The evening world. Newspaper, May 1, 1915, Page 11

CHAPTER XX1. Fairbain and Christie. It FAIRMAIN nad ori@inaily fully as eager as Keith himeet ¢ hun sewn the renegade Hawley, out after &n hour of resultions eff " ° Ugt whifted to the worn they had mt ne a hotel the went to her room Oh, Doct a h hated " “ yuu have « aT how, | thowght you would, and | Wanted , talk tos ne » you Yo me! Do you wally Mins Cheistiet’ “Did- did you know my mother’ 1 saw her often enough in the old days, but pot since, Shoe was tres 4 enuly in camp, a very aweet-faced woman, yeu have her eyes wad hair, asl remember, Waire ought to have recoRniaed you at Arat sigtt He drew his breath suarply, bi round face rosy. “Dear, you have got to listen to me, for Vin dead in earnest. Could you could you care fur such a duffer as 1 am?" Her lips were smiling and so were her eyen, but it was a pleading suite. “I--I don’t think it would be so very hard,” sue admitt “notit you real- ly wanted me to. ou know what I mean--that 1 love you-—wish you to be my wife?" “1 supposed that was it—that—that you wanted me." “Yes, and—and you will love me “1 do," she said; “you are the best man in the world. He drew her to him, supremely happy now, every feeling of embar- raasment lost in complete certainty of possession. He ‘Kissed her, not in passion, but in simple tenderness, and as he turned away she sunk upon her knees at the window, with head bowed upon the sill. At the door he paused and looked back and she turned and smiled at him. Then he went out and she knelt there silently, gazing forth into the duwn, her eyes blurred with teare—facing a new day und a new life, oe Procuring horses at the corral, forces auginented by two voluate both men of experience—Keith, Waite, ‘airdain and Nev departed witgout delay, not even pausing to eat but taking the necessary food with the. Yhe sun had barely risen when they wok up the trail, Keith, and @ man named Bristoe, slightly in adv their keen eyes marking every sight sign left for guidance across the bure plain. “Why, it's like this, Cap, was drawling out the wor ast. ways, thet's how it come jater Saeri- dan; ‘Sandy’ Forsythe an’ his outrt, mostly plainsmen, started a wh ago across Solomon Kiver an’ down Beaver Creek, headin’ fer hort Wal- lace. Over on tha Aricharee, the whole cussed Injun outht jumped ‘em, From all I heerd, thar must a bin nigh onto three thousan’ © the varimints, droppin on ‘em all at oncet, hell-bent-fer-election, with ol’ Roman Nose a leadin' em, [rt was shore a good fight, fer the scouts got onto an island an’ stopped the bucks. ‘two of the fellers got through to Wallace yist'day, an a courier brought the news in t Hays, The Injuns had them “boys cooped up thar fer eight days before them fellers got out, an’ 1 reckon It'll be two or three days more “ore the nigger sogers they sent out ter help ever git thar, So thar won't be no Injuns ‘long this route we're traveilin,” fer the whole heir te kit an’ caboodle are up thar yit after “Bandy.” “And yo suppose Hawley kuew about this “Why not, Cap? He was hangin’ ‘vound till after 10 o'clock las’ night, an’ it Was all over town by then, "Pain't Hkely he's got an outiit "ony with him thet'’s lost any Injuns. 1 don't Know whar they're bound, no inor'n you do, but 1 reckon they're yeasonubly shore they've got a clar toad.” A hundred yards farther on Bristoe reined up suddenly, pointing down at the trait, eS “One joss left the bunch here,” be declared positively They pushed on hour after hour, as lon as daylight lasted or they could perceive the faintest trace to follow. Finally, just as the dusk shut » close about them they down into the valley of Shawnee Mork, and discovered signs of a recent camp at the sige of the stream, ‘They were toon «he trail again with the first dimness of the gray dawn, wading the waters of the Pork, and striking forth across the dull level of brown praivia and white alkali toward the Arkansas. ‘They saw nothing ail day moving in that wide vista aboutt them, but rode steadily, Waite was now suffering so acute- ly they were obliged to halt A Romance of the West And of the Big Uutdoors By RANDALL PARRISH Auther of “HE RED MIST.” Bie ee a tt See te YY ae tbe ground ey have kept to the edg hing for che f opt by Chie tuning Fd party, and well | and reoutnt City, and perfectly perfecting arrangements for their work there accomplished | who gladly vernaelven WILD bis party, look » POMMIDILL cuttio trail south | wk, as this course Mmewhat ivas anticipated hh Was MOL yet at eleven, | led the fact that hat reached the near vicinity of which the cabin | in his horse sbary stanly following bis examp. ining they had reached the end revolvers in re younger of the in-an effort to appear iness for action, the! them more closely about they crept along might have previously felt regarding party sought, were dissipa’ unmistakable noise made by numer- ous horses in the corral, Slowly, te ing each step as they advanced sound should b reached the shelter of th older of the “Bar X a iself by his hands and pecred cautiously over, nounced sobe .< Jack, what do you figure ‘kon it's old Sanchez’s outfit, “Likely aa not, Joe, though I never saw him around here.” Joe filled his cheek with through the darkness. “Wall, if that ol cuss is we'uns {s sure in fer a fight,’ he com- ented positively. the corral fence on desolate-apy cabin, and lay down flat behind a pile . from which position dence anywhere tha living soul was 1 that it was Bristoe lying “Had their o corner of the he suid in a Whisper, do you suppose they there in the nl was here pointer dog. “West o' ther wind, most like Even as the ame sauntering slowly around the eastern corner, his outlines bare directly facing them, yawning sleepi Another moment, and they distinct! up thar no is your wateh, to the sleeper acious, as, an in Manuel, an’ must have been eifi f his hat it was evl- ward Was a the high peak dent this new tho east side wall toward the friont of the cabin, and then, appar- toward the stream, shuffling foot of where the gryund ater, and Keith rolled that fellow. are on the w the Job without any nc 1 until the seout had dis- nd then silently crept forward him- aution, until ut the corner of Hlanketed forms of several men lying in against the side wall. ed no closely together it was dim enlt to separate them in that dark- stars wiving only light, but he thelr number at the Mexican would make six, there In the corral, Then the eighth doubt-must Politics Is Politics « .ome: “Hlow Many Votes Is Here? Just One-—-That’s Me! & By Robert Minor ate By JAacK They twth ay | thirty a " 1 drinking fey huddled hat #ti even, eit Nand atl eripped a revels There was a grim miniie on hie lpm, oven as be pitched forward | that, after he bad been @her ty het vite his | rhe riderings tor two faures and drif ly, fearfully, still he | jection to thelr aling reine ‘The aun rom directly overhead, the | waves riving and falling, the 4 | demolate denert atretentty An hour, two hours pansnd horses were now a hundred yards ty nose, all alka Wan en into the far north jern sky there rose a biack speck growing larger and wer, others eame from anat and west, beating t Air with widely outaprend wings: lareat beaks stretched forward Out from thelr f foulnass the desert scavengers were coming for their spol! | CHAPTER XXII. | At the Water-Hole. | U from the far, dim south ' want they rode slowly, ailently, wearked still by | the exertions of the past night, and burned by the florce rays of tho desert aun No wind of qufficient force had blown sinoe Keith passed that way, and they could easily follow the hoof be in the cabin, Bristoe returned, whispering: “Fixed the greaser all right, cap, and I reckon ho'll be quiet for an hour or two. Look whar he slashed mea; struck a pack o° playin’ keerds, er I'd @ got my ticket.”” The front of bis blouse was cut wide open, and Keith thougut he perceived a stain of blood, “Pricked you as It was, didnt he?" “Opened “the n hought t cuss had give up, an’ got careless, What's ‘round to the west Keith's lips closed, his hand sbut- tig hard on the knife. “Five, and ther out In front; that leaves the eighth man inside. Bring our fellows up closer, and post them where they can cover those fel- lows asleep, While I make an effort at breaking in here Bristoe crawled Nike a snadl, and, confident the others would do their part, Keith thrust his knife hiade deep into the narrow crack end began after the lateh In spite of ution this effort caused asl tad suddenly he st sound of woman's voice “What do you want? I am armed, and will fire through the door if you do not Ko away!" His heart jeaping with his lips clos + Crack he exclaimed ax loudly as he dared. ‘This is Keith; open the or." He could hear a little smothered ry break from her lips, and then the sound of a bur being hastily res moved. An iastant, and the door opened silently, Just wide eaough to permit. her nder figure to ship through. She grasped him with her hands, turning bis f » the Hight of the stars, and he could feel her form tremble. “Oh, L knew you would comet ft ultation, knew you would come!” she sobbed, the words barely audible ‘The man's lips tirmly, yet held her sv to him, bemeing her not to break down “It's all right, little girl,” he said pleadingly, “we've got you safe, but there isa fight be attended to, Come with me; L must ask you @ Question or two.” He drew her back into the fel bushes, placing her Safely behind the stack Of saddle 6 Was not ery ing any more, just clinging to him, as though she could never again bear to let him § “Oh, Jack you near "Yes, dear," 3 good to hear y mo one thing 4 cabin? Is Hawley here No, no! He us early the first morning, 1h t either seen or heard of him since, ‘The men have loft me alone Kince we got here; I have had the cabin all to myself until to-night. L have not suffered, only mentally—froin dread of what ntended doing—-until t fr men rode in here just t —two Mexicans and an indian, One of them was an awful look oll fan, with a scar on his cheek and a that made me shudder, He didn't see me, but 1 saw hire through Uie window, and he had such strange eyes, Al’ the men acted though they were afraid of him, and T heard him say he didn't care wh Hawley's orders were, he was goin to sleep inside; if the girl didn’t like it she could tike the other room, I didn't know what to do-oh, [ was 80 afraid of him; but what he said gave mean idea, and L went into the back. rc and put up a bar aeross the door, When he came in he tried of It is so good just to feel 1 “and it 1s Fuck, but tell any one else In tao f THE SEA WOLF! ' in The Evening World. the door; then he spoke through tt, but L never answered; and finally he lay down and went to sleep, I sat there in the dark so long, and when | heard yout! thought it must be the others, He stroked her hair, whispering words of encoura, nent, Phat ig all di with now, Hope, and we'll have those fellows at our mercy in another half hour, But 1 must go now to the boys; lie down he hind these Saddles, and don't mov until | come for you. I can trust you to remain right here?" “Yeu.” He was bending over, and her ¢ were upon his face, ‘Sud denly, obeying an irresistible impulse, he clasped her to him and their ips weetheart,” he whispered softly. He could not hear her answer, but her arms were about his neck. CHAPTER XXII. The Cabin Taken. 7 PIS heart beating with new yet conscious of the stern duty still confront- ing him, Keith joined the others, giving them, in a whisper, a hurried account of Hope's © from t thin, and of what she had to report, t's old Juan Sanchez in the front room, boys," he added soberly, “and there Is $10,000 reward out for him, dead or alive.” Joe of the “Bar X" drew in his breath sharply. “Iti sure be dead then,” he mut- tered, “that cuss will never be got no other way They went at it in Lie grim silent manner of ve West, wasting little me, feeling no merey, One by one happine the unconscious sleepers were oused, each waking to flad a ateel barrel pressed against his forehead. Pabing Pairbain with him, and ly reviewing late occurrences to Keith crossed over to the corral, renlizing that their work work Was not wholly dons until Hawley had been located. With this quest in mind he strode straight to. tha black-bearded giant Who had guarded Tlope from & dan What iy your name?" he asked \arply ‘Tho man looked up scowling. Hatehett,” he answered grum@fly “Weil, Hatchett, Lam going to ask You a duestion or two, and advise you o reply just about as straight as you know how. Lam inno mood to-nt for any foolishness, Where is ‘Black Hart’ Hawley? Where did he xo when ft you” ‘ort Larned." fter those fresh horses?" dn't bring them to you: I Where bas 16 been venworth.’ ‘peky and Le w do you know writ nea note t brought! Keith took the stip of pa read, ‘The note gave him a clue. He wasted little ttme upon prep- arations—a few brief words of in struction to Bristoe; a reques doctor not to leave Hope a extracting of a promise fr “Har Xmen to retur Larned with the prisons rh he roped the beat horse in the cor saddied and bridled him, and went into the cabat had burning and met him at the door » boss herder and to the the the two “I thought you would never con but they told me you were unhurt “Not @ seratch, litte girl; we have been a lucky bunch, But l have had # great deal to look after. Now | shall be obliged to ride ahead as far as the waterhole, and let you come on with the others @ little later, after you get breakfast. You can spare me a few hours, can't you?” Hlis tone Was full of good humor, and his lips smiling, yet somehow ane felt her heart sink, an inexpilcable feur finding expression in her eyes But—but why do you need to go? Couldn’t some of the others?” “There is a reason which I will ex- plain later,” he said, more gravely. “Surely you can trust me, Hope, and that J am only doing what it ns absolutely necessary for me to He bent down, and kissed ber, “It will be only for a few hours, and for worr, ood by no’ tht at the The east was gray with coming day- Las he rode plashing across the stream and up the upposite bank, Sho watched him, rubbing the blindin mist from her eyes, until horse and man became a mere dark speck, final ly fading away completely iato the dull plain of the desert. Weith rode straight forward into the sandy desolation, spurring th horse into a swift trot. After one glance backward as they clambered up the steep bank, a glanea which led Hope's slender form in the » his eyes never turned way there was only something moving; something he could concen trate his attention upon; something to rest the straining eyes! tut there was nothing, absolutely nothing just that seemingly endinss stretch of sand, elreled by the blazing rky, the wind sweeping its surfac soundless, and hot, as though from the pits of hell; no atir, wo motion, no vement of anything animate or in- animate to break the awfil monot ony. Death! Tt was death every- where! His aching eyes rested on nothing but what was typleal of ath: tven the heat waves seemed Tantastic, grotesque, assuming spec- tral forms, as though ghosts beck ind danced in the hage, lark Lon to bee one of themselves Keith was not a dreemer, nor one to yield eamily to such brain fanetes, but the ommad) delirium — of — loneliness ripped | and he had to struggle back to sanity, beating his hands upon his breast to stir anew the slug nish circulation of his blood and tells Ing to the horse In strange feverish- ness With ry atop of advance the Hrooding silence seemed more pro. found, more deathiike He rt to marking the sand ri . thelr sieht fons giving play to the drain oft to the left was the mirage of a dale varently so real that he bad battle with himself to keep from turning ssid He dropped forward in the saddle his head hanging low, so bilnded by the incessant aun glare he could no longer bear glitter of that horrible n of sand. It was noon now and he had heen riding steadily The thought brought vain to the horizon 1 he be, the man h. heart of thi solitude? 1 be here by now, If sousht in Surely he she he Nad left the water-hole at dawn Could he have longer route routh to the pomsibility of such a thing seared through him like i hot iron, driving the dulness from hia brain, the letharswy from his limbs, God, no! Pate could never play suc a ryy trick as that! The man | 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. prints of his horse across the sand tmust have been delayed; hed failed waste, Bristoe was ahead, hat brim to leave camp early a oat ned drawn low, scanning the hortson lin ahead, yonder where the blue hase censingly marked the union of sand and sky, he wan surely coming, riding naif dead Somewhere out in the midst of that and drooping in the saddle. mystery was hidden tragedy, and he Again Keith Tom in his atirrups, dreaded the knowledge of ‘1s truth. Prater eas mist eee of his eyes that jehind him Fairbain and Hope rode he might see clearer, and start i ahead. What was that ‘away out yon- tomether, their lips long since grown der? A shadow? A spot dancing be- ailent, the man ever glancing un- fore his tortured vision, or a movil easily aside at hor, the girl drooping mething that he actualy signtiy in the saddle, with pale face living eaw? He could not toll, he could not r he gure, yot he straightened up ex- snd heavy eyes. Five prisoners, pectantly, shading his eyes, and never Inshed together, the binding ropes loping sight of the object. It moved, fastened to the pommels of the two grow larger, darker, more real—yer “Bar X" men's saddles, were bunched how At cramled, crawled, crawled other, and behind all came Neb, bia It svomed as if the vague, shapeless biack face glistening in the heat. thing would never take form, never Suddenly Hriscos drew rein, and wtand out revealed against the ky poe to wo he could determine the truth, ite Tom to his full length in the stirrups, had forgotten all else-—the silent des- Shading bis eyes from the aun‘e glare, ert, the blazing sun, the burning as he stared ahead. Two motionless wind—all his soul concentrated on jj apecks were viaible—yet were that speck yonder, Suddenly it dis- iney mottoniews? or was it the heat ared—a swale in the sand probe ply—and, when It rose into view W' which seemed to yield them iain, he uttered a cry of Joy—it was movement? He drove in his spurs, horse and rider! driving his startled horae to the sum- Little by little they drew nearer Mt of a low and ridge, and again one another, two black specks in that Matted, Sesing intently forward He Vast ocean Of sand, the only moving, Wis hot Instaken —tucy ware Nolhee living things under the brazen circle Fe ag eR Oy ne dietan care of the sky. Keith wan ready now, his those riderless animals ing dere- eyes bright, the cocked revolver ect in the heart of the desert—his kripped hard in his hand. ‘The space “rot dry with fear, the eceut between them narrowed, and Hawley Wheeled, and spurred bac o saw him, caught « glimpae of the face Party, quickly resolving on & coursd ‘inder the broad hat brim, the burn- Of action, Hawley and Keith ba ing oven surveying him. With an Met; both had fallen, either dead or onth he stopped his horse, dragging Wounded. A) moment's delay now at his gun, surprised, daged, yet in- MKC cost a life; he would need Fair- stantly understanding, Keith also bain, but he must keep the girl back, halted, and across the intervening !f possible. Hut could he? = She desert the eyes of the two men met Straightened up in the saddle as he in grim deflance, The latter wet his came spurring toward them: her eyes dry lips, and spoke @hortly: wide open, one hand clutching at her “L reckon you know what this throat, yeans, Lliwley, and why | am here. Doctor,” he called oon as he We're Southerners both of us, and Was near enough, his horse circling, we settle our own personal affairs, “thar is somethin’ showin’ out yon: You've got to fight me now, man to der I'd like ter take @ look at, an’ man. reckon you better go ‘long. The rom’ up ahead yere with The eambler glanced about him and Di«wer kin Mias Wait down at hia horse, If he thought of filght it was useless, His lip curled , Sh® struck her horse, and he Lael plunged forward, bringing her face to mpt. . face with Briator Damn your talking, Keith. he re. eo ite ‘Pell me, what is it?” turned savagely, “Let's have it over 4 * bi io. i an"* with,” and spurred him horse. ‘The Bye vd & o0R | hoes De looks an seer eh drag. 0K bout, her eyes dark with horror, ring at hin rein. "One of um mont jue ow could that bet Could likely in moing to die here: perhaps’ Hriaton cast an appealing glance at Oe eet eet Fairbain, mopping his face vigor. Pan at are out of fanae, and (hs otber attempted to turn the tide. a ieee ope: Out Ct raniaer has fot Wkety—not Mkely at all—no nen) LJ Q * reason why it should be probably square just a stray horse—you stay back Without a wor hig Oyen aoe here, Miss Hope—Ben and T will find with cunning hatred, er out and let you know swans down from his saddle onto the " ghe looked at the two faces, renite- sand, hia horse interposed between ing Intuitively that they were, con him ‘and the other: eith did the coating something anne, } peering across the back — "No, I'm going,” abe erted, etifiing of his a a sob in her throat, "It would kiM “Now void, steadily, “when T me to wait here.”* count three drive your horse aide she waa off before elther might d let go--are you ready?" raise hand or volea in protest, and ‘Damn you-yves!" they could only urge their horses in “Then look out—one! two! three!" effort to overtake her, the thras plainsman struck his horse with racing forward fetlock deep in sand he quirt in his left hand, and spring Mounted upon a awifter animal Falr- a0 as to clear the flank bain forged ahead: he could see the , bis shooting arm flung two horses now plainly, thete heads ut. ‘Phere was a flash of flame acros4 upéfted, thelr ying dangling, With~ Hawley's saddle, a sharp report, and out perceiving more le knew already Keith reeled backward, dropping to what was waiting them there on the lis Knees, one hand elutching at the sand, and swore tie spurring his sind. Again Hawley fired, but tho horse m axly, forgetful of all ol ; tled by the double report, even the girl, in his tense desire te eaped », and the ball went wild, reach and touch the bodies Kelth wheeled about, xteadying bim- He had begged to do this himself, vif with his outstretched hand, and to be privileged to seek this man let drive, pressing the trigger, until, Hawley, to kill him—-but now he was t ' wp * band, his head) Jy reeing, bul bie gue bold wees _ WEXT WEEN'S COMPLETE NOVEL GH THE SEA WOLF LONOON, f trom the pad orped of Bi Beers beette oding hin oer to the chew, o* be fewere Aat oon avi eave oomwered * wt Wall—here dams him ye re in you ery it only Will yous de vieenm Hop eirip of your underaki mole bo “ Blood poimon bey Oe he ripped her akunt, hin withowt a word, ten her white resting her te vith une pray cord the splash of water, the flash of the aun on the probe, tel the hall conseious shudder wot { man, whose head her lap, the deft, quick movements of Pairbain, and Chen Thats i Uva got it--miased the tung by a hair damn me f that job you're a good girt at him, scares able to sre her eyes blinded with tears Will will he live? Oh, tell me!” She loo Live Why shouldn't he ing but a hole to ¢ do that, with now, don't you keel the rest of that skirt He bandaged the wound, od about suddenty. low's the other fellow?” “Dead,” returned Briatoe, through the heart.” “Thought #o--have seen managed to get him.” As he arose to bis feet, his red face Blistening with perspiration, and be- wan strapping his leather others rode up, and Bristoe, explain- ing the situation, eet the men to mak- ing preparations for pushing on to the water-hole, Blankets were swung between ponies, and the bodies of the dead and wounded de firm hands an the bridles. clone beside Keith, sirugsting to Boao back the tears, as she watched him lying motionleas, unconsetous, acaren- ly breathing. So, under the early glow of the desert stars, they came , to the water-hole, and halt The wounded man opesed and looked about bim unable te Prebend. At frat all was then he saw the stare 4 breath of alr fanned the fire, the ruddy glow of fame across his face. He sclousness asserted itself and struggled back {nto his bet brain The desert—the lonely of sand—his fingers gripped as if they gun—yet that was all over—he was not there—but he was somewhere—and alive, altve, It hurt hin to move, to breathe even, and after one effort to turm over he lay perfectly atill, Stara ‘up into the felt the atock of black arch of sky, 7 think, to understand—where How had he come there? Wag - ley alive also? A face bent over the features faintly visible flash of firelight. His dull eyee it up in sudden recollection. “Doc, is that you?" “Sure, old man,” the pudgy fooling his pulse, the Cee) ts Kling. “Narrow ‘squei ing to pull through all right, theyg! ~nho sign of fevet “Where am 1? was o moment's Keith finding it hard to "Hawley?" right. Say," bin voice aybe it was just as well you that job If it had been me I would have been in bad. The wounded mai tioned. “It's a bad mixup, Keith, never told us all of it. I recken he'* didn't want her to know, and she never shall, if [can help it. I've been looking over some papers in his ot-he'd likely been after them this trip--and his name ain't Hawley, Ho's Bartlett Gale, Christie's father.” Keith could not seem to grasp the poe thought “He weakly Rng eyes half-closed, I think he just found out.” A coyote darkness, ing in w ing firelight “Ts he oonseiow Fairbain drew dropp Doctor?" “hope--Hope.”” "Yes, dear, and you are ging to liva now-live fo? me" He found her hand, and held it, clasped within his own, his n "ve never told you “how much I love you." bent lower until her 1 his touc (THE END) ' READ IT ome brondy ie it Terre ete t, bold ie coer bem pa de ke Mame this, and pry owe! 1? Pye got to Ona woolen vady borden het Qomer my saddie what am extract the ball-—got to ace ber hands, benging, With Clowed eyes, uver tne whiter face bor lips trembling Oh, God! God How long he wee at he did, she scarcely knew we Up—nature’ bit of nursing—her or-give me ‘elt shoot before—I wonder how the cuss ever ‘faintly, and thus, little by Tittle, eou- ‘At the water-hole; sing you is 6 whispered at inet. "Oh, don't worry; you got him ee ee ee ee EEE eyes ques; father?” he questioned Do you suppose he knew ?"’. "No. not at first, anyhow; not at Sheridan. He waa too interested in his scheme to even suspicion he had + actually stumbled onto the real girl. ae howled somewhere in the melancholy chorus joln- th long-drawn cadence, A shadow swept into the radius of dane- ck silently and she Lon her knees at Keith's side, bending low to look into bis face. * he said softly, Jack, but you may now.”