Semi-weekly herald., 1911-06-12
Copyright A C. AeClurr 4 c. lsls)

cclurE 4 cs.. lsis)
his pony's flank, unable to answer. yet
still unconvinced
Il reck'n both OBJ yer might be mis-
took" he insisted doggedly.
Not likely" and Ksiths brief laugh
was not altogether devoid of bitter
ness We both called her Christie
Maclaire. and she didn't even deny the
name; she was evidently not proud of
It. but there WAS no denial that she
was the girl"
Dat wasn't like NO name dat you
called her when we was ridin'"
No; she didn't approve OF the 9TH
or, and told me to call her Hope, but
! reckon she's Christie Maclaire all
right"
They rode on through the black. 81
lent night AS rapidly as their tired
horses would consent to travel. Keith
led directly across the open prairie,
guiding his course by the stars. and
purposely avoiding the trails. where
some suspicious eye might mark their
passage. His first object was to get
safely away from the scattered settle
ments lying east of Carson City Be-
yond their radius he could safely dis
pose OF the horses they rode. disap-
pear from view, and fnd time to de
velop future plans. As to the girl
well. he would keep his word with
her. of course, and see her again
sometime. There would be no difi-
Guilty about that. but otherwise she
should retain no influence over him.
She belonged rather to Hawleys class
than his.
1t WAS Il lonely. tiresome ride, dur
ing which Neb made various efforts
to talk. but finding his white com
panion uncommunicatiye. at last re
lapsed into rather sullen silence The
horses plodded on steadily, and when
daylight finally dawned. the two men
found themselves In depression lead.
Ing down to the Smoky River. Here
they came to 4 water hole, where they
could safely hide themselves and their
stock. With both Indians and white
men to be guarded against, they took
all the necessary precautions, picket.
Ing the horses closely under the rock
shadows, and not venturing upon
building any fire Neb threw himself
on the turf and WAS instantly asleep,
but Keith climbed the steep side OF
the gully. and made searching survey
OF the horizon. The wide arc to the
south. east and west revealed nothing
to his searching eyes. except the dull
brown OF the slightly rolling plains,
with no life apparent save some dis.
tant grazing antelope, but to the north
extended more broken country with 4
faint glimmer of water between tho
hills. Satisfied they were unobserved,
he slid back again into the depression
As he turned to lie down he took hold
Of the saddle belonging to Hawley's
horse. In the unbuckled holster his
eye observed the glimmer of bit of
white paper. He drew 1t forth, and
gazed at 1t unthinkingly. 1t was an
envelope. robbed of its contents, evi-
IDENTIFY not sent through the mails, AZ
It had not been stamped, but across
Its face WAS plainly written, Miss
Christie Maclaire." He stared at It,
his lips firm set. his gray eyes dark.
ening. II he possessed any doubts
before as to her Identity. they were
all thoroughly dissipsted now.
As he lay there. with head pillowed
on the saddle, his body aching from
fatigue yet totally unable to sleep,
staring open-eyed into the blue of the
sky, the girl they had left behind
awoke from uneasy slumber. aroused
nv tho nf
an Instant she failed to comprehend
her position. but the strong brogue
OF the energetic lsndlady broke In
sharply:
"A bit av n cup av coffee fer ye.
honey" she explained, crossing TO the
bed. "Shure an there's nuthin' loike
1t when ye first wake up. Howly
Mither. but it's toird 'nough ys do bo
lookin yet"
Il haven't slept very we'll" the girl
confessed, bringing her hand out from
beneath the coverlet. the locket still
tightly clasped in her finger. see.
found this on the floor last night after
you had gone down stairs"
"Ye did" setting tho coffee on .
convenient chair. and reaching out for
the trinket. Let's have a look at 1t
once. Angels av Hiven. II II isn't the
same the OIL GinerAl was shown me
in the parly"
Tho other sat up suddenly her
white shoulders and rounded throat
cleaning.
The old General, you said? What
General? When was he here?"
"Shure now. bA sisy. honey. an ofll
tell ye all there is to 1t. It's not his
name OF know: maybe OF niver heard
till av It, but twas the 'Ginerar they
called him. all right. He was here
maybe three days outfittin-a noice
spoken oil Gintlemin. wild a gray beard.
an onc't he showed me the locket-
be the powers, II 1t do be his. there's
an openin' to II. an q picter inside"
The girl touched the spring, reveal
ing the face within. but her eyes were
blinded with tears. The landlady look
ed at her In alarm.
What Ia 1t, honey7 What IL II?
Did you know him7"
The slender form swayed forward.
shaken with sobs.
He WAS my father, and-and this 10
my mothers picture which he always
carried"