The evening world. Newspaper, April 26, 1915, Page 15

1 Romance me futher of NE OT RIN HEE Toor "KEITH oF Tu: BORDER ind of the Big Uutdoors By RANOLALL PARRISH Teele A Ce ee St te The Evening World Daily Magazrine. Monday. April 26. 1915 Throw Out the Pork! of the West Pe eee ee niu Mist th CHAPTER T : The Piainaman J ACK AP f « ad f * afier the Ciw J We ae . « tur ett he found e the bodies of “ 4 a ¢ f the bodiew he teem on ' Waite, hie form mander From he dead mane pocket + * fee o gonernie lovely wite Arriving @ ' * ‘ ° ‘ @urdering th . ye Brown oF Mack Keith ew and “ ‘ ow om the oat by ebifting + biame on bina e help of a . ' ' a the Ke Piaptaric n ped ff f im life o might he and S ' mn a ' they found a beautiful & whom com s Chryatie M einire, # a!) wine Khe t 1 come Weat to find he brother, a family b mlive * “ , ention of remaining, “The ' * ' od @ fellow for a mur fi F 1 der ed out on the Banta Fe J brougit ner to Trail, « Hied me as a witnew ' to await I na away before we had her ane try him, and ft have fon his trail ever since." ' hange A murder Vid you iiagioe he osture ant i Yo story. thin way? he more he deived into t matter, Not very likely: fact of tt te, the! the more nerious he feit the sand storm tay demtroyed ail te be. ile knew ull ee traces, & result, we've lost) lying south on the Cana h of the boys | wae awe hat th woes ove wanted to) @tatton, No catiie + rel | LY tendy dopert. wnicss She Was silent an instant, and the Miltiers, abd fo honest pur man crossed to the fireplace, where} Py tebe a te Keith could gain a giimpae of him, | MOM “book frequent Niready wuapleious from the famitiar | rae ihe he had ove sound of Mé voiwe, he Was not aur ot my lp ' 1 to recoenize “Hiack Bart.” The Bee Lari ane. plalosinan's fingers gr 1 the} Bouts it be that w. ace Hekro's arm, hin eyes burning. So | Cidentally, stumbied e { this gambler and bluckieg was the: Mana ce tho cane? kentiemanly Mr. Hawley, waa he? | man easily startled, b well, What could be his litte game? | bpragler rial Ae Why had he inveigied the girl into | this lonely spot? @nough to realize what such a SUMA ulations cnet Ie is Fred with you?" @he quee- outlawe, rustlers et Ru ont, abel eoaee rust nate "Noi he's with another party rid- Bae dicserte ieadtcente ing farther West,” the man's eyes Bee inecanie. cuca ' surveying her with manifest approval, | could scarcely refrain. fr AlenL Glee Vue alpina heen || OUL all he suspected. Yet why should py. hae Fe nwedn tn Caen Saye re puepeated. eat wby stand how 1 ever managed to keep Presently Keit! left the hut, res MUBhea tor he als, HeR | turning a few minutes late Ce nee Eos Mes ee a 3 - AN auist outs lereak ig at the open boldness of his eye speaking with new. contiden pn wi abe art wanted to get an understanding of the gurroundings in case of emerge he explained, as tf in answer questioning of the brown eyes gravely uplifted to his face. "I see there is quite a corral at the lower end of this island, safely hidden behind the fringe of cottonwoods, And & log stable back of the hou Is the creek ford- abie both ways “L think #0; the man who brought me here rode away south.” “And are you going to trust your- “@elf to my care?” ‘She came around the table w hands extended. He took them in . his grasp, lookin down into her eyes, “Yes,” whe said softly, “I ng to trust you, Captain Keith” He laughed. ‘Captain, hey? You must have been talking with that black rascal there.” The swift color flooded her face, but ‘her hands remained imprisoned “I just done tol’ her who de Keiths ‘wae down in ol’ Virginia, sah.” burst im Neb indignantly, = “f sto’ « want nobody to think I go trapsin’ ‘round wid any low white trash. “There is a big revolver hanging In @ bolster in the other room,” she ra-, marked presently, “and a short, saw- e4-off gun of some kind, but I don't know about ammunition.” “May we investigate? “Moat certainly,” and she epen the intervening door. As the two stepped into the other apart- ment he held the lamp in aid of their @earch. “There is the revolver on the well, and the gun is in the opposite @orner. Ian't it strange you should be out in this country without arms?” Keith glanced up, the revolver in fle bands. The radiance of the light ‘was full upon her face, revealing the @learness of her skin, the dark gbadowse of her lashes. There was the faintest tinge of suspicion to the ion, but he answered easily, fe lett Ci n in something of a Fi tell you the story to- @orrow. A fragment of candle, stuck tight- ty into the neck of an empty bottle, on a low shelf, and Keith ted it, the girl returning the lamp to its former position on the front room table. Investigation revealed a dosen cartridges fitting the revolver, but no ammunition was discovered to the sawed-off gun, which Neb had already appropriated, and was dragging about with him, peer- ing into each black corner in anxious gearch. The two were still busily this when to their ears, through the stillness of the night, there came the unexpected noise of piamios in the water without, and en the sound of a horse stumbling as he struck the bank. Quick a flash Keith closed the intervening door, extinguished the dim flame of the candle, and grasp- ing the startled negro's arm, hushed him into allence. Crouching close behind the door, through a crack of which the light streamed, yielding slight view of the interior, the plainsman anxiously awaited developments. Some one swore without and was eharply rebuked by another voice, which added an order gruffly, Then the outer latch clicked and a single man stepped within, immediately closing the door, Keith could not see the girl through the small aper- ture, but he heard her quick exciama- tion, startled, yet full of relic “Oh, ts it you? [Tam so glad The man laughed lightly, threw "It is nica to be welcomed, al- though, perhaps, after your time of loneliness any arrival would prove a rellef, Did you think | was never ming, Christie?” +" could not understand,” she re- plied, evidently with much less en- thusiasm, and to Keith's thinking, a shade resentful of familiarity, “put naturally supposed you must be unexpectedly delayed.” “Well, [ was.” and he apparently flung both coat and hat on a bench, prefer you would not speak ke that,” she protested And why not?” with a light laugh, | “Come, Christie, auch fine ulrs are. Q) et If T didn't know sufficiently rested to be frisky, but all else was blackness, Keith he could perceive a faint outline of te pe arHag Might heard the movements of Hawley as the man's face, ‘The sight added ed their burdens moskiy enouxh, and, roy haa ave gt it 181 he felt his way uncertalnly along the fame to his nad passion, yet he with sear a word spoken, the ‘d love words be- table, swearing as he failed to find could do nothing except to cling to three rode silently inte the ; he » him, jabbing lis fingers into the gloom of the night. hie iwiby, EhAY many the girl ‘Then, like a shadow, tv , a gentleman. T dave Sine creas glided through the partly opened door Khe negro ended the affair in his sianeo cept on your promme to bring me to 12 the room, own way, clawing blindly at tho ¢ CHAPTER HL. my brother, fore him. and she stood erect be- aAtanis in the darkne: nd finally ow have no right to ev bat t termining which was the enemy, h CHAPTER II. Through the Night Shadows. assume that Iam Christie Maclatre, t ITH had ver little to cf . 4 " es Di struck the gambler with the stock _ a y ie ween teat dy te tee be ee The Fight in the Dark. se un, “taying, win oul uncon guide him, as he could not V that lady too often to nis- james ; 1, grasping table, vhethat 8 taken, Don't try on that sort of thing |AD the room been filled with Leathe al alehy e ia a able, determine whether this my the Salt with me—I don't take to it kindly. men Keith could have re- fy ireath, certain only tiat Hu terious cabin on F A haps a kiss might put you in bet- strained himself no longer. was no lon struggling. For Fork lay to east or west of f Q Whatever her past might instant all was blank, a mist of black the usual cattle trail leading down Ho took a step forward, as though heat » ape vapor; then a realization of their bia oy itcanwhile, He proposing to carry out his threat, but a js woman appealed Yapor: thane wack in sudden flood * the Canadian. iL la, must head as directly north as pos- sible, trusting the horses to find foot- ing ‘Tho girl rode ensily, although In a man's saddle, the stirrups much too long “You are evidently accustomed to riding, Miss Hope,” said Ketth to him strange) he could not be- lieve evil of her; he would have died if need be in her defense, Keith crept forward, alert and ready, his teeth clenched, his hands bare for contest. Even although he surprised bis antagonist, it was gi t d ing to be w fight for life; he knew |*,,the sit “Black Bart,” ‘a . ' “L am here, Captain Kelth,” and ck Bart,” broad-shouldered, dulck 16 heard the soft rustie of her dress the girl atopned him, her eyes burn- ing with indignation. “How dare you!" passionately, all fear adden resentment. here and hoiples in t me at xo too fur, M you are now ence what Even yet he could felt the motionless h of remembrance. seo nothing, but figure at his fe “Quick,” he urged, the instant could make himself speak. ‘The f low is only stunned; we must tie and gag him, ls that you, Neb? Where he exclaimed aving her in ou think me that you can your pleasure, Don't Hawley. | know what and it makes no differ- 4 may think of me or aoe ee vO Re ee te apie AY 4 cat, accustomed to every form | a aort | Af sannot remember whan J Otel fo detend miyacin” y abl of physical exercise, desperate and Gotee the FOOR, a Te ae Ph Fea ald pital te ; mounte 0 vered serene a tricky, using either knife or gun 2°: : . es ‘ou imagine I fear either you feukicasly, fet it was now on never "A coll of rope, of some straps, caritost childhood, surely, although or your precious brother? Why, I with a plece of cloth; anything you could have him hung to-morrow.” 4 for all of thei i can lay hands on foit mere » and the plainsy experienced no re have not ridden much of late, This She was staring at him with wide tance. He reached t ‘ wos And presently the stunned man was @ne Is like & rocking ehalt open eyes, her face white CE I ia ORR table, and securely bound and the luinp Te “He Melonged to your friend, Me What—what de you mean? What yor un instant there was no further &hted Hawley has Fred done sound; no evidence of movement in "He, is harmless now, Miss Ma; drew a quick breath, her fa Ile was cold and sarcastic, the room, Hawley, puzgled by the Si#ire,” said Keith Ain turned forward. hat makes no difference: tt 1s silence, wae listening intently in an “Please do not call me that!” she | “Who who is that man? Do you what I could induce men to swear he endeavor to thus locate the irl bessed. know had done. It's casy enough to con- through some rustling, some slight "Yet f must call you something.” “T possess a pasaing acquaintance," viet in this country, If you only know motion “You may cull ne Hope he answered, uncertain yet how much how, | simply tell you this so you A knife, knocked from the table. “A certainly of good omen,” '0 tell her, but tempted to reveal all won't press me too hard. Puritanism perhaps, as she slipped softly past, Ne returned, “From this moment [1 Tost of her real character, w is out of place west of the Missouri, fell clattering te (he floor, and ths Shall forget Christie Maclaire, and re- do not who live along the Kansas bor- expecially among ladies of your pro- gambler leaped. instantly. forward. ember only Miss Hope. All right, Ser fegsion, Oh, come, now, Christie, Keith's grip closed like iron on tis Neb; now turn over a echatr, and sit Do you n he 1s a notortously don't try to put such airs on with me, groping arm, while he shot one fist YOU man up against it, He will rest character 1 know who you are, all right, and [ out toward where the man’s head ail uh in that position until ,)4 fave never heard of his being can guess why you are hunting after should be. The blow glanced, yet bis Bang arrive.” i uy 48a model to the young, Miss Fred Willoughby, I pumped the boy drove the fellow backward, stum He thrust bis head out of the thane r hed more soberly 1 and got most of the truth out of him.” bling against the table, and Keith Peering cautiously forth iniy theo red she truly possesse “You—you have seen him, then, closed in, grappling for the throat. 2 , and listening Ap novlt regavaioy 1 non since you left me," sho faltered, be- ‘The other, startled by the unexpected Ding Lo round up our og hr a ene, Heemenalsian 10H wildered, “and didn't bring him here attack, and scarcely realizing aven n the condition Ha Hewey Denete eer Heard bim called with you? yet the nature of his antagonist, * he announced in a low yolee i 4 and, therefore, tailed “Why should [?% and the man struggled blindly to escape the fin’ “1 may be gone for tifte 1 twenty ive hin under that respect stopped forward, his eyes on her, his gers clawing at him, and flung one minutes, and, meanwhile, Miss H ho entered the cabin’ ana hands twitching with a desire to hand down to tho knife in bis belt. get ready fora long ride. Neb, stand ho entered ‘the eabin, and Guup her to him, yet restrained by Warned by the movement, the asnall- here coro boside the door, aml it ally ufout Kvery town along the montis some undefinable power. hile { ant drove his head into the gambler’s one triew to come. in brain him with las his record. and tye meen Pelleved your brother story, I could chest, sending him crashing to ths your gun-s\ Til rap threw times taybe a dozen times in the peer Hees have played the good Samaritan most floor, falling himself heavily upon the when | return yourm “He in haces. va tee eres prostrate body, Hawley gave utterance to one cry, half throttled in his throat, and then beautifully, but after | talked with Willoughby I prefer him at @ dis- tance." is @ Kambler by profession, a despor- ado by reputation, and a cur by na- ire, Just now L suspect him of being Hoe slipped out into the silent night, and crept cautiously around the end of the dark cabin, “My brother wy! Do you mean the two grappled flercely, so Inter- even deepe urciys Hy to insinuate you doubt his being my locked together ax to make weapons , He found the gang's horses turned Zou thease tho mire than this brother? He told you that?" ueslees, Whoever the assailant might Into the corral, and was a from This is What I mean, Miss “He gave up the whole trick. You b*, the gambler was fully aware by their restless movements, decid Tauspect that cabin to bo the render, can't trust a kid lke that, Christie, now’ that he was heing crushed In they numbered sight, Hawley's owl vous of a wang of outlaws, £ TONABR ‘couple of drinks will loosen his the grasp of a Aghting man, and ex- horse was not in tie corral, but stood ley ta be eneintie J halt tongue and put you in wrong. Come, ered every wroatler's trick, every Neur tho cabin, away from the rest en SAK eli Rae: No howl all; be reasonable,” ounce of strength, to break free, A fire, nearly extingui glowed the authoritic mt SE. 10 Mon wot iat Dent dare touch TWice he struggled to his knees, only dully at the farther corner of the en. He ainiied grimly, his pe me!” ale panted. “You Freq t0 be crowded backward by relentless closure, and he crawled close enough pressed : Pe eoine Willoughby never told you I 'wasn't Power: once he hurled Keith side. to distinguish the r vbent forms of een ; joniirean hie inter If you come one step W&¥%. hut the plainaman's muscles men slecping about it on the Kround. the pre Tam nh eat Piteaie nearer, Lil scream: I'll call your men tiffened Into stee!, and ho gradually Apparen ho guard had been set enar 1 man-hunt hae d here: fil tell them the kind of a cur resained his position. Naither dared the follows being worn out from their A-personal interest in RAPA release a grip in onder to trike a long ride, and confident of safety in uffvir which [ should He laughed, leaning over toward fe Loe ane had suMcient breath this Hai ted ap . i alone Hoe paused, her, yet hesitating, his eves full of ay, ish woleh to NEteY A sound alth mounted Hawle “ reviewing the elreumstances darnication. Her vers floroeness ap> [oex Were flehting for life, allentiy, rounded Up the two he an f thelr acquaintance, and ae pealed to him, urged him on losperat nly Mke witd benets, with nd th ten : verything wit nt dently «¢ tr to trast) her A sey es though? but to injure the other remained exactly as he had left it, disere in his heart hentai ut antl tn ee et plage The gambler's teeth sank Into and he brivfly expl the situation, | to know , they Probably wouldn't hear, for they yoith's arm, and the latter In ratirn examining Hawiey’s bendy again fet : re camped down in the corral. f inmmed the man's head back onto carefully while doing I here were the ones that pa ar muspected you might be something of the puncheon floor viciously. Pe He'll remain there all until posse were trading.” a tigress, and preferred to Abt it out spiration atreamed from thelr bodies, his men find him lared, posle "You! her volow faltered, “He anid with you alone, Then, even if they their fingers clutching, their limba tively, “and that ought to ive ws a those men wore under arrest for did hear. thero would be no inter: wrapped | togethor, their murcies good #ix hours’ start. ‘ome, Misa mundor, and hud broken jail. foranos--U've got te jowa trained strained to the utmost, Kelth had Hope, every minute counts now u Bil it Wak Chay to 06h © Well fOr Nat na non nite (oranreen tha girl, tha newra, every. He held her arm, not uncon viet men in this country if you only path, Ok f alee toward h i his th ng, don nated by the one pasnion Und shapelines:, as knew how. It is true we broke jail, a orm 0} red, sire to. the a toon @ it was the only wa al Ungulahed bho, lamp, nwing {he In their flerce struggle the two hal i snd careyving are outlaw Ba ed tha’ ikke 0) ° darkness, A few rolled close to the fireplace, and in her yh them, waded the of immediate t by returning red coals glowed dully in the firep the dull glow ofthe dying embers, shallow stream, he horses, not yet north A sas, W 18 to — = ee ann ne THE SEA WOLF in The Evening World. 1 WO, ri Minor — WEXT WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL OY THE EVENING WORLD THE SEA WOLF ' By JACK LONOON ver LOLOL LOLOL TOLLE TNT TITY UTES Bie Me™ hastened to 5 a ” Jack Korth, of oe 4 - won the tee “ee on Nel vening . ' ot me ’ . ' ’ ond ‘ ‘< ° “5 . on dread ye weein t Mae if aoe ‘ med . ' ; . windra win Fy Poet li gt Jown on (he Balt Fork we rep : : across a youn Kr) # hom Binek Bart 1 wien t ad ‘ 1 nat Way on & w 1 aw eo We had a a Nebt and got cuem it weuld be (a ceplain Dement Os be to putt i land @ little ashamed of where she will be safe out of bie jefined feare, and (hoe fe on aience He didn Vat ohe gy Th@.door was wide open new ang $ anid him marking Mrs. Mury siside, ber interest @t siihouetted againet the far-off aky. 9, \0 "ad a folght wid Mack Mari it was 4 manly face, strong, alive yeu An yo licked (he dirty full of eharacter, th ” shaped ag away wid Dis yur ‘head firmly poised, the br shoul- War or 4 Ol take her? Jere squared epite of the jong hag 1 would Niver doubt that, nent of weary exertion phe ie hye She may be the Quane aF [iiethe of her eyes brightened with BNabe, an’ she may be a Digger Ie appreciation in aauaw, Dut joukes av him had 1 believe your atory, Mr. Keith ope away from Kate Mure at lant, woftiy t iad Oh am ter doit! Bring My ator Questioningly, and Ber in OF don't want (or hear Re turning instantly toward ber hore Y ou told me about. Jet a wordy Kate; T don't know what hether she has any money or net, “Ont pay ber bill as soon as it ie back tng told it, butt ' Hut what you we ihe ae er bill, She'll Hthink FE could tie to ve @ the bes house, annyhow, It warn but apoken 42° Ol'm only hopin’ that fellow will with auch evident eaty that her (!Ph Up huntin’ her Od loike ter met his with franknese take one slap at the apalpane nere could be fo necessity: only | “You will b here,” ie you to know that T teust he said \ ao ee y nd am sratetal 4 . A n remain Nhe extended ter hand thie tine, os lonk as you please Mes Murphy She OTe within. tis own, hold- Mil Kuard you as though you warm Wer own daughter, She is bit thout knowing a ing it fen yet ‘on see yas atrong (Owe. maybe, but a big-hearted t to anawer ver woman, and despises Hawley Impulse within him to question her. “You have be «a real friend to seiparn then and there her own lif moe; f shall remember you al lory. Yet, somehow, the raticence with a gratitude beyond words wr tne girl restrained him; he could Made answer, “Tt want you to know you, fugitiv I was charged with murd: So you see, Mise Hope, the desperate class of men you are now associating with.” t bitterness in his tone rl into resentment, She ing stranght at him, but in The sli om he could not discern the expression of her eyes “EL don't believe it” she exclaimed decisively, "yous-you do not look like may b he return Iy appearance to convince you,” dry yut would weigh Little before a Western court, Unfortunately the evidi Was strong against me, or “ Id have been had the case ever oto a trial ‘The strange thing about it was that both warrants we! sworn out by tha same complainant, d apparently for a similar purposo ‘Black Hart’ Hawley.” “What purpose?” “To keep us fo n telling what we know regarding # certain crime, in which either he oF some of his inti hate friends wore deeply interested.” “But it would all come out at the trial, wouldn't It “There was to be no trial; Judge Lynch nettles the majority of suol cases out bere at present It is ox tremely simple, Listen, and Twill you the story. roviewed briefly those occur s leading directly up to bis are She listened intently, asking uestions, until he ended, Then both looked up, conscious that dawn Was becoming gray in the east Keith's first thouht was one of lief the brightening sky showed him they were riding straight north CHAPTER IV The Ford of the Arkansas. HEY were still in the midat J} of tho yellow, featureless plain, but the weary horses GBB had slowed down to a wall, the heavy sand) retarding progress. Keith turned in the saddle, looking back past Net who swayed tn his seat, with head lolling on his breast as though asleep, hin horse plodding after the others-along the alight trail they had made across the desert. Ho far as eye could reach nothing moved, nothing apparently existed Fronting again to the north he looked upon the same grim barrenness, only that far off, against the Nghter back- vround of distant sky, there was vis- ‘ble a fant blur, a bluish haze, which wlleved to be the distant sand tunes bordering the Arkansas, “Our fr back yonder should be turning out from the corral by now,” he satd finally, “It will not long until they discover Hawley'a edicament, and perhaps the welkin roady rings Ay even with profanity, sccount for That the blue hare i yond ie turned her eyes toward him, ' ec allchtest trace of a amtle ap 1 {from out the depths of their I they would only remain patis fied with that, Wil they follow us, you tdnk? And are we far enough wwiy by this time to be safe?” s hardly likely they will Jet us ‘ without a chase,” he answere: 5 "We possess ‘too much in. f fon now that we have their rendezvous located, and ‘lack Bart? wave a priv grudge to re © Lwonder if he suspects who Phin! fut don't worry, Miss Hope; we have miles the start, and th wind has been s ng enough to this, and that i that T shall ever wish hat 4 friendship.” Keith struggled with himself, doubt: not deliberately probe beneath the to rety Ib ahe kept lowered between them retain ve Out of this swift atruggle of reprem fal of what he had best y, swayed sion he managed to say by unfamiliar emotions, °’ “1 appreciate your confidence and may be sure [ shall newer mean to prove worthy. Perhaps some forget,” he blurted forth, desperately, day IT can bring you the proofs.” Fand. ‘if you really winh It. TI ears M our own tainly wee you mgain.” Trae none other than your oF OF gat elrenstle wort Cry Till surely find a way. "Oh, but possibly you are too enallY don't know naw which itirection pa convinced; you belleved In Hawle Nhe looked at him searchingly, her eyes glowing, her checks flushed “Yen,” she said slowly, convincing know T did. [eT was #0 will ride, Dut ['m not going very far until T clear up that murder out yonder on the trail: that is my pare tloular Job just now." Left alone, the girl bowed her head ly I ; on her hands, a hot tear stealing 4 anxious to be helped, but—but th theongh her fingers. As she lanced different Up again, something that elittered on Tt was noon, the aun pitiless and the floor caught her « She stooped hot abows them, before they straggied and pleked it up, holding the trinket to the Hieht, staring at it as though fascinated. It was the locket Keith had taken from the neck of the dead man at Cimmaron Crossing within the partial shelter of the sand dunes and sank wearily down to their meagre lunch Fort Larned was the nearest and peryveloas fingers 0 prensed th safest place for Hope, A aes and the painted face within looked Up of the party expressing any deeire jnto her to adventure th x within the own, nnd still clasping it within he immediate neighborhood of Carson \ her hand, she sank upon City What her future plang might he were not revealed, and Keith for hore any direct questioning. His duty Mainly ended with placing her in a folt 4“ burying her face on the bed. ni A here aid he wet that?” her lips opt repeatin, “WI ever PH aN co rs here did he bare SO NIRA aig of ihe Oe CHAPTER VI. Cidental Hotel would furnish room Again Christie Maclaire. ind, 4 necessary, compantonship, The sole problem remaining—-after she had rather lintlensly agreed to such an arrangement—was to so plan the de. tails ag to permit the negro and him- self to slip through the small town clustered about the post withe at- tracting undue attention No doubt, the story of their escape had alrealy reached there, embellished by telling, and serious trouble might result from discovery. They mounted eenin and rode on through the lanes traversing the sand dunes, keaping headed as straight ag KITH possessed sufficient means for several months of idleness, and even if he had not his reputation a « plains scout would Insure him em- ployment at any of the more importe ant scattered army posts. Memory of the girl was still in hie mind as he and Neb rode stlently forth on the black prairie, leading the extra horse behind them. He endea possible toward the river, The ford ored to drive the recollection from they saught waa some milex down his mind, so he might concentrate stream, but with the horses’ thirat it upon plana for the future, but mitiated, they made excellent Prot woimehow she mysteriously wove her the evening. Not in all the day Personality into those plans, and he niered a living abject, Was ever seeing the pleading in her tng across to the north, a few gleam. °F accent of her voice. Of late yenan he bad been unaccustomed to associa~ tion with women of high type, and there was that touch of the tle~ woman about this girl which he@ awakened deep interest. Of course he knew that in her case it was meres ly an inheritance of the past, and could not truly represent the present tng lights told of Fort Larned perched upon the oppostte btuffs CHAPTER V. The Landlady. ITH had crossed at this point frequently with cattle 40 that, once having his bear- Christie Maclaire of the music halle, l J ings, the blackness of the tt! eva neamcinating she might be, vuld not be worthy any serious t t ; nigh made very little a!f- consideration, In spite of his rough ferer They came at last to a plain life the social spirit of the old South trail, pounded into smoothness by the hoofs of cavalry horses ridden down to water, and at the summit they emerged within fifty yards of the fort stables. was implanted in his Blood, and no woman of that class could hold him. captive. Yet, some way, she refused to be banished or left behind. Even Neb must have been obsessed by a few lehts visible, some sta- similar spirit, for hoe suddenly ob- with others dancing about like Served . he-wisps, revealed imperfectly yj,rey pmyeuttnly a mighty Sno pal. the contour of various bulldings, but compare wid her. since [quit oe Keith turned sharply to the right, Virginia~—'deod T ain't." Axlous to slip past without being) 9U aink her a lady, the: last, they came to the only two-story knows de real quality when [ sees It. edie nthe place. This was the Oc- I'se ‘sociated wid quality white folks cldental beta.” t A light streamed from out the front Nob, she's a singer in dance windows, but, uncertain who might be harbored within, Keith tapped gently at the back door, It was not opened Immediately, and when it wae finally shoved aside thegmerest crack, no glow of light reveled the dark- ened interior, ‘The votce which spoke, however, was amply aufficlent to identity its owner, “Is that ye agin, Murphy, a-playin’ hatia “1 ston't belleve it, Massa Jack.” “Weil T wouldn't if I could heip tt. She don't seem like that kind, but I recognized her as soon as I got her in the light. She was at th Gaiety in Independence the last time IT was there. Hawley knew her, too, and called her by name.” (To Be Continued.) Jack London’s strongest, most exciting story, will be next week’s Complete Novel It is a tale whose tense grip begins with the first instalment. _READ IT