The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-04-22
tCopyright, 1911, By ". q. Chapman
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Converting Trails.


meanest and most fantastic Of tricks.
he had loved other women, Or SO he
characterized his feelings, but his pas
sion for Louise Rosser Newbold had
been in a class by itself until he had
met Enid Maitland. Between the two
there had been many women, but these
two were the high points, the rest was
lowland.
Once before, therefore, this Newbold
had cut in ahead Of him and had won
the woman he loved. Armstrong had
cherished a hard grudge against him
for long time. He had not been of
those who had formed the rescue
party led by old Kirkby and Maitland
which had buried the poor woman On
the great butte in the deep canon.
Before he got back to the camp the
whole affair was over and Newbold
had departed. Luckily for him, Arm
| strong had always thought, for he
had been so mad with grief and rage
and jealousy that If he had come
across him, helpless or not, he would
have killed him out Of hand.
Armstrong had soon enough forgot
ten Louise Rosser, but he had not
forgotten Newbold. All his ancient an
| imosity had famed into instant life
again, at the sight of his name last
night. The inveteracy Of his hatred had
been in no way abated by the lapse
Of time. it seemed.
Everybody in the mining camp had
supposed that Newbold had wandered
off and persisted in the mountains, else
Armstrong might have pursued him
and hunted him down. The sight Of
his name ON that piece of paper was
outward and visible evidence that he
still lived. 1t had almost the shock
OF a resurrection, and resurrection
to hatred rather than to love. If
Newbold had been alone in the world,
if Armstrong had CHANGED upon him in
the solitude, he would have hated him
just as he did, but when he thought
woman he now loved, with growing
intensity beside which his former re-
sentiment seemed weak and feeble he
hated him yet the more.
He could not tell when the notice,
which he had examined carefully, was
written; there was no. date upon it,
but he could come to only one conclu-
sion. Newbold must have found Enid
/ Maitland alone In the mountains very
shortly after her departure, and he
had her with him in his cabin alone
for at least month. Armstrong
gritted his teeth at the thought He
did not undervalue the personality OF
Newbold. He had never happened to
see him, but he had heard enough
about him to understand his quail
ties as a man. The tie that bound
Armstrong to Enid Maitland was a
strong one, but the tie by which he
held her to him, If indeed he held her
at all, was very tenuous and easily
broken; perhaps it was broken al
ready, and SO he hated him still more
and more.
Indeed, his animosity was so great
and growing that for the moment he
took no Joy in the assurance of the
girls safety; yet he was not altogethe,
an unfair man, and in calmer moments
he thanked God in his own rough way
that the woman he loved was alive ant
well, or had been when the note wa
written. He rejoiced that size had nc
been swept away with the flood or tina
she had not been lost in the mountain
and forced to wander On finally t
starve and freeze and die. In one me-
ment her nearness caused his heart
throb with joyful anticipation TIL
. certainty that at the first flush of da
he should seek her again sent tn
warm blood to his cheeks. But thos
thoughts would be succeeded by tn
knowledge that she was with his Ell
envy. Was this man to rob him of tn
latest love as he had robbed him {
the first? Perhaps the hardest tas
that was ever laid upon Armstron
was to lie quietly in his sleeping ba
and wait until the morning.
III So soon as the first indication {
dawn showed over the crack of til
door, he slipped quietly out of hi
sleeping bag and without disturbin
the others drew on his boots, put o
his heavy fur coat and cap and glove
slung his Winchester and his sno'
shoes over his shoulder, and withol
stopping for bite to eat, softly opel
ed the door, stepped out and closed
after him. 1t was quite dark in th
bottom of the canon, although fe'
pale CLEANS overhead indicated til
= near approach OF day. 1t was quit
still, too. There were clouds on tn
mountain top heavy with threat
wind and snow.
The way was not difficult, the dire
ton of 1t, that is Nor was the goin
very difficult at first; the snow VIZ
frozen and the crust was strong enoug
to bear him. He did not need b
n snow shoes, and, indeed, would hay
n had little chance to use them in Ii
narrow, broken, rocky pass. He ha
:, slipped away from the others becaus
y he wanted to be first to see the ma
and the woman. He did not want an
witnesses to that meeting The
n. would have come on later, of course
n. but he wanted an hour or two In pI
vate with Enid and Newbold witho1
any interruption. His conscience W;
not clear. Nor could he settle upon
course Of action.
How much Newbold knew OF b
former attempt to win away his wifi
how much Of what he knew he ha
told Enid Maitland. Armstrong cou