The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-14
Continued From Sixth Page.)


ings against him, and he's as free as
YOU are"
Masterton tried to rise. but another
| palm Cissy's bright eyes softened. She
| knelt beside him. her soft breath fam
| ming his hair, and lifted him gently to
Il sitting position.
20, I've done it before she laughed
| as she read his wonder, with his graft
| tude in his eyes THE horse was al
! ready stiff, and you were nearly so by
| the time | came up to you and got
| she laughed again-"the other Chinaman
| to help me pull you out of that hole
Il know | owe you my life" he said,
his face flushing.
1T was lucky / was there" she re-
turned naively, perhaps lucky you
were chasing me-
I'm afraid of the many who would
| run after you / should be the least
lucky" he said, with an attempt to
laugh that did not, however, conceal
his modification, but l assure you that
| only wished to have an interview with
your father-a business interview-per-
haps as much in his interest rs my
own"
The old look of audacity came back TO
her face. II guess that's what they
all came here for-eXcept one-but N
didn't keep them from believing and
saying he was a thief behind his back.
Yet they all wanted his-conhdence, She
added bitterly.
Masterton felt that his burning cheeks
were confessing the truth of this. You
n1c b.. 1,r,
'Yes--the deputy sheriff. He came to
help me"
YOU
"'Yes, mel" A ooquettish little toss
Of her head added to his confusion. He
threw up his job just to follow me with
out my knowing it, to see that i DIDN'T
come to any harm. He saw me only
once, tuo-at the house when he came
to take possession. He said he thought
l was clear grit to risk everything to
find father, and he said he saw it in
me when he was there-that's how he
guessed where i was gone when | ran
away, and followed me-"
He was as right as he was lucky"
said Masterton grayely. But how
did you get here"
She slipped down on the floor beside
him with an unconscious movement that
her masculine garments only made the
more quantity girlish, and clasping her
knee with both hands, looked at the fire
as she rocked herself slightly backward
and forward as she spoke.
ut will shock IL proper man like you,
/ know" she began demurely, but
came alone with only a Chinaman TO
guide me. l got these clothes from our
laundryman so THAT | shouldn't attract
attention. / would have got a Chinese
lady's dress, but | couldn't walk in their
shoes'Lshe looked down at her little feet
encased in wooden sandals-"and | had
a long way TO walk. But even if
didn't look quite right to a Chinaman,
no white man was able TO detect the
difference You passed me twice in the
stage and you didn't know me. | travelled
night and day most of the time walking,
and being passed along from one China
man To another. or when we were alone
being slung on pole between two coolies
like u bale of goods. l ate what they
could give me--for | dared not go into
a shop or restaurant; / couldn't shut
my eyes in their dens, so / stayed awake
all night. Yet / got ahead of YOU and
the sheriff-though | didn't know at the
time what YOU were after" she added
presently.
He was overcome with wondering adj
miration of her courage and of self-re
preach at his own Short-sightedness.
THIS was the girl he had looked upon
as Il spelled village beauty, satisfied with
her small triumphs and provincial eleva-
ton. and vacant Of all other purpose.
Here was she-the allunconscious he
roine--and he her critic, helpless at her
feet! 1t was not cheerful reflection,
and yet he took Il certain delight in his
expiration. Perhaps he had half believed
in her without knowing it. What could
he do or say? | regret to say he logged
the question meanly.
"And you think your disguise escaped
detecton?" he said. looking markedly
at her escaped braid of hair.
She followed his eyes rather than his
words, half pettishly caught up the
lcosened braid, swiftly coiled it around
the top of her head, and clapping the
weather beaten and battered cOnical hat
back again upon it, defiantly said:
Yes! Everybody isn't as critical as
you are, and even you wouldn't be--of
Il Chinamanw
He had never seen her except when
she was arrayed with the full intention
to affect the behOlders and perfectly
conscious Of her attractions; he was
utterly unprepared for this complete
ignoring of adornment now. albeit he
was for the first time aware how her
real prettinesS made it unnecessary
She looked fully as charming in this
grctesque head covering as she had in
that paragon of fashion-the new hat
which had excited his tolerant amllse-
ntent.
I'm afraid I'm Il very poor critic" he
said bluntly. IL never conceived that
this sort of thing was at all to your
taste"
Il came to see my father because l
wanted to-" she said with equal blunt
ness.
And | came to see him though l
didn't want to, he said with IL cynical
laugh.
She trned and fixed her brown eyes
inquiringly upon him.
why did you come, then?''
Il was ordered by my directors"
Then You did not believe he was
thief she said. her eyes softening.
1T would i'll become me to accuse
x-ft fat 4; l..