Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-15
BOB HAMPTON OF PLACER.
BY RANDALL
AUTHOR OF WHEN WILDERNESS WAS KING"
Copyright 1907 BY A. C. Acclmg 1 Co..

Gillis authorize you to thank me for these
courtesies?'
Hampton smiled with provoking calmness,
holding unlightea cigar between his fin
, gers. why. really as to that do not re-
member. l merely mentioned II a. express
ing the natural gratitude Of us both"
You speak as IL you possessed full au-
thority to express her mind as we'll as your
own"
The other bowed gravely, his face impas-
sive. MY words would quite naturally
bear some such construction"
The officer hestated, feeling more doubt
full than ever regarding his own position.
Chagrined, disarmed, he felt like a prisoner
standing bound before his mocking cap.or.
Then l fear my mission here is useless
Entirely so, II you come for the purpose
I suspect said Hampton, sitting erect in
his chair and speaking with more rapid
| utterance. ITO lecture me on morality and
demand my yielding up all influence over
this girl. such a mission Is assured of fail
ure. l have listened with some degree Of
calmness In this room already to one such
address and surrendered to its reasoning.
But permit me to say quite plainly. Lieut..
Brant, that you are not the person from
whom will quietly listen to another
II had very little expectation that you
| would"
you should have had still less and
mained away entirely. However, now that
you are here and the subject preached. 1t
say it clearly. 1t seems to me you would
exhibit far better taste and discrimination
II from now on you would cease forcing
your attentions upon Miss ellis.
Brant leaped to his feet but the other
| never deigned to alter his position.
|, Forcing my attentions"' exclaimed the
officer Gods mercy, man! Do you realize
what you are saying? I have forced no at
tentions upon Miss Gillis.''
MY reference was rather to future pos
sibilities. Young blood is proverbially hot.
and thought 1t wise to warn you u! time.
Brant stared into that imperturba BILE face,
ovid nhnx. hi fnhf nf ffS 90 I'm
inf1exible resolve served to clear his own
brain. He felt that this cool. self-controlled
man was speaking with authority.
Wait just moment" he said at last. Il
time II met Miss ellis first through pure
accident. She impressed me strongly then,
and 1 confess l have since grown more
deeply interested in her personality. I have
reasons to suppose my presence not alto
gether distasteful to her. and she has GER
tainly shown that she reposed confidence in
me. Not until late last night did l even
suspect she was the same girl whom we
picked up with you out on the desert 1t
came to me from her own lips and was a
total surprise. She revealed her identity
in order to justify her proposed clandestine
meeting with YOU
"And hence you requested this pleasant
conference" broke In Hampton coolly Ito
inform me, from your calm eminence of re-
spectability, that was no fit companion
for such a young and innocent person. and
to warn me that you were prepared to act
as her protector
Brant slightly inclined his head.
II may have had something of that
nature in my mind"
"Well, Lieut.. Brant," and the older man
rose to his feet, his eyes still smiling, some
might be impolite enough to say that 1t was
the conception Of a cad, but whatever 1t
was the tables have Unexpectedly turned.
Without further reference to my own per-
sonal interests in the young lady, which
are, however, considerable, there remain
IL
erty to discuss, which make 1t simply i'm
possible for you to sustain any relationship
to Miss ellis other than that of ordinary
social friendship"
II distinctly claim the right, for the rea-
son that possess the right, and no one has
ever yet known me to relinquish hold
once fairly gained. Lieut.. Brant, II l am
any Judge of faces, you are q fighting man
by nature as we'll as profession. but there
is no opportunity for your doing any fight
Ing here. This matter is, irrevocably set
tled-Nafda ellis Is not for. YOU.
Brant was breathing hard. do you mean
to insinuate that there is an understanding.
an engagement, between your" he faltered,
scarcely knowing how best to resent such
utterance
you may place your own construction
| upon what 1 have said" was the quiet
| answer 1.-THE special relations existing be-
tween Miss ellis and myself chance to be
no business Of yours. However, l will con-
sent to say this-I do enjoy a relationship
to her that gives me complete authority to
say what have said to you. 1 regret hav-
ing been obliged by your persistency to
speak with such plainness, but this knowl-
edge should prove sufficient to control the
actions of a gentleman"
For q moment the soldier did not answer,
| his emotions far too strong to permit of
calm utterance. his lips tightly shut. He
| felt utterly defeated. Your language Is
sufficiently explicit" he acknowledged at
last. Il ask pardon for my unwarranted
| intrusion"
| At the door he paused and glanced back
toward that motionless figure yet standing
| with one hand grasping the back Of the
chair.
| question" he said frankly. Il was a friend
| Of old Ben ellis and he was a friend to
| my father before me. Have you any reason
to suspect that he was not Nadia ellis
! father?'
| Hampton took one hasty step forward.
what do you mean?' he exclaimed fierce
| ly, his eyes two Goals of fire.
Brant felt that the others display of irri-
| tation gave him an unexpected advantage.
Nothing that need awaken anger. l am
sure. Something caused me to harbor the
| suspicion, and l naturally supposed you
! would know about 1t. Indeed. l wondered
! IL some such knowledge might not account
for your very deep interest in keeping her
| SO entirely to yourself"
| Hampton's fingers twitched in a nervous
ness altogether unusual to the man, yet
Your suspicious are highly interesting and
your cowardly insinuations base. However,
| If. as I suppose, your purpose is to provoke
| a quarrel. you will find me quite ready to
accommodate YOU"
| An instant they stood thus, eye to eye
| Suddenly Brants memory veered to the girl
! whose name would be smirched by any blow
/ struck between Them and he forced back
| the hasty retort burning upon his lips.
You may be. Mr.. Hampton" he said.
| standing like statue. his back to the door,
but am not AS you say, fighting is my
J trade yet have never sought personal
| quarrel. Nor Is there any cause here,
| my only purpose In asking the question was
| to forewarn you. and her through you, that
| such suggestion had been openly made in
| my hearing. presume it was lie, and
| wished to be able to brand it So"
by whom?'
"a fellow known as Silent Murphy,
government scout"
IT have heard of him. Where is he?"
/ HE claimed to be here waiting orders
| from Custer. He had camp up the creek
I two days ago, but is keeping well out Of
| sight for some reason. kilograms have
| been received for him at the Office, but an