The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-07-28

SlduC.a hcIc Sn0 SAT DOWN 20 rest De-
fore undertaking the return trip,
Suddenly Russ, the keener of the
stag-hounds, raised his head and
growled. Madeline feared he might
have scented mountain-lion or wild
cat. She quieted him and carefully
looked around. The little glade was
open and grassy, with here pine tree,
there boulder. The outlet seemed to
go down into wilderness Of canyons
and ridges. Looking in this direction,
Madeline saw the slight, dark figure Of
woman coming stealthily along un-
der the pines. Madeline was amazed,
then little frightened, for that
stealthy walk from tree to tree was
suggestive Of secrecy, If nothing worse.
Presently the woman was joined by
tall man who carried a package.
which he gave to her. They came on
up the glade and appeared to be talk
Ing earnestly. In another moment
Madeline recognized Stewart. She had
no greater feeling of surprise than had
at first been hers. But for the next
moment she scarcely thought at all
merely watched the couple approach
Ing. In flash came back her former
curiosity as to Stewards strange alb
sences from camp, and then with the
return of her doubt of him the recog-
milton Of the woman. The small. dark
head, the brown face, the big eyes
Madeline now saw distinctly-be-
longed to the Mexican girl Bonita.
Stewart had met her there. This was
the secret of his lonely trips, taken
Madeline. This secluded glade was a
rendezvous. He had her hidden there.
Quietly Madeline arose, with GEES
ture to the dogs, and went back along
the trail toward camp. Succeeding her
surprise was feeling of sorrow that
Stewards regeneration had not been
complete. Sorrow gave place to in
sufferable distrust that while she had
been romancing about this cowboy,
dreaming Of her good influence over
him, he had been merely base. Some
how it 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
to expel 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 TRAIL" he 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 explanations
interrupted Madeline.
Stewart gave a slight start. His
manner had a semblance of the DID,
cool audacity. AS he looked down at
her it subtly changed.
What effrontery, 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
sible, that her mind whirled. Then an
ger possessed her, not at Stewart, but
at herself. that anything could rouse
in her raw emotion. He stood there
outwardly 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
he broke off, and slow. dull crimson