RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF
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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
