The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1911-12-08
CHAPTER xvIil.-(continued.)

Just little." carelessly; but what
sort of a trick could he be working
trying to make you acknowledge
Christie Maclaire as your sister,
Willoughby did rot answer, shifting
uneasily about on the bed. Keith
waited. and at last the boy blurted
out:
"Oh, It wasn't nothing much. told
him something when was drunk
once, that thought maybe might
have stuck to him. Odd he should
make that mistake. too, for showed
him Hopes picture. Bart's schemer.
and | didn't know but what he might
have figured out trick. though
don't see how he could. 1t wasn't no
more than a, pipe dream. reckon
Where did you meet Hope? Back In
Missouri"
"Oh. I've known her some time. Not
long ago did her a service for which
she is grateful. Did you know she
was out in this country searching for
your"
Out here? In Kansas"
Sure; that isn't much of a trip
for a spirited girl. She got 1t in her
head from your letters that you were
in trouble. and set out to find you
and bring you home. She didn't tell
me this. but that is the way heard 1t,
1t was for her sake ! came in here.
Why not go to her. Willoughby. and
then both of you return to Missouri"
The sullenness had gone out of the
boys face: he looked tired. discour-
aged.
Where is Hope?" he asked.
Fort Larned. l suppose She went
to Carson City first"
Well, that settles it." shaking his
head You don't suppose | could go
browsin' round Larned, and not get
snapped up. do You? They don't chase
| deserters very far out here. but that's
the post | skipped from. and they'd
| jug me all right. Besides, I'm damned
If I'll go back until ! get stake |
want to see fellow first"
What fellow?"
We'll. it's Hawley. II you want to
know so bad. He said If would come
u0Ie anu wall lOT ulIu u6 u me OH
to a good thing"
Was there a deeply laid plot back Of
all these preparations involving both
Willoughby and his sister? What
was it Hawley was scheming about so
| carefully. holding this boy deserter
in one hand, while be reached out the
other after Christie Maclaire? Surely.
the man was not working blindly; he
must have purpose in view. Will
! loughby had acknowledged he had told
the fellow something once when he
was drunk-about his family history.
no doubt, for he had shown him
Hopes picture. What that family
secret was Keith had no means of
guessing. but Hawley. the moment he
saw the face on the cardboard, had
evidently recognized Christie Maclaire
had thought of some way in which
what he now knew could be turned
to advantage. The few scattered facts
which Keith had collected all seemed
to point to such a wiley
had sent the boy to Sheridan. where
he would be out of sight. with orders
to wait for him there, and the prom
ise of a stake" to keep him quiet
Then he had gone to Independence
and Topeka seeking after Christie
Maclaire. Evidently he meant to keep
the two apart until he had gained
from each whatever 1t was he
| sought But what could that be?
What family secret could Willoughby
have niurted out in his cups. which
had so stimulated the gamblers wits?
Two things combined to cause
Keith to determine he would uncover
this rascality-his desire to repay
Hawley. and his interest in the girl
rescued on the Salt Fork. This gossa-
mer web of intrigue into which he had
stumbled unwittingly was nothing to
him personally; had 1t not involved
! both Hawley and Miss Hope. he would
have left 1t unsolved without another
thought. But under the circumstances
It became his own battle. There was
+ a crime here-hidden as yet, and
probably not ummated-involving
girl. He would dig into this until be
wrong. perhaps disgrace. to the young
uncovered the truth: he would find
out what dirty trick Black Bart" was
up to.
AS he thought this out. not swiftly
as recorded. but slowly, deliberately.
piecing the bits together within his
mind. blindly feeling his way to a
final conclusion. the boy had sunk
back upon the bed, overcome with
liquor. and fallen asleep. Keith
stepped over, and looked down upon
him in the dim light. He could recog
nize something of her features in the
upturned face, and his e! es softened.
| There was no use seeking again to