man. “At least, it’s I don’t know, what's to the First ho never sald . & word about overlooking that tea ie but out her hand, detain: 2.4’ stuff, till to-day, and then— as he dogging you for to- Sophy silently reviled suspicion in them. guppese i never mind him!" said the girl ‘s just be thankful he did find the tea and stuff; don't But Rider was thinking of sarthing let’s care how he got it. perfectly that the same hand which even forgotten about his miraculously took the things had put them b: renewed stores as he watched Hazard and vowed to find the wolf-man the in and out of Sophy’s house, Who- very next day; it was time to be doni ever she had gone to meet, it was with a silence that might be dange! not Hazard. ous, if the sulking Rider had seon Rider turned acrimoniously on the things and chi only man in the gang whom It pos- Hazard st sibly could be, that young West who over his had been kicked out of Yale, and her- he observed suddenly. ried him for something committed I'm a brute without tobacco. two days ago. He was not pleased Sophy, I'd give my head for a smok: when in response West merely “Haven't you any tobacco? grinned, “Gave the last to “Al the same he'll on the Christmas,” dolefully. other side of his mouth if I catch him how they'll peg along when that's fin- id bayer ished! Sophy disappeared behind him. Her have looked at a worthless youne voice chme over his shoulder with catch-in it, “There! They look too was no gainsaying he ordered th® nesty and awful, but I saved them,” she shoved @ box Into his hand. It w: nearly full of cigarette 1 @ome them two inches long, all of them with some unburned tobacco. WO days after the snow throw them away ha : ] storm the living cold came explained, “so I got int to tell Hazard. his tired anms “I know I'm a pi “The fact is “Don't know Are they any ueer electricity ran @ knowledge that here was ‘and it was beyond him to tation, and saw the girl recoil. ‘y was disgruntled was Rider, and— muttered. “It's not fair you shouldn't know." LA “I don’t believe I care.” He made a Black-Hand Diplomacy! :2w7nens By Robert Minor step to her very deliberately. “You will.” She set her teeth on it. “Look here, did you never wonder why father went away?” “I don't know. I wondered, at first, if the wolf thing could have got on his nerves.” “He never heard of it,” hardly, “but you're right, in a way. ' He went away becuuse he was afraid to stay bere, and I was afraid to have him stay. But I lied to you when I said I expected him back by Christmas, I don't expect him at gil” «ts “I knew that,” suid Hazard placidly, “You woulda’t Bay@leen so. angry with me if you hadn't been trying to make out a case for him. I wouldn't let a miserable failure like that of a Ne worry you.” His gray eyes soft- ened ashe looked at ner, = ‘ * “I wonder if you'd always—undar- stand,” Sophy hesitated. . “You The tone held @ hundred things. “I'd try!" . : “Well, you'll, have .to try pretty. hard, then, now,” she returned reck- lessly, “for I want to tell you things { don't understand myself, I mean my part of them, I suppose you think I've always been looked after and cared for, like any other girl? Weil, T haven't! I've been used to living on father's wits, and helping him out with mine in tight places. And one y day T helped him wrong.” “How?! “About Lastluck—or I mightn't tell you; and you ought to know. There was @ man—I thought be was jn love with me. I let him take a sort of map father had of this place; I thought he'd help us out with it.” “Did you"—the stove sputtered in the pause: ke him?" “I don't know,” said the girl pain- fully. “When I was with him I thought everything he did was right; I used to feel as if 1 hadn't any will of my own, that I had to do every- thing he said. If he were here now II believe I'd have to, even if it was about the mine.” “| haven't observed him. in the neighborhood,” drawled Hazard. Sophy went white. “That's why I told you; he might come! .He knows about Lastluck; he knows something horrid, too, about father; he made ear he'd never dare come here, that he'd leave it for him, or he'd put was afraid to stay here and meet him, Then I thought if we could only get out the rt. quick, and go, I'd save father. If he came, do you think I could buy him off?" “Buy nething!" said Hazard slowly. If he were furious that Ridge a cleared out because he was a: stay, and left the girl to face things, he did not air it. “The gold’s ours; we found it” And suddenly he emiled. “Do you,think I couldn't do any better than buy you off?" he demanded “I'm afratd,” said Sophy slowly, “ot what I might do.” et you stayed here?” “I felt safe,” simply. “I never felt safe anywhere before.” Hazard's blood leaped in him, “But lately I've got worried. He—the man—said the map was his before It was fathe and perhaps—that's true!" Hazard faced her, very tall in the dim light. “Suppose it was,” ho said simply. “Don't you see there's noth Ing to all you've told me, except your own worry about It? No matter what kind of a row any one's had with Ridgeway, there are better ways of settling it than buying off; and he won't be here to wrestle with, no matter who comes, There's nothing to it; none of it’s half aa important as that all we've got to ent ts half of the last caribou Olsen got. Don't you Don’t forget that Next Week’s Complete , Novel in The Evening World will be BY H. “MARIE”? RIDER HAGGARD id to + stacs Thitedey, ‘Marek’ ca es, TG ue i i i i if he t for the quick and Hazard getti what with which ahe turned in: . have been his gold! Atherton’s Atherton looked after her for a sec- gritted before i, up ond before he moved away with Has- 2, claims let he asked, ard; over a certain dashed pussie in haven't looked. face came a covert elation. "You seom pretty Bitnng ie onda tohing aple chucked hertad bis parka. “Are you o on it?” mnwerre short of grub; otherwise it might be worse. I can’t offer a drink, but there'll be something to t shortly.” sco T'll take care of yout” And tf he from?” ey guest with distaste. was going to say “because | love Atherton had only stared at Bim, Mon people hiked Atherton, unless i , you,” he did not get it out. Sophy os wae, pollen. out bis hand to to differ with him over r “You!” he had flung herself past him to the said blankly. dgor, it hag vif peraae way for engaged ats “ oy ople to meet Atherton Rot + “*Listey!” sho gasped. “What's that é ws nbise? On," she turned white as wax thinkl Soeapomene now. wand t m scarlet as she dragged on moment “hs i not care rpetnce "Hazard’s “old coat, “Ite some one fe hed Deen the strange sil ons cyming?. Can’t you’ hear them sheet. Sas baen the etrely dehini eencesmont ‘ ing.to dogs? I believe struck or 4 after all. eee a een eer eeling wouldn't be sitting here Wi work; you seem to be, pegging aleag Haaurd Jeaped after ber into the * Ridgeway, He" — told of & worud ho looked to aee elo: Stuttg ¢2 cout, with from Ridgeway. “Atherton sat down on the edge of Mentally stots foe sky-line to aky- ing to Sophy. “It's nover you—-here!” the bunk. “I suppose you know It's bY all rij LO we'll pull through.” It was none of Atherton’s business how. “si eed At ‘Whe, and lumb, en were e! claim? interrupted coolly. jay,” jer! = " i 4 down. “what made Sophy stay?” tearing heker-skelter to the "SES fie ail Sophy said. wirasard looked him Up and dows. “what made Gophy st lake in a qteer silence, and over it ae nak came clear apd plain t OF Dies? ave wasaat weary dog-diivers, squeal of hard snow, “Ridgeway! he thought blank! he dis not wayt the man with nonsensical terrars. “Or else it's my bad’ luck that's ddming!” What bd You forget I knew her before.” uu work that on ‘ow forge: “Ye iF beautital partn How do had no intention, yet, of airing his you suppose Ridgeway r heard of connection with Sophy, but he saw the this place? It waa I told him—more innuendo sting. fool _me! And what does he do? shouldn't say it was particolarty see all well, then, yotoried gig oe ie pity Poot “scnéer ta Hey Map: wth ine did stay; found Infvoluntarily hy caught Sophy’s out; he expected me, ‘Hell And Atherton meant hand, as if he would prevent the bad in December. He hadn't any I suppose she doesn't live im luck from being hans, and ran with ite athena be Seueanes to wait for me.” ee cei cry Cy ‘ly. , Bap Gown to the. gopaes hie laugh and hie: at whistled. Some of it might ‘tf 2 be palhean! pat ‘There was more ¢han noise now. the girl were out of the be true, but some was e plain lie. “It Ig Seep tery ey where, lives Black and plain on ice under the mint of red-hot “What? doesn't. work, Atherton.” he sai jos father. starlight came clotted specks that re- Same Ait slowly. “Ridgeway didn't have any solved themselves tito four dog- I'm delighted—sew that I've got ever DOTY’. say information that was teams and eight—no, ten men—run- being astonished.” age Mg pol ning with them; and the dead allence ww. haven't,” retorted Hasard. when w ik ‘What do you Bic te ed gnerenly sna aaatt “We thought you were Ridgeway, mean about your claim? You'd never mi re He-saw a mighty torch ¢¢ pine flare: who's gone down the lake for sup- deen here. 1 couldn't added involuntarily, 1 up ‘behind ‘him under Welly’s aus- piien It was the easiest way to €x- make gut fo stay, but Twas here, ell Dut there's no rom for pices, “This way! ile lain how Bophy was alone, “I eup- right.” It was absolutely true, if he Athcrion’s smi ‘The dog-toam swerved amat a rifie- © ‘ariven clench his teeth, but he said mab! pose w him, since yeu knew did mot add that he had been driven mask, Spencers Am come fies Te ert out "without even putting plok to Alnerton was prowling round the oy ~" it have meant fice, and suddenly pointed to a nugget voices, a hesitation pk min- Atherton's bow covered furious Stound " that lay on the useless utes, ‘while Kelly “his torch take her?" Hasard was not assaying theee days: and’ Kelly's friends whoo) and ot Lastluck gold was no matter of come suddenly the whole strange outfit “Of course I know him,’ “I suppose Svat wee why you pulled contrates, flowed on again, without @ single patiently. “But I haven't seen aay- up when you Gryly. “Lord, “phat your stuff?’ he anawering shout. thing o€ bim. Has be been gone long, An. Why don't you alles to one the Lord, I'll—stay Hazard wondered if Ridgeway, were gophy?”* story? Nobody’ ha ae came out with a queer crasy; ue Ridgeway's men atywed “not very,” he sald slowly. “I eup- ieee, on claim. You needa’ as if he had hastily subetiteted He In th torehlii ry 4 wondered more. ‘They were in Biamat pose you didn't hear of him down the 11's just what the hugeet, till Hazard knew he 4. | " z | coats and Klondike parkas, in all lake?” stories match, right covery of the claim was a lie; if he garments the Lastluck gang Atherton shook bis head, apparently T had ever stuck one pick imto it he For fut life Hasard could not DAK without interest, He was too angry woes bare snowh Oe ter ies ce tie out Ridgeway among the hood . ‘ “ Uires, nor see how he had been fas St Bie tool's escape te are where be He paused, man moved slertiy to the door, ona enough to get such clothing. was, “I didn't come up the lake,” he “Father,” shrieked Sophy. She tore said frankly. “1 came ever it; from herself from Hasard ra? hend-grip, and Ya House last. I and ‘out on the ere Was some- firelit now, thing in the note of the cry that could oes the flirelit basis 7, ‘Bemething Uke hushed even Kelly, and in the dead to-night, 4 al run peat pause a voice that was not Ridge- ree Ay ir eervice.” Bles- be gure, were. voice that ' ity was even to a liar, scora- and Thad never expected to hear out Bue ‘8 stuck im Mas- of ‘wildcat mining-camps and mad . ene booms of money-maki: ont aes sree ee ee ina om game slowly, as if he were “There’e “about that! pe ee as he had swallowed ig ‘but you're on my ground, nner he disappeared. Lee hetton tt tae Renee te «eB iti’ Atherton was as placid se Oh, i'm not kicking! I'm on bedtime when he i — - iT rion ia bad-tue! ought himself welcome, He only wondering” the fe be Red sande a it he oe with a vengeance, for he would ed ot't o red silk handkerchief, and the a leaped though lly Glcked off the glittering He broke off abruptly and walked book to the ground, be oo cl round the shack, bis mind Iii ali frost jes that clung to his small },, rking things 0} about it, Atherton’s arm, but he was too late. he, and under his parka jas marking se “Been hunting your “where's tathert” cried the wirts if aim, Eeeed the edges of a bine eMOUH could be marked oe he mae Hazard, yawning, | is ; she, too, had known the man she blanket c: * i wuees 4 # "Rider stdpd looking at him as if he D#d £0 hi egined It; wasn't anything theres were stunndd, and kept om jooking a» {hat short interview with Sophy; even “Curiously enough wan 'eens nie Atherton spwke. if Ridgeway had cleared out, rd tain he was lying. Perhaps tainly did not, He shook “I was neagly here a good time ago, #8 short of Sra & od might be yey that which gave him a vivid dream hand on his arm, and shoved back his the day of big storm. But I lost ¢? £0, too. The welt, t et he had toward morning: dream of parka, For one my bearings awit, and went back tq .@ oxcellent yoann se now i it governed rage on hie faoe; the next, sheltered piece, of shore left, year made Lastluck untenable, was he was as he always was, a sight to dogs were ti T cam) there— the only factor he could not account turn a woman's head even under the which I w $° nave if ra for—and perhaps he had not got as flickering -light that threw known you here.” looked, ## much out of Sophy as he imagined. queer shadows on him, with a laugh, at @ophy. “I don't sup- !f that could be eliminated he might “My dear, I don't know,” he re- pose you're so DIY surprised to aco Yet ‘be able to get hold of the claim. turned with smooth insolence, as to ” he added, @ had a card up his sleeve, too, that & stranger. Hazard had time to eee “No,” said '¥. her voice bad he was not anxious to play, ha wd him smile as he spoke, before he still that queer that might keen regard for his own skin, but if it could slip down and bulk solidly be- @ meant an: came to the pinch he would play it. tween the two figures. der at the “Say,” he demanded suddenly, “you “Great Scott, Atherton!” he oried. may as well come out with it, Did you “Where on earth hi say Ridgeway went out for stores or Its hero is Allan Quatermain (hero of “Ki Mines”), and the story is written in H and most enthralling vein. READ IT. ’ els