Putnam patriot., 1916-09-08

that verF day he fouu Y&&4Z ment aH article by Ms Ta S% ton. in which his own pict. HF<AN He pouPed upon il eagerly. N IS he read his eyes narrowed
 jaw sHifcLcd There spread fhe public gaze, WIS his own rec. full, including bis initial venture he Kyat coal fields his abandonm6 If that project in favor of Hope Con solidated and an accou unt of his con aecti0n with the latter enterprise Iliza had not hesitated 10 call the mine worthless, and sa 1eWei how he knowing its worth .essness from the first. had used il ls t lure to investors. Then followed the story of his efforts To gain Il fOofhol1 in the railroad strug- gle his defeat at the Salmon river can yon, his rout at the delta crossing and his final deathblow at Kyak. His ca reer stood out boldly in all it's fraudu lent colors. failure was written across every one of his undertakings The naked facts showed him visionary, in ee.at etent interruptions
 Thus far he had succeeded iH keeping t large part ef bis stockholders in ig- noranee of the true condition of Hope Consolidated, but be Gnailed at the in- egitable result of this article which had been flung far and wide into every city and village fl ihe land. He dared not think Of its effect ufen his present enterprise. HOW sJ auspi pisiouSly launch ed. He had made a ringing appeal to the public. and is support would hinge upGn itS confidence in him as il man of affairs. Once that trust was destroyed the Corte2 Home railway would crum- ble as swiftly as had aIl his other schemes.
 The worst of il WAS that he knew himself shut off from the world for five days as eGeetuallF as if he were loeliel i'll dungeon There was no wireless equipment on the ship. he could not start the machinery of his press bu- reau and with every hour this damna- hle story was bound 10 gain momen- tum. He cursed the luck which had sci him on this quest for vengeance and bound his hands
 Meanwhile Dan was struggling with his problem in his own way The pos. sibility that Natalie had voluntarily betrayed him Was a racking torture. and the remembrance of EliZa's words added to his suffering He tried to gain some hint of his chiefs feeling. hut Murray's frank and friendly atti- tude batlled him.
 When at last he received a brief
 
 he raced to Hope afraid, vet eager to hear what she might say She met him on the dock as lie left the $ R. and \. motorboat and led him directly to the house
 Natalie went straight to the point. "Im in dreadful trouble" she said, and l sent for you to tell you that I had no idea of betraying condolences"
 Dan uttered some inane platitude, | but lis eyes lighted with relief When l saw in the papers what | stir that North Pass and Yukon story had made l was afraid had done something dreadful. Tell me, is it so? Did make troubIe?" 'You certainly did. O'Neii was furi- ous, and nobody knows yet what the | result will be. lit nearly cost nae my head"
 Does he blame meT' "N-no! He says you're on Gordon's side now. He blames me or did until he generously took it on himself" What does it all mean? I'm near | lr distracted" Natalie's eyes were | pleading. Did you think l spied on you?'
 Dan slowed with embarrassment and l something more. ''I didn't know what to think" he said. "I was wretchedly miserable for I was afraid And yet. l knew you couldn't do such thing. told O'Neil l wasn't responsible for what | did or said when with you"
 NIr. Gordon sent me to Omar pur- | poscly. He sent me twice. It was I who brought him word that the road was saved l told all I'd learned be- | cause l believed he no longer hated | Nr O'Neil l was happy to tell all knew. for Ee deceived me as he de. eeives every one. l learned the truth tos late" <
 "Why do you stay hereT' Dan >,p nQls.ed hotly, n>
 Way? l. don't know. Perl :. auSe Fun afraid C. leave I'm ! lod see m 1ther bel eyes in him 9mpietcly puder his sway. and T. sel her the sort of man Ee is Snet
 sipE aaA her happiness k worth aoae to tue tiaA ;ag own Bat--l s1s,i 70 away I can't stand if here s'.e ? i1sgeg
 e8e yii fsa go2'
 ~Pa 5 to hr o.d home perhaps seiaee hera anfwaese away from AiaSka
 CHAPTER xVitt. ApPlaSaa csnlroaSS Gordon
 " ST-praSE yeu know can't get along without you" said Dan X Please don't! You have been
 very good and sweet ro me, bur She shook her dark head "You couldn't marry me-even if cared tsr you in that way"
 Why Intend 10 marry you whether you want to or not" Oh ban. it wouldn't do, You know about mother I've nearly died of shame. aud it would be sure to come up. Somebody would speak of 1t some time.
 panr blue eyes went cold and smoky as he said;
 ''lt would take pretty brave person n, r,atefon fh.a Suhiaet in my nraSpnee