New-York tribune., 1909-09-05

he SAID We can make j, by half past eight
Ii only We Gould nave 4 cup OF good hot COTE
the vaiunese of the thought
We won't get good coffee AZ the claim. Van
assured her dryly. but near-cottee would lure
out OF this He rapidly adjusting the
blanket and saddle on his horse You'll have to
ride can't make speed he added As
walker. YOU re the Iimit-tor a adult man
She appreciated thoroughly the delcacy with
which he meant 70 continue the fiction OF her sex.
But he certainly frank
Thank YOU She answered amuSedly. I'd
DO better perhaps, ii weren SO overburiened with
You'll have to do better. anyhow. ii YOU 60 on
being a man. he observed. concluding preparations
with SuvV There YOU are, Get on, Father
Time with hobbies on could beat us getting move
He started Oft, leaving her TO mount by herself
She managed the matter somewhat Stluly. suppress
ing a groan ar the effort and then for an hour was
gently pummclei INTO Imberues, As the pony fol-
lowed Van
THEY came a, the eud of ,ha, ,ime 20 one OF the
upper reaches OF that same river She had torJci
the previous day. To all appearances the wide.
shallow bed was counterpart OF the one over which
her horse had wadeI But the traI turned sharply
down the stream and followed along its bank
They had halted for the pony 70 drink Van also
refreshed himself and Beth dismounted 70 lie flat
down and quench her long. irving thirst
Right across there, high up in the hills is the
Laughing Water claim, SAID Van, pointing north
eastward toward the mountains. Only three
miles away We could fly but SIN as We have go
around
And why do We have TO 90 around:'' Beth in
quired Areu going cross the river here,
Looks like a river | admit he said ewing the
placid. silent stream That's graveyard, quick
sand all the across -
Beth heart felt Il shock At the thought of what
would a traveller here, unacquainted with
the trcachcrOuS place. Good gracious She said
She added generously. Couldnt walk little now
and-share the horse
When walk IL gets SuVV'S nerves to try
to keep in step he answered Fall in"
They went two miles down the river. then across
a rock and gravel bottom, 4 ford directly oppo-
site Jagged rift in the mountains This chaS1u
which was short and steep, they raVcrSed perSpirng
ly. The getting Beyond them then
the all a rough. hard climb over ridges
down through CanOnS. around huge dikeS OF rock.
and past Innumerablc fodIngS of the range How
\au knew the more than Beth could under
stand. She wa, already growing wearied anew
since the night had afforded her very little rest and
she had not eaten for nearly day
Van knew She was in condition for the ride He
was watching her constantly, rejoicing in her spirit
but aching for her aches He faster pace for the
bronco to follow, to end the climb as possible
At length. below a rounded ridge where Stunted
evergreenS made welcome bit of greenerv he came
to a halt
We're almost there" he said You'll have to
remain at the claim till somewhere near noon; then
Ill show YOU the down to GOltlite -
Till noon: She looked at him steadily a light
of worry in her eyes she thought of arriving SO late
at Mrs Dicks with what consequences the Lord
alone knew
- can't get away much earlier he said and to
this by the way of acting his part he added Do
YOU want to wear me out? -
She knew what he meant. He would wait till
noon give her time to rest She would need all
the rest he could make possible And then he would
only show her the way to Goldite He would not
ride with her to town. She might vet escape the
compromising plight into which she had been thrust
His thoughtfulness, it seemed could have no end
Very VOL cl,.