The evening world., 1915-03-18

ne wnole thing was so In
stantaneous 50 like flash
light photograph. that Rider
had not even time to guess
who he was. But he was
no dream. for there lay his track. 1t
was not the secrecy of the thing
that Knocked the foreman silly. 40
much az that the girl concerned was
sophy Ridgeway. on whose straight
ness he would have set his life.
Who on earth"- Rider mutter.
Cd wildly. Hazard amt that kind
besides. she can see him all she wants
to- and there's no one else EXCEPT
the men. God have mercy on me,
the men! 1t can't be one Of them; 1
amt right In my head" and he
grabbed at 1t to make sure It was on
his shoulders. There was no sense In
trying to follow the man since he
must be one Of their own lot, and
well, God knows I can't speak to
her, groaned Rider; and suddenly
= Thought better Of 1t.
SrSpeak he would, and that very In
'staAt. He banged the storehouse door
and lew after Sophy. but without
snow-shoes he made heavy weather
o. It Instead Of catching up to her.
he met her. coming to him from the
river valley. as II she had been TAX
Ang . stroll.
For my sake. mind yourself. Miss
eophy." he began hotly: he wiped tho
drifting snow from his face and
turned toward her shack with her,
but bis courage ebbed as he did it.
ITS no day for you to be OUT" he
added lamely. II made up my mind
TO tell you so. too. the second day l
saw you-though It's no business of
Where did you see me?" demanded
Sophy sharply. And suddenly she
knew. Rider must have been in the
etorehouse. Her eyes, even in the
dusk. turned suddenly blue and steely.
ut certainly Is no business of yours"
.ns added coolly; she was not going
TO nave Rider ask questions till she
could tell the answers to Hazard.
Rider lied: he had been right when
ne knew he could not speak out to
her. Coming down here, I suppose
and of oil the crazy places to
walk" He writhed over the sudden
relief in her laugh.
"Mr. Hazard said there was q wolf
up there this morning, so OF course l
went to see," she announced.
Il guess not" retorted Rider blunt
~; no had heard nothing OF Hazards
her lie. 49,
Il guess not. too. since 1 didn't see
him. 1 Just went out to take the air.
Good night. Rider"
"Air!" Rider gazed into the drift
Ing snow and spoke aloud to it as
SQphy opened her door and shut It
.behipd her. II bet I'll put a spoke
some for girls"
He was tearing back to the store
house to follow the man, with the
conviction that he hsd been a fool not
to do 1t before. when the cooks voice
door.
Say. was that Miss Ridgeway?
The boss and Olsen have been hunt
Ing for her half tho aftprnoon-
thought she was lost or something"
We'll. she amt snapped Rider.
"You send after the boss and tell him
Olsen's society had put Hazard out
OF the show, and Rider disappeared
,hotfoot to the storehouse. II was
dark when he got there; he had to
light matches to find the hole in the
rocks: and when his last one burned
out, stood with II scorching his I'm
gers. There was nothing to be seen
inside the apparently shallow cave
but a few rocks, and all trace of the
way Its occupant had taken out of 1,
was gone. Every trace OF a track
even Riders own, was drifted over
He turned angrily and went homo.
% Like father like daughter" he NUT
tered, "and God knows there amt an
honest bone In Ridgeway! I s'pose
could tell Hazard-but I guess I'll see
II he don't know first. II he does
ain't any need Of It; he can talk to
hcr In plain daylight! Not AIM
him; it's some one she's ashamed Of;
some one Ike He had moi
4 thought he should turn sick at thu
Might Of blanket coat. 1t was young
Avest plain. as he vanished through
~ bunkhouse door; and 1t was the
straw to Rider. Lord, 1 cam
that" he muttered. and found
sllmself hanging at the office door
"Miss Ridgeway's all right" he blurt-
cd from the doorway. II met her out
walking," for somebody had to shield
her. But ! guess you know"
Hazard. very cross from trampinl
been lost, made no answer. Rider
|, Slancing at tho old canvas coat tina,
lay On the floor. knew II had not beer
| the boM who ned miraculously dowr
70 the lake. "Say." he mumblet
atruptly. ''she-she told me you saw .
welt this morning"
't6o I did." snapped Hazard.
'1in Ridgeway oushtn't 20 80 out
alone. them" missrably.
Nov. look here" Hazard misun.
esrptecd. IT you're going on on thai