The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-08-02

only to complete some business deal"
And your 'other? I may possibly
have known h M"
she hesitate d an instant, her eyes
dropping. unit completely shaded by
the long lashei.
"He-he was rather a wild boy, and
ran away from home to enlist In the
army. But he got into a bad set. and
and deserted. That was part of the
trouble which caused him to hide. He
enlisted under the name Of Fred VIII
loughby. Mr.. Hawley told me this
much. but | an afraid he did not tell
me ALL"
"And he said you would meet him
here?"
Keith gazet about the bare sur
roundings VIC nderingly. What was
this place, hid den away in the midst
of the desert, solated in spot where
not even India as roamed. Could It be
a secret rem lezvous Of crime, the
headquarters II desperadoes, of cat
tie rustlers, OF the highwaymen Of the
Sante Fe Trai "a point to which they
could ride wien hard pressed, Ger.
tain OF hiding here in safety? He be-
gan to suspect this, but, If so, who
then was this Hawley, and with what
object had be sent this girl here?
Every way he turned was to confront
mystery, to fare new puzzle. What
ever she mig 1t be-even the music
hall singer he believed-she had been
inveigled here innocently enough.
Even now she possessed only the most
vague suspicio that she had been de-
ceived. The enter Of the whole plot,
If there was E plot, must be Hawley.
YES" she replied, 'he said that this
was one Of the stations of big ranch
on which Fred was employed, and that
he would cert ainly be here within a
DAY or two"
you met lIawley on the stage
coach? How d d you become acuuaint.
ed?"
We were ilone for nearly fifty
mics" her Voice faltering slightly,
"and-and he called me what you did"
Christie Ma claire."
"Yes; he-fe seemed to think he
fnew me, and I needed help so much
that / let him believe SO. | thought
It could do nc harm, and then. when
found he actl ally knew Fred, ! didn't
think Of anvil ing else, only how fer
tunate | was tC thus meet him. Surely
something serious must have happen-
ed. cr ne woulG have been here before
this. To YOU do you suppose there
IS ANYTHING wr rong?'
Keith did lot smile nor change
posture. The more he delved into the
natter. the m)re serious he felt the
s'tue ton to b.. He knew all those
ranches lying south on the Canadian,
and was aware that this was no out
station. No clttle ever came across
that sandy dese ert unless driven by
rustlers. and no honest purpose could
account for tti Is isolated hut. There
had been frequ ent robberieS along the
trail. and he lad overheard tales Of
mysterious di;appearances In both
Larred and Carson City. Could it be
that he had n)w, accidentally, stun
b'ed Uron the rendezvous Of the gang?
He was not man easily startled. but
TIL: thought sent hie heart heating.
He knew cnoui;h to realize what such
a gang woU'G nGtr~o1''. oo--ist Of
desert ers. cf't': %. =. = ~"e: ho'h IN
dians end Vf't :. =" 'f ht combined
under some des perate leadership. Gaz
Ing into the girls questioning eyes he
could scarcely refrain from hurting
out all he susp scted. Yet why should
he? What go,d could it do? He
could not hope to bear her south to
the bar x" ,tanch, for the ponies
were already t)o thoroughly exhaust
ed for such q Journey; he dared not
turn north with her, for that would
mean his own arrest, leaving her in
worse condition than ever II he only
knew who this man Hawley was. his
purpose. and lans! Yet what pro
lection could he and Neb prove. alone
here, and wit lout arms? All this
flashed through his mind In an instant.
leaving him cor fused and uncertain.
Il hope not" he managed to say in
answer to her query. But it is rather
strange miX-u) all around, and con-
iSpS Adii W SoIli us lull
meaning. II Is hardly likely your
friends will show up tonight, and by
morning perhars We can decide what
Is best TO do. Let me look around
outside a nome Mt
Her eyes fOllC wed him as he stepped
through the do)r into the darkness;
then her head dropped into the sup
port of her han ls. There was silence
except for the cracking OF the fire.
until Neb moved uneasily. At the
sound the girl booked up, seeing clear
ly the gOod-natl red face of the negro.
"YO' don't mel ber need cry. Missus."
he said soberN, 80 long as Massa
Jack done gree TO look after yo'."
"Have-haye 5ou known him long?"
Has | know ed him long. honey?
Ebber sence brfo de yAah. Why I
done knowed liassa :, when he