The Tribune-Progress (Mountain View, Okla.), Vol. 19, No. 47, Ed. 1 Friday, March 29, 1918 Page: 2 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Mountain View Times and Tribune Progress and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
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WOUtfTAJN VTTW TRIBU?fE^PROGP.£SS
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^WILLIAM MacLEOD RALNE
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CHAPTER VXML
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wtlAi} tw fwt It 'vim •nit tUot.
tut J at tM trtyjw^ u uimt*
*T‘Jilt* i»** too t# *v t*n
to Ku* zz »•?*! ib». 15 run cast *tx
rifle. fin! tocfc m '
•fiw I U<s »urr; uj uuuat lit"
to g** tlnye ir x ritfit put of ;w 1*
toll* I*,* of 'to-** tor* t»n» for roe w
Cto «M mtjncr to'
**Wb*-r* Lav* you *»'tto-C to* gol<
you atoU-T"
“I ain't ***ts tto 1*'*"* M*'
MTitf* l* till* «*aff t-tomt ruMAn"t bank
Ui4 rtiootlo- MUKoeT*
“Tour* uoto-r arreat lor nMtery uat
mAtt I? rnlofct tbt
Wtom did J flu « mil?"
“Ton kjuvw *tom Just before yos
Mft tWTl"
Holt ahouk Ills bead (fiowly. *K*.
far I **»’t a**n> to rwroxub*? it
Rur» it fcint *oiw 00* »*1a* J'JOt*
ttonklii* about? How«nwr f« to fix
on (m nil oi** </ tb* M4. Int Imitlti?"
“B«*nioa* you bad not rwroxHt
to nnw your trukt Too might jufa
u wHI b*v* toft • not* laying job did
It. Pint, yoB fM» to town and to;
os* of toa faatesst dug teams ia Alaska.
Wbyr
“That's an <*»; on*. I bought that
team to win 'to- Alaska awaepstakoa
from you, A at Pm g<Ao’ to to It. Tb*
team wom't bxndlrt right or It would
bar* won lest tiro*. I gut to mullin' It
over int flrured that old Old Holt wax
th* dug puncher that could land throw
boaki** In front ltout?"
“Ton bought It to make your get-
away aftor tto robtory" rttorUd Mm-
donald.
“It'x a difference of opinion make*
bore* races. Wbat els* bar* you got
againat u»T*
“W* found In yonr room on* of tb*
aacks that bed held tto- golt yon took
from tto* bank.’*
“That's right I took It from to*
bank In tb* afternoon. where I had had
It 00 deposit. to pay for tb* team 1
bought, Milton's books will show that
But you didn't find any sack I took
when your bank waa robbed—If It wax
robbed," added tb* old man signifi-
cantly.
“Of worn*. I knew you would have
an alibi. Have you got on* to explain
why you left town xo xuddeniy the
night tb* bank wax. robbed? Milton
wax killed after midnight Before
morning you and your friend Elliot
routed out Aykroyd and bought a lot
of wuppllex from blrn for a hurry-up
trip. You clipped around to tb* corral
and hit to* trail right Into the blizzard.
Will you tell me why you were In aucb
a hurry to get away. If It waxn’tto ex-
cape from to* town where you had
murdered a decent old fellow who
never had harmed a aoulT”
“Kure I'll tell you." The black eye*
of the little roan xnapped eagerly. "I
came *0 p. d. q. becaux* that xld* part-
ner of mine Gordon Elliot wouldn’t let
me wait till roomin’. He bad a reaaon
for havin' town that wouldn't wait a
minute, on* big enough to drive blm
right Into the heart of the blizzard. Me,
I tagged along."
“I can gueax hla reaaon," jeered the
Scotsmen. “But I'd like to bear you
put a name to It.”
Holt grinned rnallriouxly and waved
a band toward tb* girl who wax pillow-
ing toe bead of her lover. "The name
of hlx reaxon la Hbeba O’Neill, hut It'x
to he Hbeba Elliot xoon, looka like."
“You mean—*>
Th* little miner took the word* tri-
umphantly out of hlx mouth. He
leaned forward and threw them Into
the face of the man he hated. “I mean
that while you wax dancin' and philan-
derin' with other women. Gordon Elliot |
wax hurkin’ n blizzard to xave the life ;
of the girl you both claimed to love.
He wax rauxhln' Into fifty rnllea of j
frozen hell while you wax fillin’ Up
with potted grouxe and champagne.
Hlmultnneoux with (he lame goox* and
the monkey xlnglextep you wax doin’,
thlx lad wax wlridjamrnln’ through
white drlftx. He heat you at your
own game, man. You're a hear for
the outdoor xtuff, they tell me. You
chew up a blizzard for hreakfaxt and
throttle a pack of wolvex to work up
un appetite for dinner. It'x your xpe-
clalty. All right. Take yoor hat off
to that chechacko who ban Juxt whaled
you blind. He hax outgamed you, Col-
by Macdonald. You don't run In hlx
elaxK. I xee he lx holding hlx hald up
again. Give him another half-bour and
he’ll be ready to go to the mat with
you again."
The big Alaxknn puxhed away a fear
that had been lingering In hla mind ever
xlnce he had atnmbted on that body
burled In tb* xnow yeaterday after-
noon. Waa bla enemy going to excape
him. after all? Could Holt b* telling
the true reuxon wby they bad left town
toe bill trallx. and be wax convinced
tb*y would attempt nothing of toe
kind.
Th* Bcotxman felt for the ftrxt time
in b1* life old end *p*nt. Under tre-
mendoux difficulty be had muxb*d for
two dayx and had at laxt run bix men
down. The luxt of vengeance had xat
on hlx xhoulder* every mile of the way
and tod driven blm feverishly for-
ward. But the *alt that tod lent a
•avor to bis passion wax gone. Even
though he won, be loxt. For Hbeba bad
gone over to tbe enemy.
With toe fierce wlljfulne*a of hlx
temperament be tried to tread under
foot hi* doubts about tbe guilt of Holt
and Elliot Hucce-xx had made blm
arrogant and he wax not a good I oxer.
• CM vu law- the l*w» gviry. TV
oemrt rt toe Rfawtanmi. *u bitter
vQiit ii;vf. He intended to tee toel
ius ennui** ptud to toe iaxt wane*. He
attOji burry toem to toe gaiif'wx if
money and uifiuen'-e eiuiC ot it
toe leas bis dotrttt* jierxiirted.
I? toey bad planned tb* bank rubbery,
v by OjC tney ax.it ao lung to buy xuj*
p.,e» far tbeir eacap*? Wby bad to*y
not taken to* river matead of toe bill
traL? Tbe r.ury tux’ tui enennet trod
nung together. It tod toe ring uf
truth. Tb* lactx au;iptned it
One p*ece rf eridence in tbeir ixranr
Ma'ditniaiC turn* tnea li tty tmrted
la toe deep anutr* uf toe hiliUL He
xtnr bis strung teeth it toe tra. re-
auiae that it anouid aizy ttxrt
gaged It battle. He turned away with-
out «*>.«■ eu.y band* but 11 struck be?
tot* be wax nut unpiacabl*.
Wbiie toey were at iun'tooc half a
dewet packtuuie* laoen with supplies
lit:fling bryv mcytie but a mar gne*
lux alt g*tt ever wbez be gets a bit
Jaeer."
“Tex*' fib* agreed And it t flash
xb* bew what wouid tojij«et that It
for a telephone eonicmetiuii line out- tbe re*"tiiit Iron bix dejitewoat be
to Genevieve Maiiury and
not let faun-
ae bur-v-d'y* He would
aeif believe fa.
T oc ought to a tnr rj a ber.er atury
Tat toat" be atnd * out*mjrnuuay.
, Ton caz torv* a nuu * tnrougt tb*
bolea a fa. Bow coald dbot anew,
for inatanot tnat ttim C/TmuL waa ntz
xal**-
“Tbe same wty yvtt could % cnowt
fa.” snxa«p*d (M Qfdex*. “Be yrboned
to Bantto'x Crwaftt’ and found tb*
stage badcY got ;t and toe* tie-» wax
a wnt> vf a w.0-11 up it toe kulia.”
o« bix fxe*. “T orr*
tying U- tn» I ob stumtoed w*r toe
wag* wfalt* yta »o mar_tig you* g**--
t»t; St" yoirr* p*ymg fa fur at
•MtaL*
Eliio* bad rtset Bb*ba stood t«esifle
bin. Is? band in Ida Kb* sptifc* ou -**tiy.
“If* toe truth. Bebeve fa or not ex
you p*eaot. W* car* nothing abtntt
toe*_”
Tb* ffak << ter eyes, toe carnage of
to* MAhl pliant figure witb fax stggeie
eon of fin* gthaittry. Challenged be#
former lover to do falx worst
Ob toe to*ter*-d fa** of Gort-.t wax
a smile. Ho long ax bit sweet-
heart stood by him be did not care If
be were ebargrt wTto high treason. It
wax worth afl it cost to f*H the
warmth erf ber brave, impulsive trust
Tbe d*ep-#*t eyex uf Ma'-donald
dintoed with those of Ida rival. “Ton
'•ached toe rest of tbe gold. I suppose,"
be said doggedly.
With a flit of bit shoulder* tbe
younger man answered lightly: “There
are none so blind ax too** who will not
xee. Mr. Macdonald.” He turned to
Hbeba. “Come. W* must make break-
fast”
“You're going to Kuslak with me,"
hit enetoy axid bluntly.
“After we bxve eaten. Mr. Macdon-
ald," returned EMlot with an Ironic
bow. “Perbapt, If you have not bad
breakfast yet, you will join ux."
“W* start In half an bour." an-
nounced tb* mine-owner curtly, and be
turned on bit b*el.
Tbe rifle Ixy where Bbeba had
dropped It wb*n the ran to gather ber
xtrl'-ken lover Into ber arm*. Macdon-
ald picked It up and strode over tb*
brow of tb* hill without a backward
look. He waa too proud to stay and
watch them. It waa Impossible to es-
cape blm In tbe deep snow that filled
Tb* westoe? bad moderated a good
(fcmL but to* rruL wax a jrtrtertefl
lures: rrnt Tb* vmt> team* now gmng
dowi bac rma* up. ao toat tbe path
wax pacf.eC fairly bard and Rnierx
Bolt my prup}»ed ot tux rwt set
again*: tb* seeiping-titigi.. Rtiena
Tiiusbed beuind Gortkcm She *TjatTed
w.-th then boto tms igntrec eutire.7
to* czjr.mce uf MacaonaitL wbt lue
ivwvt w:o. La ;»*“.»-winning Blberua
6(00-
TbKdS. (to* tried no* tc iw be* luves
ttof*w r. Bjcu w uf rrouibet a: bexirt.
Gwtooi wax jira*toea!*y to* jeiwmer eg
t mat will bated n:n iirr.er'y ww n*-
bese< lim guil’T <d murder and wbk
w-omd gi flrufak fcr* 11 bring pnmito-
roeir born* It ii:n_ *?b* cnew to*
•«rv er id Itfc'-donait W.-th to* money
l«j.rk trf farm b* bad for rwt. yeart
'utiztot tgt iis: ttfd aimosr jireralied
sser a strong ynftilic o}£um a
fti bad jo-haec Tbeir srua.. sbarj^sbod
busft bad punched sink-bolet in to*
*nu at every step. Instead of a
smooth bon urn to* duga found a
Ktusny bug cut to
ft tb* end of an bour of wallowing
ifi>. ffun.il, K. ralted a halt
“Tber* it a cutoff jmc below bore.
It will Mv* ux neartv rwi tnllest bn:
w*T turv* tr break trail Swing lx to*
right jus: below to* big wibow ” b*
tnid Eluob *TT joki yon prawot v
snd relies* yoc (K. toe jot. lint frs:
M-i» 0~StiZ and I nr* gutog Icr a kc-
ti* sid* mj. *
AT three rf tom iwnfced at fctn it
Hitt sunns*. Gorton tg«H*d h;f
lips T» answer end closed tom again
wrtootr fan al Int Fiasna had fliaoiec
a w-urtrtg a inn.
*T bop* ton try very tor off
to* took” sb* atid gmetiy. ffa jnw
I v»hr tret.”
1*1 not tor* to* mtof-owne? said
5* wav busy uirr*iT:ur Jdx sled.
T-*“wrr i k»* ttrniid to* tog Tanr isTim
lie wTu'4 li* Imd tern iootmg rv-
jaiT.-t im f-’ied. and fr**-d toe fibre*
II tie bl-^fling f«c of to* **-j tt lead-
er El’rtc. sufijiloouf and » t
wimt » to watched b'-m at w-to. t«ut
Lt t signal tocn Fbeba tc-nea re-
lurtant-y awry and ime Atom t& toe
CTTOff.
Mt'tomt'/d *r*t»ed hif to«* out of toe
-3^. trt! and fuOswed a little ndge far
ratted ftam. B* wu» ti n*r**fn: in
ids barred ax in hi* k*v* Tb* tom nant
fific-Tig figu*» is to* Northwest be
trod Ida s-urty wty torongi ojipisctltui
Hk* a CdMSL
N't did xtoe ary lunger bare try
Tuslunx about him. B* could le both
rutoler* and unx'-rri'nVuu* vrbe® fa
auitrt hlx j»ur*«u**. Ax toe toy wore
".*wtrd wa her splrltx dro*y«eid. Rie
wax tired pb-yxirzfly. snd this reacted
upon her courage.
Tb* warmer weather was apoHing
tbe trail. It became w aorft and mushy
that though s&owrtme* were neetoto
they cf.«uid not be worn on accouEt of
tbe heavy snow which clung to them
every time a foot wax lifted. They
wore rouklukp. but Fbebx wxi wet to
the knees. Th* spring bad gone from
her s*ep. Her xboulderx began to aeg.
For fioroe time Gordon’s eye had
been seeking a good place for a day
'amp. He found It la a Mt of opes
timber above tbe trail, and without a
word be swung hlx team from tbe path.
“Where are you going?" demanded
jc-toi;** a quarter trf a mile. Fbeba
*rucg*d tedsltid him. Kb* wax fuli of
wontor at whzt be meant to to. but
«4i* tA«d no cuectirnus. Some wise in-
irtoc' vrat telling tier to to exactly as
be add.
From toe sled be took a shore! and
act re it to tbe young woman. *T>ig just
toix Rd* of toe big rock—dose to tbe
root of toe tree.” be told ber.
Kheba dug. and at toe second stroke
1 of toe spade strut* something hard.
He (Cooped and pulled out a sack.
“C*p*a It” be aald. “Eip it with
thi* knife."
Kb* ran the knife along the coarse
would (cm
marry ber.
“You're too young far me srybrw—
, too soft and innocent. Croc* you told
m* that yov eonldnY keep icej with
me. Itx true. Tot cant. It wax x
daft dream"
Be sro»k a deep brer.to w-mi'-d to
shat* himself out of la. and Hmied
cbeerful y upon ber.
“WeT! put on* tretfiU"*-trove on toe
(Oed and go I»ack tv your friends.” be
cor.tinned briskly “Tomort-ow IT send
met, up. tv scour toe bills for Nwrtb-
mj 'x body *
Sbebz drew toe catrrax back over to*
fa*w of to* dead man Ax fib* followed
Macdfmtid tfa** to to* trail, tearx fined
her ey*v. Kie we* remem:-*— ng tost
tie w4ite, stingasg death that bad
err* Bpa to*** met so swiftly bad
miviw-d ber by a htifx hreadto. Th*
strong lusty fife bad been smeken
out of to* big OmiidanBr and prob-
ably of hix yit-mer in aim*. Perha ji*
they htd left mutoerx or wire* or
Fw *e*b"tTTx to tnuurti Them.
Kf-rtunzid re'jeT«-d EHfio: at l<retk-
ing trail znd *b* yorur roaa wen* hsck
to toe g*-*-;K.le. They had discarded
irct'ukx and wor* m*»ccaK5ux and
«n;>vrrt»oe»_ It wax hard. fiV>w work.
*<«* th* *ran-breaker had to fight bis
way through snow along to* best rout*
be could find. Th* moon wax high
when at last they Fetched the road-
house.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Diane Changes Her Mind.
Tb* news of Sheba's safety had
beet telefhoned to Diane from th*
roadhouse, so that all to* family from
Peter down were on to* ;<Tch to wel-
come her with mingled tears and
kisses. Sine* Gordon had to push on
to to* hospital to bar* Holt taken care
of. it was Macdonald who brought toe
gjr! borne. Tbe mine-owner declined
rather brusquely an Invttation to stay
j to dinner on to* plea that be had bus- I
“What la tb* world haw* you tees
doing with your far*?" demanded in-
ane. Ax an af'ertbouebt sb* addedr
“Mr Macdonald lx all cut up toe "
“We've he**u raking massage ctx»
roent." Gordon passed tv a sul-ject of
mure Immediate InteresL *Th» I get
my cungramiatioua. DS?"
She fciwiec him. too. far old sake*
sake. “I do believe you'll suit Shelia
l*etter than Colby Ma**d«naid would.
He x a great man and you are not But
1 it isn't everybody that lx fit to b* tb*
wif* of a great man.”
“Thar'x a double, lef*-handed compli-
ment” laughed Gordon. “But yon can't
say anything that will hurt my feelings
• udty IX. Isn't that your baby I bvar
*Tytng? Wht* a beartlem motoer you
ar* !•
lHane gtv* him to* few ui-nutes
tiuti* with Kbeim that bis gay smile
had asked for. “Get out with you”
fib* (aid. laughing. “Go to to* tup of
toe hill and look at to* lovers moon
T'v* ordered toer* erprewsiy for you:
w**t* of to* doth. Fifteen or twenty
smaller sacks lay exposed. Kh*ha
looked up at Macdonald, a startled
question In b*r eye*.
H* nodded. “You rue*srt it. This
is part of the gold for which Robert
Milton was murdered."
“But—bow did it get here?”
“I burled it tbere yesterday. Come.*
He led her around tbe rock. Back
of it lay something over which wax
spread a long Mt of canvas. Tbe heart
ness at the office which would not wait
ImpulfaTeSy Sheba held out both ber
hands to trim “Beiiere me. I am thzmk-
: ing you with the whole ot my heart,
my friend. And I'm praying for you
the old Irish blessing. *God save you
kindly.’ “
The deep-set. rapacious eyes of the
Scotsman burned into berx for an in- 1 and while you are there forget that
stant. Without a word he released ber , tbere are going to be crying babies
fur „n h/mr- m 01 ***** WM beating Wildly.
1, s~ur. eVFfmwK vkn CfiDTHf If tb? bo4? Of OfjP of the TD^D
T'jrvrbriy ttarmgh the kktw beside the ___A .
trail. “Well see a Mutt that- 1
Tb* younger man faced him angrily. “
“Can't you see sh* lx don*, man? Tbere *?*^ lf to
is not Buotfaer one of travel in ber un-
til she hax rested.” " J°S? .*•
half, m tell you who helped him rob
tbe bank."
“This man—who lx be?” asked She-
ba. almost in a whisper. She was trem-
bling with excitement and nervous-
ness.
Tb* hard, gray *y*x of tb* Alaskan
took in tb* slender. w*ary figure lean-
ing against tbe sled. On a voft and
mushy trail Ilk* this, where every
footstep punched a bole In tbe loose
snow, tbe dogs could not traved with
any extra weight A few miles farther
down tb*y would come to a main-trav-
eled road and tb* going would be bet-
ter. But till then she must walk. Mac-
donald gave way with a gesture of bis
hand and turned on bis heel.
At the campfire Hbeba dried ber
mukluks. stocking*, caribou mitts and
Macdonald drew back the doth and
I showed the rough, bard face of a work-
ingman.
“His name was Trelawney. I kicked
him out of our camps because be was
a troublemaker.”
“He was one of tbe men that robbed
you later!” she exclaimed.
“Yes. And now be has tried to rob
As Lover* Will to the End of Time.
life.”
short skirts. Too tired to eat she ,__ . . . ... ..
forced herself to swallow a few bites ! I!811111 and ^ tor tt wlth Ws
and drank eagerly some tea. Gordon
had brought blankets from the sled
and be persuaded ber to lie down for
a few minutes.
Tv
Sheba Had Gone Over to the Enemy.
He hated the man who had robbed him
of Hheba, but h* could not escape re-
specting hlrn. Elliot had fought until
he had been hammered down Into un-
consciousness and he had crawled to
hlx feet and stood erect with the smile
of the unconquered on bla lips. Was
this the sort of man to murder In cold
blood a kindly old gentleman who bad
never harmed him?
The only answer Macdonald found
was that Milton had taken him and
hla partner by surprise. They had
been driven to shoot the cashier to
cover up their crime. Perhaps Holt or
another bad fired tbe actual shots, but
VYoull call me soon if I should
sleep,” sbe said drowsily, and her eyes
were closed almost before the words
were off ber lips.
When Macdonald came to order tbe
start half an bour later, she was still
asleep. “Give ber another thirty min-
ute*.” be said gruffly.
Youth is resilient Hbeba awoke
rested and ready for work.
While Gorton was untangling tbe
dogs she waa left alone for a minute
with the mine-owner.
Her mind flashed back over tbe past
“Then hla partner in this last crime
must have been tbe same man—what’s
bis name?—that was with him last
time.”
“Northrop.” He nodded slowly. “I
hate to believe it, but it is probably
‘ true. And he, too. is lying somewhere
! In this park covered with snow—if our
I guess is right”
“And Gordon—you admit he didn’t
do itr
Again he nodded, sulkily. “No. He
didn’t do It”
Joy lilted In ber voice. “So you've
brought me here to tell me. Oh, I am
she held out her
glad, my friend, that you were so good.
The hungry look In his eyes touched And Jt ^ „ke yoxj tQ do ,t Yoo have
always been the good friend to me.”
Tbe Scotsman smiled, a little wist-
fully. “You take a mean advantage of
a man. You nurse him when he's ill—
and are kind to him when he Is well—
and try to love him, though he Is twice
your age and more. Then, when his
enemy Is in his power, be finds he
can’t strike him down without striking
you too. Take your young man. Sbeba
O’Neill, and marry him, and for God’s
8 P Bake, get him out of Alaska before I
come to grips with him again. I'm
not a patient man. and he’s tried me
her. Impulsively
hand.
“You’re going to be fair, aren’t you,
Mr. Macdonald 7 Because you—don’t
like him—you won’t—V
He looked straight Into tbe dark. I
appealing eyes. “I’m going to be fair
to Robert Milton.” be told her harsh-
ly. “I’rn going to see bis murderers
hanged If It costs me every dollar I
have In the world.”
“None of ns objects to Justice,
told him proudly. “Gordon has noth-
ing to fear lf only the troth is told.”
"Then why come to me?" be de-
manded.
She hesitated: then with a wistful
little smile, spoke what was In her
heart “I'm afraid you won’t do Jus-
tice to yourself. You’re good—and
brave—and strong. But you're very
willful and set I don’t want to lose
rny friend. I want to know that he Is
all I have believed him—a great man
who stands for the things that are fine
and clean and Just.”
"Then It Is for my sake and not for
his that you want me to drop the case
against Elliot7” he nuked Ironically.
“For yours and for his. too. You
can’t hurt him. Nobody can really be
hurt from outside—not unless he !b a
traitor to himself. And Gordon Elliot
Isn’t that. He couldn't do such a
thing as this with which you charge
him. It in not In his nature. He can
explain everything."
“I don't doubt that. He and his
friend Holt are great little explainers.”
In spite of his bitterness Hbeba felt
a change In him. She seemed to
have a glimpse of hla turbid soul co-
hand* and turned away.
Her eyes followed him. a vital, dyna-
mic American who would do big. law-
less things to the day of his death.
She sighed. He had been a great fig-
ure in ber life, and now he had passed
out of it.
Ax soon as sbe was alone with Di-
ane. ber Irish cousin dropped the little
bomb sbe had up her sleeve.
*Tm going to be married Thursday,
DL"
Mrs. Paget embraced bo- for the
tenth time within an hour. She was
very fond of Sheba, and sbe had been
on a great strain concerning her safety.
That out of her danger had resulted
tbe engagement Diane had hoped for
was surplusage of good luck.
“You lucky, sensible girt.”
Sheba assented demurely. “I do
think I'm sensible as well as lucky. It
Isn’t every girl that knows tbe right
man for her even when be wants ber.
But I know at last. He's the m»n for
me out of ten millions
“I’m sure of it dear. Oh. I am so
glad.” Diane hugged her again. She
couldn’t help It
“One gets to know a man pretty
well on a trip like that I wouldn’t
change mine for any one that was ever
made. I like everything about him, DL
I am the happiest girl.”
*Tm so glad you see lt that way at
last” Diane passed to the practical
aspect of the situation “But Thurs-
day. Will that give us time, my dear?
And who are you going to have here?"
"Just the family. I’ve invited two
guests, but neither of them can come.
One has a broken leg and the other
says he doesn’t want to see me mar-
ried to another man,” Sbeba explained
with a smile.
“So Gordon won’t come."
“Yes. Hell have to be here. We
can’t get along without the bride-
groom. It wouldn’t be a legal mar-
riage, would it?”
Diane looked at her, for the moment
dumb. “You little wretch!” she got
out at last. “So it’s Gordon, is lt?
Are you quite sure this time? Not
likely to change your mind before
Thursday?”
“I suppose, to an outsider, I do seem
fickle,” Miss O’Neill admitted smiling-
ly. “But Gordon and I both under-
stand that”
“And Colby Macdonald—does he un-
sal r. They say I'm a good hater, and I derstand it too?”
always thought lt true. But what’s “Oh. yes.” Her smile grew broader,
tbe use of hating a man. when your “He told me that he didn’t think 1
soft arms are round him for an would quite suit him. after all. Not
armor?” enough experience for the place.”
The fine eyes of the girl were wells Diane flashed a suspicions look of
of warm light. Her gladness was not inquiry. “Of course that’s nonsense,
for herself and her lover only, but for What did he tell you?”
the friend that bad been so nearly “Something like that He will marry
lost and was now found. He believed
be had done It for ber, but Sbeba was
sure bis reasons lay deeper. He was
too much of a man to hide evidence
and let his rival be falsely accused of
murder. It was not In him to do a
cheap thing like that. When It came
to the pinch, he was too decent to stab
In the back. But sbe was willing to
take blm on bis own ground.
“I’ll always be thanking you for your
goodness to me,” she told him simply.
He brushed that aside at once.
“There’s one thing more, lass. I'll
likely not he seeing you again alone,
so TO say lt now. Don’t waste any
tears on Colby Macdonald. Don’t
fancy any story-book foolishness about
Mrs. Mallory, I think, though he doesn't
know it yet.”
“You mean she will get him on the
rebound," said Diane bluntly.
“That isn’t a nice way to put it He
has always liked her very much. He
Is fond of her for wbat she Is. What
attracted him In me were the things
his Imagination gave to me.”
“And Gordon likes you, I suppose,
for what you are?”
Sheba did not resent the little note
of friendly sarcasm. “I suppose he
has his fancies about me, too, but by
the time he finds out what I am he’ll
have to put up with me.”
The arrival of Elliot Interrupted con-
fidences. He had come, be said, to re-
spoiling his life. That may be true of J celve congratulations.
and nursemaids with evenings out in
that golden furore of yours."
“Come along. Sbeba. Well start now
on tbe golden trail." said Elliot.
Sbe walked as If sbe loved it. Her
long, slender legs moved rhythmically
and her arms swung true as pendu-
lums.
The moon was all that Diane had
promised. Sheba drank it in happily.
“I believe I must be a pagan. I love
the sun and the moon and I know it's
all true about the little folk and the
pied piper and—”
“If it's paganism to be in love with
the world, you are a thirty-third degree
pagan."
“Well, and was tbere ever a more
beautiful night before?”
He thought not but he had not the
words to tell her that for him Its
beauty lay largely in her presence. Her
passionate love of things fine and
brave transformed the universe for
him. It was enough for him to be near
her. to hear the laughter bubbling Id
her throat, to touch her crisp, blue-
black hair as he adjusted the scarf
about her head.
“God made the night.” he replied.
“So that's a Christian thought as well
as a pagan one.”
They were no exception to the role
that lovers are egoists. The world for
them tonight divided Itself Into two
classes. One Included Sheba O’Neill
and Gordon Elliot; the other took In •
the uninteresting remnant of humanity.
No matter how far afield their talk be-
gan. it always came back to them-
selves. They wanted to know all about
each other, to compare experiences
and points of view. But time fled too
fast for words. They talked—as lovers
will to the end of time—In exclama-
tions and the meeting of eyes and lit-
tle endearments.
When Diana and Peter found them
on the hillside, Sheba protested, with
her half-shy, half-audacious smile, that
lt could not he two hours since she
and Gordon had left the living room.
Peter grinned. He remembered a hill-
top consecrated to his own courtship
of Diane.
The only wedding present that Mac-
donald sent Sheba was a long envelope
with two documents attached by a clip.
One was from the Kusiak Sun. It an-
nounced that the search party had
found the body of Northrop with the
rest of the stolen gold beside him. The
other was a copy of a legal document.
Its effect was that the district attorney
had dismissed all charges pending
against Gordon Elliot
Although Macdonald lost the coal
claims at Knmatlah by reason of the
report of Elliot, all Alaska still be-
lieves that he was right. In that coun-
try of strong men he stands head and
shoulders above his fellows, lie has
the fortunate gift of commanding the
admiration of friend and foe alike.
The lady who is his wife Is secretly the
greatest of his slaves, but she tries not
to let him know how much he has cap-
tured her Imagination. For Genevieve
Macdonald cannot quite understand,
herself, how so elemental an emotion
as love can have pierced the armor of
her sophistication.
[THE END.]
Smallest Drinking Cup.
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West, H. C. The Tribune-Progress (Mountain View, Okla.), Vol. 19, No. 47, Ed. 1 Friday, March 29, 1918, newspaper, March 29, 1918; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc914244/m1/2/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.