The evening world., 1912-01-03

a"eNs u IN WYE oI0
the windows of the soul
- and through them peo-
pie will see your secret"
Hen hadn't eaten much, shs decided
a. she seated herself at tho table after
pouring q rug of tea Before she had
finished her meal she he'd beCun 10
wonder over HE abeencs-At was not
his custom to 60 away In the night.
81 thought hs might have gons to
the corral. or might even be sngassd
In some ANAL task In the stable. SO
after completing her meal she rose ana
went to the door. looking out.
There was no moon only the star
light. but In this h was able to Dis
tnniish objects in the clearing. and II
Hen had boon working about anywhere
she must have noticed him. She re-
turned to h table and sat there long,
ponderfn&. Then she arose. heated some
water n washed and dried the diehsa.
Then h swept the kitchen noor and
tidied things up . bit. returning to the
door whsn all was complete.
still no Ggns that Ben was sny.
whore In the vicinity. She opsosd the
screen floor ana went out upon the
porch. leaning against me OF the slsn-
der posts. Fora long time she stood
thus. listening to the indescribabls
no1oAs OF the night.
ThiS was only the second time since
she had been with Bsn that ne had
loft her alone At night. and Q sliGht
chill stole over her 10 abe watched the
dense shadovs beyond the clearing.
sh.dows that seemed suddenly dismal
ana foreboding. 6hs had loved the
silence. but now suddsniy Il seemed
too deep. too solemn 10 be real.
She shuddsrsd M with soms unac-
countabls Impulse shrank back against
tho screen door. n hand upon Il, ready
to throw u opsn. In this position she
stood for . few minutes, and then
from somswhsrs In ehs nat came .
slight sound-and then. altar . short
interval. another.
She Shrank back again. . suddSn fear
chilling hss. her han>s oiasped over her
breast.
Some one u s~hooung." she said aloud.
She waited long for . repetition OF tho
sounds. But she did not hea them
again. TrembinEiy she returned to the
cabin and resumed her chair Mt the
table. fightinE against a growing pre-
sentiment that somcthing had gone
wrong with Ben.
But she could not have old from what
direction the sounds had come. and so
II would nave been folly for her to ride
out to investigate. And 80 for an hour
she sat at tho table. bringing way from
the silence. starting At intervals, when
her imagination trcked her into the be-
lief that sound had begun.
And then presently she became aware
that there was sound. In the vast n.
lsnce beyond the cabin door something
had moved. She was on her feet in
stantly. her senses alert Her fear had
left her. Her face wa pale. burt her
lips closed Grimly as she went to the
rack behind the door and took down a
rife that Ben always kept there. Thsn
she turned the lamp low and cautiously
stepped to the doc
A pony whinnied. standing with ears
erect at the edge of the porch. In a
crumpled heap on the ground lay a man.
She caught her breath sharply. but In
tho next instant was out and bending
over him. With a strength that seemed
almost beyond her she dragsed the
limp form to tho door where tho light
from ths lamp shons o Il
Benz h said sharply. -What has
happenod7" She shook him slightly,
calling again to him.
Aroused. he opened his eyes. recog-
nised her. n raised himself painfully
one elbow. smiling weakly.
TT amt anything. sis.' he said.
Creased In tho back of the head.
Knocked me GOLD. Msbbs my shoulder
tool amt bear able to Mt my arm"