The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-05

1oinr down to your camp and have business interview with Trtfhn. Knight. your uncle. And 1T he wan.s to be my partner, I'm going 70 tasv his call And if he does take up my claims and develop them, 1t peans new life for me. and new chance to SC, away from the government bounty. Maybe it afn't to be" He lifted nis head with a touch of recklessness ana looked at her. Maybe. as you say, it's one of them things that's going to happen anyway. Just now. it's up to von reckon that you're my fate this time, and its your hand on tne bridle leading. Are you going to tell!
 Arafnst her own will she met nis gaze Tt was a compeliing. winning gage. It seemed to her as if she never had looked so long pr so deep into q
 Are you going to tell on me7" he repeated
 They had halted the chestnut at the western brow of the table land De <, them 1t dipped into sudden slash of | nd that some volcanic acropatic stunt had left back in days of prini- tive chaos. Ridge upon ridge of many colored strata rose from an unseen riV- The Rattier lifted his hat from his head and looked down at the land or his promise in peaceful content. ssz '"rhen we'll take the unknown trail together" he said Marie Louise!'
 Mrs. Knight's audible whisper span. ned the space of the box rail Marie Louise was seated in the chair nearest the stage, half hidden by sweep or old rose draperies. The others in the party had been chatting in whispers. their backs half turned from the stage. | She wondered how they could do ~. Leaning her chin on her fineertips. she bent forward and watched the play. | "Arizonari," the program announced " | to be- It was not the plot that caught | her fancy and swept her out of her | self, it was the atmosphere Of the | scene. Yellow and red, and skies oI | deepest blue. Even the false glare of ! the spotlights and calcium could not | rob the picture of It's reality to her. | She looked down at IL and forgot New | York forgot the year between, forgot | everything In her life but the bit of | Arizona before her and that other pit l In her own life.
 one of the soldiers on the stage I brought on small gray burro. and she l laughed softly to herself. The poor l little burro, with the red silk handker- | chief binding It's leg. Esteban had been | sent back after 1t as soon as they had | reached camp. It had been the Rattlers l suggestion, and he had smiled grimly 1 when the Mexican passed reluctantly and dubiousIy out of sight and left | him alone with Tristram Knight.
 Marie Louise"
 The tone was insistent and refused to be ignored Marie Louise glanced np indffferently and discovered a tall figure standing behind her chair. The l lights were low. She could not dis-
 tinguish the newcomer's face. An
 empty chair stood just back of her 1 own and she inclined her head slightly
 toward It. Mrs Knight smiled com-
 fortably and leaned back in her own
 seat.
 year ago, almost. Marie Louise | stared thoughtfuiiy down at the paint ed rocks and canvas mountains. He
 had kept his word and disappeared as | soon as the deal had gone through.
 There had been no trouble. 9rismef
 had not been blind to It's own interests,
 or tae pleasant proximity of boom
 ing copper district And 1t had boom
 ed The arroyo and its hilisides had
 been torn and stabbed with shafi
 workings, and the silence and beauty of the old camp by the waterfall had
 given way to a mule trail and the clat-
 ter of the miners shacks and grub
 tent.
 Once she had heard of him through Il ] returned to New York he had told as
 a laughable incident of the new mines i that Jack Yates, his partner, had giyef
 himself up to the law in Grismer, thai
 he had supplied his own bonds ant been his own lawyer and had won thu
 case. It had been an interesting case
 Knight added, mighty interesting ai those Western things go. But Yatel had picked up witness, Mexican 1 fellow who had been on the spot al the time of the murder, or rather. tht !. killing The fellow had been mixed , up in the row himself, Yates had said
 but with the assistance of assurance , as to his personal safety in the case and liberal witness fee. Esteban he'd borne excellent testimony for the de 1 fence, and had cleased the reputation Of Jack Yates. otherwise the Ratler.
 And the Government bounty had been . lifted from the pelt of the wolf. 1t needs a little more local color , l doesn't it? said a voice at her side.
 The curtain fell. In the momentary hush which lay over the house as tho lights raised Marie Louise turned he' 1 head toward the speaker. With lips l half parted, she met his gaze and did not speak. There was something lack.
 ing to the fitness of 1t all A tilted
 Mexican sombrero, smoking revolver l | a chestnut horse and the loneliness oi ' | the unknown trail.
 Her uncle was shaking hands witt Yates. his partner. and introducing hin
 to the others. Mario Louise sat in hei chair and was silent. when Yates lifted , 1 her cloak to her shoulders she ros' : ] and looked up at him curiously. H' , was not in evening dress
 ! q arrived in New York just on, 2 hour and a half ago." he said. Don \ | criticise. Really, I do know better. f went directly from the station to youi
 home and they told me you were here So came after you" 1 "why3
 t The question had slipped from hei , lips before a second thought coul' n check 1t. Her aunt glanced over he 1 shoulder and asked Yates to take Mari' v Louise. For a moment they were aion' i in the box.
 ai 'T have come about 5000 miles afte you" he said. Don't you know why . You needn't answer. You answered |
 all right when you sat Joking at tha r play. and I watched you. You haven ] forgotten"