The evening world. Newspaper, July 3, 1915, Page 11

ery MCemsright, 1018, by A.C MeCivts & Co.) SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. a on x coos} whe fas a reputation . "et * to his boyhood home—the lay X Ranch—after a thirteensear absegce, Mis father is Mead, and has left in pomcation « Wetiy and apirited gitl mamed Betty Claston, 10 ee) takes an immediate dislike, By the terms of bie father's will Calumet is to have ® certain time in which to reform. If he faile to Teform the ranch and all of Marwion's wealth are © to Betty, She the completances a One night he finds fan tying stabbed not far from ti . t-doo man says his) mamilas ™ « ‘satan Indian, who was pervuaded by Taggart to help in the idol hunt. Taggart accuses Calumet of this murder and Calumet plans to escape to nother county, Betty gives him movey for his CHAPTER Xil. © (Comtinued.) | His Father’s Friend. HIS time, however, she stood t between him and the door, ne and when he tried to step around her she changed her position, so as to be al- ways in front of him. “Tell me where you are going,” ahe eald. “What do you want to Know for?” he demanded, “Just because," ehe said; “because ac) Lowant to know.” 5 His eyes lighted with a deep fire as he looked at her. She was very close fo him; he felt her warm breath; saw her bosom heave rapidly, and a strange intoxication seized him. “Bhall I tell you?" he sald, with sudden hoarseness, as though asking Dimself the question. He grasped her by the shoulders and looked closely “\.at Ber, his eyes boring, probing, as » 1) though searching for some evidence +s«/ot duplicity in hers. For an instant * woftly, eelf-accusingly. *I thought you was stringin’ me— just for a minute,” he said. “But * you're true blue, an’ I'll tell you. I'm , Soin’ fret to the Arrow to hand the arte their pass-out checks. Then ‘m hittin’ the breese to Durango. ve eat be y.@be put owt @ hand to detain him, 9° Wat he sélsed-it and pressed it to her aide, the other with it. Then his arms swept around her shoulders, she was rushed against him, and bis lips met hers. \ptnen ‘she was suddenly released, @nd he was at the door. ) © Good by,” he said as he stood in the opening, the glare of light from } the showing his face, pale, the yes iilumined with a fire that she had ‘I'm sorry it has 4 never nm in them; to end. t this _way—I was hopin’ for somethin’ different, You've made me almost a man.” Then the door closed and he was e. She stood by the table for a tes qinutes, holding tightly to it for s pport, her eyes wide from excite- ment, 4, Pad 1 pools. only have here a few minutes longer: ha i walked to The Moor and stood ni , a er eyes PES. oad mot been gone but already .he was riding the nme trail; she eaw him outlined in Abe moon ht, ing a little forward » (fa the saddi @. long, swift * nd in the trail shut in thom er and then." with @ 1) gob, eho bowed her head in her arms, t: tien, CHAPTER XIll. Neal Taggart Visits. HEN @ little later Betty heard ] hoof-beats in the ranch- house yard—the sounds of a horseman making @ leis- ‘urely approach—she left the @oor'and went out upon the porch, She knew who the horseman was; she had seen him from the window of her room when she had gone up- ~** gtairs to get the money for Calumet. ’!" fore than once she had seen the ~S sheriff coming over the hill—the same ii} upon which Calumet and Neal aggart had fought their duel—and he recognized the familiar figure. “On bis previous visits to the ranch- “© House, however, Toban had left his “gorse in the timber clump near the “house, She was not surprised, ythough, to hear him coming into the oopanch-house yard to-night, for his errand now was different. aA te STroban had evidently Intended to sich hia BORY fo the he wan diract: ’ crane een), wher he caught sight Cespe Beuy cn the porch and rode up * up?” he inquired, leaning ., dle and peering close- by) fyat Herr you look flustered. Where's * © Marston?” ‘ him, she seid Gone where?” nCforever,” she said weakly. tee intra you were after him for— r killing that man Sharp—and he ° Li raed. “Bo he got wind of aie het The Taggarts must have yigdesed about it. Marston told you, Aa het. Why. didn't you keep him ‘hero? He didn’t kill Sharp! know it,” she said; “he told me time pie’ didn't, and I believed him, He we td you ‘had a warrant for hie are tow Post; that you were coming for him, teand I'was afraid that if you met him - the range somewhere there tae Moura be shooting, I knew if I coult keep him here until you came you ten-would-be able to fix it wR some i ir fe Brove bis innocence. I was #0 gind when | ran upstairs to get some mon- 'y for him and looked out of the win- low. For you were coming. wouldn't stay.” Toban dismounted and stood in front of her, his eyes probing into hers. “I've got evidence that he didn't kill 8| deal, subtle gleam in his cyes, just as well that he's cone—he was a cap of trouble whi.o he was here anger: wasn’t he?” ne — a St him with wide eyes,‘ said with a quavering laug' are poking fun at me, too; you told me you di “I reckon I like him,” said Toban, his lips grimming; “I like him well enough not to let him pull his freight om account of the Taggarts. damn was his father’s friend, an’ I ain't seein’ here when he's janocent. did he go?” There was a wild hope in she wi sald; * went to the Arrow: n was going to kill the Taggarts. He was climbing into the saddle while talking, and at his | gave the spurs to his hors clean-limbed bay, and w: 4 cloud of dust. Betty watched him, clasped over her brea: rigid and tense, her eyes straining, *% until she gaw him vanish around the bend in the trail; and then for a long time she stood on the porch, scanning the distant horizon, in the hope that she might again seo Toban and be as- sured that nothing had happened to him. And be speck moving swiftly along a distant rise, she murmured a prayer and went into the house. When she closed the kitchen door and stood the room, dogevening sense of loss, and she real- fully how Calumet had grown into her life, and what it would mean to her if ehe lost him. mean, cruel, and vicious; but he had awakened shortcomings; he was like a boy who had had no training, who had grown wild and ungovernable, but who, be- fore it had become too late, hi awakened to the futility, the absurd- ity, the faleeness of it all, and was determined to begin anew. Btructure of self, must lift him, must give him what the world had eo far denied him—hia chance. And she sat at the table and leaned her head in her arms and prayed that Toban migbt overtake him before he reached the Arrow. For she did not want him to come back to her with the stain of their blood on his hands. 8) the table, for she heard a sound from the sitting-room, and she got => investigate. it was only a who, y ‘Toban and herself, had come to inves- tigate. his room and to bed, and kissed him when he started up the stairs, so warmly that he looked at her in sur- ise. of the place where the idol She returned to the kitchen, sitting at the table and watohing the clock. A half hour had elapsed since Toban's departure when she heard the faint ith beat of hoofs in the distance, with wildly beating heart got up and went out on the porch. For a moment she could not deter- mine the direction from which the sounds came, but presently she saw a rider approaching from the direc- tion of the river, and she stepped down from the to meet him, it was Toban returning alon she halted and stood with hands, but as the rider came closer she saw it was not Toban but an en- tire stranger. porch He was a cowboy and he rode up to the e calling enough to make himself heard. “My name's Miller,” he said, tak- ing his hat off and showing her the now” face of a man of thirty—“Harvey Miller, Me an’ my side-kicker was drivin’ a bunch of Three Bar beeves to Lasette an’ we was fools enough to run afoul of that quicksand at Double Fork, about five miles down the crick. We've bogged down about forty head an’ I've come for help. You got any men sround here?” "Oh," she said; “how careless you were! goin’ any But he "he said. “I saw the whole I reckon,” he added, a she said quickly, defiantly; She broke off a nee she ‘ou You liked him Why, it!" he added explosively; “I joking. him lose everythi er eyes; ter him? He told me breathing fa re you Fo, house, is going to get out of th Ob, Toban, catch him— on ain't been blind, on’s office have things stand be- I'll ketch him, . That black but he orse, got nothin’ it word he a strong, away in her hands » her body Tage en at last a it it, looking around was afflicted with @ He had been last to a sense of his voice. was startled while sitting at there’ But hearing the sounds made She urged him to return to Toltec, and more. wal muri rch and advanced She feared at first that We and ched She retreated to the and itched his approach. of the porch confidently, her when he came close tale al She Didn't you know the quick- funu was were /” “4h ain Whole iot,” said the puncher uneasily; “wut £ reckon even tnen | ougat to be abv to nose Out a quicksand, aian't, an’ there's forty beeves that’s to cow heaven pretty soon if somethin’ ain't done, men ar us a lift, thank you” “Of course,” she said. “Wait.” She went into the house and to the stairs, where she calied to Dade and Malcolm, and presently, rubbing thetr eyes, the two came down. They were eager to assist the puncher in his trouble and without delay they caught up the two horses that Calumet hud “that it's bought soon after his coming to the ranch, saddled and bridied them and rode out of the yard. ‘The unfortunate puncher did not ‘wait for them. When they had an- nounced their intention of helping him, he had told them that he would ride on ahead to help his partner, leaving them to follow as soon 18 they could, “I reckon you know where it is,” was his parting word to them, ble Fork. I reckon I'li know it again when I eee it,” She went to the chair in which she had previously been sitting, resting her arms on the table, but she was too nervot talks I'fe had she presently ing anxiously at the face of the clock on a ehelf in a corner, Toban had been gone a full hour and she wondered if had overtaken Calumet, or whether on my old dust- Calumet was racing ahead of him thrower, an’ I reckon that in fifteen on bis way upon the Taggarts, She was praying muteély that Toban might overtake him before thi she heard a and turned swiftly to see Neal Ta; fart standing in the doopway, grin- ning at her, The room darkened before her eyes the table to support herself, and when she finally regained control of herself she forced herself to stand erect. ‘There was a great fear in her heart, but she fought it down and faced . es some semblance of dig- saw a nity and composure. What demand Taggart’'s face wore an evil smile Before answering door behind him, left it and went to the sitting room door, peered quickly into the room and swung the door shut, barring it. the table, watching him with a sort of fascination, a little color now in her face, though she lacked epeak or to interfere with taggart's movements. When he had barred the sitting room door he came and stood beside ad the table and there was a repulsive, Insulting leer in bis face as he looked down at her. “Do you know what I came here it before him, slender and white, ibdued little figure dwarfed by his huge bulk, seemingly helpless. T'll tell you," hoarseness of deep “Me an’ my the country to-night. Arrow to-day, an’ by this time to- morrow we'll be among the missin’ In this section of jome things to be done before we pull our freight. You think you’ been damned slick about the idol— you and that male kickin’ Calumet Marston! you,” he continued with a @hort, ugly laugh; ‘fooled you clean! know this, I'm tell in’ Sharp to get the diagram didn't get it because the c! dug up any. harp he's sloped, likely figgerin’ that this country ain't healthy for him any You've got the diagram an’ I I'm goin’ to get it if I to kill you to get it! “You've as she looked around hopelessly. r charge on Calumet and we've deen in the timber for the Sheriff to come a w him hit the breeze toward the Arrow, an’ we saw the Sheriff go after him. Neither of them can be back here for hours yet, an’ when they do get back I'll hat T've set out to do.” He laughed again, harshly, trium- phantly. “Dade an’ Malcolm bothered Miller here with that fairy ut the forty beeves bogged down in Double Fork, but I merver gasped, trap he had set for her, and his grip on her hands tightene “Dade an’ Malcolm can’t got back for an hour yet,” he gloated, “an’ by that time we'll be miles away.” His voice changed from mockery to sav- age determination. gram, an’ I want it right now, or I'll tear you to pieces. been runnin’ this range @ grip ti twist ny. But 1 If you've got und here which vould The id but evil, loss, even if “Dou- he added, grimly oy vnined i “That’ Betty watched Dace and Malcolm ing!" he’s got as they rode away. From the porch hich way ghe could follow their movements un- til they travelled about a mile of the distance toward Double Fork. She saw them vanish into the wood and when she could see them no longer she turned and went into the fered her. “It t me. too excited, to #it and got up and stood, look- He throw by this time he to execute vengeance could happen when ight sound behind her seized its advance, re you doing here?” she hat do you want?” er he fastened the Retty stood beside the power to ou beast!” burning And she felt—as she had felt all Eye ile eg, peace along—even when she had seen him ye’ reached out suddenly and at his worst—that she must mother pulled her roughly over to him. She great. hits, must help him to build up a new gave a startied cry and then stood he said, the strange assion in his ad are leavin We sold the the country. But horthorn, But we've fooled Dead. He Mebbe you n’ mebbe you don't. But ‘ou. We aot Telza, the They "ain't Telza knifed Inderstand? he sneered, room fur- “We framed up a t no chan her, done what until I thought of sendin’ reckon comprehending ing firearm, “I want that dia- Do you under- “Tom,” Mr. Jones says, “when you're admitled to the bar what do you purpose doing?” “Why,” Tom replies, “t thought I'd ‘hang up my shi ‘and sce if | could dig up a law practice by fet hard fo get il.” stand? I'll beat you up so's your own mother wouldn't know oi H itened on her armas, they were until she screamed ago In this extremity her thoughts went to Calumeg she remembered vividly what he had said about the idol when she had asked bim why he did not get it and convert it into cash. “ we'd be pleased to an’t so much stuck on monkeyin’ them religious things,” had . And she was certain that if Calumet knew of her danger he would not have had hor hesitate an instant in relinquishing the diagram to Taggart. had brought him nothing way, an that Calumet would not mourn Its Taggart were to be the gainer by it, if its possession were to entail punishment, death, perhups, to m ie released her with a greedy, satis- fied grin and stood crouching and alert while she turned her back to him aud fumbled in her bodice, where she had kept the diagram since the discovery of ita former hiding place by Telza. She turned presently and guve him the paper, and he seized it eagerly and t, gloat over it. it,” he said; em, with reve at the indienity he had of- Bhe stood fant. is all you came for, you may go,” she said; “go instantly {” le jammed the paper into his pocket and grinned at her. “Tt ain't all,” he said. somethin’ for the way you've treated I'm goin’ to pay it. too much of @ lady to ¢alk to me, but you'll live here with that"—— reached suddenly out and seized her hands again, attempting to ann around her. evaded the arm and wrenched her- self free, slipping past him and dart- ing to the other side of the table. He stood opposite her, his hands on the table as he leaned toward her, grinning at her, brutally and besttally, and pausing #0 as to prolong his ¢ jJoyment of her predicament. “T'll get you!” he said; “I've got the time and you can't it.” the kerosene table and, walki: it on a@ shelf at the side of the wall, near the stove. of satisfaction and mockery, he again went to the table, seizing its edge in his hands and shoving it against her #o that she was forced to retreat from She divined instantly that he In- to force her against one of the and thus corner her, and 8) opposed her strength to his, pushi with all her power against the table in an effort to retard its advance, It was to no purpose, for he was a strong man and bis passions were aroused, and in spite of her brave struggle the table continued to move and she to retreat before it. “Oh!” she said in a panic of fear and dread, her face flushed, her cyes wide and bright, her breath coming in reat panting sobs. He did not answer. with a wanton fire; glowed with the fierce, fell purpose of animal desire; he breathed shrilly, wasp! strength that he had been compelled to use to overmatch hers had not been Ghe did not succeed in retarding the advance of the tale, but she did succeed In directing its course a little, a0 that instead of backing her agains the wall, as he no doubt intendod to do, she brought up finally against the stove in the corner. ‘There was a fire in the stove—she had kept it going to keep Calumet's supper warm—and when she felt her body against it she reached around and secured a fiatiro burned her hand, but hurled it with all her force at hin dodged, She seized another and threw it, and this he dodged also. She was reach- ing for the teakettle when he shoved the table aside and funged at her, and she dropped the kettle with a scream of horror and slipped around ‘an’ the stove to the wall near the sit- ting-room door, reaching the latter and trying frantically to unbar It. She heard Bob's voice on the other ¢ side of the doo “Betty! Betty!" in shrill, scared ac- cents, and when Taggart leaped at seizing her by the shoulders ae she worked with the fastenings of the door, she screamed to Bob to get the rifle from Malcolm's room, recting him to go out the front way, go around to the kitchen and shoot Taggart through one of the windows. Flow long she struggled with Tag- gwart there by the door she did not know. It might have been an hour or merely a minute, But she fought him, clawing at his face with her hands, biting him, kicking him. And |, she remembered that he was getting the better of her, that his breath was in her face and that he was drag. ging her toward the lamp on the shelf, evidently intending to extin- thé guish it—that he had almost reached it, was, Indeed, reaching a hand out ho to grasp it, when there came a flash from the window, the crash of break- ing glass, and the roar of an explod- She also remembered thinking that Rob had taken a desperate chance In shooting at Taggart when she was 80 cloae to him, and she had a vivid HOW TOM “WON OUT”—No. 18—The Fruits of Victory recollection of Tr is and staggering with id. she was certain tion in a ‘that's the clear- arms, where ne | She wot up, ir face flushed rigid, de! “I owe you You've been ly to her. voice nant, nd with passion. Bhe ticipation as she open. he bad help: et oul amp on thi backward, placed instant fol arms extended, eatisted Then, with a chuck! Betty, placed searchingly at her. them many times, “Oh! You beast! thought to Taggart; him was an already His eyes were they stood before y, though the would come satisfied smile. any more,” he said. smiled at him. The handle e lifted It and rd him com! him. laughing me; th derisively. ogKed down. od Taggart. he was calling, iy in it, he looked Se day when he some hours ing breath, for tol was still in asked, him, her hands on “Don't!” without uttering t @ glimpse of his floor; there was & gaping hole in his forehead and his eyes wore set and staring with an ex- ression of awful horror and aston- hment. Then the kitchen darkened, she felt the floor rising to meet her, and she knew no more. CHAPTER XIV. For the Altars of His Tribe. T HE first sound that Betty heard when consciousness began to return to her was & loud pounding at the kit- chen door, dhe had fallen to the floor just be- Death the shelf on which the lamp eat, and she raised herself on an bow and looked around. At first si did not remember what had hap- pened, and then she saw Taggart, lying face upward on the floor neat her, the frightful hole in his fore- head, and she shuddered as recollec- ickening flood came to her. Bob, dear Bob, had not failed her. trembling a breathing a prayer of thankfulness, shrinking from the Thing that lay on the floor at her feet with its horror- stricken eyes staring straight up at the ceiling, making her way to the kitchen door, for the pounding had grown louder and more 1 she could hear a voice call! But it did not seem to be Bob's it was deeper and more re: id vibrated clearly, stron, It was stra ‘familiar, though, and sl tle with a nameless an: and » fumbled at the fas. tenings of the “door and swung it It was not Bob, but Calumet, who stepped in. One of his heavy pistols was in his right hand; with the Jett her to swin, joor open, and he stood, for the first brief ing his entrance, his gazing sharply at Then, quickly, that he need cern for his enemy, he turned to both hands on her shoulders—the heavy pistol in right resting on her—she felt the warmth of the barrel as it touched the thin material of her knew then that it had been he who fired the shot that had doing of her assallant—and olging her away from him a@ little pee His face was pale, his lips stiff and white, and his eyes were alight with the wanton fire that she though now there was something added to pression—concern and thankfulness. “Lord! he sald, after a little space, during which she looked at him with a! shining eyes, She no longer gave an: 2s, struggle wit in her recollection; he had been elim- inated, destroyed, by the man who j¢ presence in the kitchen now etirred her to an emotion that she had never before experienced—by the man who had come back to her. And that was all that she had cared for—that he With a short laugh he released her and stepped over to where Taggart H jay, looking down at him with a cold, “I reckon you won't bother nobody y, the pale of his lips softening a lt want to thank you,” he “for sendin’ Toban after me. I wasn't ridin’ so fast an’ in’, I knowed who it was an’ stopped to Nave it out with He yelled that he didn't want you'd sent him after me. met Dade an’ Malcolm—we'd assed Double Fork ai So we knowed some- een, 6 but I reckon that don’t go That black horse can run. ci “I reckon he come here just to bother you,” he said. My ay told him about the diagram he went to the door, he had looked jad humiliated Taggart in her presence. The gentleness which she had seen in him before—and which she had welcomed—had disappeared; his {ips had become stiff and pale in, his tant eyes were narrowed and bri! with the old destroying fire. grew rigid and drew a w that’ the pis- and are you going “T reckon old Taggart will still be waitin’ in the timber grov. with a short, grim laugh. thi me enough, send him where I sent his coyote At that word she was close to s shoulders. P don't!" She shuddered quick, shrinking glance at | on the floor, ‘There has been encugh A COMPLETE NOVEL EACH WEEK IN THE EVENING WORLD |} releasing her trouble succeeding. the pistol shuddered aguin, leaped before, “He can’t!” sh put i in your pocket!" face. “1 re mitted, ut I'm goin’ laughed. gete very fa “You shan’t gol" little, T won't have it! If Tagi by this time he will be you he will shoot you!” with @ curious smi ‘i look, anyway.” In forts to-prevent him the threshold. She wi low him when si , his pistol at a pol latent, and gaze fell upon something out anch house, And then she saw him the kitchen. nothin’ Istening attitude, boys are comin’. 1s the ‘aggart's in the timber.” pparently @ No con- dreas and Betty was standin “Holy amoke happened ?” sentences, her eyes glowing He tried to squeoxe past pe blocking thi hmnde. seen in their ex- | rts} the clear im, wil rt. 1 him! ing nightmare Come back got he's got ru “I was bragsin’ an’ after we met Holy/ smoke!" ead of hoofs. faint beat of hoofs that distinct each second. Malcolm com! nothin’ was I come “Toban she went over to where him by the should ward the timber camp. If he did not come back without him-—— leep, the to do?” she his sobbed silently. A few he said ‘They've im goin’ to the body of a man who la) ward beside @ treshly-dug ed; “please and cast a man on his horse. and stood beside him. ws wt A New EVENING WORLD “SUCCESS MOV! —— Illustrated by WILL B, JOHNSTONE —— NEXT WEEK-—A NEW SUCCESS MOVIE ILLUSTRATING THE RULES OF “THE ROAD TO SUCCESS” “Well, how would this strike you?" fy. Jones says. “I'm beginning to get oli, and this office needs young blood, How would you like to stay in this oltice with me—as my junior?” ‘GRoTAGRE Tid, Vives Publahing Ga, (N,¥, Bvening Werle Unprepared for this wonderful offer, Tom for the moment is nonplussed. At length he manages to ‘slammer acceptance and gratitude, His “future has’ “arrived” sooner than he had dared even dream, ‘The day he gains admission to the bar finds its climax in a litle Cnner of celebration, attended by Tom, his mother, Bessie and Burton, Mr. Jones, the host, introduces Tom as “Mr. Carter of Jones & Carter, attorneys at law.” to-night,” she said. stay here!" she commanded, trying to pull him away from the dvor, but aot in much the same manner in which he had seized it in his father's of- “TF fice on the night of his return to the Lany Y—she felt the cold stovk of against her cheek and A new light had into his eyes—the suspicion that she had seen there many times ite seleed her face with his wands ff} = BY “Are you wantin’ old Taggart t away with the idol?” he demanded led. “He basn't the diagram, has he? You have just A quick embarrassment swept over him; he dropped his hands froin her in that’s right,” he ad- 0 80 over the divide, ido! or no idol.” “Hi be in the timber grovo," “he must have heara “Top ad he wouldn't stay.” “I reckon he won't be able to run away from that black horse,” he “T'll ketoh him befere he she declared, I don't want you to be shot—killed. t bas gone idden some- where over there, and when he sees “Well,” he sald, watching her face 'm_ takin’ “It's Bob,” be said; “with a rifle. And he helped the. boy, white of fuce and trembling, though with the light of stern resolution in his eyes, into ' “Bob'll watch you,"t he said, “ao's will happen to-you. Be- sides"-——- he leaned forward in a “Toban an’ I reckon what I'm in’ to do won't take me long—it down and vanished corner of the ranch house, He had scarcely gome before there was @ clatter of hoofs in the ranch house yard, a horse dashed up to the 8 edge of the porch, cume to a sliding halt and the lank figure of Toban Appeared before tho door in which She told him quickly in short, brief ith fear, into the kitchen, but she preven doorway, pushing cally against him with her , "Calumet has gone to the timber look ing—to Ligh will don't want him killed! Ge him, Toban—get him to “shucks,” said Toban, grinning; “I run plumb away from me. crossed the porch, leaped into the lo and disappeared amid a clatter Betty stood rigid in the doorway, Mstening—dreading to hear that whic! to hear—the sound of a and Taggart had met. But no sound reached her eat the direction of the timber grov heard another sound presently Dg she knew, and when they finally rode up and Dade flung himself from th@ saddic and darted to her side she was paler than at any time since her first surprise of the \t. Koeln she was forced to tell her atory. And after it wes finished, and she had watched Dade and Malcolm carry Neal Taggart from the room, Bob sat, took and led him to one of the kitchen window: there, holding him close to tace white, she stared with dreading, anxious eyes through the glass to- She would have gone out to see for herself, but she knew that sho could do nothing. th: ihe knew Mebbe that she would not want to stay at the Lazy Y any longer; she knew that She no longer weighed him in the balances of her affection as she atood there by the window, she did not crit- aly. arey his good qualities against ad. She had passed that point now. She merely wanted him. And when at Jast she saw him comin; heard his voice, she hugged Bob cl er to her, and with her face against minutes after he left the ranchhouse Calumet waa in the clear- ing in the timber grove, standing over face up- le at the edge of a mesquite clump. He was still standing there when a few min- utes later Toban came clattering up The sheriff dismounted "You i aad Calumet gavo Toban one look hen spoke shortly: Taggart,” ho said, voice; “what in bli him? I didn’t he: ‘he dead?” no shootin’! knife that was buried deop in a near the heart. » “Telsa’a,” said Calumet, as he amined the handle, “I dro) im 2 was killed.” “Correct,” said Toban; “I ea it.” He smiled at the “I was comin’ througn here tendin’ to some business an’ 1 Telza knife Sharp. I piled onto T: an’ beat him up @ little. that little copper-skinned devil’ that serub brush over ther: L warts sneakin’ up on you. was gassin’ to you 1 had o in the I sure appreciated your bo a ‘vs jor dumb brutes of the Taggaris. “After you set hi jo the an’ locked him up for Sharp.’ as he looked from Taggart to freshly dug hole, “that somebody killed Taggart. the been diggin’ for it “tT on you've get me,” sald ban, “Sharp an’ Telza an’ you the diagram. from do any diggin’ for the idol; I ki Hetty wouldn't; an’ Sharp's dead, ‘Telza’s in jail”—— pped the other night; the night Sharp and “Lord!” said Toban, in an awed izes did you do to Both kneeled over the prone figure and Calumet pointed to the huft of a the ex. it Lordy, how ia making a gesture of impotence, fight! But I aqueiched him. 1 “Don't you see?" added. “It isn't Some one comin’, thought It was one Taggart that I care about—1 ou, Of Taggarts, an’ dragged Telsa behind Lod you come, but I wasn’t Magerin’ on makin’ any explanations for my bel: around the Lazy Y¥ at that time of the night, an’ besides I saw the Tas- hile they fe knee Telaa's windpipe an’ my rifle poln' erin’ that if they tried t0 warts, in’ tl ey tri start anything I'd beat them to: it. But, aa it turned out, it wasn't nec- rtedness toward them poor the Taggartsy to walkin’ home, I took Telza to Laxetts murdezin’ kon, then,” said Calumet, a puzzled frown wrinkling his forehoad the else It was some one who knew where the idol was, too—he'd To- an’ 4 Betty is the only ones that ever saw 4 I saw you pick it up be ere Telza dropped it when | was maulin’ him. I know you didn’t now an’ There was o clatter of hoofs from the direction of the ranchhouse, oth who was coming rapidly toward the get 7 ited thunder are “Trailin’ mbush to the @ thorough examination of It. gun, But if it'll ease re. mind any, after hin. his hide, anyway!" he chucklud. my cayuse to him, ide an’ Malcolm he ide! Followed by Bernse, When they neared it they were Calumet directed them to t! would find there, and then, the ranchhouse, Bernse hesitated at the door, reckon I'll be li he said to the Sheriff. “Wait,” said the Sheriff, “I'll goin’ that way myself directly.” Calumet had preceded Toban. the lati Calume! Bob, had moved to door and was standing her emotion. Briefly, he told her what he found in the clearing. “And the i and “Telza's got it” her “Thank God!" she exclaimed voutly. he stepped across the kitchen oward 19 here but it's had He grinned at Betty. bet ter show him his dad's last bearing AB envelope of the shave oize ich had contained all of tions to Calumet. watched him while he “My Dear Son: If you receive ou will understand that by this fied for your heritage. I thank in shape I want you to marry Bat: Beller housed, with comfarts instead of privation, Tom's moter and his iuvalit father, whom Tom has eared for in his hour of su ». cagerly look forward to the frequent visils of **Tomn aunt Ue3sie,” Wer sn and daughter-in-law. The end, } tin’ out for town,” was speaking to Bernse, 00d before Betty, who, with the aitting room pale, her eyes moist and brilliant with the depth of 's gone,” he concluded, “I reckon,” came Toban's ‘ore as oor im, “that we'd better bring idol Ousiness to an end, bothered you folks a heap, sorta uneasy too. “Mebbe you'd “t reckon it'll Jet An’ I'm in an instant, and presently returned and 4, der Marston's previous communie: She passed it ov: to the latter and she and the Sheriff read, tty is satisfied that you have qual and wish I were there to shake your hand, to look into your eyes and tell you how glad I am for your sake. “As soon as you have your affairs By Hazen Conklin and as he came closer Toban crice: out in surprise, “Ed Bernse!" he you doin’ Jail 4; “what in rer" reckon you don’t need to worry none, gon, | mould sock as Pio i) 4 irt's OF in the timber an’ ie bp je removal o! 3. the man whose goog Calumet he'll Just naturally for- etc aa grianed ee Fotna. owns the horse that Calumet Marston will be glad to pay for it—he's that damned glad he's got rid of the Idol." lumet and Toban returned to the ranchhouse. met by Dade and Malcolm bearing be- tween them the body of Neal age ne he jeur- ing, telling them briefly what C4 wi Toban and Bernse, continued on to “t be As had let- the you ty in in Ai dich | NEXT WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVENING WOR The Girl Who Had No Got MARY ROBERTS RINEHART men turned to confront a horseman eye; laughed shortly and turned ee excavation, making. da St a Ae in in Se if she will have you. I fi ort is Sante wit! didn't leave Bouty alone, the iu! often. I didn’t want you to he was back of Hetty, and so told him to visit her ‘will give you what money is the bank at Las Vegas—we q it would be safer over there. asf “L want to thank you again, @o@ 7 bless you. ¥: B “So, It wag you that I hearin’ in the oflces-aightar” ne sald Yer Toban. He iio a P z Catuin also looked at nets Mle © face was 1 vs ish “I reckon I've been some tool,” he mie. nut 1 bd more than a ‘sot 9 when a, ¥ ribo eyae ah Maks sm! y. “You see, talking it ‘. Sis wa eae ity and" — : “Well,” interrupted Toban Reta a grin, “I reckon roe two will to i ane wi it any ine te yw." “ They bot wesebed, in dlence went 1 door an He halted and Necea ae whereat they both reddened. he grinned widely and was Betty stood atone side ting room door, Calumet at LX, And #0, very gently, with infinite care and they become aware of he edged toward the ki rifle in hand. Still they to notice him, ” through the door, into the reomy to the stairs, and 69 not Be contin al where they had stood stolen awé for 7, Beare, outside that warned ot | proach of Dade and ohen windeos, and hear ie whispered na was carried on “Shucka,” said Dade; “it look like Cal an’ At its bottom was a square Impres- '*"; h been blind to stealthy activities that had beem ear tied on around it. Betty turned her hea@ and t Calumet, He smiled at her—it man who has @ battle with something more. ge material ines! it was the meditates reward ¢ method of bestowlog without wre is ‘ he said, they NOUR ranted oie * jut the ally was not pared this precipitate ‘bestowal 0 and as she blushed and at the tde of her shoe from beneath the’ hem of her she looked little lke oor. had conducted a bitter war master who stood near her. “Oh,” m that Hdinr tone met kinda.” devs Malcolm agreed and they stepped to the bunkhouse door. The moonlight threw a mellow upon ain? pores of sie near @ tchen . its effulgent flood two ieteata boas and the master, who were close together—very close on the poroh. The two figures came into focus in Dade's vision. Hi back with an amused growl pare 1a Malcolm, who also ently they went the, bunkhouse, pisses: “I reckon,’ the darkness, to £9 to © to rights here. 's no tellin’ them two will get through An’ it’s been too hard them to bh» % protest from the ally. “Don't, Cal,” she said, “don’t see that Dade and Malcolm are ing us?” Bs susse gg - they're around here for any tae sheen ah this they'll see me kissin’ you plenty (THE END.) week’s reading! ' Have The Eve! ning’ World sent to your: sym address. ¢