The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-24

Ozark.
Il will tell him." said Olive. smil-
ing stiffly.
She watched them ride away TO-
ward the timbered lands and she
looked keenly in every direction be.
fore she returned to the barn. Then
she stood in the doorway, with her
back to the interior. and asked In q
very shaky voice:
Are you there?"
Yes" said a mufiled voice. and
Olive turned to discover a mans big
frame emerging from the hay that
filled her pony's Manager.
You are hurt" she cried, for a lit.
tie stream of blood was trucking down
his hand.
He wiped it away. One Of those
silly brutes prodded me with a pitch.
fork he said carelessly. I'm aw-
fully obliged to you-because you did
not betray my presence here. May I
ask why you spared me-"
He smiled down at her Her quick
glance noted that this was no or.
binary cattle thief II he were one at
all. Neither was he a Swede Big
and blond and extremely goodlooking.
he was dressed in rough gray fan.
nels with brown leather riding boots.
His fair head was hatless and as he
stood there looking down at her with
that keen blue glance Olive was con-
WINGED that the sheriff and his posse
had made ridiculous mistake.
You are Mr.. Hayden" she asked.
II was until last night" he smiled.
but these fellows have given me the
lie so many times since then that I
begin to doubt my own identity. Why.
even my foreman. Callahan. swore to
my face that I wasn't myself"
II never could bear that Callahan"
declared Olive emphatically. "1've
seen him so many times in company
with disreputable Mexicans from over
the border that I've never thought him
honest"
You've hit 1t. exactly. I was trail.
ing him last night after one Of his
excursions when the sheriff got hold
OF me. You see Callahan had told me
Ill about It as soon as I arrived and
had reason to suspect the fellow
Well. I'm here to stay. II l can con-
vince your neighbors of my identity
before they deal out what they call
istica."
Suppose You retire to the upper
loft and remain there until talk with
INV father He's perfectly reasonable.
aNl after tho mon got on Galatians
ra'l hey VIII SOC how matters stand"
oreeta1 Olive
Il viii ,ofo your advice" said Hay
"a rather reluctantly. 81 hate to
mn AWAY. WIT II I want 10 fight an
, 'hor day presume | better keep out
IF SIGHT"
Olive waited until he had dlsan-
feared in tie dim upper loft. and
when the 'ustling Of the hay had
ceased anl he had called down a
cherry: IAN richt-o." she sped back
to the house to await her fathers
return.
Presently the sheriff and his six
men came riding back leading the bay
horse.
what Ecko" called Olive.
What you see" growled Hall un.
amiably. Saw your Chlnk and q
half a dozen others with a gambling
layout down at Hidden Spring Broke
that up. all right" His grim face
relaxed
You didn't hurt Wah Lee. did
YOU" she asked quickly. and az they
laughed she added family: "You
know father says he was the best
cook We ever had"
Hes coming now-seems to be
alive" retorted Hall as they went on
their way.
Wah Lee was trotting quickly to-
ward the house He was wailing to
himself in heart-broken sort Of way.
In one hand he carried his severed
pigtail and acute anguish was writ
ten on his fat yellow countenance.
Olive comforted him with what
words she could muster. but nothing
save communion with his gods and
the burning Of much joss could as
suage his modification.
Then came Olives parents. First
exacting secrecy from them she told
hem the story. Mr.. Cole shook his
head In strong disapproval. 1T
doesn't do to oppose the law. my
lear" he said before he went out
10 the barn.
When he returned there was an
,ther expression on his stern face.
"Olive's right believe It Is Mr..
Hayden. after all. I'll 60 over and
yet the boys on Callahan's trail"
II was late at night when fifteen
men rode up to Coles ranch and an.
that Bill Callahan had been :
taught. They were quite ready to
lpologize to the big Enslishman when |
10 had been extricated from his perch |
n the loft.
Il owe my life to you. Miss Olive"
lie said to her later in the evening az
le took his departure.