- "
>
13
SYNOPSIS.
Jack Keith , a Virginian , now a bor
der plainsman , is riding- along : the Santa
Fe trail on the lookout for roaming war
parties of savages. He notices a camp
lire at a distance and then sees a team
attached to a wagon and at full gallop
pursued by men on ponies. When Keith
reaches the wagon the raiders have mass
acred two men and departed. He searches
the victims finding papers and a locket
with a woman's portrait. He resolves to
hunt down the murderers. Keith Is ar
rested at Carson City , charged with the
murder , his accuser being a ruffian named
Black Bart. He goes to jail fully realiz
ing the peril of swift border justice. A
companion In his cell is a negro , who
tells him he is Neb and that he knew the
Keith family back In Virginia. Neb says
one of the murdered men was John
Sibley , the other Gen. Willis Waite. for
merly an officer in the Confederate army.
The plainsman and Neb escape from the
cell , and later the two fugitives become
lost In the sand desert. They come upon
a cabin and find its lone occupant to be a
young girl , whom Keith recognizes as a
singer he saw at Carson City. The girl
explains that she came there In search of
a Brother who had deserted from the
army. A. Mr. Hawley Induced her to
come to the cabin while he sought to lo
cate her brother. Hawley appears , and
Keith in hiding recognizes him as Black
Bart. Hawley tries to make love to the
girl. There is a terrific battle In the
darkened room in which Keith overcomes
Black Bart. Horses are appropriated , and
the girl who says that her name is Hope ,
joins In the escape. Keith explains his
situation and the fugitives make for Fort
Lamed , where the girl is left with the
hotel landlady.
CHAPTER XV.
Again Christie Maclaire.
Keith possessed sufficient means for
several months of idleness , and even
if he had not , his reputation as a
t plains scout would insure him employ
ment at any of the more important
scattered army posts. Reliable men
for such service were in demand. The
restlessness of th'e various Indian
tribes , made specially manifest by
raids on the more advanced settle
ments , and extending over a constant
ly widening territory , required contin
uous interchange of communication
between commanders of detachments.
Bold and reckless spirits had flocked
to the frontier in those days follow
ing the Civil War , yet all were not of
the type to encourage confidence in
military authorities. Keith had al
ready frequently served in this ca
pacity , and abundantly proved his
worth under rigorous demands of both
endurance and intelligence , and he
could feel assured of permanent em
ployment whenever desired. Not a
few of the more prominent officers he
had met personally during the late
war including Sheridan , to whom he
had once borne a flag of truce yet
the spirit of the Confederacy still lin
gered in his heart ; not In any feeling
of either hatred or revenge , but in an
unwillingness to serve the blue uni
form , and a memory of antagonism
which would not entirely disappear.
He had surrendered at Appomattox ,
conquered , yet he could not quite ad
just himself to becoming companion-
in-arms with those against whom he
had fought valiantly for four years.
Some of the wounds of that conflict
still smarted. A natural soldier , anx
ious to help the harassed settlers ,
eager enough to be actively employed *
he still held aloof from army connec
tions except as a volunteer in case of
emergency.
Just now other considerations
caused him to desire freedom. He
had been accused of murder , impris
oned for it , and in order to escape.
Xiad been compelled to steal horses ,
ihe most heinous crime of the fron
tier. Not only for his own protec
tion and safety must the truth of that
occurrence at the Cimmaron Crossing
be made clear , but he also had now a
personal affair with "Black Bart" Haw
ley to be permanently settled. They
had already clashed twice , and Keith
intended they should meet again.
Memory of the girl was still'in his
mind as he and Neb rode silently
forth on the black prairie , leading the
extra horse behind him. He endeav
ored to drive the recollection from his
mind , so he might concentrate it upon i
plans for the future , but somehow she I
mysteriously wove her own personal- !
ty into those plans , and he was ever
seeing the pleading in her eyes , and 1
listening to the soft Southern accent
of her voice. Of late years he had c
been unaccustomed to association s
with women of high type , and there
was that touch of the gentlewoman t :
about this girl which had awakened
deep interest. Of course he knew that i
in her case it was merely an Inheritance - t ;
tance of her past , and could not truly p
represent the present Christie MaI I ;
claire of the music halls. However h
fascinating she might be , she could d
not be worthy any serious considera-
lion. In spite of his rough life the ii
social spirit of the old South was implanted - t
planted in his blood , and no woman of c :
that class could hold him captive. Yei , s ;
some way. she refused to be banished n
or left behind. Even Neb must have a :
been obsessed by a similar spirit , for h
he suddenly observed : s
"Dat am sutt'nly a mighty fine gal. b
Massa Jack. I ain't seen nothin * to o
compare wid her since I quit ol" Virginia - b
ginia "deed 1 ain't" i !
Keith glanced back at his'black c
fiatellite , barely able to distinguish si
the fellow's dim outlines. t !
"You think her a lady , then ? " he j
r.f'l giving thoughtless utter- ] .
LE OF THE PLAINS
AUTHOR Or'MY LADY OF THE SOUTH ; N\y \
WHEN WILDERNESS WAS Kinof ETC.ETC . * ll"
ILLOSTRATIOMS By
( Copyright , A. C. McClurg & Co. . 191O >
Across Its Face Was Plainly Written. "Miss Christie Maclaire. "
ance to his own imagination.
"Deed I does ! " the thick voice
somewhat indignant. "I reck'n I
knows de real quality when I sees i .
I'se 'sociated wid quality white folks
befo' . "
"But , Neb , she's a singer in dance
halls. "
"I don't believe it , Massa Jack. "
"Well. I wouldn't if I could help it.
She don't seem like that kind , but I
recognized her as soon as I got her
face in the light She was at the
Gaiety in Independence , the last time
1 was there. Hawley knew her too ,
and called her by name. "
Neb rubbed his eyes , and slapped
his pony's flank , unable to answer , yet
still unconvinced.
"I reck'n both ob yer might be mis
took , " he insisted doggedly.
"Not likely , " and Keith's brief laugh
was not altogether devoid of bitter
ness. "We both called her Christie
Maclaire , and she didn't even deny the
name ; she was evidently not proud of
it , but there was no denial that she
was the girl. "
"Dat wasn't like no name dat you
called her when we was ridinV
"No ; she didn't approve of the oth
er , and told me to call her Hope , but
1 reckon she's Christie Maclaire all
right. "
They rode on through the black , si
lent night as rapidly as their tired
horses would consent to travel. Keith
led directly across the open prairie ,
guiding his course by the stars , and
purposely avoiding the trails , where
some suspicious eye might mark their
passage. His first object was to get
safely away from the scattered settle
ments lying east of Carson City. Be
yond their radius he could safely dis
pose of the horses they rode , disap
pear from view , and find time to de
velop future plans. As to the girl
well , he would keep his word with
her , of course , and see her again
; ometime. There wocld be no diffi
culty about that , but otherwise she
should retain no influence over him.
She belonged rather to Hawley's class
ban his.
It was a lonely , tiresome ride , dur-
ng which Nefc made various efforts
o talk , but finding his white com-
> anlon uncommunicative , at last re-
apsed Into rather sullen silence. The
lorses plodded on steadily , and when
laylight finally dawned , the two men
ound themselves in a depression lead-
ng down to the Smoky River. Here
hey came to a water hole , where they
ould safely hide themselves and their
tock. With both Indians and white
uen to he guarded against , they took
:11 the necessary precautions , picket-
ng the horses closely under the rock
hadows. and not venturing upon
milding any fire. Neb threw himself
n the turf and was instantly asleep ,
iut Keith climbed the steep side of
he gully , and "made searching survey
f the horizon. The wide arc to the
outh. east and west revealed nothing
o his searching eyes , except the dull
irown of the slightly rolling plains ,
nth no life apparent save some dis
tant grazing antelope , but to the north
extended more broken country with a
faint glimmer of water between the
hills. Satisfied they were unobserved ,
he slid back again into the depression.
As he turned to lie down he took hold
of the saddle belonging to Hawley's
horse. In the unbuckled holster his
eye observed the glimmer of a bit of
white paper. He drew it forth , and
gazed at it unthinkingly. It was an
envelope , robbed of its contents , evi
dently not sent through the mails , as
it had not been stamped , but across
its face was plainly written , "Miss
Christie Maclaire. " He stared at it ,
his lips firm set , his gray eyes dark
ening. If he possessed any doubts
before as to her identity , they were
all thoroughly dissipated now.
As he lay there , with head pillowed
on the saddle , his body aching from
fatigue yet totally unable to sleep ,
staring open-eyed into the blue of the
sky , the girl they had left behind
awoke from uneasy slumber , aroused
by the entrance of Mrs. Murphy. For
an instant she failed to comprehend
her position , but the strong brogue
of the energetic landlady broke in
sharply :
"A bit av a cup av coffee fer ye ,
honey , " she explained , crossing to the
bed. "Shure an' there's nuthin' loike
it when ye first wake up. Howly
Mither , but it's toird 'nough ye do be
lookin' yet. "
"I haven't slept very well , " the girl
confessed , bringing her hand out from
beneath the coverlet , the locket still
tightly clasped in her finger. "See , I
found this on the floor last night after
you had gone down stairs. "
"Ye did ! " setting the coffee on a
convenient chair , and reaching out for
the trinket. "Let's have a look at it
once. Angels av Hiven , if it isn't the
same the ol' Gineral was showin' me
in the parly. "
The other sat up suddenly , her
white shoulders and rounded throat
gleaming.
"The old General , you said ? What
General ? When was he here ? "
"Shure now , be aisy , honey , an' Oi'll
tell ye all there is to it. It's not his
name Oi know ; maybe OI niver heard
till av it. but 'twas the 'Gineral' they
called him. all right He was here
maybe three days outfittin1 a noice
spoken ol * gintleinin , wid a gray beard ,
an * onc't he showed me the locket
be the powers , if it do be his , there's
an openin * to it , an' a picter inside. "
The girl touched the spring , reveal
ing the face within , but her eyes were
blinded with tears. TLe landlady look
ed at her In alarm.
"What is it , honey- What is it ?
Did you know him ? "
The slender form swayed forward ,
shaken with sobs.
"He was my father , and and this is
my mother's picture which he always
carried. "
"Then what is your name ? "
"Hope Waite. "
Kate Murphy looked at the face half
hidden in the bed-clothes. That was
not the name which Keith had given
her , but she had lived on the border
too long to be inquisitive. The other
lifted her head , flinging back her
loosened hair with one hand.
"Mr. Keith dropped it , " she exclaim
ed. Where do you suppose he got it ? "
Then she gave a quick , startled cry ,
her eyes opening wide in horror. "The
Cimmaron Crossing , the murder at the
Cimmaron Crossing ! He he told me
about that ; but he never showed me
this this" Do you do you think "
Her voice failed , but Kate Murphy
gathered her into her arms.
"Cry here , honey , " she said , as If tea
a child. "Shure an' Oi'm tellin' ye it
niver was Jack Keith what did it
murther ain't his stoyle. "
CHAPTER XVI.
Introducing Doctor Fairbain.
Headed as they were , and having no
other special objective point In view , it
was only natural for the two fugitives
to drift into Sheridan. This was at that
time the human cesspool of the plains
country , a seething , boiling maelstrom
of all that was rough , evil , and brazen
along the entire frontier. Customar
ily quiet enough during the hours of
daylight , the town became a mad
saturnalia with the approach of dark
ness , its ceaseless orgies being noisily
continued until dawn. But at this
period all track work on the Kansas
Pacific being temporarily suspended
by Indian outbreaks , the graders made
both night and day alike hideous , and
the single dirty street which com
posed Sheridan , lined with shacks ,
crowded with saloons , the dull dead
prairie stretching away on every side
to the horizon , was congested with
humanity during every hour of the
twenty-four.
( TO BE CONTINUED. )
Strict School Rules.
John Wesley held that school chil
dren should do without holidays alto
gether. When he opened Kingswood
school in 1748 he announced that "the
children of tender parents , so called ,
have no business here , for the rules
will not be broken in favor of any
person whatsoever. Nor is any child
received unless his parents agree that '
he shall observe all the rules of the '
house ; and that they will not take
him from school , no , not for a day ,
till they take him for good and all. "
Further , no play days were permit
ted and time allowed for
, no was ever s1
play , on the ground that he who plays s1ci s1n
when he is a child will play when ci
he becomes a man. Every Friday the
children had to work till three in
the afternoon without breaking iheir
fast
Sacred Mount of Ararat
People of Vicinity for Many Years
Considered Its Heights Impos
sible to Scale.
"Ararat is not a mountain that is
climbed every day , or even every
year , " says a writer. "Seventeen as
cents have been recorded. When
James Bryce , unaccompanied , made
his remarkable ascent in 1876 he was
told by every one whom he met in
the vicinity of the mountain that the
top had never been reached , and.
what was more , it never could be.
Jinns and fiends and giants had pre
vented the rascally Kurds from even
attempting to scale the terrible moun
tain , and since the ark grounded there
mortal man had not been allowed to
trespass on the sacred heights , he was
informed
"Had not St. Hagop tried again and
again to reach the summit in order to
silence the skeptics about the ark , but
found himself each mornipon wak
ing quietly deposited at the base ,
whence he started ? Finally an angel
presented him with a piece of the ark
for his pains , but told him to cease
his attempts to reach the forbidden
ground.
"That was in the fourth century of
our era , but the piece rf the ark Is
still to be seen at the monastery of
the Echmiedzin , where dwell * ? the
catholicos of the Armenian church.
That Russians or a stray lone Eng
lishman had really reachec the top
of Ararat was not to be thought of. "
The men who gain distinction are
the men who blaze the trail in the
world's progress
TIRED , SICK AND DISCOURAGED.
Doan's Kidney Pills Brought Health
and Cheerfulness.
Mrs. J. P. Pemberton , S54 Lafayette
St. , Marshall , Mo. , says : "For years
I suffered with Bright's disease which
doctors said was incurable. I grew
so weak , I had to take
to my bed. Kidney
secretions T7ere sup
pressed , I became ter
ribly bloated , and final
ly reached the point
where I took no inter
est in life. Itwas then
I began using Doan's
Kidney Pills and soon
improved. Before long I was without
a sign of the trouble that seemed to
he carrying me to my grave. "
"When , Your Back Is Lame , Remem-
berthe Name DOAN'S. " 5 Oc , all stores.
Foster-Milburn Co. , Buffalo , N. Y.
WELL , WELL.
'
Hook They say that famous ma
rine artist was once a plain farmer's
boy. I wonder where he developed his
talent.
Cook Probably drawing water
down on the farm.
N Was in Real Trouble.
A passenger who escaped uninjured
from a serious railway smash , seeing
a fellow-traveler searching anxiously
among the wreckage with a lantern ,
offered to assist in the search , and ,
thinking the old man had lost his
wife , asked in sympathetic tones :
"What part of the train was she in ? "
Raising his lantern and glaring at the
kindly disposed passenger , the old
man shouted with indignant distinct
ness that triumphed over physical in
firmity : "She , sir ! she ! I am look
ing for my teeth ! " "
Love Note.
People may sneer all they please at
what is called puppy love ; but any
body who has ever had a puppy , and
noted the wag of its tail and the look
in its eye as it wriggles forth its pro
testations of undying affection , can
hardly deny its actual sincerity.
Judge's Library.
Important to Mothers
Examine carefully every bottle of
CASTORIA , a safe and sure remedy for
infants and children , and see that it
Bears the
Signature of
r _ _ - " * 5 S * * * V
In use For Over 30 Years.
Children Cry for Matcher's Castoria
What has become of the old-fash
ioned politician who used to imagine
he was destiny's only son ? Toledo
Blade.
Diphtheria , Quinsy and Tonsilitis begin
ivith sore throat. How much better to
: ure a sore throat in a day or two than to I [
be in bed for weeks with Diphtheria.
Just keep llamlins Wizard Oil in the
souse.
His Bearing. C
"Is he a man of military bearing ? " L
"Well , he likes to 'soldier. ' " w
Whenever the devil has a minute to intf
spare he sets another trap for the tfI
boy. I
st
HHRISTMAS POST CARDS FREE
Send 2c stamp for fire sample cf my very cholc-
st Gold Embossed Christmas and Novr Tear
'ost Cards ; beautiful colors and loveliest designs.
'rt Post Card Club. 731 Jackson St. , Topeka. Kansas
If every man had all the money he
vanted , the devil would get us all.
Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets cure con-
tipation. Constipation is the cause of
tiany diseases. Cure the cause and you
ure the disease. Easy to take.
We show how much of the Bible we
lelieve by the way we trust God.
1
Irs. Wtnslow's Soothing- Syrup for Children
eethingr , softens the gums , reduces inflamma- GO !
Ion , allays pain , cures \vlnd colic , 25c a bottle. Al
Some girls would lose out , even if
svery year was a leap year.
A minister can't win the poor by 161
ourting the rich.
DWARFING THE GIANT TREE
Professor Brewer's Story of the Un
named Woman in the California
Redwood Forest.
Apropos of woman's inability to
forego the last word , the late Prof.
William H. Brewer of Yale was wont
to tell an incident which occurred in
California several years ago.
The wonder of the immense dimen
sions of the redwood trees always ap
pealed to him , and he was ever de
lighted to show these forest giants to
his friends. The trees do not look so
enormous when one is riding among
them , and Mrs. X. was not properly
awed by their stupendous proportions.
"Really , professor , " she argued ,
"they are not so very large , after all. "
They were riding along in single
file , and the professor halted.
"My horse's head Is just at the edge
of this tree , isn't it ? "
She nodded.
"And your horse is behind mine ? "
Again she nodded.
"Following you is Professor X. , and
behind him Mr. Z. , whose horse's tail
is at the farther side of. the tree. That
means that the diameter of this tree
is the length of four horses standing
head to tail in a straight line. "
Mrs. X. turned in her saddle and
viewed the trees and the horses. For
several seconds she said nothing ;
then her face lighted up , and she
smiled at him as she exclaimed :
"Oh , but professor , there are very
small horses ! " Youth's Companion.
When an optimist loses his job he
is apt to become a backslider.
One of the most common of blood dis
eases , is much aggravated by the sudden
changes of weather at this time of year.
Begin treatment at once with Hood's Sarsaparilla -
saparilla , which effects radical and per
manent cures. This great medicine has
received
40,366 Testimonials
in two years , which prove its wonderful
efficacy in purifying and enriching the
blood. Best for all blood diseases.
In usual liquid form or chocolated tab
lets known as Sarsatabs. 100 doses $1.
Splendid Crops
in Saskatchewan ( Western Canada )
80O Bushels from 2O acres
of wheat was the thresher's
return from a Lloyd-
1 minster farm in the
season of 1910. Many
fields in that as well as
other districts yielded -
[ ed from 25 to 35 bu
shels of wheat to the
[ acre. Other grains in
proportion.
LARGE PROFITS
ore thus derived
from the FREE
HOMESTEAD LANDS
of Western Canada.
This excellent showing causes
prices to adyance. Land values
sbonld donblein two rears' time.
Grain growlnp.mixecl farm
ing , cattle raisins ami dairy
ing are all profitable. free
Homesteads of 1 GO acres are
to be had In the very best
districts : 1GO acre preemptions
tions at S3.UO per acre-with
in certain areas. Schools and
churches In every settle
ment , climate unexcelled ,
soil the richest ; ivoodwater
and building material
plentiful. 33
For particulars as to location ,
low Eettlers' railway rates and
descriptive Illustrated pamphlet.
"Last Best West , " and other In
formation , write to Snp'tof Immi
gration , Ottawa , Canada , or to
Canadian Government Agent.
E.T. Holmes. 315 Jjcbon St. SL Paul. Wan.
J. H. Madidba , Drmr 197 , tfatcrtarj. 5. B.
Please write to the agent nearest yon
if our Liver
s Clogged Up
Tiat's Why You're Tired Out of Sort *
Have No Appetite.
lARTER'S LITTLE.
IVER PILLS
rill put you right CARTER'S
i a few days. ITTLE
They do IVER
heir duty. PILLS.
CureCon-i
tipation ,
iiliousness , Indigestion and Sick Headache
MALL PILL , SMALL DOSE , SMALL PRICE.
Genuine must bear Signature
COUGHS s COLDS
FOR WALLS
AND
CEILINGS
IES ON LIKE PAINT ; LOOKS LIKE WALL PAPER ; YOU CAN WASH IT
beautiful illustrated book of 24 colors andPhoto-
aphsforZ cents. Send yoarnameandaddresstoUse
3&STOXE VAJKNISH CO. . Brooklyn , N.Y.
iEFlANGE STARCH
OUNCES TO THE PACKAGE-OTHER STARCHES
ONLY 12 OUNCES-S AXE PRICE AND
OEFIAHCE" IS SUPERIOR QUALITY
Aids Nature
The great success of Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Dis
covery in curing weak stomachs , wasted bodies , weak
lungs , and obstinate and lingering coughs , is based on
the recognition of the fundamental truth that "Goldea
Medical Discovery" supplies Nature with body-build
ing , tissue-repairing , muscle-making materials , in con
densed and concentrated form. With this help Nature
supplies the necessary strength to the stomach to digest
food , build up the body and thereby throw off lingering
obstinate . The " "
coughs. "Discovery" rs-establishes the
digestive and nutritive organs in sound heclth , purifies
and enriches the blood , and nourishes the nerves in
short establishes sound vigorous health.
/f you ? dealer offers something "fast as good , "
It Is probably better FOR HIRl"it pays better.
But yon arc thinking of tlio cure not the profit , so
there's nothing "just as good" for you , Ssy so.
Dr. Pierce's Common Sense Medical Adviser , In Plain English ; or , Med- '
wine Simplified , 1008 pages , over 700 illustrations , newly revised up-to-date
Edition , paper-bound , sent for 21 one-cent stamps , to cover cost of mailing
only. Cloth-bound , 31 stamps. Address Dr. R. V. Pierce , Buffalo , N. Y.
