Show The EVERLASTING v Jaek on n Gregory W D IS P 8 By Charles Charlea bD I Co by sons Sous SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS L In tho the California sierra Mark Kin King prospector tor sees Andy Parker Porker killed by Swan SWeD Brodic Browe Parkers Parker outlaw companion both bolh known mown to King who Ls Is s on his hb way to tho homo horn of an old friend Den Ben Gaynor Their friendship ned by marriage e King has bas not met Mrs Gaynor nor Gloria Gaynor eighteen eighteen- old year old daughter King said and Gaynor share hare with Brodlo and his hie crowd knowledge of a IS vat storo store of gold cold hidden In tho the sierra A prospector Loony Honeycutt Is U believed to know tho the hiding bIding place King meets Mrs Mra Gaynor Coynor and U Is impressed by Glorias Gloria's youthful beauty Among Caynor's Gaynor's guests Is Gratton Cratton San Francisco capitalist apparently a II favored suitor for Gloria's Glorias hand band With Gloria Cloria King rides to Coloma Intending to sound Honeycutt Ho He finds Brodle Brodlo with the old I prospector tor and animosity flares Brodlo threatening King KIna Their ride rids to Coloma and their companionship for n D day draw King closer to Gloria I CHAPTER IV S 5 SHAT S HAT night when King and Gloria Glo Glo- THAT 1 ria said good night an odd constraint lay Iny over them Ulem To Gloria Gloria Gloria Glo Glo- ria King seemed stiff sUIT and preoccupied pled pied sh she herself had red spots In her cheeks and was nervously ncr tense The abrupt approach of Bro Brodle Ie with his repulsive e face face face-at at a moment when wIlen the world swirled away anay from her Iler underfoot and a divine madness n was as ns in her blood the blood the reaction and revulsion revulsion all l all n-all all this and the resultant resultant result result- I ant aut of emotions had bad worn her out Sh She knew know that King was going back to the mountains she knew when he left going swiftly and silently like tike a shadow shadon she knew that this time he went armed carrying her fathers father's rifle For Mark King knew that It was lne inevitable ine liable that his path and Swen Sven Brodle's Brodies should run closer and closer that trails made by two men like King Icing and Brodle BrodIe could never converge harmoniously that there was t too much at stake that It was well uell to be ready for Brodie Brodle v s S j t In tn an ugly mood In an encounter so far removed from the habitations of at I 1 t men that a deed done dose would could pass without human commentary r A week passed and Gloria went back to San Francisco l leaving a little note for Mark King King did not return to the log house He Hc knew that long Ions ago GlorIa Gloria Gloria Glo Glo- ria would have gone there was nothing to draw him In her absence i These were strenuous days during W which King penetrated the most way the corners of ot the moun moun- He held beld that when Baldy Baidy Winch had bad made him a cabin In so Inaccessible and distant a spot as the crest of Lookout ridge It had been because Winch the sole survivor survivor sur sur- Ivor of those hardy spirits who had bad been of Gus Ingles Ingle's party was of a mind to make sure day after day that no other men went where here he had bad been A man like Baldy Winch as King envisioned him would do that Hence from Lookout ridge one should be able to see the very point or a peak standing over o the f i very point where Gus Ingles Ingle's men had gone But always the one ill dif dlf- that point might be a mile miler r away or ten twenty thirty miles mlle away There was nothing to do but seek seek and and he knew that always Swen Brodie Brodle too was seeking So SoKing King Icing spent day after day In the canyons and on the ridges and yet through Ben Gayner thought to keep an eye on old Loony Honey Honeycutt cutt cots But there were hours that King thought very little of Brodle Brodie Gus GusI w I l Ingle or Honeycutt There were ft times when the solitudes were emp- emp r ty At such moments he fancied that a girl came stealing through I the trees to him that she slipped her ner hand band Into his own that she lifted lift lift- h ed to his her soft eyes that some some- I i- i thing within the soul of ot him spoke to her and that she answered His Hist HisE v E t pulses quickened a great yearning I as of at Infinite hunger possessed him He saw virtually nothing of at Brodie Brodle Now and then smoke from froma a R campfire once or twice the charred coals where Brodle's Brodies men had been been- before him One day be he became became came upon signs of ot a killing made the day before by one of Brodle's Brodies outfit he be assumed Some one had baited for tor a bear and had killed The mother bear ne he discovered the following morning For Jor he came upon a little brown cub whimperIng whimper- whimper Ing lag dismally King made the rebellious rebellious rebel rebel- lious little fellow an unwilling cap- cap tl e and tIve-and and smiled as he be thought of ot Gloria Gloria had bad talked of at bear cubs It If she but had one for tor a apet apet apet pet I Well here was vas Glorias Gloria's pet King that day turned toward to the log house And thus he received at last Glorias Gloria's note at Jim Spaldings dings ding's hands bands Dear Mark Mamma and I have to h go o back to town tomorrow I am sorry that I cant can't stay up here bere always and al ways Do you realize that I ba have ve never ne seen you In the city 1 I Iwonder Iwon- Iwon wonder wonder won won- der If you would come corne down down It If I asked you to Ill I'll sa say It very nicely and properly like this Miss Gloria Gaynor requests the pleasure of Mr Mark Kings King's presence at her little birthday party on the evening o of L August twelfth at eight Ju Just t the four tour of u us Mark mamma and papa you and GLORIAA GLORIA A August agust twelfth said King Ill Il go H Ht Be didn't write as the necessity of ot an answer did not suggest Itself to him He took It for granted that she would know that he be would come He chuckled as he thought of the birthday gift he be would bring her There was still a week he re rev remained remained with Spalding at the Gaynor Gaynor Gaynor Gay Gay- nor mountain home and devoted de hour after hour to taming the cub On the eleventh he was in San Francisco He Ie was busied for tor an hour heur or orso orso orso so finding quarters for his cub getting getting getting get get- ting a shave and hair cut Later he be telephoned to the Gaynor Gaynor Gaynor Gay Gay- nor home A maid answered and Informed him that Mr Gaynor had hadnot hadnot not arrived yet though he was expected expected expected ex ex- this this' afternoon or in tn the morning that both Mrs Gaynor and Miss Ga Gaynor or were out King hung up without leaving his name The next evening he got a taxi called for his bear cub stopped at ata ata ata a florists florist's for an armful of early violets violets vi vi- and was off oft to the Gaynor home bome Here you are sir said the chauffeur opening the door King fancied the man had bind made madea a mistake In the number The house was blazing with lights upstairs and down there was an unmistakable air of revelry about it faintly the music of ot a new dance tune violin and piccolo and piano crept out Into the he night King Eing was of a mind to go back backo to o the hotel He had counted on the he alone not on this sort of thing But also most of all he had lad counted on Gloria and his bis hesItation hesitation hes- hes was brief He jumped down and leading his bear cub by Its ts new chain went up the steps A housemaid came to the door opened It wide for Cor him saw the cub against his leg and screamed Why what on earth Is the mater matter matter mat mat- ter er Frieda said some one It was Gloria passing through the front hallway with a n worshipful youth Gloria came to the door the youth at her heels looking over her shoulder Oh I cried Gloria King knew then In a flash that she had not exacted expected expected ex ex- ex- ex acted him that probably because he le had never ne answered her letter w lit t u. u J r i i r I r ri t tHe He Didn't Know Why All of a Sudden Sudden Sudden Sud- Sud den His Gift Seemed Out of Place she had forgotten all aU about It Unconsciously Unconsciously Unconsciously Un Un- consciously he stiffened stiffened his his old gesture gesture gesture ture before a woman But now Gloria came running out outto outto outto to him her both hands bands offered her here e eyes es alight with pleasure You did come she said gladly And AndOh Oh look I She let her hands bands remain In his but her eyes were all aU for the little brown bundle of ot fur tut at Kings King's feet that began now to whine and pull back on Its chain My birthday present I 1 Just now Mark King would have bave given anything he could think of to have bave that bear cub back In the tale woods where It belonged He Be hadn't had time to analyze Impulses he didn't know why all of Cf a sudden his I gift seemed out of place But BUl as i Gloria a little timid and holding her skirts back and yet clearly delighted delighted delighted de de- de- de lighted lashed flashed him her look of Understanding understanding understanding un un- and gratitude he was content Gloria remembered to make Mr King known to Mr Trimble Then King suggested that they tal take e the cub around back and lodge him for forthe forthe forthe the night In the garage But Gloria discovering that she could pat and fondle the little creature and that he was of friendly disposition In Insisted insisted In- In d on having him brought Into the house for all to see Its the most delightful present of ot all alII I she whispered to King In the hallway they were surrounded surrounded surrounded sur sur- rounded by a crowd of the curious Girls In pretty dresses young fellows fellows tel fel fel- fel lows In black suits all nIl very exact exactas as to the proper evening appoint appoint- ments One and all nil the they regarded Mark King curiously Mrs Gaynor appeared and was very ery glad Indeed to see Mr King again Gratton whom King remembered remembered remembered re re- with small liking cams came up and shook hook hands and looked at King In a way which did nothing to Increase the liking Ben It appeared appeared ap ap- appeared had been unable to come this year King was sorry for tor that as he looked about him The evening was anything but that to which he had bad looked for for- ward He was out of at place and felt more out of at place than he be was He was conspicuous because he was different outwardly in garb Inwardly Inwardly inwardly In In- In much else There was no noone noone noone one here bere whom he knew he had never felt that he knew Glorias Gloria's mother and tonight Glorias Gloria's self puzzling him baffling him was an Unknown Not that she was not delightful to him she was Just as delightful to every other man there and In the same way His days with her In the forest blurred and and faded He understood too by that sixth sense of at man which Is so keen at certain moments of mental distress that all of at Glorias Gloria's friends were wondering about him where he came from what his business was H He was tanned rugged He was not of them As he be sat with Gloria and found little to say he was conscious of her eyes probing at him when she thought that he did not see When couples were seeking each other to the Jazzy of the musicians King slipped away and went outside He stood in tn the shadows of at the porch seeking to get geta a grip on himself In a moment he would go In and say good night to Mrs Gaynor hed he'd say good night to Gloria he Ile would go and put an end to a hideous nightmare He Be held himself very much of a fool and he lie knew that he was fanciful But he was of ot no mind to stay Two or three couples came out he remained unnoticed In the dark dark- ness lie Ele heard a girls girl's voice olce But Bat who Is he I think hes he's terribly terribly terribly ter ter- ter- ter handsome And distinguished distinguished- looking Superior to our kind of nonsense Who are you talking about Betty Betty Bet Bet- ty Her dancing partner pretended pretend pretend- ed to be In doubt Me uMe A whirlwind of girls' girls laughter Then one of them sa saying Y You ou distinguished looking distinguished 1 I Or handsome 1 I She means the sixty- sixty nine nine dollar dollar serge suit Heavens 1 I Was there a price tag tagon tagon tagon on him Oh the animal trainer 1 I They laughed again Then Gloria came and they called to her demanding Who Is he Oh said Gloria carelessly he heIs heIs heis Is an old friend of papas papa's and his name is is King They went In two of ot the girls lingering a little behind the others Gloria and another The other bantering and yet curious said Georgia told me all about a Mr King up in the mountains this spring And that It looked like love at first sight to her Fess Foss up Glory my dear King reddened and stirred un nn- easily Georgias crazy I 1 Gloria said sald emphatically Why the man Is Impossible impossible impossible im Im- im- im possible I Five Fhe minutes later King went In found his hat and told Mrs Gaynor good night She was glad that he was going and he knew It though she made the obvious perfunctory remark Gloria saw and came tripping tripping tripping trip trip- ping across the room Not going so soon Yes he said sold briefly Good by Gloria Good night you mean dont don't you I mean good-by good he said quietly Gratton thrust forward King left abruptly leaving them together conscious of the quick look of pleasure pleas pleas- sure s- s ure on the face of or Glorias Gloria's mother Always Gloria yielding to the heady Impulses of ot youth was ready for High Adventure Therein lay laythe laythe laythe the explanation of at many things which Gloria did Time went scurrying on Mark King had returned to the Sierra no word came from him hits and Gloria told herself with an exaggerated air of Indifference that she had Just about forgotten him She knew that her father was beset by some sort of at financial troubles for the first first time In her life he be had bad not come to her birthday party and her mother had explained rather soberly sober sober- ly that It was because of a business business business busi busi- ness crisis Weeks 1 and weeks had bad gone and still she knew from u a look which her mother could not hide that the money troubles were still stalking her father and coming so close that for the first time In his tory they cast a shadow from the thc top of at the Sierra down Into her mothers mother's heart in San Francisco Now Gratton became the man of the hour bour He had studied Gloria with Infinite patience and he never displeased her He understood her as she comfortingly assured assured assured as as- herself herselt And about the same time fate had it that by two entirely trends of circumstances circumstances circum circum- stances he should draw to the dregs of Ot Glorias Gloria's lively and romantic In Interest In- In terest In the first place he began to become a prominent figure In to San Francisco And of far greater Import import Im- Im port to Gloria he became what she liked to consider a n Man of Mystery Mystery Mystery Mys Mys- tery 1 For weeks ago Gloria had bad noted that regularly once a week Mr Gratton dropped out of at sight to be gone for one or two days And though there were countless opportunities opportunities for an offhand explanation Gratton never gave It Others than Gloria remarked the fact tact a girl girlfriend girlfriend girlfriend friend Insinuatingly reminded Better Better Bet Bet- Better ter watch out for him Gloria dear la femme you know Gloria never ne suspected any such condition of at she was too sure of Gratton's attentions But nut being Gloria she wondered One night she and Gratton were having a late supper together at the Palace Gloria saw the page as ashe ashe ashe he came to the doorway he stood an envelope In hIs bis hand band looking up and |