Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-06-21

l lEl4 O. n,...,,
| "wHAT DOES IT MEAN, NoRRIs?'
Of the muddle. If you want to stand well
with Childers you won't put in your oar I'M
asked, and guess you know all you've got
| to do if you want to stand well with me-
The last was spoken with chuckle. as if
Mr.. Ingot was enjoying some inward joke.
Norris could not fail to understand him.
To stand well with Mr.. Ingot, he must not
rival the latter in his attentions to Carol.
Gas if she could ever turn to him."
thought Bergman, with thrill of his old
repulsion coming back. 81 owe him one
good turn though for setting me straight.
1t looks reasonable enough-hi, story:
don't see why should doubt it
He could not help little soreness, how
ever, that Lyman had not found it possible
to trust him. His thoughts We're taken
quite away from the object of his present
| journey. and it was not until he stood at
| Mr.. Eyerleigh's door that he recalled the
substance of Althca's note.
"All well, Jacob!'' he asked OF the SER
want who opened the door.
''Au well, sir, except that Miss Althy is
powerful nervous this last day or two.
| Tain'ta good sign for young pusSOu to
get SO nervous. If it don't mean one thing
it's apt to mean another. Walk right in,
she's expecting Of you, sir: and l raisdoubt
if you haven't something to do with her
| fidgets," communed Jacob to himself, with
a doubtful shake of his gray poll. The
young fellow was well enough in his opinion,
but not half the match his young lauy- de-
served.
Althca was alone. She started up with a
little gasp, and gave both her hands in 4
warm pressure.
"Oh, Norris. Nothing has happened,
then: You are here safe! l have been SO
uneasy am SO glad to sec You again"
The proud voice was broken by a qulver.
tears chung to the dark eyclashc3, though
trcmulous smile was on the rcd mouth
Norris heart was warmed by her evident
solicitude.
"My dear Althca, what should have hap
pened! A fellow of my Drawn should be
pretty well able to take care of himself if
there had been any thing moro formidable
to face than my good uncle's fancies. You
did not suppose three days at the cottage
would have a fatal effect, did you!:'
"You have really not been in any dan
ger, them persisted Althea, wistfull,.
Read that. Think, if you can, what have
suffered
She took note from her belt and passed
it to him. Written on coarse paper, in an
evidently disguised hand, Norris read
.'DEAR MISS EvERLEIGH-This is 10 warn
you against harboring a snake. Don't put
any faith in Norris Bergman. There arc
some on lis heels who will make short work
of him if he goes much further. A word to
the wiGc ought to be enough. He has got
of twice. let him look out for the third
time If he goes into the bank It viii be
worse fer you and yours. AS surely as he
docs. he is : doomed man. This is not the
warnings OF = friend, but Of onc who knows.
Heed IT.
The Signature was the rude drawing of n
hand reaching up through an open square.
Norris fixed hlS eyes upon it. and his 5rOWs
knit. The rambling, foolish cttcmpt to
brighten him was given its only point in his
mind by that strange signature.
What docs it mean, Norris What
enemy hare you to make such thrcat;:''
II arr as completely ut . loss about that
as you can be. Althca. This note looks like
the disjointcd rawlings of GRAZ man TO
nc. Don't let. il annoy you i is not
worthy Of attention"
Have you no idea who wrote it, fixing
her glance. searching and intent, upon his
face.
Mot the slightest In the world
''Iou viii not let 1T prevent your going
into-my fathers service" with q percep-
tiblc pause before the last three words
'.Certainly not. 1t would take much
more than this to make me change my mind
on that point if any thing, 1t has the effect
to strengthen my determination.
e &l,,% l,-,% II, .icf no
careful-bc careful of yourself. shall live
in misery if any harm comes to you
There was 4 deep. excited glow in those
great, dilatcd eyes. which Norris could not
quite fathom He led the conversation
away from the exciting subject; by making
light of it. he tried to relieve her of further
fears He was glad that she did moi l-now
the thought which had been suggested to
his mind
1t looks as if the villains had spotted
the bank, and were afraid OF my Interior
ing with their operations. Strange if l
should come in tire way, for the second
time Of that gang. Only one Of them would
have used that signature. yet it seems
most foolhardy thing to do to warn me in
that way. Ican't understand it at all: must
be sharp and watchful.''
These were the thoughts which chung to
him after he had parted from Althea. Could
he have looked back through the closed
doors. have seen her standing with that
drawn look Of pain on her brOws, he would
have known that he had not left her in such
entire ignorance rs he imagined There
Was trouble of her own. too, gaawing at
thar proud heart.
Have been SO untrue to myself as to
give my heart uu2sked. Eand-worse thought!
unworthy: / will rot believe it. / have
faith in Norris. If there is baseness and
treachcry. he Will discover them. 1 have
done right by putting that note in his
hands"
Vet the consciousness of doing right did
not bring peace to Miss Everleigh's breast.
CHAPTER XIV
CLOUDS AND TORRENTS.
Carols fair face wore most unusual cloud.
ShA .vras fy-ohlf>u1 % nd r0hounv all IN mr..