Evening star., 1901-07-20
Part II.

Il really believe you're afraid of some
thing. Mr.. Boyle she said without looking
up. What is II? You haven't got that In
dian scare tOo?-'
Boyle had no false shame. "I rhink 1
have" he returned with equal frankness.
You see 1 don't understand Indians
well as you-and Foster
Well. you take my word and Fosters
that there is not the least danger from
them About here they are merely grown
up children. cruel and destructive, as most
children are: but they know their masters
by this time. and the old days of proniscu-
Gus scalping are over. The only other
childish propensity they keep is thieving.
Even then they only steal what they ac-
tually want-horses, guns and powder. A
coach can go where ammunition or an
enigrant wagon can't So your trunk of
samples is quite safe with Foster
Boyle did not think it necessary to pro-
test Perhaps he thinking of some
thing else
I've a mind" she went silly ito tell
you something more. Confidence for con-
fdence. as you've told me your trade Sc
crets, III tell you one of ours. Before we
left Pine Barrens. my father ordered
small escort of cavalrymen to be in readi-
ness TO join that coach If the scouts. who
were watching thought it necessary. So
YOU see I'm something of a fraud re-
CARDS my reputation for courage"
That doesn't follow. said Boyle. ad-
miringly. for your father must have I'VE
wouldn't have taken that precaution-
''Ch. it wasn't for me-" said the young
girl. quickly.
Not for you?'' repeated Boyle.
Miss Cantire stopped short with pretty
flush of color and an adorable laugh.
There! I've done it! So might as well
tell the whole story. But can trust you.
Mr. Boyle" She faced him with clear,
penetrating eyes. We'll" she laughed
again, those innocent looking heavy
trunks on the coach contained carbines and
cartridges from our post for Fort Taylor
she made him a mischievous courtesy
under my charger
And they were in this coach?'' repeated
Boyle. abStractedly.
Were? They are said Miss Cantire.
Then the sooner l get back to your
treasure again the better, said Boyle. with
a laugh. Does Foster know ito
OF course not, DO you suppose I'd tell
il to body but stranger to the place?
Perhaps. like you. I know when and to
whom to impart information" she said.
misChievOuSly.
They walked or for some moments in si-
Ience. The ascent was comparatively easy
but devious and Boyle could see that this
new detour would take them still some time
To reach the summit Miss Cantre at last
voiced the thought in his own mind Il
wonder what induced them to turn off here?
And if you hadn't been clever as to dis
cover their tracks, how could we have
found them? But, she added. with femi-
nine logic, that, of course, is why they
fired those shots
Boyle remembered that the shots came
from another direction. but did not correct
her conclusion Nevertheless, he said light
ly. Perhaps even Foster might have had
Indian scare"
He ought to know friend1les' or govern
ment reservation men better by this time
said Miss GanrirH. 'hOTayar IS
thing in that. Do you know" she added
with laugh. though ! haven't your keen
eyes. I'm gifted with keen scent, and
once or twice I've thought | smelt Indians:
that peculiar odor OF their camps which is
unlike anything else and which one detects
even In their ponies. 1 used to notice it
when / rode one: no amount OF grooming
could take it away"
Il don't suppose that the intensity Or de-
gree or this odor would give you any idea
Of the hostile or friendly feelings of the
Indians toward your asked Boyle gri,OIy
Miss Cantire deigned to receive this with
smile. at which Boyle. who was a little
relieved by their security so far and their
nearness to their journeys end DEVELOPED
rurther ingenious trif1ing. until at the end
NJ an hour. they stood upon the PLAIN again
There was no sign Of the coach. but it's
iresn track was visible leading along the
bank of the rayine toward the Yutersection
OF the road they should have come by, and
10 which the coach had Individually return
ed BOYLE drew long breath They were
comparatively safe from any invisible at
TACK now At the end Of 10 minutes Mice
Cantire. from her superior height detected
the top Of the missing vehicle appearing
above the stunted bushes at the function
or the highway
ould you mind throwing those old
MOWERS away now?' she said glancins at
he spoils which Boyle still carried.
Why?" he asked
oh. they're too ridiculous Please do
May 1 keep one?'' he asked. wt.h the
nrst tntonation OF masculine Weakneas T.,
his voice III
II you like she said little coIdlv
Boyle selected a small spray of rnyrtIs
and cast the other flowers obedientIv asi5a
Dear me. how ridiculOusr' she said
nat Is ridiculous2" he asked lifting
m hls eyes 20 hers with slight color But
the distance h0' eSes III
horses to the coach"" any
He looked Through a gan in tho <
he could see the vehicle now oI,i,o a..
tlnctiy. standing empty horseless snd
alone He glanced hurried7y around them
on on the one side a few rocks protected them
from the tangled rim of the ridge: on the
other stretched the plain. Sit down don't
t!1ve until | return he said Quickly,
axe that He handed back her pistol
n! niIu ran quickly to the coach. 1t was no
uiuslon-there II stood vacant ABANDONED
It's dropped pole, and cut traces showiny
100 plainly the fearful haste of it's deser
u"n! A light step behind him made him
--t- II was MISS Cdnt1re. pink and breath
less. carrying the cooked weapon In her
uann HOW foolish OF you-without a
weapon. she gasped in explanation
Then they both stared at the coach tbs
empty plain. and at each other! After
thelr tedious ascent. their long detour their
nrotracted expectancy and their eager curl
'Sity. there was such suggestion of hid
eous mockery in this vacant useless yehi-
dEapparentiy left to them In what SEEM
ed their utter abandonment-that It in
stinctively affected them alike And, as |
I'm writing of human nature, 1 am com
PEELED 10 say that they both burst into a fit
N laughter that for the moment stopped ali
other expression.
1t was 50 kind Of them to leave the
coach. said Miss Cantire family. as she
took her handkerchief from her wet and
nirthIui eyes But what made them run
Iway?''
Boyle did not reply; he was eagerly ex-
amining the coach. In that brief hour
and half the dust of the plain had blown
thick upon IL. and covered any foul stain
II blot that might have suggested the
awful truth Even the soft imprint of the
ndians moccasined feet had been tram
pied out by the later horsehoofs of the
cavalrymen- 1t was these that first at