The New era-leader. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1911-1912, 1911-09-15

- AA0AA VIM SOb0 AAV NO AASW
could meet Fred, but that the boy was
hiding because of some trouble he
had lately gotten into, and that !
should have to proceed very carefully
SO rs not to lead the oflcers to dis
cover his. whereabouts. This gentle
man was engaged In some business at
Carson City. but he employed q man
to bring me to this place. and prom
Used to get Fred, and meet me here the
following day. There must have been
some failure in the plans. for ! have
been here entirely alone now for three
days. It has been very lonesome. and
i and I've been . little frightened.
! Perhaps I ought not to have come. and
I am not certain what kind OF q place
this 10. was 70 afraid when you
came, but I am not afraid now"
"You have no need to be-" he said
soberly, impressed by the innocent
candorlof the girl. and feeling thank.
full that he was present to aid her. Il
could not wrong one of the South"
my father always told me. l could
trust q Southern gentleman under any
circumstances. Mr.. Hawley was from
my own State. and knew many of our
old friends. That was why I felt such
unusual confidence in him, although
he was but . travelling acquaintance"
"Mr. HawIeyr
1.-THE gentleman whom I met on the
stage"
"Oh, yes; you said he was in bust
ness In Carson City, but I don't seem
I TO remember any one of that name"
! He was not there permanently;
only to- complete some business deal"
And your brother? I may possibly
have known him."
She hesitated an instant, her eyes
dropping, until completely shaded by
the long lashes.
sHe-he was rather q wild boy, and
ran away from home to enlist in the
army. But he got into q bad set, and
land deserted. That was part of the
trouble which caused him to hide. He
enlisted under the name OF Fred Will
loughby. Mr.. Hawley told me this
much, but I am afraid he did not tell
me all"
"And he said you would meet him
here?"
Keith gazed about the bare sur
roundihgs wonderingly. What was
this place. hidden away In the midst
Of the desert. isolated In q spot where
not even Indians roamed. Could 1t be
q secret rendezvous OF crime, the
headquarters Of desperadoes, of cat
tie rustlers. OF the highwaymen Of the
Sante Fe Trail-a point to which they
could ride when hard pressed, GER
tainsof hiding here In safety? He be-
gan to suspect this, but, II 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 q new puzzle. What
|, ever she might be-eyen the music
, hall singer he belieyed-she had been
inyeigled here ~innocently enough.
: Even now she possessed only the most
. vague suspicion that she had been de-
ceived. The center Of the whole plot,
II there wasssa plot, must be Hawley.
yes" she replied. he said that this
was one of the stations Of a big ranch
on which Fred was employed. and that
he would certainly be here within q
|. day or two"
"You met Hawley on the stage
coach7 How did you become acQuaint
ed!s
"We were alone for nearly fifty
miles,. her voice ALTERING slightly
sand-ands be called me what you did
Christie Maclairs?"
. Yes; he-he seemed to think he
knew me-, and I needed help 20 much
that 1 let him belisvs %. I thought
: It could 40 no harm. and then. wheI
: found he actually knew Fred. I didn'
/. think OF anything else. only how for
I tunate | was to thus meet him. Surel,
: something serious must have happen
cd, or he would have besn here before
this. Do you-do you suppose there
|. Is anything wrong?'
: eKeith did not smile nor chang
posture. The more he de1ved into thu
matter, the more serious he felt TIL
7 situation to be- He knew all thos'
!. ranches lying south On the Canadiari
: ana was aware that this was no out
!. station. No cattle ' came across
: that sandy desert unless driven b,
. rustlers, and no honest purpose coul'
|. account for. this isolated hut. Their
|. had been frequent robberies along tn
: trail, and he had overheard tales Q
mysterious adisappearances In bot
: Larned and Carson City. Could It b
!. that he had NOW. accidentally, stun
|. bled upon the rendezvous OF the gang
: He was not-a man easily startled. Blu
= this thought sent his heart beating
2 He knew enough 70 realize what sue
4 would naturally consist Of
dsserters. outlaws. rustlers: both II
lians and whites. no doubt, combine
6 under. SONS desperate leadership. 0a,
1, Ing Into ne girfss Questioning eyes n
could pcarcsly .aEefrain from blurtin
6SSN1E24TnSpe4 Jed. s5&N sahos@
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