Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-08-23

for them, MadeliI.e's guests settlet
quietly down for a rest, which Made
line knew would soon end in a desire
for civilized comforts. They were al.
most tired of roughing It. Helen's dis
content manifested itself In her re
mark, II guess nothing is going to hap
pen. after all"
Madeline awaited their pleasure In
regard to the breaking of camp and
meanwhile. as none Of them cared for
more exertion, she took her walks
without them, sometimes accompanied
by one of the cowboys, always by the
stag-hounds. One day. while walking
alone, before she realized II she had
gone a long way down a dim trail
winding among the rocks. 1t was the
middle of q summer afternoon, and all
about her were shadows of the crags
crossing the sunlit patches. The quiet
was undisturbed. She went on and on,
not blind to the fact that she was per-
haps going too far from camp, but
risking II because she vas sure OF her
way back, and enjoying the wild.
crnggy recesses that were new to her.
Y Finally she anne out upon a bank that
broke abruptly into a beautiful little
GLADE. Here she sat down TO rest be-
fore undertaking the return trip.
Suddenly Russ, the keener OF the
~stag-hounds, raised his head and
growled. Madeline feared he might
hava scented a m%ountaIn-Ilon or wild
cat. She quleted him and carefully
looked around. The little glade was
open and grassy, with here q pine tree,
there a boulder. The outlet seemed to
go down into a wilderness of canyons
and ridges. Looking In this direction.
Madeline saw the slight, dark figure OF
q woman coming stealthily along I'M
der The pines. Madeline was amazed.
then a little frightened, for that
stealthy walk from tree to tree was
suggestive of secrecy, II nothing worse.
Presently the woman was Joined by
q tall man whe carried a package,
which he gave to her. They came on
mp the glade and appeared TO be talk
Ing earnestly. In another moment
Madeline recognized Stewart. She had
no greater feeling OF surprise than had
nj first been hers. But for the next
moment she scarcely thought at all
merely watched the couple approach
ing. In q fash came back her former
curiosity rs to Stewards strange alb
sences from camp, aud then with The
return of her doubt of him the recog-
milton OF the oman The small, dark
head, the brown face. the big eyes
Madeline now saw dlstinctly-be-
longed to the Mexican girl Bonita.
Stewart had met her there. This was
the secret of his lonely trips. taken
ever since he had come to work for
Madeline. This secluded glade was a
rendezvous. He had her hidden there.
Quietly Madeline arose, with a GEES
ture to the dogs. and went back along
the trail toward camp. Succeeding her
surprise was a feeling of sorrow that
Stewards regeneration had moi been
complete. Sorrow gave place to In
sufrerable distrust that while she had
been %romanclng about this cowboy,
dreaming OF her good Influence over
him, he had been merely base. Some
how 1t stung her. Stewart had been
nothing to her. she thought, yet she
had been proud of him. She tried to
revolve the thing, to be fair to him.
when every Instructive tendency was
10 expeI him. and all pertaining to him.
from her thoughts. And her effort at
sympathy, at extenuation. failed utter
ly before her pride. Exerting her Will
power, she dismissed Stewart from her
mind.
Madeline did not think of him again
till late that afternoon, when. as she
was leaving her tent to Join several OF
her guests. Stewart appeared suddenly
In her path.
miss Hammond. | saw your tracks
down the trall,"she began. eagerly. but
his tone was easy and natural. I'm
thinking-well. maybe you sure got
the idea"
81 do not wish for an explanation"
interrupted Madeline.
Stewart gave a slight start. His
manner had a semblance of the old,
cool audacity. AS he looked down at
her 1t subtly changed.
/ What efrontery. Madeline thought,
to face her before her guests with an
explanation of his conduct Suddenly
she felt an Inward flash of fire that
was pain, so strange, so Incompetent
pible, that her mind whirled. Then an
ger possessed her. not at Stewart. but
ut herself. that anything could rouse
In her q raw emotion. He stood there,
outward3y cool. serene, with level.
naughty eyes upon Stewart: but In
wardly she was burning with rage and
shame.
I'm sure not going to have you
think He began passionately. but
be broke OF, and a slow. dull crimson
biofted over the healthy red-brown of
his neck and cheeks.
~Whsf you do or think. Stewart. Is
no cnacern Of mine"
slfies-lfiss Hammond You don't
~tesir~e faitered Etewart.
the crimson receded from his face.
travinr II pnie. His eyes were appeal
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