THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE BigTown SllimnMacIeodRa v r CopvjrighV by William MacLeod CHAPTER XIII Continued. Ho made n vain circuit of the roof, then passed to tlie iiwxt house. Agnln he wnn out of luck. The ten ants had made safe the entrance against prowlers of the night. He knew that nt nny moment now the po lice might appear In pursuit of him. There was no time to lose. He crossed to the last house In the block and found himself barred out. As he rose from his knees ho heard the voices- of men clambering through tho scuttle to the roof. At the samo tlmo he saw that which brought him to Instant action. It was a rope clothes line which ran from post to post, dan gling from one corner of the building to another and back to the opposite one. No man in Manhattan's millions knew the value of a rope or could handle ono more expertly than thlB cattleman. Ills knife was open bo fore ho had reached the nearest post. Ono strong slash of the blade severed It In six long strides ho was nt tho second post unwinding the line. Ho used his knife a second time nt tho third post. With deft motions Clay worked swiftly. Ho was fastening the rope to the chimney of'tho house. Every Instant ho expected to hear a volco raised In excited discovery of him Pmlipltnil In Hlf. ulin.lit.ra TY..I IiIm I Angers were as sure and ns steady us 1 though ho had minutes before him In stead of seconds. "There's the guy over by tho chim ney." Cloy throw tho slack of the lino from tho roof. Ho had no tlnio to test tho strength of tho rope nor Its length. As the police rushed him he slid over tho edge and began to lower himself hand under hand. Tho wide caves protected him. A jnnn would have to hung out from the wall aUovo. tho ledge to Hue'Ulm. Clay's eyes were on the gutter ubiive while ho Jerk'ed his way down a foot nt n time. A face and part of a body swung out into sight. "We'vo got yuh. Come back, or I'll shoot," a voice called down. A revolver showed against the black sty. The man from Arizona did not an swer and did not stop. Ho know that .shooting from above Is an art that fow mon havo acquired. A bullet sang pufct his ear Just as he swung In and crouched on tho wlndow filll. Another ono hit tho bricks close to his head. Tho firing stopped. A pair of uni formed legs appeared dangling from the eaves. A body and a head fol lowed these. They begun to descend Jerkily. Clay took a turn at tho gun-play. Ho fired his revolver Into the air. Tho spasmodic Jerking of the blue legs abruptly ceased. "Yuh'd better give up quietly. Wo'ro boun'd to get yuh," nn ofllcer shouted from tho roof by way of parley. The cattleman did not unswor ox- ccpt by the. smushlng of glass. Ho had forced his way Into two houses within tho past hour. Ho was now busy breaking into u third. Tho window had not yielded to pressure. Therefore ho was knocking out tho glass with tho butt of his revolver. Ho crawled through tho opening Just ns some one sut up In bed with n frlghtoncd exclamation. "Who Is s s s It?" a masculino voice asked, teeth chattering. Clay had no tlmo to gratify ldlo curiosity. Ho ran through tho room,' reached tho head of tho stairs and ' went down on tho banister to tho first floor, no tied buck to tho rear of tho houso and stole out by tho kitchen door. The darkness of the alloy swallowed hUn, but ho could still hear tho shouts of the men on the robf and answering ' ono from new arrivals bolow. Flvo minutes later ho was on board n street car. no was not nt nil par ticular as to Us destination, lie want-1 ed to be nnywhere but here. This neighborhood was getting ontlroly 'too active for him. . CHAPTER IX Tho Qangman 8ee Red. exactly thirty minutes utter Clay sad left him to break Into tho houso, Johnnie lifted his volco in n loud wall for tho police. Ho had read some where that ono can never find an otfife when ho is wanted,, but tho Btitt-of-Bnshan roar of tho cowpunchcr brought thorn running from nil dlroc Sons. 'Out of tho confused explanations of the, range-rider tho first policeman to reach, him got two lucid statements. "They'ro whlte-sUTUr" a straight girl. This busher says his pal went Mi to rescue her half an hour ago and hasn't showed tip since' ho told his nates. WIth Johnnie Pi bund by Dlustrattolis by Ram they made a noisy nttaclc on tho door of Number 121. Almost Mm. ately it was opened from the Ins, Four men had come down the stall. In a headlong rush to cut off the es cape of ono who hnd outwitted and taunted them. Thoso who wanted to get In and those who wanted to get out all tried to talk at once, but as soon as the police recognized Jerry Durnnd they gavo him tho floor. "We're after u flat-worker," ex plained the ex-puglllst. "He must bo tryln' for n roof getaway." lie turned and led tho Joint forces back up tho stairs. Thugs and olllccrs surged up after him, carrying with them in their rush the Runt. He presently found himself on the roof wltb thoso engaged In a man-hunt for his friend. When Clay shattered tho window and disappeared Inside nfter his escapo from the roof, Johnnie gavo a deep sigh of relief. This gun-play got on his nerves, slnco Lindsay was the target of it. Tho bandy-legged rnnge-rldor was still trailing nlong with the party ten minutes later when Its scattered mem bers drew together In tacit admission that the hunted man hud escaped. The gung. leader was In a vile tem per. If this story reached the news papers all New York would be laugh ing at him. , Ho could appeal to tho police, havo Cloy Lindsay arrested, and get him sent up for u term on tho charge of burglary. Dut -lie could not do It without the whole talc coming out. One thing Jerry Durnnd could not stand was ridicule. Ills vanity was ono of bis outstanding qualities, and ho did not want It widely known that tho boob he had Intended to trap hnd turned tho tnblcs on him, man handled him, Jeered nt him and locked him In n room wlt,h hla three hench men. Cut Off From tho Street, Clay Took to the Roof Again. Johnnie Green choso this malapropos moment for reminding the olllccrs of tho reason for tho coming to the house. "What about tho young lady?" ho asked solicitously. Durand wheeled on him, looked him over with an Insolent, malevolent eyo, and Jerked n thumb In his direction. "Who Is this guy?" "He's tho follow tipped us off bis pal was Inside," answered ono of tho pa trolmen. Ho spoke In a whisper closo to tho ear of Jerry. "Likely ho knows moro than he lets on. Shall I nmko a pinch?" Tho eyes of the gang leader nar rowed. "So ho'fl n friend of this sen. ond-story bird, Is ho?" "Y'botchnl" chirped up Johnnie, "and I'm plumb tickled to tako his Just, too. Now, about this yero young lady" Jerry caught him hard on the side of the Jnw with short-arm Jolt, Tho rango-rider hit tho pavement hard. Slowly ho got to his feet nursing his check. "What yuh do that for, doggone it?" ho demanded rosentfully. "Me,. I wasn't lookln' for no trouble. Me, r - Durnnd leaped ut him ucross tho sidewalk. His strong fingers closed on the throat of the bow-legged puncher. Tho ofllcors pried Jerry looso from his victim with tho greatest dlfllculty. Ha tried furiously to get at bun, lunging from tho men who wcro hold ing his arms. The puncher sank helplessly against the wall. "He's cot all he can carry, Mr. Du rand," one of the bluecoats said, sooth ingly. "You don't wantta croak tho little guy. Gimme tho Word, an' ril run him In for & drunk' Jerry shook his head. "Nope. Let lilm go, Pete.' The policeman walked up to the Hunt and caught him roughly by the arm. "Move along outa here. I'd ought to pinch you, but I'm not gonna do It this time, sec? You beat It 1" Durand turned to one of his follow ers. "Tall that fellow. Find out where he's stnyln' and report" Helplessly Johnnie went staggering down tho street. Ho did not under stand why he had been treated so, but tho Instinct of self-preservation car ried him out of tho danger zone with out argument about It. Even as he wobbled nwny he was looking with un wnverlng faith to his friend to right his wrongs. Clay would fix this fel low Durand for what he had done to him. Clay did his best under the handicap of n lack of entente between him nnd the authorities to search New York for Kitty. He used the personal col umns of tho newspapers. lie got in touch with taxlcab drivers, ticket-sellers, postmen, and station guards. All the tlmo he know that in such a maze as Manhattan it would be a miracle If he found her. But miracles are made possible by miracle-workers. The Westerner was n slxty-horse-power dynamo of energy. He felt responsible for Kitty and he gave himself with single-minded devo tion to tho Job of discovering her. When Clay met Kitty at last It was quite by chance. As It happened, Bea trice was present at the time. Ho had boen giving a box party at the Empire. Tho gay little group was gathered tinder the awning outside tho foyer whilo the limousine that was to take them to Shanley's for supper was Swing called. Colin Whltford, looking out Into tho rain that pelted down, ut tered an exclnmatory "By Jove I" Clay turned to him inquiringly. "A woman was looking out of that doorway at us," he suld. "If she's not In deep water I'm a bad gucsser. I thought for a moment she know me or some one of us. She stnrtcd to reach out her hands and then shrank back." "Young or old?" asked the cnttle in nn. "Young a girl." N "Excuse me." The host was off In an Instant, almost on the run. But the woman had gone, swallowed In tho scmldnrkness of a side street. Clay followed. Beatrice turned to her father, eye brows lifted. There was a moment's awkward silence. "Mr.- Lindsay will ho back pres ently," Whltford said. "We'll get In nnd wait for him out of tho way n lit tle farther up the street." When Clay rejoined them ho talked In a low voice with Beatrice's father. The mining man nodded agreement arid Lindsay turned to the others. "I'm called nwny," he explained uloud. "Mr. Whltford hns kindly prom ised to play host In my plnce. I'm right sorry to leave, but It's urgent." His grave smile asked Beatrice to be charitable in her findings. The' eyes sho gave him were coldly hostile. He knew Beatrice did not and would not understand. Tho girl was waiting where Clay had left her, crouched against n base ment milliner's door under the shelter of tho steps. "I I've looked for you everywhere," moaned the girl. "It's been awful." "I know, but It's goln' to bo all right now, Kitty," he comforted. "You're goln' home with me tonight. Tomor row we'll talk It all over." Ho tucked an arm under hers and led her along the wet, shining street to a taxlcab. She crouched In a cor ner of the cnb, her body Bhaken with sobs. The ypung man moved closer and put n strong arm around her shoul ders. "Don't you worry, Kitty. Yore big brother Is on tho Job now." Ho knew her story now In its essen tials ns well as he did later when she wept It out to him In confession. And because sho was who sho was, born to lean on a stronger will, ho acquitted her of blame. CHAPTER X Johnnie Makes a Joke. As Kitty stepped from tho cab she was trembling violently. "Don't you bo frlghtecnd, H'l pard nor. You've como home. There won't anybody hurt you hero." Tho Arlzonan ran her up to his floor in tho automatic elovatbr. "I'vo got h friend from home stayln' with me. He's the best-hearted fellow you over saw. You'll sure llko him," he told her without stress as ho fitted his key to tho lock. In another mo ment Lindsay was Introducing her casually to tho embarrassed ,and as, tonlshcd Joint proprietor of the apart ment Tho Bunt was coatloss and In his stockinged-feet. He hnd been playing a doleful ditty on a mouth-organ. ' Caught bo unexpectedly, ho blushed a beautiful brick red to his neck. I "Heat somo water, Johnnie, and make a good stiff toddy. Miss Kitty hns been out In tho rain." He Ut tho gas-log and from his bod room brought towels, a bathrobe, pa Jamas, a sweater and woolen slippers. ( m n loungo beforo tho flro ho dumped tho clothes ho had gathered. He drew up tho easiest armchair In tho room. "I'm goln' to the kitchen to Jack up Johnnlo so ho won't lay down on his Job," ho told her cheerily. "You take yoro tlmo and get Into these dry clothes. We'll not disturb you till you knock." 'When her timid knock came her host brought In a steaming cup. "You drink this. xlt'U warm you good." ""What Is It?" sho asked shyly. "Medicine." he smiled. "Doctor's or ders." While she sipped tho toddy Johnnie brought from the kitchen a tray upon which were tea, fried potatoes, ham, eggs, and buttered tonst. The girl ate ravenously. It was nil easy guess that she had not before tnstcd food that day. Clay kept up n flow of talk, mostly about Johnnie's culinary triumphs. .Meanwhile he made up n bed on the couch. Once she looked up nt him, her thront swollen with emotion.. "You're good." "Sho I We been ncedln' a UT sister to brnce up our mnnners for us, It's lucky for us 1 found you. Now I px pect you're tlied nnd sleepy. We fixed up yore bed In here because It's warm er. You'll be able to make out with It all right. The springs are good." Clay left her "with u cheerful smile. "Turn out the light beforo you go to bed, Miss Colorado. Sleep tight. And don't you worry. You're back with old homefolks again now, you know." Tired out from tramping the streets Without food and drowsy from the toddy she had taken, Kitty fell into deep sleep undisturbed by troubled dreams. . The Runt Was Coatless and in Hla Stockinged-Feet. The cattleman knew he had found her In the nick of time. She had told him that she had no money, no room In which to sleep, no prospect of work. Everything she had except the clothes on her back hadbeen pawned to buy food nnd lodgings. But she wns young nnd resilient. When she got bnck home to the country where she be longed, time would obliterate from her mind the experiences of which she hnd been the victim. It was past midday when Kitty woke. She fbund her clothes dry. After she dressed she opened the door that led to the kitchen. Johnnie began to bustle about In preparation for her breakfast. "I'lease don't trouble. I'll eat what you've got cooked," f lje herded. ""It's no trouble, maam.Tf the's a thing on earth I enjoy doln' It's sure cookln'. Do you like yore nigs sunn; side up or turned?" "Either way. Whichever you like, Mr. Green." While she ate he waited on her so licitously. Inside, he wns a river of tears for her, but with It went a good denl of nwe. Even now, wan-eyed nnd hollow-cheeked, she was nttrnctlve. In Johnnie's lonesome life he hnd never before felt so close to n girl ns he did to this one. "I I don't like to be so much bother to you," she said. "Mnybe I enn go away this afternoon." "No, mn'nm, we won't have thnt a tnll," broke in the rnnge-rlder In alarm. "We're plumb tickled to have you here. Clay, he feels thataway too." "I could keep houso for you while I stay," she suggested timidly. "I know how to cook and the place does need clcnnlng." "Sure It docs. Say, whn's the matter with you boln' Clay's sister, Jcs' got In Inst night on the train? Tha's the story we'll put up to tho landlord If you'll gimme the word." Johnnie told the story of tho search for her, with special emphasis on the night Clay broke Into three houses In answer to her advertisement. "I never wroto It I never thought of that. It must have been " "It wus that scalawag Durand, y"betcha. I uln't still wenrln' my pin feathers none. He was sore because Clay hnd fixed his clock proper." "I've got no place to go, except back home nnd Tve got no folks there but a second cousin. She doesn't want me. I don't know what to do. If I had a woman friend some one to tell mo what was best " Johnnie slapped his hand on his knee, struck by a sudden Inspiration. "Say l Y'betohn, by Jollies, I'vo got 'er the very enol You're d n you're suro whlstlln'. We got a lady friend, Clay and me, the finest little pilgrim In New York. She's sure there when tho gong strikes. You'd love her. Ill fix It for you right away. I got to go to her houso this afternoon an' do some chores. I'U bet sho comes right over to seo you.v Kitty was doubtful. "Maybe we bet ter wait and speak to Mr. Lindsay about It," sho said. "No, mn'nm, you don't know Miss Beatrice. She's tho best frhmd. 'Why, I shouldn't wonder but thnt sho and Clay might get married ono o' these days. He thinks a lot of her." "Oh I" Kitty know Just a little more of human nature than the puncher. Then I wouldn't tell her about me If I was you. Sho wouldn't like my beln' here." "Sho I You don't know Miss Beatrice. She grades 'way up. I'll bet she likes you flue." , When Johnnie left to go to work that afternoon he todk with him n res olution to lay the whole case before Beatrice Whltford. She would flx things nil rfght. If there wns ono per son on earth Johnnie could bank on without fall it was his little boss. It was not until Johnnie had laid tho case before Miss Whltford and restat ed It under the Impression thnt sho conld not hnve understood thnt his con fidence ebbed. He hnd expected an eater interest, a quick enthusiasm. Instead, he found In his young mis tress a spirit beyond hls understand ing. Her manner had n touch of cool disdain, almost of contempt, while she listened to his tnle. She asked no questions and made no comments. What he had to tell met with chill silence. Johnnfe's guileless narrative had made clenr to her thnt Clny had brought Kitty home about midnight, hnd mixed n drink for her, nnd hnd given her his own clothes to replace her wet ones. Somehow tho cattleman's robe, pajamas nnd bedroom slippers oMruded unduly from his friend's story. Even the Bunt felt this. lie began to perceive himself n helpless medium or wrong Impressions. "I suppose you know thnt when th manager of your upartment house finds out she's there he'll send her pack ing." So Beatrice summed up when she spoke nt last. "No, ma'ani, I reckon not. You see we done told him sho Is Clay's sister Jos' got In. from the West." the punch er explained. "Oh, I see." The girl's Up curled and her clean-cut chin lifted a trifle. "You don't seem to havo overlooked any thing. No, I don't think I care to have anything to do with your arrange ments." Beatrice turned and walked swiftly Into the house. A pulse of anger was beating In her soft throat. Sho felt a sense of outrage. To Clay Lindsay she had given herself generously In spirit. She had risked something In Introduc ing him to her friends. They might hnve laughed nt him for his slight so cial lapses. They might hnve rejected him for his lack of background. Tlroy had done neither. He wns so genuine ly a man that he had won his way In stantly. Pacing up nnd down her room, little fists clenched, her soul In pnsslonnto Pacing Up and Down Her Room, Lit tle Fists Clenched, Her Soul In Pas sionate Turmoil. turmoil. Beatrice went over it all again ns she had done through n sleepless night. She hnd given him so much, nnd ho had seemed to give her even more. Hours filled with n keen-edged delight Jumped to her memory, hours that had carried her nwny from the fnlseness of social fribble to clean, wind-swept, open spaces of tho mind. And after this nfter he had tacitly recognized her claim on him ho had Insulted her before her friends by de serting his guests to go off with this hussy he had been spending weeks to search for. Not for a moment did she admit, perhaps she did not know, that an In sane Jealousy was flooding her being, thnt Irer Indignation wns bnsed on per sonal ns well as moral grounds. Some thing primitive stirred her a flare of feminine ferocity. She felt hot to the touch, an active volcano ready4 for eruption. If only sho could get a chance to strike back In a way that would hurt to wound him as deeply as ho had her I Pat to her desire came the oppor tunity. Cbiy's card was' brought In to her by Jonklns. "Tell Mr. Lindsay I!U see him in a few minutes," she told the man. The few minutes stretched to a long quarter of an hour before she descend ed. As soon as his eyes fell on her, Clay know that this pale, -slim girl In the close-fitting gown was a stranger to him. Her eyes, star-bright and burp ing like live coals, warned him that the friend whose youth had run out so eagerly t meet his was hidden deep In her today, "I reckon I owe you nnd Mr. Whlt ford nn apology," ho said. "No need to tell you how I happened to leave last night. I expect you know." "Why take the trouble? ' I think I understand." She spoke In an even, schooled voice that set him at a dis tance. "Your friend, Mr, Green, .has carefully brought mo tho details I didn't know." Clny flushed. Hor clear volco carried an edgo of scorn. ."Yon .mustn't iudfift by appenrnnces. I know you wouldn't be unfnlr. I hnd to take her homo and look nfter her." "I don't qulto see why unless, of course, you wanted to," the girl an swered, tapping the nrm of her chair with Impatient finger-tips, eyes on tho clock. "But, of course, It Isn't neces snry I should see." - Her cnvnller trcntment of him did not nffect the gentle imperturbnblllty of the westerner. . "Because I'm n white mnn, becnuso she's n little girl who enme from my country nnd can't hold her own here, because she was sick nnd chilled and stnrvlng. Do you see" now?" "No, but It doesn't mntter. I'm not the keeper of your conscience, Mr. Lindsay," she countered with hard lightness. "You're Judging mo Just tho same. If you'd let me bring her here to see you" "No. thanks." "You're unjust" "You th'nk so?" "And uiiMnd. That's not like the little friend ' I've come to-Ulko so, much." "You're kind enough for two, Mr. LIndsny. She really doesn't need an other friend so long ns she hns you," she retorted with n flash of contemptu ous eyes. "In New York we're not used to being so kind to people of her sort." Clny lifted a hand. "Stop right there, Miss Beatrice. You don't want to say anything youll be sorry for.'' "I'll say this," she cut back. "The men I know wouldn't Invito a woman to their rooms at midnight and pass her off as their sister and then ex pect people to know her. They would be kinder to themselves and to their own reputations." "Will you tell mo what else there was to do? Where could I hnve tnken her nt that time of night? Are repu table hotels open at midnight to lone women, wet and ragged, who come without baggage either alone or escort ed by a man?" "I'm not telling you what you ought o have done, Mr. -Lindsay," she an swered, with a touch of hauteur. "But since you ask me-why couldn't you have given her money and let her find a place for herself ?" "Because that wouldn't have saved her." "Oh, wouldn't it?" she retorted, dry ly. He walked over to the fireplace and put nn elbow on tho corner of the mantel. "Lemme tell you a story, Miss Bea trice," he said presently. "Mebbe It'll show you whnt-I mean. I was runnln' cattle In the Galluros five years ago and I got caught In a storm 'way up in the hills. When It rnlns In my pnrt of Arlzonn, which nln't often, It sure docs come down In sheets. The clny below the rubble on the slopes got slick as Ice. My hnwss, a young one, slipped and fell on me, clawed back to Its feet, and bolted. Well, there I was with my lnlg busted, forty miles from even a whfstlln' post Jp the desert, gettin' wetter nnd colder every blessed minute. "There wnsn't n chance In a million thnt anybody would henr, but I kept flrln' off my fohty-llve on the off hope. And Just before night a girl on n pinto enme down the side of thnt uncurried hill round a bend nnd got me. She took me to a cabin hidden in the bot tom of a canon nnd looked after me four dnys. Her father, n prospector, hnd gone to Tucson for supplies and we were alone there. She fed me, nursed me, and wulted on me. We di vided a one-room twelve-by-slxteen cabin. Understand, wo were four days alone together before her dad enme bnck, und nil tho time the sky was lettln' down a terrible lot of wa ter. When her father showed up he grinned nnd said, 'Lucky for you Myr tle heard that six-gun of yore's pop!' He never thought one evil thing about cither of us. He JuRt accepted the sit uation ns necessary. Now the ques tion Is, what ought she to have done? Left me to die on that hillside?" "Of course not. That's different," protested Beatrice, Indignantly. "You're trying to put mo In the wrong. Well, I won't hnve It. That's all. You may take your choice, Mr. Lindsay. Either send that girl away give her up have nothing to do with her, or " "Or?" "Or please don't come hero to soo me uny more." He wnlted, his eyes steadily on her. "Do you sure enough mean that, Miss Beatrice?" Her heart sank. She knew that she had gono too far, but she was too Im perious to draw back now. "Yes, that's Just what I mean." "I'm sorry. You're leavln' mo no op tion. I'm not a yellow dog. Sometimes I'm 'most a man. I'm goln' to do what I think Is right." "Of course," sho responded, lightly. "If our Ideas of what that Is differ" "They do." "It's because we've been brought up differently, I suppose." She achieved a stifled little yawn behind her hand. "You've said It" He gave It to her straight from the shoulder. "All yora life you've been pampered. When yon wanted a thing all you had to do was to reach out n hand for It Folks were born to wait on you, by yore way of It You'ra a sailed kid. Ask mo to $ara my back on a friend, and I've got fo say, 'Nothln' doln'.' And if you was Just a few years younger I'd advise yore pa to put you in yoro room and feed you bread and water for askin' It The angry color poured Into ber cheeks. Sho clenched her hands till tho nails bit her palms. "I think you're the most hateful man I ever met" she cried, passionately. TO S9 90I4TINUED