Show THE VJ A LE OF THE NOR ormy LADY or ame WHEN aaa alno Dansi pm lift copyright A C mcclure 83 SYNOPSIS jack keith s a virginian now 1 R boro bor lier ber plainsman la is looking for or roaming war parties a of f savages rs tie HB sees a wanon wagon team at full full callop pursued by men on ponies when keith reaches the wanon wagon the raiders have massacred two men and do departed par t ed ile he searches the victims finding fr papers a fers and a locket with a comans womans n ajor portrait it keith to la arrested at cars carson city ity charred ch ked with the murder his accuser bo ba ang a named dlack black bart A wo corn companion crinion in hla his cell named neb tells tella nen him n that he be knew the keiths in virginia virgini noa b pays ay one ona of the murdered men was jonn john shey the other gen wims wake waite form berls erly a confederate officer the plainsman a and n neb nab escape and later the fugitives s come upon a cabin and find its occupant i to b be e a young girl whom keith thinks think he saw aw at carson carbon city the girl e explains that she la is in search of a br brother otner who had deserted from the army and t ta bat a mr hawley induced her to COMO come to the cabin while he sought hr her brother hawley appears and K kith keith ith in hiding gecox him as an black narl there la is a ter rifle battle in the darkened room in which keith la Is victor horses are appropriated and nd tho the girl arl who says saya that her name 1 11 hope lope loins in the escape keith explains hla his situation and the make for fort larned whore where ahn girl Is left iett with me hotel landl landlady adv niia alope tells tell that she he la Is the daughter of general walte waite keith and neb drift into sheridan where keith meets an old friend dr Fal keith meets the brother of hope wito W under the assumed assur ned name nama of aired wll wil and becomes convinced that black hart has some noma plot involving the two hope learns that gen waite who was thought murdered in 1 at sheridan aidan and goes coca there where she Is mistaken for christie maclaire Ma clairo the carson city singer keith meets meeta the real christie lit maclaire Macl aclair alre and finds that black bart has convinced her that there Is a mystery in her life which he li Is going to turn to her advantage t a g e the Dl plainsman ainsmAn tells hope walte waite of h her r resemblance to christie maclaire Mi dairs they decide that fred Willough may willoughby bg hold the key to the situation kelt finds willoughby shot ahot dead hope Is told of the death of her brother keith folts fals to learn what representations black bart has haa made mad to christie maclaire Macl bracia alre lre hope 4 that ato t in n arder to 0 learn the he secret ocr I 1 she must briefly impersonate the star stage sing slnar r dr Is in love with christie maclaire Macl alre and keith induces him to detain her from the stage while llope hope ED goes s to the theater where she meets black lack bart who thus deceived tells tell hope that general walte waite has suspected his plans plans and that they must ly fly hope great y a alarmed arm d demurs general waite appears and says mack bart has stolen papers from him regarding an inheritance ance keith Is informed that christie s real name nam Is phyllis gale and that list she Is the half sister of hope the latter atter hits has been carried away by black bart and his rang gang dr avows his love for phylus phyllis and she accepts him keith and his friends strike the trail of black bart they find isope has haa been taken back tu to the old cabin the wilderness cabin I 1 Is the scene ot of a fight in which keith and kits his partners overcome their out outlaw law enemies black bart bar 1 and the plains nan meet int in it duel f for or final accounting counting CHAPTER continued keith wet hla his dry lips and spoke shortly 1 I 1 reckon you know what this means hawley and why I 1 am here bere were southerners both of us and we settle our own personal affairs youve got to fight me now man to man the gambler glanced about him and down at his horse it if he thought ot of night flight it was useless ills his up lip curled cured with contempt damn your talking keith he returned savagely eava gely lets have it over with and spurred hla his horse the gun of the other goer came up walt and clawley paused dragging at his rein one ot of us most likely Is going to die here perhaps both gut but if either survives hell need a horse borse to got get out of 0 this alive dismount ill do the same step away so BO the horses are out of range and then well fight it out la is that square square without a word hla his eyes gleaming with cunning hatred the gambler swung down from his bis saddle onto the sand band his bis horse interposed between him and the other keith did the same his eyes peering across t the he back of his animal now ow he said steadily when I 1 count three drive your horse aside and let go are you ready damn you yest then look out onel two three the plainsman struck his bis horse with the quirt in his left hand and sprang prang swiftly aside so as to clear the dank of the animal his shooting arm dung bung out there was a flash of flame cross harleys hawleys Haw leys saddle a sharp report and keah belh reeled backward dropping to his bis knees one hand band clutching at the cand again clawley fired bred but the horse startled by the double report leaped aside and the ball went wild keith wheeled about steadying himself with ith his outstretched hand band and nd let drive pressing the trigger until through the haze over his bis eyes tie be taw law hawley go FittAn stumbling bling down shooting wildly as he bo tell fell the man sever never moved and keith endeavored to got get up his bis gun still held ready the smoke circling stout about them he had been bee shot abot treacherously as a cowardly cur might shoot and be could not clear his bis mind ot or the thought that this last act bid treachery also but be could not raise himself could not stand t red lind ind black shadows danced before his eyes ayes le ie l e believed lie he saw the arm ot of the onnet move like a snake he be crept forward holding himself up with one hand band his head dizzily reeling but his bis gun held steadily on that black shapeless object lying on an the sand theu then the revolver hand band began to ayr to shaff to make odd add circles h be e see it we was all black all tea be wat down alco firlit J into ato the saad incy both lay tho the thirsty sand drinking 3 i meir ufa life blood hawley huddled upon hta his left side his aut still shading tho the glading eyes Is 3 0 0 C 0 0 6 it 1 6 ca I 1 hope hopel keith lying flat his face in the crook 0 of t an arm whose hand still gripped a a revolver there was waa a grim smile on OB his lips as if afas as he pitched forward ho he know knew that after lie he had been shot to death he had bad gotten his bli man the horses gazed at the two figures figurea and drifted away slowly fearfully still held in mute subjection to their dead masters by dangling reins tho the sun blazed down from directly overhead the heat beat waves rising and falling the dead aad desolate desert stretching bretzing tret Zing to the sky an hour two passed the horses were now a hun dred yards away nose to nose all else was changeless then into tile the far northern sky there rose roae a black speck apeck growing larger and larger others came from the east and west beating the air with widely outspread put spread wings great beaks stretched forward out from their nests of foulness the desert scavengers were coming for their spoil CHAPTER at tho the waterhole water V hole up from the tar far dim southwest they rode rodal slowly silently W wearied still by the exertions of the past night and burned by the fierce rays of the desert sun no wind of sufficient force had blown since keith passed that way and they could easily follow the hoof prints of his horse across the sand waste bristol was ahead bat brim drawn low scanning tho the horizon line un teasingly somewhere out in the midst of that mystery was hidden tragedy and he dreaded the knowledge of its truth behind him fairbain baan and hope rode together their lips long since grown silent the man over ever glancing uneasily aside at her the girl drooping slightly in the saddle with pale face and heavy eyes five prisoners lashed together the binding rope fastened to the pommels gommels of the two bark bar X mens saddles were bunched together and behind all came neb his bis black taco face glistening in tho the beat suddenly bristoe drew rein and rose to the full length in tho the stirrups shading his bis eyes from the suns glare as he be stared ahead two motionless black aspects were visible yet were they motionless or was it the heat bent waves which seemed to yield them movement lie he drove in his bis spurs driving his bis startled horse to the summit of a low sand ridge and again halted gazing intently forward ha was not mistaken they were horses knowing instantly what it meant meah t those animals drifting derelict in the heart of the desert his throat dry with fear the scout wheeled and spurred back to his bis party quickly resolving on a course of action hawley and keith had met both had fallena fallen either dead or wounded A moments delay now might cost coat a life be would need fairbain but he must keep the girl back if possible but could he be she straightened up in toa the saddle aa be ba camo came spurring toward them her eyes wide open ono one hand band clutching at her throat doctor he called an aa soon boon es as he was near enough his blo horse circling tharan is ln out you yea dor id like ter take a look at an I 1 reckon you better gotiong goV go long iong the nac ger kin corn com up ahead yore yere with miss walte waite she struck her horse and h he plunged forward bringing her fac laca to face with BrIs bristoe too what Is it tell TOO me what la Is 10 it No Noth thin ln but a loose boss miss A horse hero on the desert looking about her eyes dark with horror but how bow could that be could could it be captain Kelt keiths hs bristoe cast an appealing glanco glance at mopping his face vigorously not knowing what to say and the other attempted to turn the tide not likely not likely at all no reason why it should be probably just a stray horse you stay back here boe bliss hope ben and I 1 will find out and let you know no im going she cried stifling a sob in her throat it would kill me to wait here she was off before either might raise hand band or voice in protest and they could only urge their horses in effort to overtake her the three racing forward fetlock deep in sand mounted upon a swifter animal fairbain forged ahead he could see the tw two 0 horses now plainly their heads beads uplifted their reins dangling without perceiving more he know alread already Y what was waiting there on the sand and swore fiercely spurring his horse mercilessly forgetful of all else oven evou the girl in his intense desire to reach and touch the bodies lie he had begged to do this himself to be to seek this man clawley haw ley to kill him but now he bo was the physician with no other thought except a hope to save before his bis horse ha had doven even stopped he be flung himself from the saddle ran forward and dropped on his knees beside keith binding his ear to the chest grasping the wrist in his bis no gers As the others approached be glanced up no conception now of aught save lit hlf awn professional work water gristow Gris Dris too 1 he bo exclaimed sharply dash some brandy in it quick now there it hold his head up higher yes boudo you do it miss llope hope here her den ben take this and pry his bis teeth open well he be got a swallow anyhow hold him just as he be la Is can you stand it ive got to find and where he be w bit yes yea yes yea she answered dont dont mind me ile he tore open the woolen shirt soaked with blood already hardening felt within with skilled fingers his eyes keen his bis lips muttering ancon quarter of an inch quarter of an inch too high scraped the lung lord if t I 1 can only get it out got to do it now cant wait here bristoe Url stoe that thai leather case came on my mi saddle run damn delit save him yet girl there drop his bis head in your lap yos yes cry it if you want is t only hold bold still open the case will you down here bore where I 1 can reach it now water all our canteens hope Hopfl tear me off a strip of your you r under what am I 1 going to do extract the ball got to do it bood blood poison to in this sun sho she ripped het bt skirt hanging it to him w without a word I 1 then dropped her waite faro la in br b r hands bending with closed eyes over the whiter face fac resting on her lap her lips trembling with the ono one prayer oh godl oki ob god ilow how long he ha was at it or what he be did she scarcely know she heard the splash of water caught the flash of the sun on the probe felt the tha halt half conscious shudder of the tha wounded man whose nead was in her I 1 lap ap the tha deft quick movements of fair baan and then it ive got it missed tho the lung by a hair damn me im proud ot of that job youre a good girl she looked at him scarce ablo able to see oe her eyes blinded with tears teara will will he live luvot oh teu tell met mel livel live why he nothing but a hole to close up natu na turell roll do that with a bit ot of nursing here now dont you keel over give me the tha rest of that skirt is lie ile bandaged the wound then glanced about suddenly the other follow dead returned Bris bristoe too snot shot through the heart thought so have seen keith shoot before I 1 wonder how tho the cuss ever manngen to got get him As ho he arose to ms ais feet his bis re red d face glistening with perspiration and began strapping his bis leather case the others rode redo up and DrI bristoe stoe explaining the situation set tho the men to making for pushing on to the preparations waterhole water hole ole blankets were swung between ponies and the bodies of the dead and wounded deposited therein firm bands on the bridles hope rode close belde keith struggling to keep back the tears na as she watched him lying motionless unconscious scarcely breathing so under the early glow of the desert stars they came to the waterhole water hole and halted the wounded man opened hla his eyes and looked about him unable to c comprehend at first all was dark silent then ho he saw baw the stars overhead and breath oz 02 air fanned the nearby near by fira anre the ruddy glow of flame flashing across hla his face ile he heard voices faintly and thus little by little con asserted itself and memory a struggled back into his bewildered brain the tha desert the lonely leagues league bof of asand his fingers gripped as it they re felt t the stock of a gun yet that was all over he be was not there but lie an was somewhere and alive alive it hurt him to move to breathe e even ve n and after one effort to turn over lie ha lay perfectly still staring up into the black arch of sky endeavoring to think to understand where was he be ilow how had he come there was haw ley alive alsot also A face bent over him the features faintly visible in the flub of firelight firelight ills his dull eyes lit up in sudden recollection doat la is that you sure old roan man the pudgy fingers feeling his pulse the gray eyes twink ung narrow squeak you had going to pul through all right though no sign fl f fever whee am I 1 IT at the waterhole water hole sling you in t a blanket and get you into larned lamed U tomorrow there was a moments silence keith finding it hard bard to speak fawley I I 1 he whispered at last oh dont worry you got him all right say his voice sobering may be it was just as well you took that job it if it had bad been me I 1 would havia been in bad the wounded mans eyes questioned its a bad mix up keith watt waite never told us ua all of it I 1 reckon he b want her to |