Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-09-14


member only Miss Hope. All right.
Neb; now turn over chair, and cit
your man up against II, He will rest
all the easier in that position until his
gang arrives"
He thrust his head out of the door.
peering cautiously forth into the night.
aud listening. A single horse, prob
ably the one Hawley had been riding.
was tied to dwarfed cotton wood near
the corner OF the cabin. Nothing else
living was visible.
am going to round UP our horses,
and learn the condition OF Hawley's
outnt' ne announced In a low voice.
i may be gone for fifteen or twenty
minutes, and, meanwhile, Miss Hope,
get ready for long ride. Mob, stand
here close beside the doc-, and il any
one tries to come In brain him with
your gun-stock. I'll rap three times
when | return"
He slipped out into the silent night,
and crept cautiously around the end
Of the dark cabin. The distinct change
In the girls attitude of friendship to-
ward him, her every evident desire
That he should think we'll of her, to-
gether with the providential opportu-
nifty for escape, had left him full OF
confidence. The gambler had played
blindly into their hands, and Keith
was quick enough to accept the ad-
vantage. 1t was q risk to himself, to
be sure. thus turning again to tho
northward, yet the clear duty he owed
the girl left such a choice almost inn
perative. He certainly could not drag
her along with him on his flight into
the wild Comanche country extend
Ing beyond the Canadian. She must,
at the very least, be first returned to
the protection of the standardization
along the Arkansas. After that had
been accomplished, he would consider
his own safety. He wondered If Hope
really was her name and whether it
was the family cOgnomen, or her given
name. That she was Christie Maclaire
he had no question, yet that artistic
establishment was probably merely
assumed for the work of the concert
hall. Both he and Hawley could
scarcely be mistaken as to her ident1-
~ in this respect, and indeed. she had
never openly denied the fact Yet she
nlo not at all seem to be that kind,
and Keith mentally contrasted her
with numerous others whom he had
somewhat intimately known along the
border circuit. It was difficult to as
Bociate her with that class; she must
have come originally from some excel
lent family East. and been driven to
The life by necessity; she was more to
be pitied than blamed. Keith held no
puritanical views of life-his own ex-
periences had been too rough and
democratic for that-yet he chung te-
naciously to an ideal OF womanhood
which could not be lowered. However
interested he might otherwise feel,
no Christie Maclaire could ever find
entrance into the deeps of his heart,
where dwelt alone the memory OF his
mother.
He found the other horses turned
Into the corral. and was able, from
their restless movements, TO decide
u, y
extinguished, glowed duly at the
farther corner of the enclosure, and
he crawled close enough to distinguish
the recumbent forms of men sleeping
about it on the ground. Apparently
no guard had been set, the fellows be-
ing worn out from their long ride, and
confident Of safety in this isolated
spot. Besides, Hawley had probably
assumed that duty, and told them to
get whatever sleep they could. How
ever, the gate of the corral opened be-
side their fire, and Keith dare not
venture upon roping any OF their
ponies, or leading them out past
where they slept. There might
be clippers in the cabin with which he
could cut the wires, vet II one OF the
gang awoke, and discovered the herd
absent, It would result In an alarm,
and lead to early pursuit 1t was far
safer to use their own ponies. He
would lead Hawley's horse quietly
through the water, and they could
mount on the other shore. This plan
settled, he went at it swiftly, riding
the captured animal while rounding
up the others and fastening the three
TO stunted trees on the opposite bank.
Everything within the cabin remained
exactly rs he had left it, and he briefly
explained the situation, examining Haw-
ley's bonds again carefully while DO
ing so.
He'll remain there all right until
his men find him" he declared posi-
lively. "and that ought to give us .
good six hours start. Come Miss
Hope, every minute counts now"
He held her arm. not unconscious OF
Its round shapeliness, as he helped her
down the rather steep bank through
the dense gloom. Then tho two men
Joined hands, and carrying her be-
tween them, waded the shallow
stream. The horses, not yet sufficient
~ rested to be risky accepted their
burdens meekly enough, and. with
scarcely word spoken, the three rode
away silently into the gloom Of the
night.
CHAPTER XII.