The evening world., 1914-01-31

ford--"that we're going to have a
little talk--about things"
Sheila rose. II don't care to hear
any talk: ! am not interested"
"You'll be interested In My talk"
said Dakota.
Curiousiy, he seemed to be invested
with u new character. Just now he
was more like the man he had been
the night she had met him the first
timc--bcfore he had forced her to
marry him--than he had been since.
Only. she felt as she watched him
standing quietly In the middle OF the
room. the recklessness which had
marked his manner that other time
seemed to have entirely disappeared.
seemed TO have been replaced by
something else-determinatio
Beneath tho dropping mustacho
Sheila saw the lines OF his lips. they
had always seemed hard to hcr. and
now there were little curves Mt the
corners which limited at amusement
grim amusement. His eyes, too, wero
different: tho mockery had departed
from them.
They were steady and unwavering.
as before, and though they still baf-
fed her. she was certain that she saw
a slumbering devil In them, as though
he possessed some mysterious knowl-
edge and purposed to confound Sheila
and her father with II, though In his
own way and to suit his convenience.
Yet behind II all there lurked IA
certain gravity-a cold elaboration
that seemed to proclaim that he was
In no mood to trifie and that he pro-
posed to follow some plan and would
brook no Interference.
Fascinated by tho change In him.
khnlln hnH amt al TIM oh ~
OF the bunk. watching him closely
lie drew chair over near tho door.
tilted II back and dropped into II,
thus mutely announcing that he In
tended keeping the prisoners until he
had delivered himself Of that mys-
terious knowledge which seemed "a
be In his mind.
CHANGING fprtively at her father
Sheila observed that he appeared Ia
have formed some sort Of conclu.
sion regarding Dakota's actions also
for he sat very erect on his chair
staring at the latter, an intense In
terest In his ewes.
Sheila had become interested too:
she had forgotten her weariness. And
yet Dakota's first words disappointed
her--somehow they seemed irrevelant
This isn't such big world. afteI
all. In itr'
He addressed both Sheila and hel
father, though he looked mt neither
His tone was quietly conversations
and when no received no answer Il
his remark he looked UP with . Quic
smile.
THAT has been said by q grea
many people. hasn't IT. I've heard !
many times. ! reckon you have toe
But its Q fact Just the same. Tn
world 10 q small place. Take W three
You." he said. pointing to Langford
come out here from Albany and bu'
q ranch. You." he smiled At sheils
"came with your father ~ . matte
Of course.
"You." he looked again at Lang
ford, might have bought . ranch Il
another part OF the country. You di'
not need to buy this particular one
But you did. Take me. l spent nv
years In Dakota before ! came here
i've been here I'VE years.
"A man up In Dakota wanted me u
stay there; said he'd do most any
ting for me II l would. But l didn'
like Dakota; something kept telltnI
me that ought to move around q III
tie. I came here. I liked the place
and I've stayed here.
II know that neither OF you ar
very much interested In what ha
happened to me. but I've told yo
that much Just to prove my conten
ton about the world being n SINAI
place. II surely isn't 40 very big who
you consider that three persons CO
meet up like ws.'s met-our trail
leading us to Tie AAIns section OF tn
country"
II don't sal how that concerns W,
--ta ou-l~s~A nm iontlv
mo-" returned Dakota. and noI
there was q note of sarcasm In hi
voice, you don't see. Lots OF folk
don't see. But there are trails tina
lead everywhere. Fate marks theI
out--blaxes them. There are trail
that lead W into trouble. others tha
lead US to pleasure-Straight trail
crooked trails. trails that CROSS
kinds. Folks start out on crooke
trail, trying to get away from some
thing, but pretty soon another ira
crosses the one they are on--maybe
will be n straight one that CROSSE
theirs, with straight man riding II
"The man riding tho crooked trs
and the man riding the straight OF
meet at the place where the trai
cross. Such trails don't lead to an
tomorrow; they are yesterday
trails, and before the man ridir
, the crooked trail and the man ridir
the straight trail can 20 any furth'
there has got to be an accOuntin
That In what has happened her
; You"-he smiled gravely as he locke
, ut Langf. rd-"have been riding
crooked trail. ] have been hangir
onto the straight one a. best
could. Now we've got to where Il
:, trails cross
Meaning that you want an e.
PLANTATION Of my action In burnii
that signed agreement, ] suppose
. sneered Langford. looking up.
"Stili trying to ride the crook
, trail?" smiled Dakota, with the FIR
note Of mockery that Sheila ha
heard In his voice since he had beg,
speaking. I'm not worrying !
, about that agreement. Why. ma
I'd have shot myself before I'd ha'
shot Doubler. He's my frlend--tl
only real friend I've had In Il
{ years"
Then when you signed the agre
ment you didn't mean to keep IT
, questioned I.angford incautiousl
. disarmed by Dakota's earnestness.
Q '"Ten years ago a boy named NJ
4 KeeRles went to Dakota. ! am XII
TO nee that you are familiar with q
name" he added with smile
!. LanEford started and sttffened In b
: chair, his face suddenly ashen.
r "You knowing Kesgles will save =
: explaining "a lot" continued Dakot
"Well, keegies went to Dakota
n Ia ~ m