The Red Cloud chief., 1908-02-28
CONTINUED from last week.

ny You were ever in" Strive observed
To Helen, with a forced attempt at
ligltncss.
Are there no guests herc?, she ask.
ell him, her anxiety very near the sur.
face.
Travel is light at this time of the
year. They'll comc in later perhaps"
A fire was burning in this pink room,
where the landlord had begun spread.
Ing the table for two. and it's warmth
was grateful to the girl. Her compan-
lon, thoroughly at his ease, stretched
himself on a fur covered couch and
smoked.
Let me sec the papers now, Mr..
Strive" she began. but he put her Off.
mo. not now. Business must wait
on our dinner. Don't spoil our little
party. for there's time enough and to
spare
unable to sit still. Looking down the
narrow gulcli. she saw that the noun
tains beyond were indistinct, For it
was growing dark rapidly. Dense
clouds had rolled up from the east.
A rajndrOp struck the glass before her
eyes. then another and another. and
the hills grew misty behind The com
Ing shower. A traveller with n pack
On his back hurried around The corner
Of the building and past her l." the
door. At his knock Strive. VIII" had
been watching Helen through, half shut
eyes, arose and went into the other
room.
THANK heaven, some one has come
she thought. The voice were dead
Cned to u hum by the sod walls Till
that Of the stranger raised itself in
such indignant protest that she diStin-
guishcd his words.
ooh, I've got money to pay my way!
I'm no dcadhcad.'
ShortH mumbleh something back.
II don't care If you are closed. I'm
tired. and there's Il storm coming"
This time She heard the landlords
refusal and tho miners angry profnni-
ty. \ moment later she saw the tray
clcr %pIodding up the trail toward town.
"What Ices that mcan?' she inqujr-
ci rs the lawyer rc-cntercd.
oh. that fellow is Il tough. and
Shortz wouldn't let him in. He's caro-
ful whom he cBtcr;ainS, there are so
many bad men roaming the hills"
The German came in shortly to light
the lamp. aud, although she asked nn
further questions. llelcn'S uncnsincSS
Increased. She half listened to the St0.
rirs with which strive tried 10 enter.
tn;p Ior anl utn littIn nf tbn ny.nlInnt
meal that was shortly served to them.
Strive meanwhile ate and drank al,
most grccdily, and the s%liadowy. SIMS
Ter evening crept along. \ strange
coWardicc had suddenly Oycrtakcn the
girl. and If ut this late hour she could
have Withdrawn she would have done
so gladly and gone forth TO meet the
violence Of the tempest. Hu she had
gone too far for retreat. and, realizing
that for the present apparent con,pli-
ance was her wiscst resource, she sat
quiet. answering the man with cool
words while his eyes grew brighter.
his skin more flushed, his speech more
rapid. lie talked necessarily aud with
feycrish gaycty. smoking nIinbcrlcsS
cigarettes aud apparently unconscious
of the flight of time. AT last he broke
off suddenly and consulted his watch,
while Helen remembered that she had
not heard ShortZ in the kitchen for {,
LONE time. Suddenly Strive SMILED on
her peculiarly, With confident canning.
As he lccred nj her over the disorder
between them he took from his pocket
n fiat bundle. which he tossed tn her,
Now for the bargain, ehT'
ASK The man 10 remove these dish;
es.' she said as she undid the parcel
with clumsy fingers.
Il sent him away two hours ago.
said strive, arising ms if To come to
her. She shrank back. but he ouly
leaned across, gathered UP the four
corners Of the tableclOth and, twisting
them together, carried the wholt
thing out. the dishes crashing AMI jan
Cling as he threw his burden reckless
" into the kitchen. Then he returned
and stood with his back TO he stove
staring at her while she perused the
contents Of the papers, which wer,
more yoluminous than she had sup
posed,
For u long time the girl porcd ovei
the documents. The purport Of the
papers was only too obvious, aud a'
she read the proof Of her uncle's gull
stood out clear and damning. There
Sas no possibility of mistake The
Whole wrctched plot stood out plain
40 dnrkpsf iuramipS revealed.