Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

KEITH OF THE BORDER A TALE OF THE PLAINS By RANDALL PARR RH AwBbor ?f Iff LADY OF THE SOUTH." "WHEN WILDERNESS WAS UNO," etc (Oaa^right. x. C. Mo<J?%rC * Co., IMu.) They had covered tan miles of it by daybreak, their poo lea traveling heavi? ly, fttlook deep, but could advance no farther With the first tint of rose In the aaat the brooding storm burst upon them In wild desert fury, the iarna wind buffeting them back, lash tag their faces with sharp grit until thajr warn unable to bear the pa'n. The flying sand smote them In clouds, driven with the speed of bullets. In rain they lay flat, urging their ponies forward. the beasts, maddeued and blinded by the msrclless lashing of ths ?nua. refused to face ths storm. Keith, ail sons* of direction long shies lost, rolled wearily from the saddle, bur rowed ander the partial shelter of a ?and dona, and called upon Neb to follow bins. With their bands and feet they made a slight wind break, drag? ging the struggling ponies into Its protection, and burrowed themselves there, the clouds of sand skurrylng error tbem so thick as to obscure the aay. and rapidly burying them alto? gether as though Id a grave. Within an bmr thsy wore compelled to dt,7 themielves out, yet it proved partial j sweate from the pitiless lashing. The wtnd now led like unloosed demons, sad the air grew cold, adding to the ?ting of the grit, when some sudden ?ddy hurled K Into their biding place. To endeavor further travol would mann certain death, for no one could have guided a course for a hundred font through the tempest, which seem ad to sack the very breath away. To the lugitlves came this comfort?It they could not advance, theo no one ?see iwuld follow, and the storm was ?ompetely blotting out their trail. , It wee three o'clock before it died ?nfletently down for them to venture satt, Bven then the air remained full of sand, whlls constantly shifting ridges made travel difficult. Only grim necessity?ths Buffering of the ponies for water, and their own need gar soon reaching the habitation of man and acquiring food?drove them i? the early venture They must at tain the valley of the Salt Fork that night, or else perish in the desert? there remained do other choice. Ty? ing aeckerchiefs over their horses' ?yes. and lying flat thsmselves, tbey ?awcos led In pressing slowly forward, srlndlng In and out among the shift? ing dunes, with only tbs wind to guide them It was an awful trail, ".he hoofs ?taking deep in drifting sand, the struggling ponies becoming so ex? hausted that tbslr ridsrs finally dls asounted. and staggered forward on toot, leading them stumbling blindly after. Once the negro's horse dropped, and had to be lashed to Its fleet stain, once Keith's pony stum? bled and fsll od htm. hurling him face ?town Into the sand, sod he would have died there, lacking r.?:ftVient strength to lift the dsad weight, but for Neb's assistance As it was he went staggering blindly forward, bruised, and fstnt from hunger and fatigue. Neither rasa spoke; they had no breath nor energy left to waste; ewery ounce of strength seeded to be conserve 1 for the battle against na? ture. Tbey were fighting tor life; lejhttng grimly, almost hopelessly, and ?Ions About tbem night finally olosed In, black and starless, yet fortunately with a gradual dying away of the storm For sr. hour past they had been struggling on. doubtlDg their di? rer t ion. wondering dully it they were not lont aod merely drlftinc about in ? circle They hsd debated this aunroel1/ once, the ponies standing de Jsawedly. talla to tbe storm, Neb ergu hag that the wind still blew from tbe ?oartb. and Krlth contending it had shifted into tbe westwsrd The white man woa his wsy. and thsy staggered es unccrtsln. the negro grasping ths first posy's tsll to keep from being separated from bis companion. Some Instinct of tbe plains must have guid? ed tbem. for at last thsy dragged themselves out from the deaert. ths crunching sand ander foot changing Into rock, and then to short brittle gresn. at which the ponies Dibbled eag? erly. The slop* led gradually down 'ward, the anlmala scenting water, and Strugs foe ' I * ? "savins tai their &addl?a. tbe rider* let them 0fO. Md tb? . : .-vr ltOpp?4 until t.nlly 4*?*p ta tb? ?trvam. their dom? burled. "TO* men ablvered In their eaddlea. SantU. at last sstlafled, the ponies con Bleated to be forced back up the bank, rejhsre they nibbled at tbe short tufts srf herbage, but In a manner eiprea sdvs of weariness. Keith flung him ?mlf on ths ground, svery ruusole of tils body aching, his siposed flesh Btlll smarting from tbe hai: of sand through which they had dsss* 1. Ho bad not ths ?lightest conception BBS to where they were, except he knew this must be tbe Bait Fork. Ut? terly confused by the mass of shifttttg sinnen, through whose Intricacies they had somehow found psssaj*. the black nssss of the night yielded no clue as to their po'rit ad emergence The vr.' wme of wstsr ta the stream tight Suggested flat In their wandert they must hsve drtfte<l to the ea ward, and como oat much lower than had been originally Intended If co. then they might be almost directly ?outh of ''sraon t'lty. and In a section which he was totally unacquaint? ed. Oue thing was, howevei, certain ?they would be compelled to wait for daylight to ascertain the truth, and d'?cldo upon their future movements. There was another barren, sandy stretch of desolation lying between tbls Isolated valley and that of tbe Canadian, and their horses would never stand to be pushed forward without both rest and food. As to themselves?they had eaten their last crumb long since, but this was not the first time both had known starva? tion. Keith arose reluctantly, and remov? ed the saddles from the animals, hob? bling them so tbey could grase at will. Neb was propped up beneath an out-cropping of the bank, which partly protected blra from the wind, a mere hulk of a shadow. Keith could not tell whether he slept or not, but made no effort to disturb him. A moment he stared vacantly about Into the black silence, and then lay down, pil? lowing his head upon s saddle. He found It Impossible to sleep, the chill of the wind causing him to turn and twist, hi Tain search after comfort, while unsppessed hunger gnawed In? cessantly. His eyes ran god about over the dull gloom of the skies until they fell sgaln to the earth level, and then he suddenly set up, half believing him? self In s dream?down the stream, bow far sway he could not Judgo, there gleamed s steady, yellowish light. It was ro flicker of s camp fire, yet re? mained stationary. Surely no star could be so low and lsrge; nor did be recall any with that peculiarity of color. If such s miracle was posslbls In the heart of that sandy desert he would have sworn It was a lamp shin? ing through s window. But he bad never heard of any settler on the Suit Fork, and almost lsughed at the thought, believing for the Instant his brain played him some elfish trick. Tet that light was no Illusion; he rub? bed his eyes, only to see It more clear ly. convinced now of its reality. He strode hastily across, snd shook Neb Into Kami-consciousness, dragging him bodily up the bank and pointing down the stream. "Do yon see that?" he Inquired anx? iously. There, straight ahead of you?" The negro stared, shaking with cold, and scarcely able to stand alone. "Maybe It am de moon, Masse Jack," be muttered, thickly, "or s goblln't lantern. Lawd, I don't Jest like de looks ob dst tin*." "Well. I do," snd Keith lsughed un? easily at the negro's fears. "All I wanted to know was If you saw what I saw. That's s lamp shining through a window. Neb. What In heaven's name It can be doing here I sm un? able to guess, but I'm going to find out. It means shelter and food, boy, even II we have to fight for It. Come on, tbe horses are safe, snd we'll discover whst Is behind that light yonder." CHAPTER VIII. The Wilderness Cabin. The light was considerably farther sway than they had at first supposed, and as they advanced steadily toward It. the nature of the ground rapidly changed, becoming irregular, and lit? tered with low growing shrubs. In the darkness they stumbled over out cropplngs of rock, and after a fall or two, were compelled to move forward with extreme caution. But the mys ferious yellow glow continually beck oned. and with ne? hope animating the hearts of both men, they staggered jn, nerving themselves to the effort, snd following closely along the bank of the Btrea n. At last they arrived where thev could perceive dimly something of the nsture of this unexpected desert oasis. The light shone fo?f.h, piercing tbo light, through the uncurtained window if a log cabin, whleh would otherwise !isve been completely concealed from view |f s sroup of low growing cot ronaoods. This was all the biacs. en mroudlng night revealed, and even i.hls was merely made apparent by the yellow Illumination of the window The cabin stood upon an Island, a strip of sand, partially covered by wa ter, separating It from the north shor on which they stood. There was no sign of life about the hut, other than tits burning lamp, but that alone ww sufficient evidence of occupmcy. In iptte of hunger, and urgent need, Keith hesitated, uncertain as to what they might be called upon to face Who could be living In this out-of-the-way spot, in the heart of this Inhospitable desert? It would be no cattle out post surely, for there was no surround ing grazing land, while surely no pro fesftlonal bunter would choose such a barren spot for headquarters. Either s hermit, anxious to escape all Inter? course with humanity, or some outlaw "~~ Pmm?m ?ere?t. would be NfcOJN to select so Isolated s piece tn w Ich to Mvs To them it would be Ideal. Away from all trails, where not eren widely rorlns cattlemen would penetrate, ui mldat of a deaert avoUe?! by Indian" bectUM of IwlcM of a-ame-a maxi iul?i t hide here year after year without danger of discovery Tet such a one would not be likely to welcome their coming, and they were without arms. But Keith was not a man to hesltato long because of possible danger, and he stepped down Into the shallow wa ter. "Corns on, Neb." he commanded, "snd we'll find out who lives here." The window faced the west, and he came up the low bunk to where the door fronted the north In Intense darkness. Under tbe shadow of the SOttogWOOdl ho oould see nothing, groping hie way, with bands intended. Hin foot struck a flat stone, and he Slanged forwaF0\ striking the unlatch? ed dour mj heavily us to swing It end fell purthtily forward Into I t room. As he struggled to his lui-< s, Noh n black fs< e peering past I In ItttO Um ttgfcti i Interiori ho ?? sd to pet celve tn on? swift, comprchemllvsj glance, ?very revealed detail. A lamp j burned on a rudely constructed set of ( drawers near the window, and a wood lire blazed redly in a stone fireplace I pposlte, the yellow and red lights b ending in a peculiar glow of col< r. I nder this radiance were revealed the rough log walls plastered with yellow clay, and hung about with the skins of wild animals, a roughly made table, bare except for a book lying upon it, and a few ordinary appearing boxes, evidently utilized as seats, together with a barrel cut so aa to mako a com? fortable chair. In tbe back wall was a door, partially open, apparently leading into a second room. That waa all, except the woman. Keith must have perceived all these in that first hurried glance, for they i were ever after closely associated to? gether in his mind, yet at the moment he possessed no clear thought of any? thing except her. She stood directly behind the table, whtre she must have sprung hastily at the first sound of their approach, clutching at the rude mantel above the fireplace, and staring toward him, her face white, her breath coming In sobs. At first he thought the vision a dream, a delirium bort? from his long struggle; he could not conceive the possibility of such a pres? ence In this lonely place, and stagger? ing to his feet, gazed wldly, dumbly at the slender, gray clad figure, the al? most girlish face under the shadowing dark hair, expecting the marvellous vision to vanish. Surely this could not bo real! A woman, and such a woman as this here, and alone, of all places! He staggered from weakness, almost terror, and grasped tbe table to hold himself erect The rising wind came swirling in through the open door, causing the fire to send forth spirals of smoke, and he turned, dragging the dazed negro within, and snapping the latch behind him. When he glanced around again he fully be? lieved the vision confronting him would have vanished. But no! there she yet remained, those wide-open, frightened brown eyes, with long lash? es half hiding their depths, looking di? rectly Into his own; only now she had slightly changed her posture, leaning toward him across the table. Like a flash he comprehended that this was reality?flesh and blood?and, with the swift instinct of a gentleman, his numbed, nerveless fingers Jerked oil his hat, and he bowed bareheaded be? fore her. i "Pardon me," he said, Unding his voice with difficulty. "I fell over the step, but?but I didn't expect to find a woman here." He hear] bur quick breathing, mark? ed a slight change in the expression oi tbe dark eyes, and caught the glitter of the firelight on a revolver in her lowered hand. "What did you expect to find?" "I hardly knew," he explained lame? ly; "we stumbled on this hut by acci? dent. I didn't know there waa a cabin In all this valley." "Then you are rot here for any purpose? to meet with any one?" "No; we were lost, and had gone into camp up above, when we discov? ered your light" "Where do you come from?" Keith hesitated Just an Instant, yet falsehood was never easy for him, and he saw no occasion for any deceit now. "Crrson City." "What brought you here?" "We started for the 'Har X' ranch down below, on the Canadian; got cnught in a sand storm, gad then Just drifted. I do not know within twenty' miles of where we are." She drew a deep breath of uncon eeuled relief, "Are you alone?" "The negro and I?yes; and you haven't tho 6lirhtest reason to be afraid of us?we're square." She looked at him searchlngly, and something in Kelth'B cleun-cut face seemed to bring reass'irauce, confi? dence In the man. "I am not afraid," she answered, coming toward him around the short teble. "Only It Is so lonely here, snd you startled me. bursting in without warning. But you look all right, and I am going to believe your story. What Is your name?" "Keith?Jack Keith." "A cowman?" "A little of everything. I reckon," e touch of returning bitterness In the tone. "A plaiusman, who has punched cattle, but my last Job was govern? ment scout." "You look though you might be more than that" she said slowly. The man flushed, his Hps pressing tightly together. "Well, I?I may have been," he con? fessed unwillingly. 'T started out all r1?rM. b"* ?e.*eebOW T reckon T Just went adrift. If s a habit In this coun? try." Apparently those first words of com? ment bad left her lips unthinkingly, for she made no attempt to reply; merely stood there directly facing him. her clear eyes gazing frankly into hla own. He seemed to actually see her now for the nrst time, fairly?a sup? ple, slender figure, simply dressed* with wonderfully expresBlvc brown eyes, a perfect health of dark hair, a clear complexion with sllgit olive tinge to it, a strong, intelligent face, not strictly beautiful, yet strangely attractive, the forehead low and broad, the note straight, the llpfi full and In? clined to smile. Suddenly a vague re? membrance brought recognition. "Why. I know you now." "Indeed?" tho tdngle word a note of undlagulshcd surprise. "Yen; I tAOUgh! yon looked oddly familiar all the time, but couldn't for the life of me connect up. You're Christi? Mndnlre." "Arn I'" her eyes filled with curi oslf "Of course >ou are. You needn't bo timid of me if yon want It kept secret, hut I know you Just the same. Raw foil at the 'Gaiety* In I ndepen flennt, maybe two months ago. i went three time.*, mostly on your uccount. you've got a great act, and you can. eing too." She etood in silence, still looking fixedly at htm, her bosom rising and j fahing, her lips parted as if to speak. Apparently sho did not know what to do, how to act, and was thinking swiftly. "Mr. Keith," she said, at last in de? cision, "I am going to ask you to blot that all out?to forget that you even Buppect me of being Christie Maclatre, of the Gaiety." "Why, certainly; but would you ex? plain?" "There Is little enough to explain. It ts sufficient that I am here alone with you. Whether I wish to or not, I am , compelled to trust myself to your pro? j tection. You may call me Christie Madeira, or anything else you please; j you may even think me unworthy re? spect but you possess the face of a i gentleman, and as Buer I am going to trust you?I must trust you. Will you | accept my confidence on thesg terns V Keith did not smile, nor move. Weak from hunger and fatigue, he leaned wearily against the walL Nevertheless that simple, womanly ap? peal awoke all that was strong and sacrificing within him, although her j words were so unexpected that, for the moment he failed to realize their full purport Finally he straightened up. "I?I accept any terms you desire," he gasped weakly, "if?If you will only give one return." j "One return??what?" "Food; we have eaten nothing /or sixty hours." Her face, which had been so white, flushed to the hair, her dark eyes soft? ening, j "Why, of course; sit down. I ought to have known from your face. There Is plenty here?such as it is?only you must wait a moment" I CHAPTER IX. The Qlrl of the Cabin. He saw Neb drop down before ths blazing fireplace, and curl up like a tired dog, and observed her take the lamp, open the door into the other room a trifle, and slip silently out ol Eight He remembered staring vaguely about the little room, still illumined by the flames, only half comprehending and then the reaction from his des? perate struggle with the elements overcame all resolution, and be drop? ped his head forward on the table, and lost consciousness. Her hand upon his shoulder aroused him, startled i! to wakofulnesB, yet be scarcely real* iced the situation. "I have placed food for tho n- gro beside him," she said quietly, and for tbe first time Keith detected tie soft blur in her speech. "You are from the South!" he ex? claimed, as though it was a discovery. "Yes?and your "My boyhood began in Virginia? the negro was an old-time n ave la our family." She glanced across at the oiack, now Bitting up and eating voraciously. "I thought he had once been a slave; one can easily tell that. I did not ask him to sit here because, if yen do not object we will eat here together. I have also b^en ilmost as long without food. It was so lone? ly here, and?and I hardly understood my situation?and I simply could not force mvpe'f to ?at" Hp di?-*ti-i?ulsru'd her words clearly enough, although she inokc low, &a if ?ho preferred what was bald between tbem should not reach tho ears of tho nep:te, yet somehow, for the moment, they made no adequate Impressiou on him. Like a famished wolf he b.'gan cn the coarse fare, and for ten min? utes hardly lifted his head. Thon his *;yes chanced to meet hers across the narrow table, and Instantly the gen? tleman reawoke to life. "I have been a perfect brute," he ac? knowledge frankly, "with no thought except for myself. Hunger was ray master, and I ask your forgiveness, Miss Maclaire." Her eyes ?mlled. "I am bo very glad to have any one here? any one?in whom I feel even a little confidence?that nothing else greatly matters. Can you both eat, and listen?" Keith nodded, his eyes full of inter? est, searching her face. "Whoever I may be, Mr. Keith, and really that Beems only of small im? portance, I came to Fort I,arne 1 seek? ing some trace of my only brother, whom we last heard from there, where he had fallen Into evil companionship. On the stage trip I was fortunate enough to form an acquaintance with a man who told me he knew where I could meet Fred, but that the boy was hiding because of some trouble he had lately gotten into, and that I should have to proceed very carefully so as not to lead the officers to dis? cover his whereabouts. This frentle r>iHii whj* pnRni?od In sonic bimlncss at Carson City, but he employed a man to bring nie to this place, and prom? ised to get Fred, and meet me here the following day. There must have been some failure in the plans, for I have been here entirely alone now for three days, It has been very lonesome, and ? and I'vo been a little fright tied. Perhaps I ought not to have come, and I am not certain what kind of a place this is. I was so afraid when you came, but I am not afraid now." "You have do need to be," he said soberly, Impressed by the innocent rnndor of tbe girl, and feeling thank? ful thai he wai present to aid her. "I could not wrong one of the South '* ? \i\ father always told me I could tr-r^i :i South? i n gentleman und? r any circumstances. Mr. Hawley was from mj own Ktat*', and knew many of our old friends That was whj I f?Mt Buch unusual confidence In him, although he was but ;i traveling aenualntai.ee." "Mr Hawley?" ?'The >:? Dtleman whom I met on the Stage." M1?I Accept ,^ny Terms You Desire.* "Oh, yes; ynu saM he was in busi? ness in Carsoi City, but i don't seem to remember any one of that name." "He was n 3t there permanently; onlv to comphte some business deal." "And your b -other? I may possibly hr.ve known h m." She hesitated an Instant, her eyes dropping, unti completely shaded by the long lashe I. "He?he wai rather a wild boy, and rnn away fron home to enlist in the army But he get Into a bad set. and ??and deserter. Thet was part of the trouble which ;aused him to hide. He enlisted under the narao of Fred Wil loughby. Mr. Hawiey told me this much, but I a!i afraid he did not tell me all." "And he sali \ou would meet him here?" Keith gaze( about the bare sur? roundings w< nderingly. What was this place, hidden away in the midst of the desert, solated in a spot where not even India is roamed. Could it be j a secret ren lezvous of crime, the I headquarters )f desperadoes, of cat- ; tie rustlers, of the highwaymen of the Bants Fe Trai ?a point to which they ,' could ride when hard pressed, cer? tain of hiding here in safety? He be? gan to suspec t this, but, if so, who then was this Hawiey, and with what object had he sent this girl here? Every way he turned was to confront mystery, to i& e a new puzzle. What? ever she mig it be?even the music hall singer he believed?she had been inveigled here Innocently enough. Kven now she possessed only the most TagUfl suspicloi that she had been de? ceived. The center of the whole plot, if there was plot, must be Hawiey. "Yes," she r plied, "he f aid that this was one of thf stations of a big ranch on which Fred was employed, and that he would cert ilnly be here within a day or two." "You iuot 1 lawley on the stase coach? How d d you become acquaint? ed?" "We were i lone for nearly fifty miles," her vclce faltering slightly, "gl '1- and he i ailed me what you did." "Christie Msclalre?" "Yes; he?te seemed to think he tmew me, and i needed help so much that I let him believe so. i thought it could do nr harm, and then, when i found he act) ally knew Fred, I did it think cf anytl Ing else, only how for? tunate i was t( thus meet htm. Surely something serious must have happen? ed r be would have bean here before thl?. Po you--do you suppose there la iytl Ing wr mg?" Keith did I ot smile nor change posture. The :aore he delved Into the n liter, the m >re serious he felt the situation to b). He knew all those ranches lying south on the Canadian, gnd was swar?i that this was no out Station. No c ittle ever came across thai Bandy desert unices driven by rustlers, and ro honest purpose could account for tris isolated hut. There had been frequent robberies along the trail, and he md overheard tales of mysterious disappearances in both Larned and Csrson City. Could it be thst he had d>w, accidentally, stum? bled ui on the rendezvous of the gang? He whs not. a nan easily startled, but this- ttought i -ni his benrt beating. ; He knew enou?;h to realise wbai such a gang won ?' nnt r '*? *.- i??t of? deserters. * . ?? ?\ r - ; both In? dians snd ;' bt combined under some desperate leadership. Gas ing Into the gii l's questioning eyes he could scarcely refrain from blurting out all he susp Kited. Yet why should he? What go >d could It do? He could not hope to bear her south to the "Bar X" lanch, for the ponies were already t >o thoroughly exhaust? ed f)T such a journey; he dared not turn north wit i her, for that would mean his own arrest, leaving her in worse condltlor than ever. If he only knew who thin man Hawiey was, hla purpose, and ilans! Yet what pro? tection could h? and Neb prove, alone here, and wit lout arms? All thla flashed through his mind In an instant, leaving him coi fused and uncertain, i "I hope not," he managed to say in answer to her q.iery. "But It is rather a strango mlx-u > all around, and i con? fess i fall to comprehend its full meaning. It h hardly llkoly your friends will sh< w up tO-nlght, and by morning oerhais wc can decide what is best to <!o Let me Wx>k Bround outside a momi nt. Her eyes folk wed him as he stepped through the do >r Into the darkn s; then her head dropped Into the sup? porl of her han Is. There was silence except for the crackling of tbe Are, until Neb moved uneasily. At the sound the girl looked up, string clear? ly the good n.-.ti red lace of the negro "Yo* don't uel her need cry, Missus," he said soberl), "so long as Massa Jack done 'gree 1 to look after yo'." "Have have rOU known hlin long?" "Has I knowtd him long, honey? Bbber Bence bofo' de ^iIl Why i done knowed : lui<sa ^Bhlini he want moren aat high. l>awd, he sho' was a lively youngster, but mighty rjood heart? d to us niggers." She hesitated to question a servant, and yet felt she must uncover the truth. "Who is he? Is he all he claims to be?a Virginia gentleman?" All the loyalty and priue of c'avery days was in Neb. "He sho' am, Missus; dar ain't nuth ln' higher in oV Virginia dan de Keiths. Dey ain't got much money tence the Yankees come down dar, but dey's quality folks jest de same. I was done born on de ol' Co'nel's plantation, and I reclt'n dar wan't no finer man ebber libed. He was done killed in de wah. An' Massa Jack he was a captain; he rode on hossback, an' Lawdy, but he did look scrumptu ous when he first got hid uniform. He done fought all through do wah, an' dey say Ginral Lee done shook hands wid him, an' said bow proud he was ter know him. You kin suU'nlv tie to Massa .lack. Missus." He Flung Both Coat and Hat Down With the Intention of Remaining. The negro's voice had scarcely ceas? ed when Keith came in again, closing the door securely behind him. "All quiet outside," he announced, speaking with new confidence. "I wanted to get an understanding of the surro indings in case of emergency," he explained, as if in answer to the 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 a log stable back of the house. Is the creek ford able both ways?" i think so; the man who brought me here rode away south." "And are you going to trust your? self to my care?" She came around the table with hands extended. He took them into his gra^-p. looking down into her eyes. "Yes." she said softly, "I am going to trust yen. 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 dene tol' her who de Keiths was down in ol' Virginia, Bah," burst in Neb indignantly. "I sho' don't want nobody to think 1 go trapsin' 'round wld any low white trash." The gray eyes and the brown, gaz? in- into one another, smiled with un? derstanding. "Oh, well." Keith acknowledged, genially, "I cannot say I am sorry you knew something of my past glo? ries: if one can't have a future, i' is some source of pride to have a past to remember. But now about the pres? ent. We're not much protection to any one. the way we're fixed, as we are unarm* d." "There is a big revolver hanging in a holster in the other room," she an l we red, "and a short, sawed-off gun of pome kind, but 1 don't know about ?mmnntttou." "May we Investigate?" ????*( -t certainly," and she threw o?r tv. |f? rvenlng door. As the f"\ ? I into the other npartmont ' . lamp in aid of their search. "There is the revolver on the wall, and the gun Is in the opposite corner. Isn't it strange you should be out in this country without arms?" Keith glanced up, the revolver in his hands. The radiance of the light was full upon her face, revealing the clearness of her skin, the dark shad? ows of her lashes. There was the faintest tinge of suspicion to tho que* tion, but he answered easily. "We left Carson in something of a hurry. I'll tell you the story to-mor? row." CHAPTER X. Mr. Hawley Revcalt Himself. A fragment of candle, stuck tightly into the neck of an empty bottle, ap? peared on a low phelf, and Keith light? ed It, the girl returning the lamp to Its former position on the front room table. Investigation revealed a dozen cartridges Utting the revolver, but no ammunition %*as discovered adapted to the sawed-off gun, which Neb' had already appropriated, and was drag? ging about with him, peering into ?ach black corner in anxious search. The t\vo were still busily employed at this, when to their ears, through th*? stillness of the night, there came the uni ipected noise of splashing in the water without, and then the sound of i' horse BtUl Ming as he Ptmck the bank. Quick as a flash Keith closed the Intervening door, extinguished the dim flame of the candle, nnd grasping tho startled negro's arm, hushed him into silence. Crouching close behind tho door, through a crack of which the light streamed, yielding slight view of the Continued en page seven.