The Coos Bay times., August 28, 1915, EVENING EDITION, Image 11

Love aii A4wntut o
'jfjftjGlp 1 pi) 1 f(itw
IJHiBI
Pedro's Lit
v .-'iSfttf . i
V
Vnnctic HKcri
.;
STa anRlCRfl
tie
. :, ,
Otiii C IM
HAT'S the matter,,
Johc'" John Vlrnoy
demundcd angrily.
"Whn t do you
want? Aro you
drunk, or crazy, or
what"'
Tlio Mexican did
not niiBWcr. Ha was
utterly Incapable of
neerh Cowering
he doorjamb, he gazed help-
the puzzled Americans, in
med to do ft in 01 hdjcci icr
, m-arihv feature! looked a
rnnlfih velloW In tllO luiUD-
Id his f.v rolled until only
i nhnived lie wan snaking
fan with the ague, and hln
Ime and went In great hlBBlng
Iraoinrnt or two the manager
fthc shlterlng wretch in per-
BjRust Finally ho caught him
fcollar. Jerked him to Ills feet,
fck lilm roughly
out with 11'" he ordered.
lur olce. man hat nils you,
nor'" gasped the llltlo Mexl-
thlng In the nthcr'n strong
(ell por DIos. senorIn n
My breath I no can apeak,
Plrney loosened hip hold, nud.
Iclplcss shrug of his big shoul-
down again
;do you make of It, Dan?" he
of hln companion. "The fel
I icared to death "
lire does," the foremau agreed.
bn like he was locoed: but you
II anything about these Great)-
They re a funny lot. Some
Bng'll set "em off at times un-
think the whole world was
(to an end Joso Is scared,
hhe sure Is "
Henderson broke off and eyed
Iking Mexican thoughtfully,
nuea aim lighted bin one.
ged. sunburned face waa olo-i
Iith the contemptuous pity that
t of fear In a fellow male al-
ouses In a brave man.
i gradually grew calmer. At
be Btralghtencd up and turned
Ithe manager with a weak nt-
It a smile
s on the hill trail. r,enor." he
rover by the big rocks. T was
ons for the dance, senor. and
i fle Dlos!" He shuddered vlo.
Ind stopped
go on, Jose." soothed Vlrney,
c as one might trv to nuiei m
Go bn, tell us what happened,
inaiever u was, you're safe
El, senor'" said the Mexican
suddenly reassured. "I tell
nors. 1 was bv the hip mtu.
Ilow and smoking, senors. when
naeu my norso Jump quick and
mo gave a clover Imitation
mmmmmmmmmmm
JNNINGTON lit a
p (' cigarette, took one
.' . mill flAallfllArl an.4
V ) then threw it away,
II Ho had forgotten
U the doctor's quietly
i
ci'VAill liui Hlt'lHlVU
words, and now re
membered thorn
with a sudden re-
tll.n - 1.1
if vi hat might come.
fi0.,1"' W "'eh walls,
.: Huuia me llttlo cells
S 00 WnrA nff ,!,.. ,
Is mlnrt u.n. " '"""... Ul
u-iii, I """ pvci-y one or
lth Incomes abovo nil possl-
'r' 'he clas oralor and best po-
bTmf V V ,UlU0r cur me;
ilv hm lrk,e had n out' nt
be h.H l '"P'Hy. and were
" naif the r iimn ..j .,-.
are Paninn'a ,.. . .
land r. , "lal1 weaKI
Ina McFale nnrt Tn... .'
loulder. f .Ca'rled ,helr hCalB
kwhn..,utf aB straight and
fee" IW Tl?Dd y wore
C.DT.1,!!?n.en,?.fof "Wlculture.
iotu n ' ."IB money, was a
K bwWc ,ical out(loor 'm
wi bronzed face and hearty
H broad shoulders. McFae
ire nrett.. " u" on lne wn-
Kdl nr il 8U.re t0 b! rldlDE a't-
F1" or play ne enu aj .w...
Z&TSL ." door life,'
ntly and iim mS sn0'ders
ite for ,,:: "" u e naa
iea a,""'11?' al yet there
of ahiL: " drearned
lent went u-iTh V .. ut accora'
and ?h! I Vade. and pro-
omurh-'. ,ot 0UinesB, and
iem ne cou'd not drop
WUK8honlU ano,h" c'8r-
,0!5'6aretteavavn,ereaana
'amanUrV8 thl(enln5 so
rn..l tnal 'e COU d Bcarrfllv
ick;nn.AotaOfeet,"and
KUonan pl'?1Ty and
.'Oelfnaett?,f?on
' 6 curb """ - "er
of the frightened snort of a cow pony.
"Before I can turn' round, sonora,
something It como through the nlr
nbovo with h awecBh, and a thing of
flro It ntrlko mo on I ho bnck. My
Iioibo Jump agnln and run wit' me. I
bco nothing more, senorn; and then I
nm horo. That was It nil, bouoib."
Ho paused nnd began to roll a cig
arette with fingers which still trem
bled visibly, while his hearers smok
ed In silence. Doth had hnd consid
erable experience with the low-ca8to
Mexicans who comprised tho greater
part of the ranch working force, und
both knew tho many superstitions and
fears to which theoo people were sub
ject. It was for this reason, perhaps,
that Vlrney placed little credence In
Jnso's tale. It was too fantastic to be
true the man had been dreaming, so
tho manager thought; and ho acted
accordingly.
"I've told you a dozen limes, Jose,"
ho said sternly, "to keep away from
Ramon's. He's no good, that noinuro.
and tho liquor he sells Is poison. You
wore drunk, nnd you Imagined the fire
and all that rot. Forget It. man!
Brace up and go back to your quar
ters, nnd let this bo a lesBon to you.
Keop away from Ramon nnd his cheap
gin, nnd you won't be scared half to
death by nothing at nil Babe?"
"81, sonor, I sabo; but yoij not un'
crstan'. I am not drunk. One llttlo
glass, Senor Vlrney por Dlos, no
more! It was a loop, senor a loop if
Are!"
The man was tragic In his earnest
ness; but Vlrney only laughed.
"All right," he snld, "I believe you:
but I guess there's no harm done. I
wouldn't repeat this yarn If I were
you, Jose. Good night."
Thus dismissed, Jose, now apparent
ly restored to something like his usual
self, looked appeallngly from one to
the other of tho two men, and depart
ed, shaking his head.
Vlrney turned to the foreman
"You're right, Dan," he remarked,
"they're a queer lot. Any little thing
out of tho ordinary they attribute to
tho supernatural. At this moment
Jose Is firmly convinced that ho has
seen either a ghost or the devil, and
he'll be tho hero of IiIb fellows for tho
next week. I wonder, though, what
tho little cuss really did see?"
"You can search me," answered
Henderson, "But It must have been
something, John, Did you spot the
look In the eyes of hlra when he cume
through that door? Tho man was
scared plumb speechless."
"Yea; but his fright was probably
due to a bad dream caused by an
overdose of mescal. He admitted he'd
been drinking nt Ramon's; that's
enough for me. I wIbIi we could put
that old crook out of business. He's
responsible for two-thirds of tho devil
try that goes on around here ho's al
ways getting the men drunk and quar
mm&fttw&Emzrr..?mxM.:w&
Mow In
A band of muslo was approaching,
and his gaze wont to It with the
crowd's.
Behind the music came a great block
of marching men, and behind them
another and another, and still another.
Then Pennington understood. It was
Lnbor Day and tills was the trades pa
rade. Under other circumstances Pen
nington's gazo would huve turned
away Indifferently; but there wns only
the sidewalk or the street, and of the
two tho street was the Ubs tedious. It
was at least a moving bore.
Tho first impression that came
clearly to bis understanding waB one
of tho strong, stalwart units of the
blocks; the noxt, their contented and
even happy looks. ,
Then ho started Bllghtly, for among
the faces he saw ono that he remem
bered at college a man who had gone
In for literature and the higher things,
a gentleman of fine and cultivated
taste. And here he was marching In
the trades, his figure strong, his eyes
clear, his face happy.
Pennington grew perplexed, trou
bled. What did It mean? There were
no faces like that among his friends,
and his friends were of tho favored
few of earth. Even Jones and McFale
and Turner were not the same.
They wore contented and healthy,
but with a difference. In this face he
had seen a suggestion of the dreams
he himself had dreamed a Joy of life
that was above materialism.
"How happy and strong they are,"
said a voice at his Bide, and Penning
ton looked down, a quick glow coming
Into his face, and fading yet more
quickly. It was the girl who had
tinged his dreams, who had since
grown distant and sometimes scornful.
There waa a note of wistfulne3B, of
vague entreaty and almost wonder In
the voice, which he felt but could not
understand, His face grew yet more
troubled.
"Yes, they seem strong and happy,
Esther," he answered, "in spite ot be
ing in the trades."
"Because of being in the trades,"
she corrected swiftly, a vibrant ring Jn
her voice that brought his eyes again
to her face. She was looking out at
the marching blocks, her gaze steady,
but with a treraulousness of the deli
cate lips that somehow reminded him
of the odd note in her voice.
She did not look toward blm once;
and when the procession bad passed
and the sidewalk relaxed its tension,
relsome. Confound hlra!"
"You're right. John; but the old sin
nors safe fiom ub, nnd ho know It.
Being acroBB tho boundary", us bo Is,
ho enn laugh nt us Americans, espe
cially the way things aro now. Ihcy
Bay that Blnck Pedro, the ruralo chief,
lu making his headquarters near Ra
mon's, which means that wo'vo got tho
bloodiest cutthroat In nil Mexico for
.n neighbor. I only hope he'll stay on
his own sldo of tho line. If bo gets
to atlrrln' up our punchors we'll linvo
one pencil of a llmo around here. Be
lleve mo!"
"Oh, wo won't have any trouble.
Dan!" said Vlrney, hastily. "Not yet
a while, at any rate. I daro say Pedro
would like to enlist our men, but
they'ro tho beat paid cow hands In this
part of Arizona, nnd they're satisfied
to keep out of trouble. Most of 'em
are too cowardly to mix In a real fight
unless they have to."
"Yes," the foreman admitted Skep
tically, "but they love to rob and play
at beln' Boldlers n Greaser alwavs
does, you know, and that's Pedro's
strong point. As It is, we'vo lost
about a dozen good cow hands this
past week. If any more go. we'll have
hard work movln' tho cattlo back into
the hills."
"They mustn't go," declared the
manager, dcclslcely. "We've got to
keep 'cm here somehow until after
round-up. Dan. Thero's twenty thou
sand head of prime beef cattle to be
got out of harm's way, and It's up to
us to do It A week more Bhould fin
ish the Job In good shape; after that
tho men can leave and bo d d to 'em.
If they want to mix up In this llttlo
tinhorn war, let 'em go to It; but not
until we're through. Those cattlo are
worth more real money than the wholo
darn Mexican government."
For the next few days, however, ex
cept for disturbed muttering amongst
the men, who superstltlously attrib
uted Jose's adventure to a direct visi
tation of tho Devil, nothing unusual
happened, und tho work of rounding
up tho cattlo progressed wonderfully.
Under tho leadership of Vlrney and
Henderson, tho Mexican cowpunchers
performed, for them, prodigies of la
bor, and over half tho herd was driven
bark Into tho mountulns, whero It
would be safe from the thlovlng sol
diery. Vlrney was beginning to feel
well satisfied with himself, when ho
received u rudo awakening.
Worn out by over twenty hours' con
tinuous saddle duty, he had lain down
for a little sleep, when ho was roused
by a loud commotion at tho men's
quarters. By this time press of busi
ness nnd other matters had driven
nil thought of Jose's adventure out of
hit mind, and It was, therefore, atrlrst
uncomprchendlngly that he heard
cries of "tho burning loop the loop
of flrr," and the like. He was in the
act of going out to Investigate when
The Trades
a
she slipped Into the crowd and was
lost.
Pennington remained by the letter
box until tho sidewalk was clear and
the street moBt deserted; then he turn
ed and walked in the opposite direc
tion from that bo had intended; his
head bent thoughtfully.
The noxt day there was a rumor of
Pennington going abroad; his house
keeper had received a noto to close the
house, the agent to look after 'he af
fairs until further instruction.
Down on one of the back streets, a
street 'unknown to Pennington's old
life, wero many dingy offices, meager
In appointments, but representing a
vast accretion of labor. At one of
them a line of men we,re seeking em
ployment, passing In front of a keen
eyed foroman, who accepted or reject
ed them almost with a glHiice.
But tho rejections were few. Men
wore wanted for new blocks of build
ings going up, men of skill, of strength,
of merely carrying capacity any man
who could add his strength to the la
bor force and hasten tb.e work.
So when a white-handed man of con
fessed incapacity stopped in front of
tho foreman's desk ho was looked at
askance, but finally accepted and set
to carrying brick from the sidewalk
to the men who were laying the foun
dation. It was muscle-making or
muscle-breaking work, and for the
first few days or weeks oven It
seemed wholly of the breaking.
But there was an under element of
doggedness In Pennington's nature
which had never come to the surface,
and though his limbs trembled with
weariness long before the days wero
half over, and at noon he sank Into a
crouching heap upon the nearest
board rather than cross the street to
a restaurant, he struggled on In some
way until the hour of dismissal came.
The second day the boss told him
gruffly that he could not afford to pay
him more than half wages, and the
third day that he should pay blm roth
Ing at all, for he was worth nothing,
This was tantamount to a discbarge,
and so the boss meant It; but It was
not one In actual words. Pennington
disregarded it.
The boss looked toward him doubt
fully from time to time, but In the
end concluded to let him remain. Such
determination promised good work if
the man survived the breaking in. Be
sides, he must be In dire need
The boss could understand why such
a workman might seek employment In
Dan Henderson burst Into the room.
"There's h 1 to pay, John!" shouted
tho foreman. "Tho cowardly fools
have gone plumb crazy. They claim
Pedro Is on tho warpath and that ho'll
kill us nil pronto If they don't Join his
band. One o tho bunch that little
snipe they call Mateo was picked up
dead on tho hill trull a little bit ago.
He's been ralssln' sluco last night, nnd
the men say the Devil actln' for
Black Pedro dono It. There was n
man with Mateo nt tho time, and ho
saw tho Bamo thing that Joso wan so
nutty about. Tho whole d n crowd
Is gettln' ready to quit, I tell you!"
When Henderson paused for breath
and to wipe the sweat from his face
with a huge, red bandana, Vlrney
sworo angrily.
"Hung It nil I" ho growled, "Why
didn't they keep away from Ramon's?
I told 'cm to often enough. Thut old
crook gets n commission for every
man ho lands for that tinhorn army
of theirs. He's at the bottom of this,
Dan he and Pedro. They want the
fifty men we've got here awful bad.
Whero and how did this follow get
killed?"
"I don't know exactly; but It was
somewhere near where Joso got such
a fright. I sent a couple of men out
after the body; they ought to bo back
by now. Lot's go down and look It
over. Bring your gun along. You
can't tell what theso Oreasers may
start noxt."
Together the two American walk
ed ncross the ranch yard and ap
proached tho excited throng of Mexi
cans who were gathered around tho
door of the bunkhouse. Half a dozen
men were talking loudly and gesticu
lating In the frenzied manner peculiar
to their race, whllo the rest were
smoking brown-paper cigarettes and
muttering to themselves. Without ray
ing any attention to them, Vlrnoy
pushed his way to tho center of the
crowd nnd stooped over the huddled
body, which lay there on tho ground.
For a few minutes ho examined It
carefully, finding no blood or wound
other than a broad, dull-red weal
around the neck; but the face waB
black and swollen' and the eyes pro
tiudcd horribly. A slnglo glance was
enough to tell even the most cn&ual
observer that tho man bad been
strangled.
Satisfied on this point, Vlrney turn
ed to Henderson.
"Well, Dan, what dq you think of
It?" ho asked.
"Looks like he was hung." the fore
man replied, "although I don't see how
It was dono. The body was found on
tho ground with not a thing near it. It
sure beats me, John."
Vlrney called the man who had
been with Mateo at the time of tho at
tack and questioned him closely; but
he learned very little. Tho fellow
was still much shaken and be kept
(r u&?if$
KBi
vain. When pay night came he was
given hie envelope like the others, nnd
tho boss thought ho know why tho now
blistered and bleeding fingers turned
tho envelopo ov'er and over, and finally
slipped it into a pocket, where a hand
was allowed to remain as though to
THE WHY OF IT
OOD morning ma,"
said Alfred, as he
entered the kitchen
where his mother
was busy getting
breakfast "It's
Monday today, and
I must get to work.
I went to see my
best girl yester
day."
"I realized the fact, for you were
not here "when bed time came," said
Mrs. Emmons.
"But I got home early."
"Early in the morning I guess."
"You will be glad I went, when I
toll you the news."
"What nowa?" asked Mrs. Emmons,
as a puzzled look spread over her face.
"Good newB for you. You remember
I said you would bo glad. It's some
thing that concerns you and Nlta. She
knows what bad luck you've 'had In
finding help, and she wants to come
and assist you, If you will let her."
"Of course I will, but what will your
brother say, to find your young lady
here working?"
"That Is about like the question I
asked her, and she said he ought not
to mind, as long as It was to help his
mother. She will come soon, so you
will have plenty of time to get ready."
"I'm going to be well provided for
help after all, with Nlta here right
along, and Mrs. Everson a few hours
every day."
Nlta came on Thursday, and in Just
a week from then, John and his fam
ily from the city, came In a big tour
ing car. After the greetings were over
he Bald to Alfred:
"I Intend to see my future sister-in-law
this time, if she is to be found.
Let's see, Nita Kenyon is the name It
I remember rightly?"
"I don't know about your future els-ter-in-law,
but I don't believe you will
experience much trouble In finding
Miss Kenyon," replied Alfred.
As they entered the next room John
was not a little surprised to be intro
duced to the young lady they bad been
referring in extravagant terms' to a
loop of flro that had descended upon
them from tho sky. Substantially,
however, IiIr story agreed with thut
told by Jose, and the attack hnd oc
curred In the same place on the hill
trail near tho big rocks. When tho
mnnngcr finally censed his question
ing nnd walked bnck to the hacienda
he was very thoughtful.
"I have a theory," ho told Hender
son, "that I want to test. There's
more to this business than nppenrs at
first glance, Dan. Thoro muBl bo some
foundation for this fiery loop talk, aft
er all, although, of course, this super
natural nonsenso Is all bosb. Still, it's
mighty Btrnngo. It looks to mo llko
somebody was trying to scare our men
away from tho ranch, and tho only
persons who can havo anything to
gain by such an action arc Ramon and
Pedro they want our men to enlist.
On the whole. Dan I think it will pay
us to take a look at tho sceno of tho
killing; mnybo wo can learn some
thing." Accordingly, the two men mounted
their horses and rode off up tho steep
trail which led through tho bills toRu
mon Gareln's snloon. It was not far
to tho big rocks, and presently thoy
were standing beneath them, studying
the ground where the body had fceeu
found.
Tho trail was very narrow and stony
nt this point, winding between the two
huge bowlders and shaded by a num
ber of giant plrfts. Even in broad day
light the place was dark and gloomy
after nlghtfull It would be black as
tar. The hard, dry ground was In no
condition to show tracks or traces of
the crime, and Vlrney wasted very lit
tle time on it; Instead he intently
studied the rocks on either side.
One of these In particular attracted
his attention. It waB nearly fifty feet
long by a dozen wide and about twen
ty feet high, with almost perpendicu
lar sides and, as nearly as could bo
ascertained from tho ground, a flat
top. Moving around this, a task which
the thick growth of uuderbrush made
,by no means easy, Virney finally got
behind It. Here ho gave vent to an
exclamation of triumph. A faint rath
led to the base of the rock, and chain
oi roots, creeping vines, and projec
tions afforded footholds by which an
actlvo man might reach tho top of the
bowlder. Vlrney, however, did not
attempt the climb. He merely gazed
at the natursPlaader "ftndhuckled
softly to himself.
"Dan," he asked, "how would you
like to meet his Satanic Majesty faco
to face?"
"I never saw the gentleman," ho an
swered dryly, "but I don't mind takln'
a chance onco. If this horo," he
tapped his revolver significantly
"won't stop him, I'm game to lose a
few chips."
feel its contact.
But he did not know this was mere
ly the first money that the new man
had ever earned.
Pennington had a llttlo room over
the second-hand store whero ho pur
chased a coarse eult of working
speaking of, with an explanation why
she was there.
When tho work was done after din
ner, Nlta picked up a magazine and sat
down on tho sofa In the sitting room.
It was not long before Alfred found
time to sit on tho same sofa, and put
ting his arm around her waist said:
"Now, Nlta, you heard what John said
tho day he came, about his futuro sls-ter-ln-law.
Can't you make mo that
promise today?"
"You aro a real tease. You know
that I think moro of you than any ono
else, and I should think that would do
for a while. Tho Idea of being en
gaged! Walt until later, please do,"
"Walt It Is then. Thoro may be
such a thing as waiting too' long," said
Aired, as he quickly left the room.
A moment later she was In pursuit.
Sho reached tho corner whero she last
.saw her lover. She stopped and look
ed around It. Sho saw him stop un
der one of tho trees in the little grove,
put down the ladder, mount It, and uu
wind the rope. When he throw one
end over a limb she could contain her
self no longer, so running to him with
a face pale with fright, exclaimed.
"Don't Alfred, don't do It!"
"No use, for you will never promise
to be my wife."
"Yes I will, and I promise you now!"
"But when?"
"Just when you say, whether It Ib
this year or next."
The rope dropped to the ground be
neath, and they walked back silently
to the house together.
That night, as soon as the table was
ready for supper, the two walked out
on the porch to look for the return of
the picnic party.
In a few moments the car turned
into the yard. Ab soon as Floyd
caught sight of bis uncle be asked:
"Did you put that swing up in the
grore today while we've been gone?"
"I started to, but got hindered, an
swered Alfred, as he tightened his hold
on Nlta's hand. "I'll try again to-morrow."
"So am I. Dau. I have nn Idea that
the particular devil In this case Is not
nt all bullet-proof. At any rate, I In
tend to flud out. From tho sign I
should say that wo'vo run him to earth
tho top of that rock Ib IiIb camping
place, Dan."
"It Bure looks that-a-way, Johu, nud
I think I could guess his name right,
now. Why not wander over to Ra
uiou'r and look around a llltlo?"
"No," the manager shook his head;
"It might make him suspicious. But
I think your hunch In right. Ramon Is
mixed up In the thing, and no Is Pe
dro, moro than likely. I've got a bet
ter scheme. Theee strange attacks
always seems to tako placo at night.
Tonight I'm going to ride through
here myself. I don't think a llttlo flro
nnd brimstone would searo either you
or me very badly, eh?"
"Not bo you'd notice It." Bald Hender
son, grimly. "If tho Old Boy shows up
I think wo can surprise him some.
About tlmo, too. One more accident
llko last night, and every Greaser on
tho ranch will quit cold they'ro all
scared to a frazzlo right now. But
how do you figure this loop-of-flro
stunt thoy're all talkln' about? Mateo
waB choked to death all right; If that
wasn't a ropo burn on his throat, I'm
k Greaser; but I don't nee Just whero
the fire comeB In."
The manager chuckled.
"I could make a pretty accurate
guees;" ho said, "but let's wait and
ftee. It's only a questlou of catching
the guilty parties."
During the balance of that day, Vlr
ney and tho foreman spent most of
their time nnd all their persuasive
ability trying to calm and pacify the
panic-stricken Mexicans. At dusk
they both folt that, unless something
unforaecn occurred, they had done
this; provided things went As Vlrney
expected and they caught the murder
er rcd-hnnaed, thut proving that the
trail was not haunted, as the vaqueros
believed.
It was late and very dark when tho
two Americans rode slowly and si
lently up tho trail. Some two hundred
yards from the rock they halted and
whispered together for a few seconds,
then Vlrney went on alono, while Hen
derson tethered his horse and follow
ed on foot. It was very still on the
mountainside. Save for tho eoft thud
of the horse's uushod hoofs, cot a
sound could be heard as Vlrney
swung Into tho defllo between tho
bowlders. Looking neither to tho right
nor left, ho kept hi eyes fastened on
the top of the big rock, which loomed
huge and shadowy against the sky,
He had almost passed it, and he was
beginning to fear that nothing would
happen, when a dark figure suddenly
popped Into view on the summit of
the rock. A pale, yellowish glow
shone and moved strangely lu tho air.
msv&swmw
By Will
clothes, but ha had not brought money
to pay the room rent. He possessed a
cheap silver watch, howevor, and this
ho left as security. With his first puy
envelopo ho redeemed the watch.
In his room wero cot, a chair, and a
niBty little stove propped up with
wooden blocks. But not until tho
third week did he start a fire In tho
stove and make disastrously Ineffec
tual attempts to cook his breakfast.
By this tlmo the blisters on his
hands had disappeared under rough
lumps and ridges.
How he had lived before this no one
knew but himself, for until ho re
ceived his second pay envelope ho did
not commence crossing the streot to
the restaurant for a noon lunch.
When ho sat down for a fow min
utes at the noon hour ho did not
double over lu a tremulous heap as ho
had done at first, and though his fnce
was thinner and whiter, Its flesh was
firmer than when ho first came und
his eyes were clearer.
The boss looked nt him wllh more
approval now, and was beginning to
see that the man knew things outside
the working of his hands, nnd that
oven tho Inefficiency of his hands
would be overcome In tlmo by hl de
termination. For tho most part the men were Il
literate, and many of them among tho
foreigners could not even read or
wrlto. As Pennington's hands ac
quired a working knowledge of the
materials, and his mind began to morn
thoroughly grasp the details, tho boss
gave him occasional Jobs of over
sight or authority, for ho seemed tho
best man at hand for them.
At first an hour or two of keeping
the men's time, the stock taking of
some of the materials, or perhaps ft
commission downtown to purchase
things that required Inspection and
could not be ordered by messenger or
telephone; then, after a year or bo, he
began to be left In temporary charge
during the enforced absence of both
foreman and boss,
And by that time Pennington's
hands were as firm and hard as the
average workman's, and bis thin face
and narrow shoulders were filllne out
with good, solid flesh,
At the end of three years the fore
man started out as an Independent
contractor and the boss took his plac.
Pennington would have then become
boss, but the new contractor asked
htm to go with him as foreman, and
Bennington with an odd feeling of
n ghostly radiance seemed to envelopo
the figure, nnd something llko a fiery
snako shot down toward tho horBn
mnn. Quick as a flesh Vlrney ducked and
swung his horse to ono sldo, dis
mounting almost In tho samo move
ment. Something fell on tho trail
with a light thud; but without paying
any heed to It, tho manager crashed
through tho bushes and ran to tho roar
of tho rock. Tho sound of cracking:
twigs and muttered Imprecations told
htm that Henderson was following a
similar program from tho othor sldo.,
Just as the two men gained tho baso
of the rock, thero was a sound of slid
ing and slipping from above, and a
dark shadow, shining strangely in
spots, dropped to tho ground between,
them. Tho noxt socond it would havo
disappeared In tho brush had Vlrnoy;
not thrown himself upon It.
The struggle which followed was
fierce, although short. Both thai
Americans were muscular men, nnd
neither spared his strength. In a very;
few mlnutoo their victim was lyinga
bound and holplcfls, but not until hen
hnd stabbed Vlrney slightly in the
arm and severely bltlen one of Hon-'
dnrson's fingers. Ho had fought wltbJ
nil tho frenzied strength and ferocity;
of a cornored jaguar.
Going back to his horso, standing"
quietly whero ho had left it, Virneyj
got a small lantern which waa tied!
on bis saddlo nnd lighted It. Then h
returned to the sceno of tho capture-i
"Humph 1" ho muttered, aftor & loolal
nt the prlsonor, "I thought so. It'
you, Pedro. Wo'vo caught you wltW
the goods on you thin trip. YouUj
hang for this little Job."
He glared exultantly at the scowl
Ing, blood-smeared faco of the MexU
can bandit.
"Tho next time you try any of this)
hocus-pocus work." bo went on "you'd
bottor conflno it to your own country
men. It's too thin for a whlto raau ia
swallow. Look here. Dan."
He shitted the lantern until Us rays
fell on a coll of rawhide rope, which,
lay at tho foot of the rock. In the
half light it still exuded a kind at
dusky radiance.
Henderson examined It curiously.
"Woll. I'm blamed." he declared. "If
It ain't Just a common, ordinary throw
rope we got a dozen lariats Just llko
It at the ranch 1 But what's tho shlno
on It, John?"
"Ob. that!" Vlrney laughed grimly.
"It's phosphorus. Dan. Rather clevor.
wasn't It? He evidently got hold of
some phosphoric paint somowhero and
soaked his rope In It He was play
ing on our men's superstitions to make
them quit us and Join blm. No won
der those ignorant cow hands thought
the place was bewitched. It was clov
er all right; but Pedro overdid It, Ho
should never hnvn killed Matro."
Seaton
exultation and wonder, consented. n
All this time tho Pennington agenfl
had heard nothing, and an express
filon of speculative concern was bo-i
ginning to appear In his faco.
Of course, Pennington must he deadj
for ho wus a man who required a
great dcul of money, and being in
Eurapo mude tiio money moro impora-t
tive. Tho agont was lu half mind id,
communicate with tho nearest rela
the, but hesitated and concluded to)
wait a llttlo longer.
A small portion of Esther Kltton'H
property consisted of downtown teu-
ementB. In tho last few yearn sho had,
becomo lufocted with the reform move-i
ment and was remodeling them with!
moro regard for tho InmatoH' welfara
titan her rent roll.
Sovcral blocks hnd already boon re
built and occupied, and recently to
liaBteu the work sho had given a block;
to u now contractor. When tho old
buildings wero demolished and thu
new walls up a dozen or moro feet sua-,
wont down to look at tho work.
Mon wero springing un to tho cross
timbers, dropping back and walking;
about upon tho heavy beams, carrying)
heavy loads, and all with Buch uncon
cern and fearlessness that she stood
looking at them, fearful and yet fas
cinated.
Poised on tho very end of a Umber
almost abovo her was an alert, com
pactly built man, who seemed to bo
directing the work.
Something about him drew her gazo
back again and again; yot even whllo
hnr eyes kindled they filled mistily. Ho
was bo like and yet so unlike; so what
the other might have been, and wa
not.
Presently the man sprang lightly
across to another timber seven or
eight feet away, explained something
about tho work to a new man, then
crouched and dropped to tho ground
12 feet below.
As he turned be stood facing the
owner, and they gazed for soma mo
ments Into each other's eyes. He had
been so absorbed In the work that ha
had not noticed her presence.
"Esther!" he cried.
"Ralph Pennington," wonderingly,
"I thought you were In Europe,"
"No; I have been here all the tima."
"In work like this?"
There was a smile In Pennington's)
eyes, though his face remained grave
"Yes, Esther." he answered, "I will
come up and and ask you about it X
am now lu the trades."
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