Arizona republican., 1915-07-25

ise me we wouldn't say anything about Arthur's troubles? You know Miss Esther liked him best of all of us,"
 70. pray. do forgive me. Miss Esther" cried the contrite young Hunter but I just can't keep quiet about Arthur. Keep ing quiet implies we do believe those awful suspicions,"
 "I thank you for that" said Esther. tremulously. "let us talk about him. We know he is guilty of nothing except being a reckless boy. with no father and no mother"
 Hagar spoke up for the first time. "Yes," she said huskily. he had no mother"
 "Tn tell you something about Arthur" spoke up Bert Randolph "It was secret he had only told me: he was going to ride in the tournament this year and wrest Blair's laurels the best rider in Fairfax from him. You know why? Well, Arthur was determined to win this year-it was when Miss Esther was at pr. Lees he told me-he was resolved to win so he could crown Miss Esther Queen of Love and Beauty"
 well we'll do 1t for him." cried young Hunter "An the girls of Fairfax are wild for the honor. But we'll win it for Miss Esther. One of us will block Blair Stanley and the other will win the wreath" "Ho," chuckled young Randolph. "Is that the chivalry of masked knight in the tournament of Fairfax? That's a trick like Blair Stanley played. almost I am aston ished at you. Ralph!" he added with mock seriousness.
 All laughed. relieved of the tension the mention of Arthur's flight under its terrible suspicion had brought upon the little group. and soon after the young men rode away. declaring that Esther should be crowned at their hands. and the socially powerful fc- male relative from Richmond should take the young mistress of Stanley hall under the benefce of her esteem
 It about at this same tine on this same afternoon. that glum faced hunch- back organ grinder. with a monkey lirnpcd into the dooryard of Farmer Smiths. Poor Quabba- Well could he realize that riches seldom bring happiness-cspecialIy when we lose them almost as quickly as they have been gained
 But the joy and glce of tho little year old daughter of the Smiths chcered Quabba.
 Kids are always glad to us, anyway. Clarence" he said, and he played his blith- est tunes and Clarence was prompted to his best comedy by the appreciation of the small but select audience.
 When Arthur. working on the Smith farm under the name of John Powell came across the fields at sunset with his employ CT. it was a merry group they found in the dooryard, Quabba and Clarence being re- galed with the best from the board. as all wandering minstrels should be-
 I'm on my way to the tournament at Fairfax" Quabba exclaimed I've never been there, it's out of the beaten track for us show people, and for that very reason it should be a good place to pick up some good money" and Quabba produced small handbill that he had found stuck against some barn in the locality. for the village merchants of Fairfax thought it well to ad- vertise the tournament to the farmers for miles around.
 The Fairfax tournament! Arthur stirred with sudden resolve. He would go. An air of mystery had always been made in the masking of the riders. He would go masked. and come. He would Win me wreath and crown Esther Queen of Love and Beauty! It wild risk to take' daring thing to do; but he longed to see