Semi-weekly herald., 1911-07-24
CHAPTER XXI.
FairbaIn and Christie.


DR.. Fairbain had originally 1oined
the searching party. fully as eager as
Keith himself to run down the rene
gade Hawley, but after an hour Of re-
sultless effort. his entire thought shift
ed TO the woman they had left alone
at the hotel. He could not. as yet,
fully grasp the situation, but he re-
mained loyal to the one overpowering
truth that he loved Christie Maclaire.
Fairbanks nature was rough, orig
inal. yet loyal to the core. He had
lived all his life long in army camps,
and upon the frontier, and his code
of honor was extremely simple 1t
never once occurred to him that Chris
ties profession was not OF the high
est, or that her life and associations
in any way untitled her for the future.
To his mind she WAS the one and only
woman. His last memory of her, as
the little party of men filed out OF
that room, haunted him until he nm
ally dropped out OF the search and
drifted back toward the hotel.
It was = late hour. yet 1t was hard
ly likely the woman had retired. Her
excitement, her interest in the pursuit,
would surely prevent that; moreover.
he was certain he saw a light still
burning in her room, as he looked up
from the black street below. Never
theless he hesitnted. uncertain of his
reception. Blum. emphatic, never
afraid to face a man In his life, his
rt h.a hn ~
ored TO muster the necessary cour-
age. Far down the dark street some
roysterer fired shot, and sudden fear
lest he might be sought after profess
sionally sent the doctor hurriedly
within, and up the stairs. He stood,
Just outside her door. Quaking like q
child, tho perspiration beading his
through the transom. and he could
plainly hear movements within. At
last, In q sudden spasm OF courage,
he knocked softly. Even In that noisy
spot she heard instantly. opening the
door without hesitation, and standing
fully dressed within. She was no
longer a discouraged, sobbing girl.
whose pathetic. lonely life there had
come a new hope. She appeared
younger, farer, with the light SHIN
mering In her hair and her eyes smil-
Ing welcome.
"Oh, Doctor" and her hands were
thrust out towards him. II am glad
you have come. Somehow, thought
nd taA tn
talk to some one--to you"
ITO mel Do you really mean that,
Miss Chrisue7"
Yes. l really mean that. you great
bear OF q man." and the girl laughed
lightly, dragging him into the room
and closing the door. Why, who else
could | expect TO come tonight? You
You-you acted as II you believed in
me all the time
81 did. Christie; you bet did,
broke In the delighted doctor, every
nerve ungling. I'D "a cleaned out
that whole gang II you'd only said
so, but l reckon now II was better TO
let them tell all they knew. 1t was
iihO u ptoi III LILO dl'
mosphere."
"Oh. 1t was, indeed! Now I know
who I am-who | am! Isn't that SIM
ply glorious7 Sit down. Doctor Fair
balm. there in the big chair where l
can see your face. | want to talk, talk,
talk; | want to ask questions, a thou
sand questions, but 1t wouldn't do any
good to ask them OF you, would it7
You don't know anything about my
family, do your"
mot very much. Am afraid. only
that you have got an almighty pretty
half-sister." admitted the man, en-
phatically. "and old Waite possesses
the vilest temper over given = hu-
man being. He's no blood kin TO you.
though"
mo. but he II awfuuy good under
meath, isn't her"
Got . heart sf pure gold. Oh
Waifa Why. rYe annn him orI Ma