The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-08-08
40 moi cam me tha,,r

But you said IL didn't make any
difference what | called YOU"
Il though 1t didn't then, but IL does
now"
oh, see; We are already on a new
footing. Yet | must call YOU some.
thing" .
She hesitated just long enough for
him to notice II. Either she had no
substitute ready at hand. or else doubt
ed the advissbility OF confiding her
real name under present circumstances
to one so nearly a stranger.
You may call me Hope"
"A name certainly OF good omen,"
he returned. From this moment !
shall forget Christie Maclaire, and re.
member only Miss Hope All right.
Neb; now turn over chair. and sit
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,
and listening. A single horse, prob
ably the one Hawley had been riding,
the corner of the cabin, Nothing else
living was visible.
Il am going TO round up our horses,
and learn the condition OF Hawley's
outft, he announced in low voice
Il may be gone for fifteen or twenty
minutes, and, meanwhile. Miss Hope,
get ready for a long ride Neb stand
here close beside the door, 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 well 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. II was risk to himself, to
be sure, thus turning again to the
horthward, yet the clear duty he owed
the girl left such a choice almost i'm.
perative. He certainly could not drag
her along with him on his fight 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 II Hope
really was her name, and whether II
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 identi
| ty In this respect, and, indeed, she had
never openly denied the fact Yet she
did not at all seem to be that kind
and Keith mentally contrasted her
with numerous others whom he hat
somewhat intimately known along the
border circuit. II was difficult to as
sociate her with that class; she mus
have come originally from some excel
lent family East. and been driven tc
! the life by necessity she was more Il
be pitied than blamed. Keith held ne
puritanical views of life-his own OK
periences had been too rough anC
democ: attic for that-yet he chung te
p2ciously to an ideal OF womanhooC
which could not be lowered However
interested he might otherwise feel
no Christie Maclaire could ever fine
ent rance into the deeps of his heart
where dwelt alone the memory of hi
mother
He found the other horses turnet
into the corral, and was able, from
their restless movements, to decid,
they numbered eight. "A fire, nearl.
extinguished, glowed DULY at tn,
farther corner of the enclosure, an,
he crawled close enough to distinguish
the recumbent forms OF men sleepin,
about II ON the ground APPARENT.
no guard had been set, the fellows be
ing worn out from their long ride. an,
confident OF safety In this isolate,
spot. Besides, Hawley had probabl.
assumed that duty, and told them I,
get whatever sleep they could. How
ever, the gate OF the corral opened be
side their fire, and Keith dare no
venture upon roping any OF thei
ponies or leading them out pas
where they slept There Nigh
be clippers In the cabin with which h
could cut the wires, yet II one of tn
gang awoke, and discovered the her,
absent, II would result in an alarm
and lead to early pursuit. 1t was IA
safer to use their own ponies. II
would lead Hawleys horse quietl!
through the water, and they coul
mount on the other shore. This plal
settled, he went at II swiftly, ridinI
the captured animal while rounding
up the others. and fastening the thre
to stunted trees on the opposite bank
Everything within the cabin rename,
| exactly as he had left II and he briefl