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Show j little I'.iMiitt tli ti I reserved l'rini the saie. hoping you would accept it mid the little token of my ribald ilut it ion-tains. ion-tains. There is a letter in it. too, and when J on have read it, I hope you w ill deroy it for my sake, I would not have eyes less kind than yours, scan the burned burn-ed and blistered chapter cf my life. Good niKht." There was a longJiDgering handclasp, and Nora's grey darted away uvrf the home-stretch ol bridle path, end that "good night" would be "tvod iorning" only in eternity. Alark Elden sioud at the gate long liar the Hyiii ftnuie had disappeared. He went iu-doois, but JUie house milled him and he c iu Id nut -etay. Dropping a pistol into his pocieet from habit, he sauntered out again. He visited the stable; he walked entirely around his enclosure. The air seemed thick and heavy, ind huu like a leaden weight upon him. As he came again upon the side of his cottage nearest the river the sound of steps, heavy steps.and evidently muftled smote upon his ear. He crept tult'y down so as to intercept the skulker. A man was leading a horse. The horse was Mr. McGlinu's thoroughbted But the man was ihe Major. Resolved to knew the natute of so strange a proceed nig, Mark Elden sprang suddenly out and wrenched the horse's taidle Irom the Maj.ji's hand. At this unexpected assault the Major sprang back with leai depicted in evtjy look And movement, then, taking in Ute situation at a glance he attempted to repossess himslf uf the bridle, and with a volley of oaihs and coarse epithets threatened him with sud deu death, atempting at the same time tdrw a weapon. But thejcold steel i f M.iik Eiden's pistol It.ilied in the ras ot tils voun muon, and thai, too, dangerously dan-gerously near the horse thiel's head. "I have been in this country too long to take any such chances," said Maik Elden, ciuitely, "or to ask a horse thief to stop without having it in my power to enforce the request. You know that I would be justified by every man in this valley if I shot you dead.for the condition of tins horses leet condemns you. I know you have been an honored guest at Ml. .McGlinu's house and I also know that litile circumstance would not prevent Lynch Law's Last Victim- TJJv Ellkn Jake.ian From the estern Galajcy. (CONTINUED.) N"ra tin ned tohun a look of surprised inquiry. ' It is nothing" he sa d. " I don't have the best of health," and he stretched out a shading hand I r his hat. "Do have a glass of wine, aud sit still till 7iu feel better," said Nora; and turning turn-ing to the ouk w ho thrust her head in at the door she added: "lake the stranger into tile souili r. mm. and tell him to make himself at home " Then she turned, wttb the wine in her hand, to her guest; the door was open and he was just mounting his noise at the ate. Gieally iH-rnlexeJ by tlie strange con- Vou Irom slot 11112 a val'i.tble horse when you were ready to go, George Selliy." If the solid ground had opened beneath be-neath his feet the man addressed could not have been more shocked He started forward aud tried to peer into the lace of the man before him, as he exclaimed in a gasping tone: "Who are you and why do you rail me thai?" Then as if throwing ofl a. mask he fair ly groveled in cowardly humility: hu-mility: "I don't know you but if you know that name, you know my people mv prospects. I am hunted like a wild be ist. and this horse was my only chance of escape; the sheriff who has followed me hundreds of ni.les, the de'ective who has been able to identity n.e in a dozen disguises, cante to Mr. McGlinn's house as licit it. 1 do not want to steal the horse, but it is a matter of life and death to me. Go back to your house vou did not steal the horse and it is no business ol yours. Just go quitely back and give me this one chance for my lile! vVho ever you are, I have never wronged you or I should have remembered you. .My life is in your hands, either give me that horse's biidle or shoot me!" When the t.xciled man said, "1 have Uever wronged you" Maik Elden shud-deied, shud-deied, but only replied: "I do not wish to have any man's blood on my hands, much less youis. 1 will give you a chance for your l.le; vou can't Have fins hmse.but you may have mine. A much better chance, too, that than if you rode a horse like tli.s, known 'ar and wide; why, your life would hardly be won h an hour's purchase. Come wiili me," ami keeping the (lightened aud apprehensive wieich well under guard, Maik Elden Jed the way to his own stable. To be Continued. 'duct of her trend, Noia went slowly through the wide hall to greet the suanger. In the wild West every man's house is an inn. as well as his casile, and profuse hospitality is ihe common and redeeming re-deeming virtue nf its people. As she enleied ihe room the gentleman gentle-man arose, and bowing, introduced himself as ".Major Jasper, ol the U. S. 1 army, nil' on turloiiugh and vou," he said, "are Ihe daughter ol Mr. McGlinn, ike rattle knit;, 1 ptesumr; I hope I do ml intrude. " "Certainly not, and Mr, McGlinn my faiher will he pleased to ofler you the iiosp.tdlity of our house during your Slav." He met her welcome with voluble expression of his appreciation of the country, the people, the lile. Then her faiher came in, and theconver satiou drifted along withou' Nora, who found the unaccountable conduct ol Mr. Elden constantly recurriag to her mind. There were so many men with a history among those she knew, that her mind iiistiuctly turned to t lie past; and as she wat 'hed Major Jasper's auimaled face and listened to his pleasant and varied tlow of small talk, she wondered what strange chain of ciicumstances had bound these two men so utterly unlike together, in that great woild beyond the Eastern hills. S:ie would probably have heen m. ne sarpiised if site could ba.eseeuMr Elden'slace as he rode away, and heard him mutter between clenched teeth, "My God! am 1 never to find itfs,?" The next day All. Elden sent her a note to sav that he w,.s too ; indisposed to give her the i.ecustumed aesjii. -.- The days drifted by. Tlie magnetic Majoi collected the voting folks Irom far and near all over the valley, and they had delightful p cuics, beirving parties, hotsehack tides bv moonlight, and of all ,lhis gay mercurial stranger, with his constant flow of au nial spirits, was the very life and centte. Two weeks had gone by, and Nora had not seen Mr. Elden nor heard from him in all that time. Feeling a little shame faced, and a little uneasy she rode out alone, aud far around the little cottage, so as to approach it from a direction opposite to the one in which , she lived, that it might appear to be an uupremeditedcall. She saw him walking I slowly up and down among the Bower beds,, and as became to the gate toassist tier to dismount, and she saw how pale he was, and what deep hollows weie undei Ins eves, her heart smote her for her ingratitude to this Hue and gentle friend. They walked among the flowers; he gatheringclusterafterclijster of the veiv choicest lor her, while: she gently chided bun fot his long absence, and protested against the wholesale fuciilices of his pets. At last she turned to go. My faiher does not know thai I canu heie," she said, "and w ill be uneasvi)out me." "I am most happy tli" vou came. Iain going away to-morrow, and I should not have been satisfied to go without having seen you once more " Going aavav!" Nora earned, in a tone of dismay, "is th s not a veiysnd leu re-s re-s live, Mr Elden?" "Yes. it dates from my last visit to you Miss. Nora. I had hoped to spend my lie w hat may be left of it here; but fate has willed it otherwise. I have sold all mv possessions to Red Harry w ho shuitlv takts a bride, and I go out into the world aain to-morrow, alone " "Tell me," sid Nora, impulsively, "tell me me if the man who came to our house that evening is the cause of this sudden res jlve?" Then she added, with a flash of divination, "does this man hold any evil power over your life?" "No"-said Maik Elden calmly, while his eyes turned with mournful longing toward the east, "but he once did, and he used that power to crush me, body and soul, Nora"--and there was intense feel ng in every intonation of his voice, 'Shun tliaim.tn as you would the dead liest viper. He is au ui.sciupul.jiis, heartless villian!" She locked at him in surprise, but bowed bow-ed her head in acquiescence. "You will not be able to understand this now, and pardou me, if my plain peaking has offended you, but vou have no mother, and I sometimes think your father is to absorbed iu his business to properly look after his daughter's welfare. I have tried to be a true fiiend toyou.Miss. Nora," he said" ''aud the reflection of our friendship will be bright to me when death stands near." "You have been more than a fiiend tn me," and now Nora's tears fell last, ' I am sure you will not misunderstand me when I say that 1 love you as I would a ' dear brother if I had one. I don't wish to understand about this Major, only," and her Irish nature blazed out impulsive impul-sive and true, "if that man has wronged you, I hate him, and be is my enemy too." He he'd the hand she had given him c!:sc and warm, stroking the long braids of glossy black hair till she was mre composed. Then he put a key into the hand he relinguished. Please accept this" he said, "to morrow the man who takes possession here will send you a |