The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

tween them. Miss Alicia's eyes were
tear frightened and unfathomable; /;
Ford's were hard, and there was a
steely light in them. 1t was Alicia
who spoke first.
"I know it is not true, of course
what Uncle Sidney accused you Of
she offered. But tell me how it hap
pened?"
Il don't know-unless the devil
planned it," said Ford bitterly. II
bought the mine one day last summer
when I was in Copah, without pre-
meditation, without seeing it-with-
out knowing where it was situated,
just as 1 have told you. Some little
time afterward Frisbie came to me
with the plan for the change of route.
I had considered it before, but had
made no estimates Frisbie had made
the estimates, and we decided upon 1t
at once. 1 haven't been over here
since; it wasn't necessary, and l had
other things to do"
did Mr. Frisbie know about your
purchase of the miner"
NO I don't think he knows of 1t
yet. To tell the truth, 1 was little
ashamed; it was a touch of the mining
fever that everybody gets now and
then in mining country. Dick would
have guyed me-"
But Mr.. Frisbie must have been
over the line a great many times How
could he miss seeing that enormous
sign?" she persisted.
Ford shook his head
II venture to say that the paint
isn't yet dry on that sign. 1t was
put there for a purpose, and your
uncle was told to look for it. Grigsby
is just the sort OF fool to jump at the
chance to advertise the mine, and
somebody suggested it and gave him
the tip that the president of the rail-
road was coming in this way. Mr..
North is very careful man. He doesn t
neglect any of the little details.
The high valley was falling away
into broken gulch, and the railway
grade driving path clung closer to the
hillsides. At the next turn the town
became shelf on the slope 200 feet
above the main street and paralleling
1t. Alicia was looking down upon the
town when she said:
What shall you do?"
Ford's laugh was not mirthful
Il have already done 1T. 1 shall
perhaps be permitted to see you all
safely back to- the Nadia, and over the
rough track to Saints Rest. More than
that 1 fancy Mr.. Colbrith will not al
low-and possibly not that much
Miss Adair was still looking down
upon the town; and now Ford looked
Instantly he saw that something un-
usual was going on. Notwithstanding
the number of men afield on the hills
the main street of the camp was rest
lesslys alive. Horsemen were gallop-
ing back and forth; in front of the out
fitting stores freighters were hastily
loading their pack animals; at every
gathering place there were knots OF
excited men talking and gesticulating
Ford was puzzled. At another time
he would quickly have put the obvious
two and two together to make the
equally obvious four. But now he
merely said: That's curious: mighty
curious. Where do you suppose all
those people came from?"
Alicia's rejoinder was not an answer
to the half mechanical query.
Mr.. Ford, little while ago I told
you / must have time to consider. II
have considered. You must fight for
your life and your good name. You
must make Uncle Sidney see things as
they are-that they are not as he
thinks they are"
II can't he said stubbornly. Your
condition reverses your decision. If ]
am to fight with any hope of winning
after what has transpired today. Mr.
Colbrith will have to be eliminated
He had pulled the broncos down to a
walk. There was soft thudding OF
hoofs on the yielding earth of the
grade behind, but neither of them
heard.
You are disappearing me-" she
protested, and now the hesitation was
all gone. A few minutes ago. before
this miserable thing happened. YOU
a woman may have an ideal, too. Mr.
Ford