The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-05-17
CHAPTER xi.-(continued.)

Wv $500 Oatg h~ o.
he assured her, still retaining his hold
upon her hand. This was merely a
preliminary skirmish. and you must
prepare 10 bear your part in what
follows. We have settled Mr.. Hawley
for the present, and must deal
with his gang"
"Oh. what would l have done II you
had not been here?"
let us not think about that; we
were here, and now have a busy night
before US IL We get away safely. Give
NE the rope first. Good! Here. Neb.
you must know how to use this-not
too tight. but without leaving any play
20 the arms; take the knife out of his
belt. Now for the cloth. Miss
Maclaire."
please do not call me that"
But you said it didn't make any
difference what / called you"
Il thought 1t didn't then. but 1t does
now"
''Oh, I see; we are already on a new
footing. Yet l must call you some
thing"
She hesitated Just long enough for
him to notice II. Either she had no
substitute ready at hand, or else doubt
cd the a~dvisability Of confiding her
rea name under present circumstances
10 che 81 nearly a stranger.
"Ycu may call me Hope"
~ name certainly Of good omen,"
he returned. From this moment |
shall forget Christie Maclaire, and re-
member only Miss Hope. All right.
Neb; now turn over a chair. and sit
your man up against It. He will rest
all the easier in that position until his
gang arrives"
He thrust his head out of the door,
peering cautiously forth into the night.
and listening. A single horse. prob.
ably the one Hawley had been riding,
was tied to a dwarfed cottonwood near
the corner of the cabin. Nothing else
living was visible.
IL am going to round up our horses,
and learn the condition of Hawley's
outfit" he announced In a low voice.
Il may be gone for fifteen or twenty
minutes, and. meanwhile. Miss Hope.
set ready for a long ride. Neb, stand
ere close beside the door. and II any
n tries TO come In brain him with
your gun-stock. I'll rap three times
when | raturn."
lie slipped out into the silent night,
and crept cautiously around the end
OF the dark cabin. The distinct change
N the girls attitude Of friendship to-
ward him. her every evident desire
that he should think we'll of her, to-
gether with the providential opportu-
htty for escape, had left him full of
confidence. The gambler had played
'blndly into their hands. and Keith
was quick enough to accept the ad.
vantage. 1t was a risk to himself, to
DE sure, thus turning again to the
aorthwerd. yet the clear duty he owed
the cir! left such a choice almost i'm
perativs. He certainly could not drag
her along with him on his flight into
the Wild Comanche country extend
ing beyond the Canadian. She must.
ut tie very least. be first returned 10
xhe protection of the standardization
along the Arkansas. After that had
been accomplished. he would consider
his own safety. He wondered IL Hone
really was her name, and whether n
was the family cognomen. or her giver
name. That she was Christie Maclairs
he had no question. yet that artist,
establishment was probably merel,
assumed for the work Of the concer,
hall. Both he and Hawley c,ul.
scarcely be mistaken as to her ident,
~ in this respect, and. indeed. she ha,
never openly denied the fact. Yet ah,
did not at all seem to be hat him
and Keith mentally contrastea ne
Z. with numerous others whom he ha,
somewhat intimately known along m
border circuit. II was dinncult n .,
sociate her with that clxss: she mn,
have come originally from some exce
lent family East. and been driven !
the life by necessity: abe vas NOR !
be pitied than blamed. Keith he'll n
puritanical views Of nfe-his own =,
p~erisnces had been too rouxh an
democrstte ar that-yst-he ciun~ 3