The Detroit times., 1912-08-14
CHAPTER XVI.
The Girl In the Wreck.

/
10 him as though no other woman In
the world could have worn that
golden tress OF hair but lsobel. Philip
had stopped his horse. and his face
had gone as white as death with a
tremendous effort he recovered him.
self and saw Billinger staring at
| him as though the hot sun had Tor
an instant blinded him OF reason
But the lock Of hair still rippled and
shone before his eyes. Only twice In
his life could he remember having
seen hair just like thia-that pc
culIar reddish gold that changed It's
lights with every passing cloud. RE
had seen IL on Isobel, in the freight
OF the camp, at Lac Bain--and he
had seen IL crowniug the beautiful
head OF the girl back home, the girl
! OF the hyacinth letter. He struggled
TO calm himself under the question
ing gaze OF Billinger's eyes lie
laughed. wound the hair carefully
about his fingers, and put IL In his
coat pocket.
You have given me a shock, he
said, straining TO keep his voice
even I'm glad you had foresight
enough 10 keep the lock or hair.
Billlnger. AT Hrst-I jumped to
conclusion. But there's only one
chance in a hundred that I'm right.
liz | should be right know the
girl. Do you understand-why IT
startled me? Now for the chase,
Billinger. Lead away"
Leaning low over their saddles
! they galloped into the North. For a
| time the trail OF the five outlaws
was so distinct that they rode at a
speed which lathered their horses.
Then the short prairie grass, crisp
and sun-dried, gave place to broad
sweep of wire grass above which the
yellow backs OF coyotes were visible
Il as now and then they bobDed up In
their quick, short leaps to look over
the TOP Of 1t. In'this brown sea all
trace of the trail was lost from the
saddle and both men dismounted.
Foot by foot they followed the faint
signs ahead of them while over
/ their backs the sun rose higher and
began to burn with the dry furnace
like heat that had scorched the
prairies. So slow was their progress
that after a time Billinger straight
ened himself with nervous curse.
The perspiratiOn was running in
/ dirty streaks down his face Before
\ he had spoken Philip read the fear
that was in his eyes and tried TO hide
! the reflection OF II in his own. II
was too hot 10 smoke, but he drew
forth case of cigarettes and offered
one TO Billinger The agent accept
ed one, and both lighted in silence.
ewing each other over their matches.
won't do" said Billinger. spit
| ting on his match before tossing 1t
among the grass Its tom miles
across this wire-dip. and we won't
make II until night-if we make 1t
at all. I've got an idea. You're a
better trailer than am. so you fol-
low this through. I'll ride on and
see II can pick up the trail some
where in the edge Of the clean
prairie. What do you say?"
Good" said Philip. II believe
you can do IT,
Billinger leaped into his saddle
| and was off at gallop. Philip was
almost eagerly anxious for this np-
portunity, and scarcely had the other
gone when he drew the linen hand
kerchief and the crumpled lock OF
hair from his pocket and held them
in his hand as he looked after the
agent. Then, slowly, he raised the
handkerchief TO his face. For full
| minute he stood with the dainty
1 fabric pressed TO his lips and nose.
Back there--when he had first held
the handkerchief--he thought that
/ hn Ina orfn Dat In
Family the bit OF soiled fabric
breathed to him the sweet scent of
hyacinth. His eyes shone in an
eager bloodshot glare as he watched
Billinger disappear over a roll In
the prairie a mile away.
Making fool OF yourself again.
he muttered. again winding the
golden hair about his fingers. There
are other women In the world who
use hyacinth besides her And there
are other women with red-gold hair
and pretty, pretty as Billinger
says she was. aren't there?"
He laughed. but there was some
thing uneasy and unnatural In the
laugh. In spite of his efforts to
argue the absurdity of his thoughts
he could. feel that he was trembling
In every nerve of his body. And
twice-three times he held the
handkerchief 10 his face before he
reached the rise In tho prairie over
which Billinger had disappeared
! The agent had been gone an hour
when the trail of the outlaws
brought him TO the knoll. From the
top of IL Philip looked over the
prairie to the North.
A horseman was galloping toward
him. He knew that II was Billineer
and stood up in his stirrups so thai
the other would see him Half 8
mile away the agent stopped anC
Philip could see him signaling
frantically with both arms. Five
minutes later Philip rode up TO him
Billinger's horse was half-winded
and in Billinger's face there were
tense lines of excitement.
There's some one out on the
prairie he called. as Philip refined in
Il couldn't make out horse, but
there's a man In the trail beyond the
second ridge | believe they've stop
ped TO water their horses and feed
at little lake just this side OF the
rough country"
Billinger had loosened his carbine
and was examining the breech. He
glanced anxiously at Philips empty
saddle-straps