The evening world., 1911-12-27

IT sure o." he said. the words wriths
Ing v~sno,nously through his lips. An
lie had Glanced suddenly downward
while he had been talking and his case
rested upon An upturned page Of the n
manuscript that lay beside him on the
rock. He broke off speaking and reach
narrowing with interest. The page he
had taken up VA one from the first 2
chapter and described IN detail the shoot
Ing match In Dry Bottom. II we .
truthful picture Of what had actually
h~appsned. She he'd even used the real
reference TO the silver Dollar saloon.
TO the loungers. to the strange who had "a
ridden w and who sat on his pony near
the hitching rail. and who was called
Ferguson. IA
lie saw his own name; reed sAs story
OF how the stranCer had collapsed AAs I
feat by putting six bullets Into the can.
lie dropped the page TO The rock . X
looked up IT Mias Rsdford With . ebert !.
laugh.
8 that's what you're wytAn'f' - y
sneercd. YOU'RE wrun' somethkh' thak
the real names an telin' how ~
ford's strsy-man butted IA end 30 -
shootin'. You KNOWN this shows 49, n
him an you has hecn osv~An' orSsty
close togcther." ~
For an instant Mss RaAfcra Ssr0st
her anger. Her eyes snappsd M .
sudden interest. "A
"were you The man VINO hi - a.
i've timesy' She questioned. uaa11o toei
conceal her eagerneA.
She saw a fush ssowiy mouaa - ASe
face. Evidently he had sasd more 0na z,
he had intended.
We'll. II I amr' ~ returned. ~ ~ i.
wr1thing In . sneer. Tim oeo0n' 0o4
ahootin' that way don prove ooe01nf."A
She was now becomlnG oonV1nDo1 Ct.
her clsverness. From Benz A~sas1puoa
OF the man who had won the ahpoG1nga D.
uson TO the admission that ne nd So0ns&
the cssntr~l character IN chas ind11saa. :.
and now II had tramaplsed that Ley1o0
was the man no had beaten- ~
This had been h way N he'd Ws9.
ten II N the story. % far the paut thAG1
had been born of har lmAS3nAAtou 49,,
proved to b the story Of . ~ ooour-
renee.
She had counted upon none but In.
aginary characters-though she ~ al.
termined to cloths these with -eoliey
through study-but now. she I'D a.. 4
covered. she had been the ~ehrsaScIoe, =
OF a real incident. and two Of her chez.
acters had been pittsd against oooh !
other In a contest In which there haA,
been enough bitterness to provide the :
animus necessary to carry them,
through succeeding pases. ready and
willing to ny at Zach others thsoats. ia
She was not abls to conceal her eat
isfaction over the discovery. and IWheai
she looked at Lsviatt again she smiled
broadly.
THAT confession explains q treat
many things" she said. STOPPING to re- /.
cover the page that ne had Dropped
beside her upon the rock. I
' "Maapfns 0haeTs ~ H.>->.> 49, 4
eyes saittsring evilly.
Meaning that I now know why yeu /,
are not friendly toward Mr.. FefRu. 4.
son." she returned. II heard thaf he
beat you IN the shooting match" she I.
went on tauntinely. and then whsa,
very plainly to you" IA
The moment she had SPOKEN she ~
allied that her words had hur him. for
he paled ana his eyes narrowed venom
ousiy. But his voice wal cold and
steady. p
Was Mr.. Ferguson teiNn' you thatr.
ne INQUIRED. succeeding IN placing ironis
emphasis upon the prefix. X
She was arranging the contents ef ~
handbag and she did not io0k ~ - 49, s
answered him.
That 10 my businsss,' 80 rstusneo1
quietly. But I don't mind tsiiag ~. !,
hat the MAJ who toh ms eheut ~
SNS' hS WYNN uOt Io OOOVJ IL 49,
IT'S nice that you've got suoh . Aoao I.
OF faith In him." he snesrUd. -
1t was plain to her that he thouGhAe
Ferguson had told her about the shoot.
Ing match. and II was equally plain thaA
he still harbored evil thoughts asainN
the stray-man. And also. ne suspsctoo =
that something more than me frtenl.
ship existed between her and FerGuo0
She had long hoped that one day sh0
might he given the opportunity Of inset.
Ing In person a man whose soul Was
consumed with Jealousy. In order the
she might gain some impressions Of the
Intensity OF his passion. This seemed NJ
be her opportunity. Therefore chg
raised her chin a little and looked at--
him with a tantalizing smile.
"Of course l have faith In him." she
declared. with . slight. biting emphasis. "
Il believe In him-absoluteiy."
She saw his lips twitch. Sure" he
sneered, you was Just beginnin' to be-
lieve in him that day when you was
holdln' hands with hlm-just about here.
I reckon he was enJoyin' himself"
She started, but smiled Immediately. =
80 you saw that?" she inquired, know.
ing that he had. but taking a keen
delight in seeing that he still remem-
bered. But this conversation was be-
coming too personal; she had no desire
TO argue this point with him. even to
get an impression OF the depth Of his
passion, so she gathered up her be-
l~onglngs and prepared TO depart, but \
40 stepped deliberately in front OF her.
barring the way OF escape. His face
,Vls arame with passion
II seen him holdln' your hand" he
said. his voice trembling, II seen that
he was holdln' II longer than he had
.t.a YIphs Anf Gnnr, ~ null xA...