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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 2, 1918)
RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF 16 It r. J h I )! li m , ! 'Tf iiili'l i nil' rr l'"iiMi'" ii ''T-J-Jn YUKON TPAIL XS yKtH 7T n& 7hxc Copyright, 1107, by CHAPTER XXIII. -13 Holt Free His Mind. Macdonald whirled In his tracks. Old Old Holt wnB leaning on his el bow with his head out of tho win dow. "You better como and beat mo up first, Mac," ho Jeered. "I'm all fltovo up with n busted lulg, so you can wallop mo good. I'd como out there, but I'm too crippled to move." "You're not too crippled to go back to Kuslnk with me. If you can't walk, you'll rldo. But back you go." "" -J'Blao. I been worrying about how to get there. It's right good of you to bring one of these hero taxis for me, as tho old sayln' Is." "Whero liavo you cached tho gold you stole?" "I nln't seen tho latest papers, Mac. What Is this stuff about robbln' n bank nd shootln' Milton?" "You'ro under arrest for robbery and murder." "Am I? Unload tho particulars. When did I do It nil?" "Yon know when. Just beforo you left town." Holt shook his hcad slowly. "No, sir. I enn't socm to remember It. Suro It nln't somo ono else you're thinking about? Ilowconio you to fix on me as ono of tho bold.bnd bandits?" "Because you had not sense enough to cover your tracks. You might Just (is well have left a noto saying you did It First, you como to town and buy one of the fastest dog teams In Alaska. Why?" "Thnt's an easy one. I bought that team to win tho AInskn sweepstakes from you. And I'm goln' to do It. Tho team wasn't handled right or It would novo won last time. I got to mullln' It over nnd figured thnt old Old Holt was tho dog puncher thnt could land those huskies In front. Sco?" "You bought It to mnko youc get away after the robbery," retorted Mnc donald. "It's a dlffcrenco of opinion makes horeo races. What elso havo you got against us?" "Wo found In your room ono of tho acks thnt hnd held tho gold you took from tho bank." "That's right. I took It from tho bank In tho nftcrnoon, where I had hnd It on deposit, to pny for tho tenm I bought. Milton's books will show thnt. But you didn't find any snek I took when your bank was robbed If It wns robbed," added tho old man signifi cantly. "Of course, I knew you would hnvo an alibi. Have you got ono to explain why you left town so suddenly the night the bank was robbed? Milton was killed after midnight. Beforo morning you nnd your friend Elliot routed out Ackroyd nnd bought n lot of supplies from him for a hurry-up trip. You slipped around to tho corral and hit tho trail right Into tho blizzard. Will you tell mo why you wcro In such a hurry to get nwny, If It wasn't to es cape from tho town whero you had murdered n decent old fellow who novcr had harmed n soul?" "Suro I'll tell you." Tho black eyes of tho little man snapped eagerly. "I enmo so p. d. q. because that sldo pard ner of mine Gordon Elliot wouldn't let mo wait till mornln'. Ho had n reason for lenvln' town thnt wouldn't wnlt 0 minute, ono big enough to drlvo him right Into tho heart of tho blizzard. Me, I tagged nlong." "I enn guess his reason," Jeered the Scotsman. "But I'd Uko to hear you put n name to it." Holt grinned maliciously nnd wnved a hnnd townrd tho girl who wns pillow ing tho hend of her lover. "Tho nnme of his renson Is Shcbn O'Neill, but It's to bo Shcbn Elliot soon, looks like." "You mean" Tho Httlo miner took tho words tri umphantly out of his mouth. He lenned forwnrd and threw them Into tho face of tho man ho hated. "I mean that while you was dancln nnd phllnn derln' with other women, Gordon Elliot was buckln' n bllzznrd to snvo tho life of tho girl you both claimed to love. Ho was mushln' Into fifty miles of frozen hell whllo you was flllln' up with potted grouso nnd champagne. Simultaneous with the lamo gooso and tho monkey slnglcstep you wns doln', this lad was wlndjnmmln' through whlto drifts. Ho beat you at your own game, man. You'ro a bear for tho outdoor stuff, they tell me. You chew up n blizzard for hrenkfnst nnd throttle a pnek of wolves to work up in appctlto for dinner. It's your spe cialty. All right. Take your hat off to thnt chechncko who has Just whaled you blind. Ho has outgamed you, Col by Macdonald. You don't run In his class. I see ho Is holding his hald up again. Give him another half-hour and he'll bo rendy to go to tho mat with you again." Tho big Alaskan pushed nwny a fenr thnt hnd bee;) lingering In his mind ever since ho had stumbled on that body burled In tho snow, yestcrdny nfter noon. Wns his enemy going to escape him, after nil? Could Holt be telling tho true renson why they had left town nvurn?' x7nTm)rtixir William MncLfod Kala. so hurriedly? Ho would not let him self bcllovo it "You ought to work up a better story than that," ho said contemptuously. "You enn throw n husky through the holes In It. How could Elliot know, for Instance that Miss O'Neill was not sa fo?" "Tho snmo wny you could n' known It," snapped old Gideon. "Ho phoned 10 Hmmi's cronsln' nnd found tho stago hndn't go't In nnd thnt thcro was n whnlo of n storm up In tho hills." Mncdonnld set his face. "You're lying to mo. You stumbled over tho stage whllo you wero making your get nwny. Now you'ro playing It for an nllbl." Elliot hnd risen. Shcbn stood beside him, her hand In his. Sho spoko quietly. "It's tho truth. Bellevo it or not ns you plense. Wo enro nothing nbout thnt." Tho stab of her eyes, tho cnrrlngo of tho slim, pliant figuro with Its sugges tion of fine gallantry, challenged her former lover to do his worst. On the bnttered fnco of Gordon wns n emllc. So long ns his Irish sweet henrt stood by him ho did not enro If ho wero charged with high treason. It wns worth nil It cost to feel the wnrmth of her brnvo, Impulsive trust. The deep-set eyes of Mncdonnld clinched with those of his rlvnl. "You cached the rest of the gold, I suppose," ne sniu uoggemy. With n lilt of his shoulders the younger mnn nnswercd lightly: "Thcro nre none so blind ns those who will not see, Mr. Mncdonnld." no turned to Shcbn. "Como. Wo must mnko hrenk fnst." "You're going to Kuslnk with me," his enemy snld bluntly. "After we hnvo eaten, Mr. Mncdon nld," returned Elliot with nn Ironic bow. "Perhaps, If you havo not had breakfast yet, you will Join us." "Wo start In hnlf nn hour," nn nouneed the mine-owner curtly, nnd ho turned on his heel. Tho rldo lay where Shebn hnd dropped It when sho ran to gather her stricken lover Into her nrmB. Mncdon nld picked It up nnd strode over tho brow ot tho without n bnckwnnl look, no wns too proud to stay nnd watch them. It was Impossible to es cape him In tho deep snow thnt filled tho hill trails, nnd he wns convinced they would nttempt nothing of tho kind. The Scotsman felt for tho first time In his Ilfo old nnd spent. Under tre mendous difficulty ho hnd mushed for two days and hnd nt Inst run his men down. The lust of vengennco hnd sat on his shoulders every mllo of tho wny nnd had driven him feverishly for ward. But tho snlt thnt hnd lent n savor to his passion wns gone. Even though he won, ho lost. For Shebn had gone over to tho enemy. With the flerco willfulness of his temperament he tried to tread under foot his doubts about the guilt of nolt and Elliot. Success hnd mado him nrrognnt nnd ho wns not n good loser. -m--c.n Sheba Had Gone Over to the Enemy. no hnted the mnn who had robbed him of Sheba, but he could not escape re specting him. Elliot had fought until he had been hammered down Into un consciousness and ho had crawled to his feet nnd stood erect with tho smllo of the uneonqucred on hh lips. Wns this tho sort of man to murder In cold blood u kindly old gentleman who had never harmed him? Tho only answer Mncdonnld found wns that Milton hnd taken him nnd his partner by surprise, They had been driven to shoot tho cashier to cover up their crlmo. Perhaps Holt or another bad fired the nctual shots, but -- .! M mi. " I Lit " l- Jt. J Jttnr Elliot wns nono tlic less guilty. The licurt of the Scotsman wns bltlcr within lilm. Ho Intended to seo that his enemies paid to tlic Inst ounce IIo would hurry thctn to the gallows If money nml Influcnco could do It Nono the less, his doubts persisted. If tliey had planned the hnnk robbery, why did they wait so long to buy sup plies for their escape? Why hnd they not taken tho river Instead of the hill trail? The story that his enemies told hung together. It had tho ring of truth. Tho facts supported It. One pleco of evidence In their favor Mncdonnld nlono knew. It lay burled In the deep snows of tho hills. Ho shut his strong teeth In tho firm re solvo that It should stay there. Tho weather hnd moderated a good deal, but tho trail was a protected forest one. Tho two teams now going down hnd como up, eo that the path was pneked fairly hard nnd smooth. Holt lay propped on his own sled against tho slceplng-bngs. Sheba mushed behind Gordon. Sho chatted wltlr'them both, but Ignored entirely the existence of Macdonald, who fol lowed with his prize-winning Slberlnn dogs. Though she tried not to let her lover know It, Shebn was troubled nt heart. Gordon wns prnctlcnlly tho prisoner of n mnn who hntodJilm bitterly, who be lieved him guilty of murder, nnd who would go through fire to bring punish ment homo to him. She knew the power of Macdonald. With tho money back of him, ho hnd for two yenrn fought ngnlnst nnd almost prevnlled over n strong public opinion In the United Stntes. ne wns ns mnstcrful In his lint red ns In his love. The domlnnnt, fighting figure In tho Northwest, he trod his sturdy wuy through opposition like n Colossus. Nor did she any longer hnvo nny Illusions nbout him. Ho could be both ruthless nnd unscrupulous when It suited his purpose. As tho dny wore townrd noon, her spirits drooped. Sho wns tired physlcnlly, nnd this reacted upon her courage. Tho warmer wenther wns spoiling tho trnll. It beenmo so soft nnd mushy thnt though snowshoes wero needed, they could not bo worn on nccount of tho henvy snow which clung to them every tlmo a foot wns lifted. They woro mukluks, but Sheba was wet to tho knees, Tho spring had, gone from her step, ncr shoulders began to rag. For somo time Gordon's eye had boon seeking n good plnco for n dny enmp. no found It In n bit of open timber nbove tho trail, nnd without n word ho swung his team from the path. "Whero nro you going?" demanded Mncdonnld. "Going to rest for an hour," wns El Hot's curt nnswer. Mncdonnld's Jnw clamped. He strode forwnrd through tho snow besldo the trnll. "We'll sco nbout thnt." Tho younger mnn fnced him nngrlly. "Cnn't you see idie Is done, mnn? Thcro ts not nnotbor mllo of travel tn her un til she has rested." Tho hard, gray eyes of tho ATnsknn took In tho slender, wenry figure lenn Ing ngnlnst tho sled. On n soft nnd iiiiiNiiy irnu nice tnis, wnero everv footstep punched n holo In tho Inoso snow, tho dogs could not trnved with nny extra weight. A few miles farther down they would come to n main-traveled rond nnd the going would bo bet ter. But till then she must wnlk. Mnc donnld gnvo wny with n gesture of his hnnd and turned on his heel. At tho enmpfire Shebn dried her mukluks, Btockings, cnrlbou mitts nnd short skirts. Too tired to eat, sho forced herself to swnllow a few bites nnd drank eagerly some ten. Gordon hnd brought blankets from the sled and ho persuaded her to Ho down for n few minutes. VYou'U cnll mo soon If I should sleep," sho said drowsily, and her eyes wcro closed almost beforo tho words wcro off her lips. When Mncdonnld enmo to order tho stnrt half nn hour later, she was still asleep. "Give her another thirty mln utes," ho said. gruffly. Youth Is resilient. Sheba nwoko rested nnd ready for work. Whllo Gordon wns untangling the dogs sho wns left nlono for n minute with the mine-owner. The hungry look In his eyes touched her. Impulsively sho held out her hnnd. "You'ro going to bo fair, nrcn't you, Mr. Mncdonnld? Because you don'c like him you won't ?" IIo looked straight Into tho dnrk. nppenllug eyes. "I'm going to bo fair to Itobert Milton," ho told her hnrsh ly. "I'm going to bco his murderers hanged If It costs mo every dollar I havo In tho world." "Nono of us objects to Justice," eho told him proudly. "Gordon has noth ing to fenr if only tho truth Is told." "Then why como to mo?" ho do mnnded. Sho hcsltnted; then with n wistful Httlo smllo, spoko what was In her henrt. "I'm nfrnld you won't do Jus tlco to yourself. You'ro good und brave nnd strong. But you'ro very willful nnd set. I dont wnnt to lose my friend. I wunt to know thnt ho Is nil I hnvo believed him n grcnt mnn who stands for the things thnt uro flno nnd clenn nnd Just." "Then It Is for my snke nnd not for his thnt you wnnt mo to drop tho ense ngnlnst Elliot?" ho nsked Ironically. "For yours nnd for his, too. You can't hurt him. Nobody can really bo hurt from outside not unless he Is n traitor to himself. And Gordon Elliot Isn't that. Ho couldn't do such n thing as this with which you charge him. It Is not In his nature Ho can explain everything." "I don't doubt thnt no nnd his friend Holt nre grcnt Httlo explainers." In spite of his bitterness Sheba felt n change In him. She seemed to hnvo a gllmpso of his turbid soul en- m;,ed In bnttlc. IIo turned nwny with out slinking hands, but It struck her thnt ho was not Implacable. Whllo they wero ut luncheon hnlf a dozen pnckmules lailon with supplies for n telephone construction Hue out fit had passed. Their email, sharp-shod hoofs had punched sink-holes In tho trail ut every step. Instead of n smooth bottom tho dogs found a slushy bog cut to pieces. At the end of nn hour of wnllowlng Macdonald culled a halt. "There lo a culofT Just below here. It will save us nenrly two miles, but we'll hnvo to brenk trnll. Swing to tho right Just below tho big willow," he told Elliot. 'Til Join you presently nnd relieve you on tho Job. But first Miss O'Neill nnd I uro going for n Ht tlo side trip." All three of them looked nt him In shnrp surprise. Gordon opened his lips tt) nnswer nnd closed them ngnln without speaking. Sheba had flashed a warning to him. T hopo this trip Isn't very far off the trnll," she said quietly. "I'm Just a weo bit tired." "It's not far," tho mine-owner said curtly. no wns busy unpacking his sled. Presently ho found the dog moccasins for which he hnd been looking, ro pneked his sled, nnd fitted tho shoes to tho bleeding feet of tho tenm lend cr. Elliot suspicious and uncertnln whnt to do, wntched him nt work, but nt a signal from Shebn turned re luctantly nwny and drove down to tho cutoff. Mncdonnld turned his dogs out of tho trail nnd .followed n Httlo rldgo for perhnps a qunrter of n mile Shebn trudged behind him. Sho wns full of wonder nt whnt ho mennt to do, hut she nsked no questions. Somo wise In stinct wns telling her to do exnetly as he snld. From tho sled ho took a shovel nnd gnvo It to tho young woman. "Dig Just this side of tho big rock close to the root of tho tree," ho told her. Shcbn dug. nnd nt the second stroke of tho spnde struck something hard, no stooped nnd pulled out n snek. "Open it," ho said. "Rip It with this knife." Sho ran tho knlfo along tho conrse wenvo of tho cloth. Fifteen or twenty smnller encks lay exposed. Sheba looked up nt Mncdonnld, n startled question In her eyes. Ho nodded. "You guessed it. This Is pnrt of the gold for which Itobort Milton wnB murdered.' "But how did It get hero?" "I burled It- thero yesterdny. Come." He led her nround tho rock. Bnck of It luy something over which wns fiprend n long bit of ennvns. Tho henrt of Shebn wns benting wildly. Tho Scotsmnn looked nt her from a rock-bound fnce. "Undernenth this canvas Is the body of ono of the men who murdered Milton, ne died more miserably thnn the mnn ho shot. Hnlf tho gold stolen from tho bnnk Is In thnt gunnysnek you hnvo Just dug up. If you'lt tell mo who hns tho other half. I'll tell you who helned him roh tho bnnk." "This man who Is ho?" nsked She bn. almost In n whisper. Sho wns trem bling with excitement and nervous ness. Mncdonnld drew bnck tho cloth nnd showed tho rough, hard face of a work Ingmnn. "nis name was Trelawney. I kicked him out of our camps because ho was a troublemaker." "He was ono of tho men that robbed you later 1" she exclaimed. "Yes. And now ho hns tried to rob mo ngnln nnd hns paid for it with his life" Her mind flashed bnck over tho past "Then his pnrtner In this Inst crime must hnve been tho snmo mnn whnt's his nnmo? thnt wus with him last time" "Northrup." Ho nodded slowly. "I hnto to believe It, but It Is probably true. And he, too, Is lying somewhere In this pnrk covered with snow If our guess Is right" "And Gordon you admit ho didn't do It?" Agnln he nodded, sulkily. "No. He didn't do It" Joy lilted In her voice "So you've brought mo here to tell me. Oh, I am glnd, my friend, thnt you wero so good. And It Is like you to do it You hnve always been tho good friend to me" Tho Scotsman smiled, n Httlo wist fully. "You tako a mean advantage of a man. You nurse him when he's 111 and nro kind to him when he Is well nnd try to love him, though he Is twlco your ago and more Then, when hlB enemy Is In his power, ho finds he cnn't strike him down without striking you too. Take your young mnn, Shebn O'Neill, nnd mnrry him, nnd for God's sake, get him out of AInskn beforo I como to grips with him again. I'm not n patient man, and he's tried mo snlr. They say Tra a good hnter, nnd I always thought It true But what's the use of hating a- man, when your soft nrni3 aro round him for an armor?" The lino eyes of tho girl wero wells of warm light, ner gladness wns not for herself and her lover only, but for tho friend thnt had been bo nenrly lost and wns now found, no believed ho hnd done It for her, but Shcbn was suro his reasons lay deeper. Ho was too much of n man to hldo evidence nnd let his rlvnl bo fnlsely accused of murder. It wns not In him to do n cheap thing llko thnt. When It enmo to the pinch, ho wns too decent to stab in tlio imcir. isut sho wns willing to tnke him on his own ground. "I'll always be thanking you for your goodness tn mo," she told him simply. Ho brushed thnt nsldo at ance "There's ono thing more, Inss. I'll likely not !e seeing you again nlono, so I'll biy It now. Don't waste nny tears on Colby Mncdonnld. Don't fancy any story-book foolishness nbout spoiling his life. That muy bo truo of ( hallllng boys, maytj, bat mnn goes his 11I11 gait oven when he gets a bit facer." "Yes," Bho agreed. And In n flush sho snw whnt would hnppcn, thnt In tho renctlon from his depression he would turn to Gcnevlevo Mullory and mnrry her. "You're too young for me, nnyhow too soft nnd Innocent. Once you told mo thnt you couldn't keep step with me. It's true You cnn't. It wns a duft drenm." ITo took n deep breath, seemed to shako himself out of it, and smiled cheerfully upon her. "We'll put our trenstirc-trovo on tho sled nnd go bnck to your friends," he continued briskly. "Tomorrow I'll send men up to scour tho hills for North- rup's body." Shebn drew tho ennvns bnck over the fnco of the dend mnn. As she followed Mncdonnld bnck to the trnll, tenrs flllpd her eyes. She wns remembering thnt tho white, stinging denth thnt hnd crept upon these men so swiftly hnd missed her by n hnlr's breadth. Tho strong, lusty Ilfo hnd been stricken out of the big Cornlshmnn nnd prob nbly of his pnrtner In crime Perhaps they had left mothers or wives or sweethearts to mourn them. Macdonald relieved Elliot nt break ing trull nnd tho" young mnn went bnck to tho gee-pole. They hnd discarded mukluks nnd wore moccasins nnd snowshoes. It wns hard, slow work. for tho trnll-breaker hnd to fight his wny through snow along tho best route ho could find. Tho moon was high when nt last they reached tho road house. CHAPTER XXIV. ""'W Diane Changes Her Mind. The news of Shcba's snfety had been telephoned to Dlnnc from the rondhouse, so thnt nil the family from Peter down were on tho porch to wel come her with mingled tenrs nnd kisses. Slnco Gordon hnd to push on to tho hospital to hove Holt taken care of, It wns Mncdonnld who brought the girl home Tho mine-owner declined rather brusquely an Invitation to stay to dinner on tho plcn thnt he had busi ness at tho oUlce which would not wnlt. Impulsively Sheba held out both her hands to him. "Believe me, I am thank ing you with tho whole of my heart, my friend. And I'm praying for you the old Irish blessing, 'God save you kindly.' " The deep-set, rnpnclous eyes of the Scotsmnn burned Jnto hers for nu In stant Without n word he released her hnnds nnd turned away. Her eyes followed him, a vital, dyna mic American who would do big, law less tilings to tho day of his death. She sighed. He hnd been n grent fig ure In her life, nnd now he hnd pnssed out of It As soon ns sho was alono with Di ane, her Irish cousin dropped the little bomb she had up her sleeve. "I'm going to bo married Thursday, Dl." Mrs. Pnget embraced her for the tenth tlmo within nn hour. Sho wns very fond of Shcbn, nnd sho hud been on-n grent strain concerning her snfety. Thnt out of her dnnger hud resulted the engagement Dlnno hnd hoped for wns surplusnge of good luck. "You lucky, sensible girl." Shebn assented demurely. "I do think I'm sensible ns well ns lucky. It isn't every girl that knows the right mnn ror ner even when ho wnnts her. But I know rtt Inst, no's tho mnn for mo out of ten mllllon.v "I'm suro of it, dear. Oh, I am so glad." Diane hugged her a'galn. Sho couldn't help It "Ono gets to know n man pretty well on a trip like that. I wouldn't change mine for any ono thnt wns over made. I like everything nbout him, Dl. I am tho hnpplest girl." "I'm so glnd you seo It thnt wny ut Inst" Dlnno pnssed to the practical nspect of the situation. "But Thurs day. Will that give us time, my dear? And who nre you going to hnvo hero?" "Just the family. I've invited two guests, but neither of them enn come. One hns a broken leg and tho other says ho doesn't wnnt to see mo mnr rlcd to another mun," Sheba explained with a smile. "So Gordon won't come" "Yes. ne'll hnvo to be here. Wo can't get nlong without tho bride groom. It wouldn't bo a legnl mar riage, would It?" Diane looked at her, for tho moment dumb. "Yqu Httlo wretch 1" sho got out nt lust "So It's Gordon, Is It? Aro you quite suro this time? Not likely to chungo your mind beforo Thursdny?" "I suppose, to nn outsider, I do seem fickle," Miss O'Neill ndmltted smiling ly. "But Gordon nnd I both under stand thnt" "And Colby Mncdonnld docs ho un derstand It too?" "Oh, yes." Her smllo grew bronder. "He told mo thnt ho didn't think I would quite suit him, nfter nil. Not enough experience for tho plnce" Dlnno flnshod n suspicious look of Inquiry. "Of course thnt's nonsense. Whnt did he tell you?" "Something llko that. Ho will mnrry Mrs. Mnllory, I think, though ho doesn't know It yot" "You mean sho will get him on the rebound," snld Dlano bluntly. "Thnt Isn't n nlco wny to put It He hns nlwnys liked her very much. Ho Is fonu or ncr ror what sho Is. Whnt uttructed him In mo wero tho things .his imagination gnvo to me" "And Gordou likes you, I uupposo. for whnt you nro?" Shebu did not resent tho Httlo noto of friendly snrensm. "I suppose he bus his fancies nbout me, too, but by the timo no unus out whnt I nra ho'll hnvo to put up with me" Tho arrival of Elliot Interrupted con fidences. He had come he said, to ro. culvo congratulations. "What In the world hnvo 'you been doing with your fnco?" domnnded DI nue As nn afterthought sho added: "Mr. Mncdonnld Is all cut up too." "We've been tnklng ninssngo treat ment'' Gordon passed to n subject of more immediate interest "Do I got my congratulations, Dl?" Sho kissed him, too, for old soke's sake "I do bellevo you'll suit Shcbn better thnn Colby Mncdonnld would. He's n grent mnn and you nro not But It Isn't everybody thnt Is fit to bo tho wlfo of n grent man." "Thnt's n double, left-hnnded compli ment," laughed Gordon. "But you cnn't say nnythlng thnt will hurt my feelings todny, Dl. Isn't thnt your bnby I hoar crying? Whnt n heartless mother you nre I" Dlunc gave him the few minutes nlone with-Shebn that his gay smllo hod asked for. "Get out with you," sho suld, laughing. "Go to tho. top of the hill and look at the lovers' moon I've ordered thero expressly for you; As Lovers Will to the End of Time. and whllo you nro thero forget thnt thero aro going to bo crying babies and nursemaids with evenings out In thnt golden future of yours." "Come nlong, Shebn. We'll start now on tho golden trail," said Elliot. She walked ns If she loved It Her long, slender legs moved rhythmically nnd her arms swung true ns pendu lums. Tho moon wns nil thnt Dlnno hnd promised. Shebn drunk It in happily. "I bellevo I must be a pagnn. I love tho sun nnd the moon nnd I know It's all true nbout tho little folk and tho pled piper nnd " "If It's pugnnlsm to bo In lovo with the world, you nre a thirty-third degreo pngun.r "Well, nnd wns thcro over a more benutlful night beforo?" He thought not, but he hnd not the words to tell her thnt for him Its benuty Iny Inrgely In her presence ncr passionate love of things fine nnd brnvo transformed tho universe for him. It wns enough for him to be near her, to hear tho laughter bubbling In her thront, to touch her crisp, bluo blnck hnlr ns he adjusted tho scarf about her head. "God made tho night," ho replied. "So that's a Christian thought as woll as n pngnn one" They wero no exception to the rule thnt lovers are egoists. The world for them tonight divided itself Into -vo classes. One Included Sheba ONelll and Gordon Elliot; tho other took In the uninteresting remnant of humanity. No rantter how far nfleld their talk be gun, It nlwnys enmo bnck to them selves. They wnnted to know all nbout euch other, to comparo experiences nnd points of view. But time fled too fast for words. They talked as lovers wl!lto tho end of time In exclama tions and tho meeting of eyes and lit tle endearments. When Dlnnn and Peter found them on tho hillside, Sheba protested, with her half-shy, hnlf-nudncious smile, thnt It could not be two hours slnco she nnd Gordon hnd left tho living room. Peter grinned, no remembered a hill top consecrated to his own courtship of Dlnno. Tho only wedding present thnt Mnc donnld sent Sheba was a long envelopo with two documents nttached by a clip. One was from tho Kuslnk Sun. It an nounced that tho search party had found tho body of Northrup with tho rest of tho stolen gold besldo him. Tho other wns n copy of a legal document. Its effect was that tho district attorney hnd dismissed nil chnrges pending ngnlnst Gordon Elliot. Although Mncdonnld lost the coal claims nt Kamntlnh by reason of the report of Elliot, nil AInskn still be lieves thnt ho wns right. In thnt coun try of strong men ho stands hend nnd shoulders nbove his fellows, no hns tho fortunate gift of commanding tho admiration of friend nnd foo alike The lady who Is his wife Is secretly the greatest of his slaves, but she ttles not to lot him know how much he hns cap tured her Imagination. For Gcnevlevo Macdonald ennnot qulto understand, herself, how so clcmcntnl an emotion ns lovo enn hnvo pierced tho armor of her sophlstlcutlon. THE END. Smallest Drinking Cup. Ono of tho now folding drinking cups mndo of wnterproof fnbric collapses Into a tube no hurger than a lead pon-clL M X r- y, .rj ' XI v V YMrth