Evening star., 1923-09-12
Continued from Yesterdays Star.


Then It was sthat browning. with
greatly affected emotion, told her that
neT brother, naeding money had
loGsed check and was in prison.
Irlef and humiliation; stunned her.
ana for time she knew not which
way to turn, In desperation she
wrote letter after letter TO her
brother. but received only one mes
sage In reply--a message that stated
SIMPLY: Il am innocent. mining law
yers Responsible after this, she
seemed to have lost faith in mankind,
she explained. and finally went alone
70 the cabin beneath the tamaracks,
lhaf had once been a happy home,
ana prayed for guidance.
There 1t was, beside her fathers
cold grave, that she had sworn ven
geance against Browning and the
salmon River Gold Co.
she opened her campaign of ven
Beance by feigning complete sub
mission, and, begging Browning to
teH her what she might do to keep
her brothers. plight from becoming
known. Browning was quick TO use
ner and gradually, as weeks passed
INTO months, she worked into his
schemes and plans. until at last she
became his trusted propagandist
among the miners she knew obyious-
Iy working for Brownings cause 1t
was on this service that she had first
met Hawkins, and while she had met
MN only casually, nevertheless, so
,well did she play her part, that Haw-
kins set her down at once as a clever
agent of the company.
i Here, too, she had met Butler
Garret and his gang. Early in their
acquaintance Butler had become in
Iatuated with her and this. combined
with her habit of eaVeSdropping from
the attic of the cabin. made it easier
Tor her to collect odds and ends of
events that explained many mysteri-
Gus happenings in the hills. BY the
merest chance she had happened upon
huller the very day his gang set
out to ambush Hawkins and Peter
~ hrst she had pleaded with him to
Sned no blood, but instantly saw her
mistake, for to show the slightest
sympathy or concern for any other
man sealed his death warrant If
rGarret had the authority from head
quarters to back him up. She had
succeeded, however, in persuading
MIN to spare the life of Hawkins
long enough to permit her to find
out the true location of the mythical
$4,000, Of which she had overheard
Alguin and his mate talk.
SO far matters were yet well in
hand. but Tam was becoming visibly
alarmed at the sullen mood in which
She found Butler on their last meet
ing, and she soon became convinced
that 1t would require all of the cum
ming she could muster if she was TO
Keep Hawkins alive until Eliot re-
turned. What would happen after
that, she dared not think. Even at
the thought of it, she shuddered
She ended her story in sobs. and
complained bitterly against the horror
of it ALL
Little wonder, then, that Hawkins
looked upon her with something akin
to sheer wonder. as she finished
feeding him and made ready for the
gruelling trip to Moapa. Before she
left his bedside, she let him read
the note she was to post, and seemed
pleased when he nodded his head
in warm approval, as he handed the
envelope back.
God bless you, child" he muir
INJURED fervently, as she tidied up the
'crude little sick room and closed the
door behind her.
For nearly an hour Hawkins lay
there, staring at the ceiling and GO
ing over and over again the pathetic
story of the child who now held his
life in her hands. Then the door
opened again and Butler Garret en-
teredi Triumph, or momentary gloat-
ing, something certainly was strug-
Cling for supremacy over the sullen