The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-01-11

UiOWSAA IOuuu AoIuSu, anu NOT SSI
snapped up, do you? They don't chase
deserters very far out here, but that's
the post skipped from, and they'd
Jug me all right. Besides. I'm damned
II I'll go back until get stake.
want to see a fellow first
What fellow"
We'll, it's Hawley, II you want to
know so bad. He said If would come
here and wait for him he'd put me on
to a good thing"
The boy fidgeted along the edge of
the bed, evidently half ashamed OF
himself, yet obstinate and unyielding.
Keith sat watching his face, unable to
evolve any means of changing his de-
cision. Hawley's influence just at
present was greater than Hopes, be-
cause the lad naturally felt ashamed
to. go Sinking home penniless and de-
feated. His pride held him to Hawley,
and his faith that the man would re-
deem his promise. Keith understood
all this readily enough, and compre-
hended also that If BLACK Bart" had
any use for the boy it would be for
some criminal purpose. What was it?
Was there a deeply laid plot back OF
all these preparations involving both
Willoughby and his sister? What
was it Hawley was scheming about so
carefully, holding this boy deserter
In one hand, while he reached out the
other after Christie Maclaire? Surely,
the man was not working blindly; he
must have a purpose in view Will
loughby had acknowledged he had told
the fellow something once when he
was drunk-about his family history,
no doubt, for he had shown him
Hopes picture. What that family
secret was Keith had no means of
guessing, but Hawley, the moment he
saw the face on the cardboard, had
evidently recognized Christie Maclaire
had thought of some way in which
what he now knew could be turned
to advantage. The few scattered facts
which Keith had collected all seemed
to point TO such a conclusion-Hawley
had sent the boy to Sheridan, where
be would be out of sight, with orders
to wait for him there, and the prom
ise of a stake" to keep him quiet.
Then he had gone to independence
and Topeka seeking after Christie
Maclaire. Evidently he meant to keep
the two apart until he had gained
from each whatever it was he
sought. But what could that be?
What family secret could Willoughby
have blurted out in his cups, which
had so stimulated the gamblers wits?
Two things combined to cause
Keith to determine he would uncover
this rascaiity-his desire to repay
Hawley, and his interest in the girl
rescued on the Salt Fork. This gossa-
mer web of intrigue into which he had
stumbled unwittingly was nothing to
him personally; had it not Itvc r1i
both Hawley and Miss Hope, he would
have left 1t unsolved without another
thought. But under the circumstances
1t became his own battle There was
a crime here-hidden as yet, and
probably not. ummated-involving
wrong, perhaps disgrace, to the young
girl He had rescued her once from
out the clutches Of this man, and he
had no intention of deserving her now
Whatever her life might be, she was
certainly an innocent victim in this
case, deserving his protection. The
memory came to him of her face up
turned toward him in that little room
of the Occidental, her eyes tear
dimmed, her lips asking him to come
back to her again. He could not be-
leve her a bad woman, and his lips
compressed, his eyes darkened. with
into this until he uncovered the truth;
he would find out what dirty trick
BLACK Bart" was up to.
As he thought this out, not swiftly
as recorded, but slowly, deliberately,
piecing the bits together within his
mind, blindly feeling his way to
final conclusion, the boy had sunk
back upon the bed, overcome with
liquor, and fallen asleep. Keith
stepped over. and looked down upon
him in the dim light He could recog-
nize something of her features in the
upturned face, and his eyes softened.
There was no use seeking again to
grouse him; even had he been sober,
he would not have talked freely.
Keith lifted the dangling feet into
more comfortable position, turned the
lamp lower, went out, and latched the
door. Two men were tramping heavi-
ly up the stairs, and they turned into
the hall at the very moment he dis
appeared within his own room. He
still retained his grasp upon the latch,
when a voice outside asked:
What number did you say, Bill
29?y
Keith Strengthened up as though
suddenly pricked by knife; he could
never forget that voice-it was Haw-
ley's.
CHAPTER XIX.