Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-10

DeJJor 1T1enuS IIld1l ever.
mo, Jeff. I'm going East tomorrow.
don't want to see you. o see you would
remind me of my deficiencies"
"You've made a friend
NO" shaking her head, "that wont do.
1t never does. | may have tried to deceive
you; but know better. Friendship is mas
culinc-or it's feminine. 1t can't be both.
I'm going away at once. I'm not going to
see you again
"Oh, yes. you are Tomorrow will
"No. I'd go tonight if there was a train.
| want you to do one thing for me, though.
Will you?'
"That money, the money for that stock,
| want to leave it with you-to use or not
to USE as you think best. I've got a great
deal of money-1nuch more than Is good
for me-"
left shook his head mo- Rita, no! |
cant do that If I'm going to lose, II lose
alone"
"But if YOU VIM she turned and gave
him her hand. "You will. I've sworn you
shall! And here's luck on it. Instead OF
clasping her hand, as she intended he should
he raised it to his lips and kissed it gently
as under different conditions he might have
kissed her lips She looked down at the top
of his head, closed her eyes a moment: but
when he looked up she was smiling gally
you're good sport, Rita" he said.
"Yes." she said cooly, Il believe l am.
They rode into Mesa City slowly. The
valley was already wrapped in shadow; but
above them the upper half of Saguache Peak
was afire with the sunset. The evening
train was in, and had pulled its way up to
the yard. There was crowd at the post
office waiting for mail, and scattered groups
here and there were chatting with the arrlv
ais. Wray and Mrs. Cheyne climbed the
slope to the Kinney House, where a cowboy
from the Home Ranch was waiting for their
horses They dismounted and went indoors
to the office, where a solitary woman in a
dark dress was signing her name to the hotel
register.
At the sound Of their voices she turned
and Strengthened suddenly, very pale and
tense; and then, before Jeff could speak,
turned again quickly to the clerk and said
quietly, aft you'll show me the way up at
once, please, I'd like to go to my ROOM"
Chapter XXI. Private Matters
Jeff followed Camilla's departing back
= with blank bewilderment, too annoyed
to utter a word. Rita Cheyne looked at
Jeff's face and then laughed.
"Act Three will now begin" she said gaily.
ats really too good. Jeff. But it's time for
the lady villain to die. I'm off stage now;
SO goodby." She gave him her hand.
I'll see you tomorrow" he said gravely.
mo; this is goodby. There isn't any to-
morrow for us. | won't see you, Jeff.
think perhaps you won't want to see ne
now"
"This will make no difference he stam-
mered. "Don't you see-lve got to make
her understand"
"You mean-my reputation? She'd never
understand that. You'll be wasting tine.
Don't bother I'm going to Denver in the
morning. No. not a word!'
He tried to hold her; but the clerk cane
down at this moment so with last flourish
of the hand she sped past him and up the
stairs.
Jeff stood for moment in the middle Of
the floor irrcsolute; then he turned to the
desk and asked the number of Mrs. Wrays
room.
"Parlor B, Mr.. Wray; but she told me to
say that she did not want to be disturbed.
Jeff hesitated, and then, with a frown,
"I'hat doesn't matter" he growled. I'll
explain. I'm going up and made his way
to the stairs.
The room he remembered was at the front
of the house. He had occupied it before
they built his sleeping quarters in the office
building. He found the door readily and