Show a W u rit r it 0 SYNOPSIS jack keith a now a border plainsman Is riding alone the santa be 0 trail oo 00 the lookout for roa roaming trang war Tart partle les ot of savage he ito notice notices a camp fire fir ata at a istance and then sees a tram attached to a wagon and at full kallop gallop pursued by men on ponies when keith reaches th the wagon the t a raiders raid er s hare have mass acred two men and departed lie ile searches the vt alms finding paper and a locket with a woman a portrait portra t he lie resolves ref olves to hunt don the keith Is arrested at carson city charred charted with the mur ler Ms accher er be belne ina a ruffian named nark dart he ile goes to jail fully bealls ing tn the peril of witt border JustI justicia cit A companion in I 1 ito ti celt cell Is a apro n who tell him he Is neb and an that hat he fro knew w the keith family back in virginia neb rays ray one of the murdered men w wa john bibley sibley the ether other gen irillis tills tor for merly an officer in the confederate arm army y the plainsman and neb escape from th the cell and later the two fugitives become becom I 1 lost ost in the sand desert tt TI ey come upon 1 a cabin and tind its lone ions occupant to be a young irl whom born keith as a latr go he saw at carson CIO cit CHAPTER IX continued 1 1 I have been a perfect brate be acknowledge frankly with no thought except for myself hunger was my master and I 1 ask your forgala eness miss maclaire her iler eyes smiled I 1 am so very glad to have any one here any one in whom I 1 feel even a little confidence that nothing else greatly matters can you bot bo thet hert and listen I 1 keith nodded bis his ees full ot of inter cat est searching her face whoever boever I 1 may be mr air keith an i really that seems only ot of email small ini int po nance I 1 came to fort I 1 arned seek ing some trace of nf my only brother brot lier whom wo 0 o last heard from there where he bad fallen into evil companionship on the stage trip I 1 was fortunate enough to form an acquaintance with a man who told me he be knew where I 1 could meet fred but that thu liy waa was iding because of somo tro ablo be he had lately gotten irio and that I 1 should have to proceed ery carefully so 30 as not to lead the officers to ds coer his where bouts ahls gentle genth man waa was engaged in romo tome business busl nesa at careon carson olty city but ie employed a man to bring tn me to this place and prom prora ased to get gethrel frei brel arid and meet me here berg the following iol lowing lay day 1 roust must have been tome some failure in tee plane plans for I 1 have been here entirely nione alone now for three days it has been very lon lonesome come an ani I 1 a and nd I 1 ve been a little frightened perhaps I 1 ought not to have come and I 1 am not certain what kind of a it place this Is I 1 was so afraid when you cam but I 1 am nut not afraid now you have no need to be be said soberly impressed by the innocent candor of the girl and feeling thank ful that he w as present to aid her I 1 cou not wrong one of the south my IY father always told me I 1 could trust a southern gentleman under any circumstances mr air hawley wee was from my own state and knew many of our old friends that was why I 1 felt such unu anu ual in him although he be gas but a trave traveling linc acquaintance mr a ila ley I 1 the gentleman choin I 1 met oc on the stage ah oh yes you said he was in busl bust ness in carson city but I 1 don dont t seem to remember any one of that name he ile viah aj not there permanently only to complete some business deal and your brothe 9 I 1 may I 1 possibly lossl bly have known him she hesitated an instant her eyes dropping until completely shaded by the long lashes 1 I 1 e he was rather a wild boy and ran away from home to enlist in the army but he got into a bad set rid and de gestated stated that waa was part of the trouble which caused him to hide he lie enlisted under the name of fred 1111 11 mr hawley told me this much but I 1 am ani afraid he did not riot tell me all and he said ilu u would meet him herer here keith heith gazed about the bare sur roun soundings dIngs wonderingly what wae was this place hidden away in the ellit of the desert isolated also ted in a spot where not even india InJia it is row ned could it be a secret rendezvous of crime the headquarters of desperadoes of cat eat tie rustlers lera of 21 the highwaymen of the sante fe trail trall a point to which the thet could ride when hard pressed tain of biding here in safety he lie bogan began to suspect this but if it on to who then was this hawley and with what object hd he sent thia this girl herot here very way he be turned was to confront mystery to face a new puzzle bat nhat ever she he might be even be the music ball einger singer be he believed she had been inveigled led here innocently enough I 1 ea es ahe she replied bo he said that this abl was one of the stations of a big ranch which fred was employed and hit hat be would certainty certainly be here bete athin a lay say or two lieu lou met filet hawley on the tai coach how flow did you become acquaint a we were alone for tot dearly nearly itly fifty miles her voice faltering slightly and and be called me abai bat yon did christie ves e be he behe he beatred to think he b knew me and I 1 needed help belp so much diat I 1 lei him believe so I 1 thought it do n inn end and then when I 1 found fown hr h actually knew fred I 1 dida t V stale or THE PL pughs ina y RANDALL L 1 AUTHOR LADY lary or TH r TH V WHEN gilr WAS kino ET avs ct o 0 ov N melzi A C co 1919 think ct anything els else only how fortunate I 1 was to thus meet him surely something serious must have happen ed or he would have been here before this do you do you suppose there I 1 la 3 anything wrong T keith did not smile nor change posture the more he be delved into the matter the more serious he tell felt the of situation to be he lie knew know all those ranches lying mouth on the canadian and ft as aware that this was to out station Bt atlon no cattle ever came across that aandy sandy desert unless driven by rustlers rustle and no honest purpose could account for this isolated hut there haj had been frequent robberies alone along the trail wid he be had overheard tales of mysterious disappearance disappearances in both lamed and carson city child it be that he had now accident rilly ald upon tho the rendezvous of the gang bangt ifs was not a man iuan easily startled but this thought lent sent bis his heart beating he ile knew enough to realize hat euch such a gang would naturally consist of deserters outlaws rustlers both in deans ant an whites no doubt combined some desperate leadership gaz ing into the birl girl a questioning eyes he rould could scarcely ec arcely refrain from blurting out all he suspected yet why should ho be what good could it dot ho ito could not hope to bear her bor south mouth to the bar X ranch for the ponies were already too thoroughly exhaust ed for such a journey he dared not turn north with her tor for that 1 would A L Z k it C I 1 f t I 1 I 1 he flung doth goth coat and ha hat down with the tte intention of remaining mean his hi own arres leaving her in condition than ever it be he only ginev who this man war was bli his e and lut t what bat pro could bf ho and neb proe alelle abo here and without arras all this thi flashed through hie his mind in on an instant leaving him confused fina uncertain 1 I hope not he managed to say may in tn answer to her query hut it la Is cattar strange mix up al around armind and I 1 con jise ess I 1 fall to comprehend its lt full leaning it Is 1 hardly likely your will how show up tu and by corning vora trig perhaps vae e cm cia decide what in bet best to do let me nie look around atlle ut lle a momert her eyes followed him as a he stepped through the door into the darkness lar knee then her head d copped WO ato he eui bull port of her hands there waa was silence except for the cracking cra crac cUIng ILlIng ot of the fire until neb roofed mored uneasily at the bound sound the girl up seeing clear lw I 1 the good nal nal ired lured face of 0 the negro yo don t bebber need used cry Ills sus be aid said soberly 0 to o long as massa jack done greco grac to look alter after yo lavo ilav hate eh jou ou knoba blin lla ilas I 1 kneed hii bira long bengy ebber lenco sence win do wan wah why I 1 done knowel jack when he wan t more a n it t high 1 bawd tie he sto to vae was a lively youngster youn geter but mighty good hearted to ua us she beat bitted to question lon a errant wit and yet fell cl she be uncover the tb i truth who Is 1 be bet Is t he all he claim claims to be a virginia gentleman all the loyalty and pride of slavery 1 1 dat was in n neb lie nho she am lissus dar ain t numb la in higher la in ol 01 virginia jaa dan do d keaths dey aint got much money fence sence the yankees come down dar but deys quality folk folks jest de ame same I 1 was as done bom born on de tie ol 01 co conele net a plantation and I 1 dar want no finer man ebber libed lie ile as done killed in de ah an massa jack be he was as a captain tap talu he rodo on hossback bo an lawdy but he did eld look tu ous when hen he first gc hie his uniform lie ito done fought all through de rah wah an art iley dey tay say gineal lee done afook band bands alj ad him an imald how proud be he wa was ter know him you ltd lin suit aly tie to mass JS jr K ic the degroa olce had sar scarcely cely ceas cd ed when keith cann camo in again closing the door securely rely behind him all quiet outside he announced peaking speaking with new confidence 1 I 1 wanted to get an of the surroundings in case of emergency he explained ne as it in answer to the questioning of the brown eyes gravely to bis his face 1 I see there iq quite a corral at the lower end of this island safely hidden behind the fringe ot of cottonwoods and a log stable back of the toune louse Is the creek ord ford able both way ways at 1 I think so the man who brought tue here rode rvay a ay south and are ou going to trust yourself to my care barot carot she came around tho table with 1 bands hands extended lie ile took them into hl his grasp looking down into her eyes yea yes elie said softly 1 I 1 am going to trust you captain keith he lie laughed captala Cap BP talt tAIP heyt you must hare have been alulus with that black rascal there the swift color her face but her hand hands imprisoned I 1 juet just done tol tot her who ide ue keith as a down tn ol 01 virginia sah buret burat in neb indignantly 1 I 1 nha don t want nobody to think I 1 go round wid any low white trash thi the gray eyes and the bro brown w n gal lae ing laito one another smiled un dent der anding standing oh well keith genially 1 I 1 ctt att sav av I 1 ani am orry sorry you knits something lne of roy my past gio glories ri es II 11 one cau t have ft a future it ii Is some sour of arf arido do to have a pait to remember hut but now about the tho prea pres ent were we rp col tot much protection protects m to any one onelee ibe vy way a ere to fixed as we are unarmed ft there Is a big revolver 1 hanging in a holder bolster in to tho other room she an wired and a short sun gun of WIDO jonte kind but I 1 don t know about ammunition mey blay we investigate mot most certainty certainly and she cb threw open the intervening door As the two stepped into the other apartment be held the lamp in aid of their search there Is the revolver 1 on the wall and the eua gun Is la in the opposite corner lint font it strange ou should be out in this hi country without arms arcise we left carson id in something of a hurry burry III tell you the batory timar to raw va 1 yi CHAPTER X mr hawley himself Hm elf A fragment of 0 candle stick sti ck tightly into the neck ot of HD an empty bottle appeared on a low shelf and keith light ed it the girl returning the lamp to tta its position lon on the front room table in revealed a dozen cartridge cartridges fitting the revolver but no ammunition nas discovered adapted to the saed off pun gun which neb had bad already appropriated and was drag gine ging about with hini peering into each black corner in anxious search the avio afre wro mill busily employed at atis art when ben to their oar cars through the llna of the night there came the unexpected noise of 0 splashing pl ashing in the water without and then the round sound ot of n borse BB as he be struck the b bank a quick as a a flash keith closed the intervening door extinguished the dim flam flarnt of the candle and grasping the startled negros arm hushed him into 11 crouching close behind the door through a crack of which the light streamed tre amod yielding light slight view ot of the interior the plainsman anxiously awaited developments these arriva 1 la must certainly be some of those con necked with the house there could be little doudt aa an to that nevertheless they might prove the passe following thorn them who had bad chanced to stumble accidentally on their retreat in aith er case they could merely wait and learn some one swore without it hout and wan was sharply rebuked by another voice which added an order gruffly then the outer latch clicked and a single men mun stepped within immediately do clos ing 1 the door keith could not sea ee tho girl through the mall small aperture ape iture ture but he be hoard heard her quick exclamation ob oh 11 1 1 it you I 1 am so gladi the man laughed lightly it li Is nice to bo be welcomed although altho perhaps per hapa after your time of loneliness any arrival would prove a relief did alot you think I 1 was never coming christie 1 I could not understand she be replied el evidently dently with ith much leis less tn n thua laam and td to keith i thinking a shade resentful of the familiarity I 1 but naturally alIr supposed ou mut bo be unez delayed I 1 well I 1 waa was and he a flung uni both and hat on a bench with the indention intention of remaining the marshal arrested a fellow for a murder c committed out on th ahn sa santa ta fe trail and required me tue as a fitness rit ness ne hut but the man got anay away before wf had any chance to try him and I 1 lave lays been on his trail ever sine TO tto HE UE CONTINUED 1 |