Semi-weekly herald., 1911-07-10
'7ro 1Iawlov,s pronosIiion. >

you have como to the wrong market.
Mr iscl, Keith"
Yet ne Insisted earnestly 'if this
is all straight with no fraud conceal
ed anywhere, II you have the proofs I'm
your hands why are you afraid TO talk
opeuiy9 The very manner In which
Hawley works should convince you
he Is himself afraid to face the truth. !"
NO, you are wrong There are per.
fecily satisfactory reasons why we
should for the present keep our plans
secret There are details yet to be de.
/ clded upon, and Mr. Hawley's present
objection to publicity Is only ordinary
prudence"
4 She leaned toward him, her fingers
/ playing norvousiy with a knife.
MIR. Keith ! cannot help but like
you, aud I also feel most kindly dis.
I posed toward Mr.. Hawley wish I'm
this was no longer compelled TO con.
slider you an enemy Of us both. There
Is no reason why / should. except for
your blind prejudice against this other
man who is my friend / know Won
have some cause, for he has told me
the entire story, yet 7 am sure he did
no more than his aetoal duty. He let
me realize how very sorry he was that
the marshal At Carson City had called
upon him for assistance"
"Who2 Hawley? Keith questioned
hardly trusting his own ears
Yes; indeed he In very different
man from what you have been led to
believe I know he Is gambler, and
J all that. but really II is not altogether
/ his fault. He told me about his life.
and II wes very sad lilo was driven
from home when only boy. and
naturally drifted into evil company
His one ambition ia to break away.
and redeem himself am so anxious
to help him and wish you could real
ize his purpose, as | do, and become
his friend Won't you. for my sake9
Why even in this affair he has not
the siightest mercenary purpose--he
has only thought Of what was rightfui-
ly mine"
Keith listened. feeling to the full the
woman's earnestness, the impossible
| ty OF changing her fixed conviction.
Hawley had planted his seed deep and
well In fruitful soil
you make strong and charming
advocate. Misc Maclaire" he returned
feeling the necessity OF saying some
thing "a should like to have you
equally earnest on my side. Yet It
win he hard to convince me that
Black Bart is the paragon of virtue
you describe | wish might believe
for your sake. Did he also explain
how he came into possession of these
papers7"
"oh, yes indeed; there is no secret
about that They were entrusted to
him by an old man whom he discov-
cred sick In Independence. and who
died In his rooms three years ago
Mr. Hawley has been aearchIng ever
since for the old mans granddaughter.
II Is remarkable now he was finally
convinced that wns the one
"A photograph. wes It not?"
A CLEAN of sudden suspicion ap-
peared In the brown eyes, slight
change in facial expression.
THAT was q clue. yes. but far from
being all. But why should | tell you
this?--you believe nothing I say"
| 81 believe that you believe; that
you arc fully convinced of the Justice
of your claim Perhaps # "a Just. but
/ am suspicious of anything which
Part Bawley hns hand In. Miss
Christie. you really make me wish to
retain your friendship, but cannot
do 80 II the cost includes faith in
Hawley. Do you know that ls not
even mis- name--that he lives under an
aIias7"
Ia h ct.
out here7" she asked stoutly. Il told
you how deeply he regretted his life;
that alone would be sufl cient cause
Tor him to drop his family name. Did
you ever learn his true name?"
He was not sure-only as Neb had
reported what Waite had called the
man, yet ventured direct reply.
Bartlett, believe-he uses 1t now
as a prefix"
Bartlettl-Bartlettl" her hands
clasping. and unclasping nervously
Why, what strange colncidence!"
| 'How2 What do you mean?"
"oh. nothing nothing" biting her
lips In vexation. THE name merely
recalled something But really, must
20, Mr.. Keith, or shall be late at the
| AhNhtEis tou udNt upt bLitHutu
Gamer"
No." arising from the table with
her. However, have heard you
sing before, and hopo I may again"
! How tenderly you dwell on that
word hope" she said banteringly, ut
almost makes me envlous."
| Your resemblance almost makes
me forget"
But not quite1"
mo, not quite" he confessed,
smiling back into her quIzzing eyes.
They went out into the hall togeth-
er, only to meet with Doctor Fairbain
at the door. The latter stared at the
two with some embarrassment, for
moment forgetful Of his purpose. His
gaze settled on the face of the lady
always getting you two mixed, /" he
blurted forth. Never saw such re-
semblance-positiyely uncanny--same
hotel too means trouble-this Miss
Waiter"
mo Doctor; I am Miss Maclaire"
Ought to have known tiff | knew
as much about faces as do about an