The evening world. Newspaper, April 27, 1915, Page 17

A Romance By (er 1018 kG Melton © Ons ee cee OF ramininne omaprome SE aEY, CHAPTER V1. Again Christie Maciatre. (Onette set fj BY rubved hie eyes and N f} Mapped his pony’s fank, un ] able to anewer, yet ettit Ubounvinced “tree both ob yer Might be mistook,” he tueisted, dug eetly. “Not Mhely,” and Keith's brief feugh was not altogether devoid of Ditterness. “We both called jer Christie Maciaire, and sie even deny the namo; she w: Gently not proud of tt, bu Bo Genial that she was the Ki “Dat waan't ike no name dat you called her w we was ridin’ “No; she dido't approve of the ether, and to!t inggJo cull her Hope, but I reckon » Chriatio Maclatre all right.” They rode on through the biack, lent night ae rapidiy as their tired dorees would consent to travel When daylight finally dawned, the two mea found themselves in a de pression leading down to the Smoky iver, Here they came to a water se, where they could fely hide selves and their stock. With hb Indiana and white mon to be ‘wuarded against, they took all the necessary precautions, picketing the horses closely under the rock #had- ows, and not venturing upon bulld- ing any fre. Neb threw himeelf on the turf and was instantly asleep, but Keith climbed the steep side of the gully, and made searching sur- vey of the horizon. The wide area to south, east and went revealed Bothing to his searching eyes, except the dull brown of the slightly gras- ing antelope, but to the north ex- tended more broken country with a faint glimmer of water between the irved, ; | Lills, Satisfied they were unob he slid Lack again into the de ned to lie down be took Dold of the saddle belonging to Haw- ley's horse. In the unbuckled bolster his eye observed the glimmer of a bit of white paper. He drew it forth, and waxed at it unthinkingly, It was an envelope, robbed of its contents, evi- dently not sent through the mails as «1 not been stamped, but across inly written, “Miss He stared at it, his gray eyos dark- ening. If ho possessed any doubla before as to r Leeann they were 01 dissipated now all thoroughly dissipated: n As he lay there, with head pillowed on the aaddle, his body aching from fatigue yet totally unable to sleep, staring open-eyed Into the blue of the sky, the girl they had left behind awoke from uneasy slumber, arouse) by the entrance of Mrs, Murphy. For fap instant sho failed to comprehend her position, but the strong broguo of the energetic landlady broke in harply: Ab bit av a cup av coffes fer ye, “ghe explained, crossing to . “Shure, an’ there's nuthl ole it when ye first wake up.” ‘L haven't slept very well," the girl confessed, bringing her hand out from beneath the coverlet, the locket still Ughtly sped in her fingers, I found this on the floor last nig after you had gone down stairs.” Ye did!" setting the coffeo on a convenient chair, and reaching out for the trinket. “Let's have a look at it once, Angels av Hiven, if it ian't the same the ol’ Gineral was ehawin’ me tn the parly ‘The other sat up suddeniy, her white shoulders and rounded throat sarin, The old General, you said? What General? When was he here? Shure now, be aisy, honey, an’ ON tell ye all there is to it, It's not his name Of know; mayhe O1 niver heard tM av it, but 't was the ‘Gineral’ they call him, all right. He was here maybe three days outfittin’~a nolée epoken ol’ gintlemin, wid a gray beard, an’ onc't he showed mo the locket—be the powers, if It do his, there's an openin’ to ft an’ a picter Instde. The girl touched the spring, reveal- ine the face within, but her eyes were blinded with tears. The landlady looked at her in alarm, “What ts It, honey?) What ts 11? Did you know him? The slender forin swayed forward, shaken with sobs. “He was ‘.y father, and—and this is my mother's picture which he al- wave carried. Then what ts your name’ ‘Hope Waite Kate Murphy looked at the face f hidden in the bed-clothes. That ag not the name which Keith had given her, but she had lived on the border too long to be Inquisitive, ‘The other lifted her head, flinging back her loosened halr with one hand. “Mr, Keith dropped it,” she ex- claimed, “Where do you suppose he got 1t?” Then she gave a quick, atartled ery, her eyes opening wide in horror. “The Cimmaron Croasing, the murder at the Cimmaron Cro ing! Hehe told me abont tha but he never showed me this—this, Do you—o you think’ i) its Christie M. ‘his lips tira ss athered her into her arm ee eith of the Bord And of the Big Ustdoors = LLDLBL AP OEE ~ - RANOACLL PARRISH Author of “THE RED MINT.” Bite. be on the Arkansas, briefly, “Did you know General Walte Her voice fatied, but Kate Murry 3 The Evening World Daily Magazine, Tuesday. April 27. 1915 of the West . “Cry here, honey” he eatd, as if te a ob Bhure en Of dow! know whe | wae got kUt ont yonder, but Om tellin’ ye it niv Jace vy le CHAPTER VII. | Introducing Doctor Patrbain. | BADEY oe tuey were, end having we other epecte! Pielive ia view, it wae only petural for the beaded fugitives to drift tate Mheridan, | The ¢ wae @ grim ploture of Geprevity and desolation, (he environ ment dull, mloemy, forlorn, ail that wae worthy (he eye of thouwht being | the pulsing human element, Al about extended the barren pial joey! de @ ravine out through an cing rh From the seething etrevt uny ovuld look up to | the summit and eee there the araves of the many who had died deathe of Vivience and beem burne biiher to “thelr boots | Awid wil thie surrounding desole- tiv wee Mberidan—the child of @ fow brief muntie of ealstenee and) destined to periah owt we Quickly | =the contre of the grim ploture, mere viueer of tude unpainted houses, poorly orectod shacks, grimy toute ving wi the pever cussing d eWirling acromm the treeives | the ugly red station, the rough | is filled with lowing eatu the huge, Ungainly stores, thelr fal fronts decorated by amateur wielders of tie paint Lruah, and the garish dens of vico tucked in everywhere. Into the one long streat just at dusk rode Keith and Neb, the third ho traiiiag behind. Already lights w beginning to gleam in the crowded saloons, and they were obliged to pro- coed slowly. Leaving the negro at the corral to fad some pui amer for the animals, and auch accommodations for himself as he could achieve, Kelth shouldered his Way on foot through the heterogeneous masa toward the only hotel, @ long two-storied wogd struc. ture, unpainted, fronting the glitter of the Moneer Dance Hall opposit A noisy band was splitting the air By Robert Minor | ‘The King’s Court. MA what did it anurther aln't bie with discordant notes, @ loud-voiced barker" yelling through the uproar, Keith ‘ustomed to similar scenet and sounds elsewhere, strode throug: the op door of the hotel, and guided by the noisy, continuous clatter of dishes, easily found his way to the dining room. It was crowded with men, a few women scattered here and there, most of the former in shirt sleeves, all eating silently, A few amaller tables at the back of the room were distinguished from the others by white coverings in place of oilcloth, evidently reserved for the more di tinguished guests. Disdaining ¢ mony, the newcomer wormed his Way through, finally discovering @ vacant eat where his back would be to the wall, thus enabling him to survey the enure apartment, Keith met the gaze of a man aitting directly opposits, & man who some how did not seem exactly in harmony with bis surroundings. He was short and stuciily built, with round rosy face, and a perfect shock of wiry hair brushed back from a broad fore. head; his nose wide but stubby, an chin massive. Apparently he was be- tween forty and Atty years of age, excending weil dressed, bis gray eyes shrewd and full of a grim bu- mor. Keith observed all this in a glance, becoming aware at the samo tine that his neighbor was apparent- ly studying him also, The latter broke silence with a quick, jerky ut- terance, Which seemed to’ peculiarly fit for his personal appearance. “Know you, eir—eure I do—but for life of me ¢ tell where.” Keith stared across at bim more searching! y, and replied, rather in- ently obably a mistake then, aa I have no recollection of your face.” ever make a mistake, ajr—n r ‘ac the other snapped ome show of indignation, his hands clasped on the table, one stub- by forefinger pointed, as he leaned forward, "Don't tell me—I've seen mewhere—no, not a word— jon't even tall me your name—I'm going to think of it I've got it—you Hospital tent — Shenandoah—bullet imbedded under third rib—ordinary vase—that's why [ forgot—clear as mud now—et the name tn a minute ~~Captain—Captain Keith—that's It. hake hands.” Puzzled at the unexpected recogni- tion, yet realizing the friendliness of the man, Kelth grasped the pudgy Anse rs extended with some cor ty. “Don't remember me I s'poxe—don't think you ever saw me—delirious when TI came—hate to tell you what you was talking about—mave you hypodermic first thing—hehaved well enough though when I dug out the lead—Minie bullet, badly blunted hitting the rib—thought you might die with blood poison—couldn't stay to see--too much to do—evidently didn't though—remember me now?" ‘o, only from what you aay, You must have been at General Watte's heada ters." It--charge of Stonewall's pital—just happened to ride into Waites camp that night—lucky for you I did—young snip there want- ed to saw the bone—f stopped that— liked your face—imagined you might be worth saving—nin!t so sure of tt n or you wouldn't be out tn this God-forsaken country, eating such grub—my name's Fairbain—Joseph Wright Fatrbain, M, D.—contract sur- geon for the railpoad—working on the in Keith shook his head, feeling awak- ening Interest in his peculiar com- panion. "No; Just drifted In here from down "he explained, was dead?" 9 The doctor's rudy face whitened, ‘Ti Fe-Willis Walte dead?” he eperstaa, “What do you mean, alr? Are you sure?) When?" “I ought to be sure: dust this side the Cimmaron Crossing on the Banta Fe trail.” ‘But did you know it was Gen. ite?” the man’s insistent tone full “L have no question about it,” re- turned Keith, 1 buried him though # new thought bad into the sand hills and es- this Willoughby, : of mooting soldiers would be the b Miss Hope was seeking bered now that she had hinted he was couldu’t be that, claimed, ong hand pressing his head no trick of “Who led the posse?” “A man called Black, I think,” he t kind on me, Whom do you meant” wley,” evaaiv: who claimed to have the name; so I reckon Willis Waite You wouldn't ad one if you had ar While he was telling be no harm fn making conclusively. mB was Waite's eize and pearance, with gray beard, similar to the one I remember he wore dur- He had been scalped, and his face beaten almost beyond recognition, Dut papers in his pockets were sufficient to prove his identity, he and his companton—a named = Sibley—wore known to have pulled out two days ‘arson City,” ntly as posaibl was af nolay thought he was a heard him ew ck Bart’ Hawley? lifted hin ti eyes filed with suspiclon “Yes, If you must know; he's a gam ing. the war. ound of some one laboriously mount heard him do better since th day at Gettysburg—had his off then and 1 Keith slipped swiftly toward th ther room and trie: T was down and out young fellow quietly within, closing It behind hin: A sinall lamp was on the washstan emptied bottle and two glass Keith sat alient, now that the doc or Was telling the before from “When was this “Ten days ago. lips smiled, sweeping back over the peculiar altuation in found himself Inve acknowledge Maciaire as your sister attered on the floor. tid not auswer Uunceremonious his revolver, which wrong alde of his belt ¢ you?” he exeaimed. tled and confuse The intruder took one glance haven't muc " was the re- don't think 1 “Keith, you came near giving me.a shock. Shouldn't be #o car sure my heart's just right—tendency too—got to be # Now, let me tell you -maybe you buried some poor devil out at Cimmaron Crossing—but wasn't Willis Watte, o 1 aaw him, slipped to th was a hint dropped, speak about after those satisfied regarding the rep he's trailing to apoplexy exhibiting wigns of dist. t manly enourh in chin and after Black Bart.’ face already The dining room was thinning out, and they were about the only ones at the tables. Keith etretched looking around, “Well, doctor, here In thie town.” CHAPTER VIII. In the Next Room. hia eyes filled with undisguised doubt, the face of the man the about tt hot here on the fight Willoughby 2" CHAPTER IX, Interviewing Willoughby. Tt waun't no nore than w pipe y I am very gh Are you Fred meet Hope? Back tn Missourt rather queer affair, but will h s warviba fot work itself out. dead tired to-night to hunt after clues of this babel. of the time > find a bed.” she ts grateful I've been in least comprehending b fa trip for ward him the only room and sat down a widely known as Christle Mac- had claimed this drunken Jad as her brother, but, according to Haw- vehemently Yot there must be connected with the puzzling m But tho honesty of the rugged f only added to his perplexity. “Are you certain you are not mis- thing here, er share my cell ond bring you hone but that ts th along the hall. —only thing to do,’ “That would be asking too much— I can turn in at the corral with Neb; I've slept in worse place ‘ouldn’t think of it, the doctor aleep at night “Usually, ve Why not go to her, W then both of you return to “Of course I am, Keith. I've known Waite for fifteen yoare @ bit inti- mately—have since the wer. such relationship some previous association Brees WAG Gone aut of te he looked tired, discour don't you?” othor admitted. won't bother me any no doctor sleeps at night in Sheridan. harvest time. you the way, and I certainly talked with him, He told me enough to partially confirm your story. He said he had started for Santa Fe light be- he couldn't get enough men to yan—afraid of Indians, you So he determined to take money—buy Mexican goods—and risk ehting cock wouldn't 1 the Indiana on the plains once he got an idea in head—he was that kind—Lord, you ought to seen the fight he put up at Spottsylvania! “He got to Carson City with two a driver and a cook $8,000 with him, too, the fool. got into row gambling, cut a man and Waite wouldn't leave even 4 nigger in that sort of fix—-natural fighter—tikes any kind of on there at Carson, had sense enough--Lord knows where he got it--to put all but a hundred dollars in Ben Then he went out one night to play poker with his driver and a@ friend— had a drink or two—doped, probably, up for forty-eight plaineman proposed to discover problem was how best to cause the fellow to talk frankly—could he be reached more aasily by reference to the gambler? atudging the sullen, obstinate » With Instinctive an- tagoniaim over bia intrusion, swiftly determined on the girl. nice of mo come in on you this way," apologetically, “but you eee 1 happen to know your alster,” i guess not!" throwing a conti dence into his tone he was far from Where ta Hoy ™ he anked, to Carson City frst, and I'll show “Weil, that s morning comes I'll rout you out and take my turn.” Wearted and half dend, as Kelth was, sleep wag simply ttnpowsible bees the din all around him. He heard heavy y feet tramping up and down once a drunken man endeavo ly to open his door; not far away there nd the sound of # body ehaking bia confronting bin ers very far out h I ripped tron it himself. Old was a scuffle @ follow firs falling downstairs, pandemontum to unconsciously the sound of voices talking !n the room In the lull of obstructins ya good thing along the edge of plivstoal resemblance to Hope must of he sufficiently marked to be at ¢ was jugged. through the slight open space betwi wall and ceiling. half ashamed obstinate and u ‘Tho boy sprang to his fest, bis face row. So he hun again when we haven't the p we might find Bart he'd stnke us. enough to make him loosen up. on; T'm goin this town ts too near Mort Hable to run tr 4 Influences Just ter than Ho: Say, | thouxht you were nat old Bag ubout Chri 1 guess 1 know Levy's safe, vome penniless and de who ta she?" acknowledged he ene nothing once About his family ut Carson, and si ir seraped across BA arose to his feet; evir 1 and whole outfit—w: Just naturally out—couldn't get @ trace worth following afte\ Yee ought to have heard him cuss when he told me—it seemed to be the papera that most—them and tho » T got it out of him that sie 1 to be my sivter; but } Keith heard him lft the | Willoughby, "I'l try my luck, an’ ff 1 see Bart, I'll tell him yer here. > He shuftied along the hall and went, half sliding, downstairs, and Keith dis- tinguished the click of glass and bot ne next room, hed now, wide awake, with a desire to investigate erence overheard must have | f bier e left. any of ue to do now, aoe Chriatia, You but Hawley, the mome » on the cardboar » she Over pleked me out for there was no trace?” “Nothing to travel on after forty- “a pose started out next found Min— “Perhaps the eight hours morning #oon as they nk this Maclaire ¢ having run the fellows aa far 6 oumgestion caused } Crossing — there Jack London’s strongest, most exciting story, will be next week’s Complete Novel in The Evening World. It is a tale whose tense zrip begins with the first instalment. @y JACK te heey bin quiet Tome he hed gune te independence amt Te oooming ef'er bree Mo lewe Brideety be mrant ‘eo » the tro apart woth be hed . or it wae} ut whet cowid that & Wet fame eraret coud Wii oughhy have Glurtet out in bie eupe whinl «| @) etunulated (he gammbiere wile! Tee things eonte Ww enum Keith Wo determine he would une remain hie desire to reper oF, and bie interem im the ir! removed oa the Ma Fork. tle *ould Gig vat be enoeveret he @vuld fed out what vite iy temkinn foal eondualoa, ak oupon the iw 1 fade ! t #8, and they 1 { 4 at the very i 4 Hiaappeared within hie own Toon Heo stned hie araap upen the ia whet a voloe fo amit What cumber did you say, HNL 9 ‘ Keith atralghtaned though untite hed by a knife: he Mt never forget that value it wae Haw oye CHAPTER X. A Glimpne at Conaptracy. of ia own door, startled by events, Keith waa able, from different sounds reach Ing him, to mentally ploture moet of He |heard Hill sink down into the oon venient chalr and drink from the bot. tle, while the mamble: apparently ad. | vanced toward (he bed, where he what occurred In the neat 6 x4 looking down on its uncon- Jous oceupant. The fool in dead drunk,” he de- clared Ainguatedly. nything with him to-night." I say-throw bucket water over him," Meooughed the other genially, “allers sobera me off.” Hawley made no response, evt- dently finding a @eat on one end of the washstand Hardly worth while, Soot he re- turned Mhally. "Perhaps L better have some understanding with Chriatt anyhow, before L pump the boy any further, If we can ones got he working with us, Willoughby won't have much hand tn the play-—we shan't need him, Thought I told you ea Bo , Bye sober, solemnly, “ain't had but six drinks; Just nat’rly tin ut.” “Ob, Indeed: well, such @ roo as thiw would drive any man to dPink Did you get what L rent you here after”? I aure did, Bart,” and Kelth heard the fellow Ket to his feet tendily Hero's the pleture, an’ some letters, IT didn't take only what he had tn the grip.” Hawley shuffled the letters over tn his handa, ntly hastily reading them with # Ment “Nothing there to give ua any ne} he acknowledged reluctantly; riomtly advice as fir as bean mee. However, Joar they ive in Springfield, Missourt, and this photo kraph ts a pan Just look here, Hil! What did [tell you? Ain’ Christie a dead ringer for this gir “You bet she tx, Bart,” admit the other In maudlin mirath nly, Toreekon, maybe some older “We ridin? to W whys ba pera bear him out woot reckon 4 fold tt stratght—this Phyllia would be twenty-six now, and that's Just about what Christte ts. It wouldn't have been better tf wa had made it on purpose, Le the girl will only play up to the part we won't 1 any other evidence her free would be enough.” Keith could hear the beating of his own heart tn the atlenes that fol lowed. Here was a new thought, © new understanding, @& complete new tnrn to affairs. Christie Mactaire, then, was not Willoughby's slater ilopa, ‘The girl he rescued on the desert—-the «irl with the pleading brown eyes, and the aoft blur of the South on her Iips—waa not the muste hall singer. And exactly what was It the gam- © bler demred this Maclatre woman to do? This was the important mat- ter, and for ite solution Keith pos “Well, it's Hawley, If you want to seased merely a few hints, a tow would muggastions, Sh him he'd put wan expected to as Phy Phyllis iia aurely whos mt herself Some 1" repr who noticeable, Willoughby had evid ly revealed to Hawley some hidden Nia family secret, having money in volved, no doubt, and in which the Aiacovery of this Phyllis figured. TRore was a noise of mov nt in the next or App Uy as Hawley arose esely from his the washstand had dis lged the glass hi ering on the ) 3 aw at tho lons “Shut up, @napped the gam ritated, “you vot the bottle m going; nothing for wath after T vain here! Do natn by Curse you undenatand ?—re me, if that drunken fool isn’t waking up.” There wana rattling of the rickety to bed, and then the aound of Willough by's voles, thick from Hauor. "Aln ehty glad soe you, Rart—am, Want money—ill an! Eboth NENT WEER'S COMPLETE NOVEL et MEW LEON CT seeemonsewe wendtwes \~ om tae there ant the prom of KANING amainat (he inaide the rapid sequence of “We can't do iiMeulty in the dim WOLF} THE SEA WOLF \ ee LONDON wont meer eet Orem withew neneT ont eet Withewt money oo) whee Few goin’ sake ue i ie eo ’ * menbier erasped the speaker oe eet com Willoughby, § “ joan tv have it” Hae some one been be i yer? y Hovem woe bel Speak up! | weet wae @ faint gurgling sound “eh (he gunblere viewlike ro at the boy'e throat, a Cin. AUKWi®, and Uhm the aboked You Muaved out ie. upl Me ealled Rineelf Jeok Thy dew! alienoe which eneued wae aly vy vy breathing Then Moott @wore, bringing hie fat dows With «ori on the weahetand Phat ra atu yer, don't it Mart? Wei, it don't maT lelk par iva Juet ae L aaid from the fret. It wae Kolly an that alager what oped yo in the oebin They wae Khe’ Ciere when we rode in, He {us MALTY puuped the gal, aa’ now “yup lore traiia’ you. Lieme tt ai, It makes me laugh.” "Lk don't wee what yo at ‘Ph eee wo laugh Keith Isn't an oasy man to play with, let me tell you. He aa ® got on to uur game.” Yh, don't lowe your nerve. He ean't do anyt , becwuse ¥ « the under holt, Hee a fugi a we got to do te lu him, an’ hay him flung back inter Jall- there's murder ay see stoallog agin him Hawley seamed to be Uiinking awit y. while his companion took another rink “Well, pard, ain't that ao® “No, that trick won't work, Seot? We could do tt easily enoug: were down tn*Carson, where th would help um out. | T here im that "Wild Micke Marshal of Sheridan, and he anc ever did hitch, Resides, Keith was one of hin deputies down at Dodge two years ago-you remember w Dutch Chave's piace wi: out? Well, Hickook and that Job alone, “Wild HI" tan’: going back on that kind of a pal, |» ho? I toll you we've got to Mint th affair alone, and on the quiet. Maybe the fellow don't know much yet, but he's mure on the trail, or else wouldn't have been in here talliny uehby, We've ot at him » #omehow. Lord, man, there rlean million dollars waiting for us in this dealsand I'm ready to fight for It. But I'm sleepy and I'm going te bed. You locate Ketth to-morrow, aad then, when you're sober, we'll fleur out how wa can get to him best: [ve tt Christie right. Good night Fil. Ile went ont Into the hall and @own the creaking statrs, the man wanted so badly Hatentng to hte de aeending footatep half tempted to follow. Seott did not move, parhaps had already fallen drunkenly asleep on his chatr, and finally Keith cromnet hin own room and lay down, The din outside continued unabated, but the man's intense weariness overcame tt all, and ho fell asleep, his last oon- actoua though mory of Hope CHAPTER XI. Hope Goes to Sheridan, HB iacovery of the locket which had fatten from about Kalth’s neck made tt tm- poasible for Hope to remain quietly for very long ta th hotel at Fort Larned, The more carefully she thought over the story of that murder at the Ciminaron Crossing, and Keith's tale of how he had discovered and buried the mutilated bodies, the more aa- #ured she became that that wae where this locket came from, and that the alain fretghter must have been her own father, She never once questioned the truth of Keith's re- port; there was that about the maa which would not permit of her doubt- ing him, He had aimply fatled to mention what he removed from the Dodles, supposing thie would be of po al Interest The upshot of her planning was a determination to set out at once for ridan to lay her ea#® before Lhe commanding officer there, She set slnost at once, rhe train Was crowded, and wearisomely through — night, Then the front doer opened and slammed shut, and @ new passen wer ent 1, He came down the aisir and finally sanic into the seat directly opposite Hope, Could you tell me how | be before we reach Sheridan ? asked bin, Well, no, I can't, madam," the Words coming with # Jerk. ‘or Vin not at all sure we'll keep the track Ought to make tt in an hour, however if everything goes right. Live ip Sher idan she @hook her head, No loss to you--woret place to live earth-—no exceptions—I know n there myself three montha—got ls there likely?" ‘L hardly know,” she acknowledged doubtfully. “L think #o, but I ahall have to hunt some place in which to stay to-night, Can you tell me of fome—some reapectadle hotel or boarding Rouse? Tho man wheeled about until he could look at her more clearly, (To Be Continued.) in fri _—_—__———___—_— READ IT | a cont