The Mena weekly star., 1911-07-20

only to complete some business dea, ;.
 ana your brother? may possibly nave known him"
 She hesitated an instant her ev.s cropping, until completely shaded hv the long lashes. -
 he-ne was rather wild boy. and ran away from home to enlist in inc army. But he got Into bad set and and deserted. That was mart of inc trouble which caused him to hide Ha enlisted under the name of Fred VII. ioughby Mir. Hawley told me this much, but an afraid he did not tall me all.T 'S'' here7" 00' i'ni
 Keith gazed about the bare sur. roundlngs wonderingly. What was tnls place, hidden away in the midst or the desert, isolated in a spot where not even Indians roamed Could it be
 secret rendezvous of crime. the headquarters of desperadoes. of cat tle rustlers, of the highwaymen of the sante Fe Trail-a point to which they could ride when hard pressed. cer- 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 he sent this girl here? Every way he turned was to confront mystery, to face new puzzle. What ever she might be-even the music hall singer he believed-she had been inveigled here innocently enough. Even now she possessed only the most vague suspicion that she had been de- ceiyed. The center of the whole plot, If there was a 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 certainly be here within a day or two"
 You met Hawley on the stas.e coachf How did you become acquaint- IF"
 We were alone for nearly fifty miles," her voice faltering slightly, "and-and he called me what you did"
 Christie Maclaire7"
 Yes; he-he seemed to think he knew me, and needed help so much that I let him believe so I thought it could do no harm, and then, when found he actually knew Fred, didn't think of anything else. only how for. tunate I was to thus meet him. Surely something serious must have happen. ed. or he would have been here before this. Do you--do you suppose there is anything wrong2"
 Keith did not smile nor change posture. The more he delved into the matter, the more serious he felt the situation to be. He knew all those ranches lying south on the Canadian, and was aware that this was no out station. No cattle ever came across, that sandy desert unless driven by rustlers, and no honest purpose could account for this isolated hut. There had been frequent robberies along the trail, and he had overheard tales of mysterious disappearances in both Larned and Carson City. Could 1t be that he had now. accidentally. stun. bled upon the rendezvous of the gangi He was not man easily startled, but this thought sent his heart beating. He knew enough to realize what such gang would naturally consist of deserters, outlaws, rustlers; both In dians and whites. no doubt, combined lnder some desperate leadership. Gas- Ing into the girls questioning eyes he could scarcely refrain from blurting put all he suspected Yet why should he? What good could 1t do? He could not hope to bear her south to the Bar X" Ranch, for the ponies were already too thoroughly exhaust ed for such a journey; he dared not turn north with her, for that would mean his own arrest, leaving her in worse condition than ever If he only knew who this man Hawley was, his purpose, and plans Yet what pro- lection could he and Neb prove. alone here. and without arms7 All this flashed through his mind in an instant, leaving him confused and uncertain.
 T hope not" he managed to say in answer to her query. But 1t is rather a strange mix-up all around. and l con fess fail to comprehend It's full It is hardly likely your friends will show up tonight, and by morning perhaps we can decide what Is best to do. Let me look around outside Q moment
 Her eyes followed him as he stepped the door Into the darkness; then her head dropped into the sup port of her hands. There was silence except for the cracking of the ire. until Neb moved uneasily. At the { Il M. --