The evening world., 1914-01-31
TRAIL TO YESTERDAY
~Adventuyss of Real Man and Real Girl
in Real Country"
By Charles Alden Settler


,osp,hsA. 1913. b ou.i.s Puslishass Co.,

onyOOOy! but nODOOy came, anu tn0
silence around the cabin grew 80 op-
pressive that she felt she must
scream.
When darkness succeeded dusk
she lighted the keroseen lamp. placed
a bar over the window. secured the
door fastenings. and seated herself
at the table, deterenined to take
short nap.
It seemed that she had scarcely
dropped on to sleep-though In real
ity she had been unconscious for
more than two hours-when she
awoke suddenly to sec Doubler sit
ting erect in the bunk. watching her
with a wan, sympathetic smile. There
was the light Of reason In his eyes
and her heart gave an ecstatic leap.
Gould you give me drink of
that she knew we'll.
She sprang to tho pail, to hnd that
It contained very little. She had
lifted It. and was about to unfasten
the door, intending 70 20 to the river
to procure fresh water, when Doub-
ler's voice arrcOted her.
There's some water there-I can
hear 1t splashin'. tn do well enough
just now. don't want much. You
can get some fresh after q while. 1
want to talk to you,
She placed the pail down and went
over to him. standing beside him.
How long have you been here? I
knowed you was here all the time-I
kept seein' you, but somehow things
was little mixed. but I know that
you've been here quite o while. How
long?"
This Is the second night"
You found me layin' therein the
door. / dropped there. not bei,' able
to go any further. l felt you touchin'
me-drassin' me. There was someone
else here, too. Who was III"
The doctor and Dakota"
where's Dakota now?"
AT his cabin. suppose. He didn't
stay here long-he left right after ne
brought the doctor. 1 imagine you
know why he didn't stay. He was
afraid that you would recognize him
an accuse him."
Accuse him Of what, ma'am?"
"of shooting YOU"
you don't understand. 1t wasn't
Dakota that shot me-"
who did. them" she questioned
eagerly. "Who?"
Duncan"
"Why--why"-- she said, sitting sud
denly erect, q mysterious citation fill-
Ing her. her eyes wide with surprise
and delight and O fear that Doubler
might have been mistaken. why,
saw Dakota on the river trail just
after you were shot,
He'd just left me. He hadn't been
gone more than ten minutes or 80
whom Duncan rode up-comin' out OF
tho timber just down by the crick.
Likely he'd been hidin' there. I was
cleanin' my rife: we had words. and
when I set my rife down just outside
the shack he grabbed II an shot me.
After that ] don't seem to remem DOR
a heap, except that some one was
touchin' me-which must have been
you" 80
"Oh," she said. II am so glad!"
She was thinking now OF Dakota's
parting words TO her the night before
on the crest Of the slope above tho
river-of his words. Of the truth OF
his statement denying his guilt. and
she was glad that she had not spoken
some Of the spiteful things which had
been in her mind How she had mis-
judged him!
"I reckon It's something to be glad
for" smiled Doubler, misunderstand-
ing her elation, but ! reckon l owe
II TO you'd have pulled my freight
, sure, n you hadn't como when YOU
, did. An l told you not to be comm
here any more" He laughed. "Ain''
, II odd how things turn out-.some'
times. I'd have died sure" he re-
peated. Z.
; aha said, And then, to his surprise
she bent over and kissed mis- FORE
head. leaving his side instantly. he'
!. cheeks afiame, her eyes altght win .
mvsterious fire. To conceal her emo
ton from Doubler she seized the
J. ~ viii get some fresh water" she
. .aid. with q quick. smiling glance a.
q him, "You'll want fresh drink: ant
:, YOUR bandages must be changed.
She opened the door ana steppe'
down into the darkness. 4.
4 There was q moon. ana the iran u
the river was light enough for her u
:. zee plainly, but when she reached
the timber clump In which Doubie
Q mad said Duncan had been hidinr sn'
Q shuddered and made detour u
q avoid passing close to II.
This took her some distance out o
her way, and she reached the rive
!; and walked along liz pank LOT ntl'
distance, searching for deep acces
. sible spot into which she could oil
. the pail. ,,,;.,,
n she had ridden many times was no
" far away, and when she stopped y
, mi the pail she heard sudden ciatte
:. and spiashing. and looked up to re
horseman riding into the waite
Is from the opposite side OF the river;
10 He saw her at the instant she DIS
covered him. and once over the TOT
=. he turned his horse and rode directl
)" toward her.
n After gaining the bank he halle
n his pony and looked intently at her.
You're L.angford's daughter
reckon" he said.
d yes" she returned. seeing that n
IN was a stranger; II am"
n "I'm Ben Allen" he said shortly
!. Tho sheriff of this county, VIVA
- are you doing here?"
- II am taking care Of Ben Douoler'
,e sbe said; "he has BEEN
NJ Then he amt dead. OF course,
!. said the Sheriff. interrupting her.
seemed to Sheila that there was relic
" and satisfaction In hts voice. and sh
10 peered closer at him. but his fac
n. was hidden In the shadow OF his hi