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Show ILIJEMOON COPYR.IGHT KT THE B5-HERRiLl.COHY CHAPTER XI. Only the Hunted Know. For a long time the I'earlhunter Iny wondering why tlm norRc didn't fnll In. While he lay nnd wondered, another an-other strange thing happened the ' very strangest of all. I The top of the gorge began to open opened and lot In two little pntches of sky. Up kept tils cjes on thcra j two little spots of blue net between clouds of pink and gold. The gorge top opened wider. Ho enmc back to the two pntche? of sky; ntnllod oddly they had transfigured; hud become the eyes of the Wild ltoH The shooting hml brought hor. Her arm was under his bend, nnd she was snylng something. A tinge of crimson deepened the pink In her checks when his eyes came open. What If be had heard I Rut she met Ms eyes with frank directness. He lay looking up at her a long time; trying to comprehend compre-hend It nil; the wonder of It I that bhe was there I She helped him edge a little nenrer the brink of the ledge, raised him, and he drank out of her cupped palm. ' Whether It was the cup ho drank from, or the thlrt that parched him, he took no thought, but It was the sweetest drink that ever passed his lips. She cased him back upon the ledge.Mier nnn still under his head. A i strand of her hair fell upen his face. I She tried to shake It off. He put up . his hand nnd covered It. I Her eyes dropped to his wounded side. "I didn't know he was the Red Mask," she sold, as If In pursuance of his first remark, "till those men came this morning." Her next words were low and thoughtful. thought-ful. "I've wondered If it could havi been lie that hurt Daddy?" "It was him." The girl's breath quickened. He saw her Angers clencn. I Rut there was much to do. Her eyes I turned ngnln to his blood-stnlnod gar- j ments, nnd she xct about uncovering ( the wounded side. There was little enough to remove a shred or two of tattered chlrt; n laying hack of the torn blouse. After the first start at . sight of the wound hIic beenmo curiously curi-ously thoughtful. The color mounted I to her face ; he tried to meet her eyes, hut they turned away. "Can jou spare me for n minute?" For answer hc'llfted his bend. Sho took away her nrm, cased hlra back ' upon the rock, and he heard her light step as she sprang around an nnglo of the cllfT. She wus gone bnrely more than the minute asked for. When sho returned she was carrying In her hands a number num-ber of strips bandages of white cloth. Where hho got them well, that's her secret. The bullet hud cut a deep, ragged gnsh just below the armpit. It had grazed a rib, but heemlngly had not broken It. With that encouraging foct established, and the sting of the wound much allayed, tho mind of the i man began reaching forward to tho night; the all-Important night when a certain suuvc Individual In n frock coat woutd come to feed a certain horse. Ho suld no word of IliN to the girl nlready binding the bandages around tho clean-unshed wound. She would havo scouted the bare suggestion sugges-tion of the things he was plnunlng to do the moment the dark was sulnclrnt-ly sulnclrnt-ly dense to hide him. Sho drew what wns left of his tattered tat-tered shirt nnd blouse over the bandage ban-dage at last, laid his wounded arm across his breast and slung It there by h strip of cloth passed up around his neck, and helped him to his feet. It shamed him that ho was absolutely abso-lutely compelled to cling fust to her, to lean heavy upon hor, or go back to the rock. Ills fate wns far loo while to show the mortllleatlon he felt, hut sho snw It In his ees. Lifting his well urm and laln It neross her shoulders, sh caught her left arm about his blouse wulst nr.d stcndled him. The Wild Rose seemed to have taken tak-en toll of every bit of sunshine that ever struck the nutwoods. That was the distinguishing feature of her personality. per-sonality. That and her good, sound sense. Iler face was beaming full of .oth right now the sunshine and tho sense. She was smiling up at him, he knew. He was staring euay above her head-but he knew. The Millie gradually grad-ually diew his eyes down out of the trees. He could no moro help It than ho could help leaning upon her. She ,nuglied-n henrtenlng little laugh-llko laugh-llko the happy water curling npulnst the Iwlgo. II" laughed back. He couldn't help It. The restraint was broken; the smart gone. He glanced down at tho ledge neforu leaving to see that no tell-tale blood Kiiots or bits of cloth were left. A needless precnntlon-her woodcraft wns as fine as his own. How she managed to lead hlra, nail carry him, out of the rocky nnd broK en gulches of Pox Den and down the rough hanks of Wolf Run to the cabin of the three gables she never knew. Neither did he. It always remained a matter of wonder to him. Who docs know the source of power that rays-tcrlous rays-tcrlous nuguientntlon of strength that comes to a woman In n crisis? She led him Into the Iioukc nnd to the sofn In ihe main room; the queer little leather-covered bed that hnd stirred his curiosity the afternoon of his first visit two dnys before. The old mnn wns not In the room. She must huve cnught his eyes searching search-ing for him. "Daddy?" she answered to the eyes. "He often pcmls hours away. There'll be little pjss In the woods today that he won't see, though nobody will see him. Pour Daddy I" "We'll send for that surgeon tomorrow," tomor-row," he said. She was back In n moment, cnrryltig a pan of water, fresh bandnges. and a formidable-looking brown bottle camphor, cam-phor, the universal first aid In the Plntwoods. The blood-soaked bandages ban-dages were deftly removed, and the wound rc-svnshed. She picked up the brown bottle. "I am sorry to hurt you," she said. "Rut It will keep the fever down." "You're the doctor," was his slow answer. She uncorked the bottle nnd applied some of Its contents to the wound with n bit of cotton. Hurt I It hurt so that he laughed. "Anything to get ready for tonight," he grinned, under the bite of the powerful pow-erful nntlseptlc. "Tonight l" she repented blankly. "Why, you mustn't thluk " "I must, though. Rig things depend on tonight." She saw a sternness gather In his eyes. "He'll think I've left the Flutwoods," he muttered on, more to himself thnn to her. "It's what he's been uniting for. His guniel tonight! nnd 1" The girl tow the Angers of his right hnnd clench ngalnst his palm loubt-lcs loubt-lcs qulto unconsciously while the knotted ridges of his great forearm bunched nnd swelled; but the full meaning of the muttered words Imp-(illy Imp-(illy missed her. "Can you stand more camphor?" she asked. "I'll swim In It, If It will get me up." The girl laughed, moistened the cotton cot-ton nnd laid It on tho wound. He did not even wince. Tho sting ot It had become to him n necessity, the grateful grate-ful menus to an end that must be accomplished. ac-complished. Without tonight there could be no tomorrow. She saturated more of the cotton, laid It on the gash and bandaged It there, drew the blouse back Into place, smoothed the pillow under his hend and Went to the kitchen. lie heard the rattle of the stove, nnd knew that she was preparing him something to cut. It moved him, foi he knew how pitiful little thnt kitchen held, nnd yel fcho wns going to share It with him tho best of It share It with n smile, and the grace of a princess. prin-cess. He swore to himself that there should be food In that kitchen tomorrow. tomor-row. She was hack In n surprisingly short time, he-irlng a tray of such food as she bad been nhlo to prepare hastily some I roth, crisp toast, a pouched egg, and black coffee. He was sound asleep. She tiptoed back to the kitchen, set the tray on the stove hearth where It would keep unrm, reentered the room, drew n chair up beside tho sofa, and kept the buzzing lllos away from his face while he slept. Noon enmo nnd pnssed. Several times she went to the kitchen to mend the fire nnd keep the tray wann; ninny n time she slipped from window to window, and listened at the doors for sound of the hunters Hint somewhere combed tho woods. Tho ehndows turned enstward and still tho man slept. The day had worn nvvny to mid-nflernoon mid-nflernoon when he tossed restlessly nnd Hung his right arm above his head. The movement seemed to provoke the hurt. He cume awake with tho quick Intuition of tho woodsman knew be had frlept long. He slnrted to rise. She sprang up and Inld her hand ou his shoulder. "Rut I mustn't Impose ou you like this," he protested. "Didn't you suy u little bit ngo that I was the doctor?" Thnt dry smllo that nlwnys stnrted In his ejes first, craw lid out across his face. "Then I command you to stny right where you are," she. answered to the slow smile, ns she hurried out to the kitchen and carried In the tray. Sho sat down beside him on the couch, tlxed his nrm ensy In the sling, put sugar In the black coffee, and even buttered his toast. Tho I'earlhunter had never lived In such luxury. It wns n drenm like some of the stories of folrles nnd enchnntcd palaces his m- ! HASH Slfll III til wotner nsca to ten ui ;ci. .., ... ... long winter evenings on Uie houseboat house-boat He half feared Uiat he might not really be awake; that, after all, It might turn out to be some trick, like that of the gorge that closed. She rose, pushed away the table and helped him back upon the couch. "Try to sleep," she said, whlls smoothing the pillow under his hcnA. isP r The Man Doth Dreaded Most to See. "and gain every bit of stieugth yuu can. If you must go tonight." Her tnnimer seemed not to Invite n reply rather seemed to forbid one. He closed his c;es and settled himself Into the luxurious novelty of the situation sit-uation the hupp) privilege of obeying such a nurse. hhe moved Ihe table hack by Ihe window, rc-arrauged the work liusket u ml vn si; of roses, nnd went to the kitchen with the tray. He opened his eyes the minute she was gone, it was farthest fiom his thoughts to ypcud another moment of that wonderful day In sleep. His great regret was that he had already spent so much of It thnt way. Whatever was to happen, It was no time to sleep. The girl, busy with the dishes, hcutd the couch creak, and pitied him In his restless pain. "Wild Rose!" She (ilmont dropped the cup she was wiping. That cnll was not Inspired by pain. No pain In the world could have wrung It from him. She hurried buck Into the room. He hnd risen nnd was stumllug near a window, a look on his face that untile her half nfinld of hi in, his eyes like a blade half drawn, llo had heaid a step. How he heard It-sensed It-sensed It only the hunted know. Tho girl sprung to his side, her ees followed tho motion of bis hand, and her lips turned white. A man was coming com-ing up Ihe path the mnn both dread-cd dread-cd most to see. Handsome, Jaunty, debonair, smoothfaced smooth-faced except for the aggressive mus-tncho mus-tncho slightly shot with gray, Ihe notorious no-torious bandit swung along up tho t"nk. The I'earlhunter stood eiourhed sard. Ills hand dropped to his. hip, -.--..-.,J. - closed over the butt of the revolver, then slowly unclosed. He was taking bis arm out of the sling when the girl caught him, shook him, dragged hlra back. "Quick I" she cried, pushing hlra across the floor, "Sly room I Rehlnd the curtulnst" At the door he hung back, his head still over his shoulder. "I reckon I must hide!" he muttered, still glurlng bnek toward the window. "Rut not there I The kitchen?" "No, my room. It's safest." SI e pushed him behind the curtains. "Rut If he comes In?" "He won't I" Ho caught a glimpse of her while hard ns the face of the hills, and the blut' In her eyes like bright steel touched with Hume. A quick glance at the tiny silt between be-tween the curtains behind which she knew the I'enrlhunter was standing, a very positive nnd .vigorous shake of her finger that said plainer than words to stay there; nnd she rose and walked with a Arm step to the door. A narrow, nar-row, Inch she opened It und with her left hand held It so, with her right shoulder piopped against It In such a way that her right side nnd arm were concealed. The man m the outside of the door drew back a step, and, with n sweeping sweep-ing bow too sweeping, even for the Plntwoods his hat come off and his handsomo face put on Its most titrable smile. "And how Is my wood fairy this afternoon?" aft-ernoon?" The girl niiide no reply. Her face, framed In the nairnvv opening, changed not a shade. Nothing so dlxcnnccrts n man ns to have his advnuees met with silence Some of Hip lines nnd wrinkles that did duty for the smile left the bold fnce of Ihe renegade. "It wns so vry lonesome In the village, vil-lage, with the men all hunting Hint desiK-rado, thai I thought I'd walk out and spend the aftertioon with you, and talk over with on some very (harming (harm-ing plnns I have formed. You have what I believe to be n wonderful vn'cc. While, to my great regret, jou have never sung for me. yet. ns I have passed back nnd forth through the woods In my business of looking up timber options, I havo sometimes heard you slug. You undoubtedly have a great voice. Now, I am rich, with no one to spend my money on. What better could I do with II thnn give to the world n great singer? If you will go with me, you shall luivo tho best training the world affords." He put one font up ou the door-step, his face beaming If such n face can beam. The I'earlhunter stiffened In Ids place behind the curtain. The girl never changed a I. sir's breadth In tho narrow opening between the cheek of the door und the Jamb, Her cold silence si-lence was apparently too much even for the bold man that faced her. "Areu'l you going to Invite me In?" "My father Is nvvny this afternoon. I can nut Invite you In." It wns the (lrst word she had spoken spok-en n uotd cold and hard enough.: but the braren Intruder seemed totalfe encouragement from It. "Then permit me to Invite myself." He advanced n step, laid his hand to the door, pushed lightly. The narrow silt between cheek and Jamb widened not a hair. The passions of u Prusslun noble were behind that face outside. They begun to break through Its thin u- Deer of politeness, lie pat iu um fvk BBl on, but still kept his hand on the jBBi door. JBB1 "I might choose to come In." B The girl made no nnswer; neither flBl did she suffer the door to yield. The jBBi last vestige or the smile left the rau'a HBJ face. jBBl "I might demand to come In" some- BBJ thing close kin to a snarl slipped late jflBa his velce "to search this cabin for BBsl that notorious desperado, the Reel BBB Mask, the murderer of Louie Set- Bfl "The Ited Mask Is not In this cab- BBsl ibbbVJ The answer (nine slowly, and User JBBb was n peculiar emphasis upon the BBB word "In," doubtless unconscious. T tho listener behind the curtains, It was BBB as If she had said: "Not lu the cabin, BBB Just In front or It." BB The pressure ou the door Increased. BBB The i'enrlhunter saw the girl brace BBB her body against It. The door begaa SBB to give a tiny mile at first an Inch BBB Inches- BBl He could stand It no longer. He BjH was In the very act of sweeping the curtains aside when tho girl's right BBB arm, the one hid behind the door, BBB dropped to her side. Her hand went Into the folds of her dress. When It came out It held the revolver he had BBBJ cleaned nnd put In order the night be- BBBJ fore. She cocked the weapon and BBBJ leaKd back. The door flew open. The HBBJ man on the step barely saved himself BBBJ from sprawling In upon the floor by BBBJ clutching the door Jamb. When tie re- BBBJ gained Ids balance, he wns gazing Into jBBBJ the muzzle of a very steady and do- ABB pcnduble looking six-gun. At first BBBJ flush he actually thought It was a joke. BBBJ "You wouldn't shoot a tuau?" BBBJ Ills voice had lost Its Jaunty ossur- BBBJ BBB1 (Continued Next Week) jBBBJ |