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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1887)
WILLAMETTE FAKMElt : SALEM, OKEQOJN, AUGUST 2, 1887 BY BRET HARTE. Copyrighted by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., afad published by arrangement with them. "now, men," said Ijbv, wirn a broodf, grat-.-fled smile, laying down hb whip and ptotol within reach and comfortably nettling tha pillow behind his back, "we'll have a quiet confab. A sort of old fashioned talk, eh I You'ro not looking well, Manuel. You're drinking too much again. It spoil your oomploxlon." "Let mo go, captain," pluadoJ tho man, emboldened by the good humored voice, but not near onough to notice a peculiar light in tho Bixsaker's uye. "You've only Just conio, Manuel, and at considerable trouble, too. Well, what hoyo you got to any! What's all this about F, What are you doing horol" Tho captured man shuffled his fuet ner vously, and only uttered an uneasy laugh of coarse discomfiture. "I mo. You're banbiul. Well, I'll help you along. Comol You know that Halo was away and thoso womou wcro hero with out n man to help thorn. You thought you'd llud soino money hero, and have your own way gvnorally, oh!" Tho tone of Leo's voice Inspired him to confidence; unfortunately, it inspired him with familiarity also. "I reckoned I had the right to n Ilttlo fun on my own account, cap. I reckoned cz ono gentleman In tho profession wouldn't Inter fcro with nnother gentleman's Ilttlo gamo," ho continued coarsely, "Stand up." "Wot for" . "Up, I sayl" Manuel stood up and glanced at him. "Utter a cry that might frighten these womou, and by tho living Ood they'll rush In here only to llml you lying dead on the floor of the houso you'd have polluted. Ho grasKxl the whip nml laid tho lash of It heavily twice over Urn rulllau' shoulders. Writhing in suppressed agony, tho man fell Imploringly on hU knout, "Now, listen I" said !o, softly twirling (he whip in the air. "I want to refresh your memory, DM you over Jeani, when you were with mo Iwforo I was obliged to kick you out of gentlemen's comany to break Into n private bouse I Answerl" ".Vow, Ihlenl" saW Let. "No," stammered the wretch. "Ulil you ever learn to rob a woman, child, or any but u nun, and that faco to faool" "No," repeated Manuel. "Did you ever loam from me to lay n finger upon a woman, old or young, in anger or klndnessi" "No" "Thon, my poor Manuel, It's as I feared; civilization has ruined you. Farming nod a simple, bucullo life have perverted your mor als. 80 you were running olf with tho stock ami that mustang, when you got stuck in tho snow; anil tho luminous Idea of this little giuuo struck you f Kill That was another mistake, Manuel; I never allowed you to think when you were with me." "No, captain." "Who's your filondf "A l l cowardly nigger from the Sum mit," "I ngrvo with y on for onco; but hohiiMt't had 11 very brilliant example. Where's ho gone now f "To b-ll, for all I carer "Thou I wautjou to go with him. Listen. If them's u way out of tho place jmi know It or can 11 nil It. I give you two days to do it j oil and he. At tho end of that time tho order w III Ut to shoot ) on on tight. Now take olT your Ixwto." The mnn'sdark faco visibly whitened, lib teeth chattered in supcrMitlou terror. "I'm not going to shoot you now," said Ic, smiling, "mi you will have a chance to die with your txtot on, If you am uiortltIous. 1 only want you to exchange them for that pair of Halo's In the corner The fact U I have taken a fancy to jour. That fashion of wearing the slockliigsouUldo strikes moui one of the iioatcat things out," Manuel sullenly dmw olT his Inmts with their mulllcd coloring, and put on the one designated. "Now open the door " He did sit, Kalkuer was ulivady waiting ut the thrcnhold. "Turn Manuel loom with the other, Nod, hut disarm him first, Thoy might iurrel, The habit of carrying arms, Muuuol," added I-o, ai Kalkuor took a pistol und how hi knife from the halthrccd, "is of itMlf provocathouf vlolemtiaud Inconsistent with a bucolic and astoial life." When Kalkner nturuel he said hurriedly to his companion. "IH jou think it wUo, (loorge, to let thuwe hellhounds loot! Uood (lo.ll 1 could scarcely let my grip of hU throat go when I thought of what they wero hunting." "My dear Nod," said Uv, luxuriously en sconcing himself under the bedclothes again with n slight shiver of delicious waimth, "1 must want you against allow lug the natural pride of a higher walk to prejudice you against tho general level of our profession. Indeed, 1 was quite struck with the Justice of Manuel's protest that I was interfering with certain i iide pioov" of his own toward re sults itlimxl at by others." "(Jeorso!'' Interrupted Kalkner almost sjniMv ft WmH "Well. I admit it's getting ratuenato in the evening for pure philosophical Inquiry, and you aro Urol. Practically, then, it ucu wIho to let them get away lcforo they discov ered two things. One, our exact relations here with these women; and the other, how many of us wcro here. At present they think we aro three or four In po&csslon and with tho consent of tho women." "The dogs!" 'Thoy are paying us tho highest compli ment thoy can concclvo of by supposing us cleverer scoundrels than themselves. You are vory unjust, Ned." "If they escajxj and tell their storyl" "Wo shall have tho rare pleasure of know ing wo are better tbiA'i people, believe, us. And now put thoso lioots away somewhere whero wo can produce them If necessary, as cvidonco of Manuel's evening calL At pres ent we'll keep tho thing quiet, and in tho early morning you ran Dud out whero they got In and remove any traces tbey havo left. It Is no use to frighten tho women. There's no fear of their returning." "And If thoy get away!" "Wo can follow in their tracks." "If Manuel gives tho alarm I" "With Ills burglarious boots left behind in tho house! Nc much! Clood night, Ned. Go to lied." With theso words Leo turned on his sldo and quietly resumed hi Interrupted slumber. Kalkner did not, howovcr, follow this sensible advice. When ho was sutlsflcd that his friend was sleeping ho ojienctl tho door softly and looked out. He did not appear to bo listen ing, for his eyes wero fixed upon a Bmall pen cil of light that stole across tho passago from tho foot of Kate's door. Ho wutched It until It suddenly disappeared, when, leaving tho door partly ojicn, ho threw himself on his couch without removing Ills clothes. Tho slight movement awakenod tho sleeper, who as beginning to feel tli3 (icccmIou of fever. Ho moved restlessly, "floorge," said Kalkner, softly. "Ye." "Whero was It wo passed that old Mission church on tha road one dark night, and saw the light burning before tho figure of tho Virgin through tho wlndowl" There was a moment of crushing silence, "Does that mean you'ro wanting to light tho candle again!" "No." "Then don't llo there Inventing sacrilegious conundrums, but go to sleep." Nevertheless, in the morning his fever was slightly worse, Mrs. Hale, offering her con dolence, said, "I know that you havo not liecn resting well, for oven after your friend met with that mishap In tho hall, I heard your voices and Kato says your door was oien all night. You have a little fever, too, Mr. Kalknor." (Icorgo looked curiously at Kulkner's palo faco it was burning. CHAPTER V. Tls spied and fury with which Clinch' ntvalcado swept on In the direction of tho mysterious shot left Halo no chance for re flection. He was conscious of shouting in coherently witli tho others, of urging his horse irresistibly forward, of momentarily exiectlng to meet or overtako something, but without any further thought, Tho figures of Clinch and Ilawlins Immediately before him shut out the pros)ect of the narrowing trail. Unco only, taking advantage of a sudden halt that throw thrm confusedly together, ho managed to ask a question. "Lost their track found It again!" shouted tho ostler, as Clinch, with n cry like the lay ing of a hound, again darted forward. Their horses were panting and trembling under them, tbo ascent seemed to lie growing steeper, a singular darkness, which even the density of the wood did not suillcleutly ac count for, surrounded them, but still their leader madly urged them on. To Hale's re turning sense they did not seem in a condi tion to engage n single resolute man, who might havo ambushed In the woods or beaten Uiom In detail In the narrow gorge, but In another instant tho ren-wii of their furious haste was manifest. Spurring his horso ahead, Clinch dashed out Into tho 0cnwith it rhivrlug shout a shout that as quickly changed to a yell of imprecation. They w ere on the llldgo In a blinding snowstorm! The road hail already vauMiod under their feet, and with It the freiJi trull thoy had so closely follow wl I They stood helplessly on tho shore of a trucklcta white sea, blank anil siotlis of any trace or sign of the fugitive. "Tears to me, lioys," said the ostler, sud denly ranging U'foro them, "ef you'ro not kalkilatlu' on glitlu' nnother party to dig ye out, o'd better U huutln' fodder and cover Instead of roadagcnU. 'Hkuso me, gentle men, but I'm rc3Hnlhlo for the hews, and this ain't no time for clivus rfdln'. Wo'ru a matter o' six mile from the station In a l. Hue." "llack to the trail, then," said Clinch, w heeling his horse ton unl tbo road they had Just qulttol. " 'riktise me, Kernel," haid the ostkr, laying bis hnud on Clinch's ivln, "but that way only brings us Uick tho road we kem the stage road three mile further from home. That throe miles Is on the dh ido, mid by the time wegt there it will Iw snowed up worse nor this. The sliortest cut is along the llidge. If wo hump ourwhos we keiirnMi the dh ido ufore tho roiul is blocked. And tluit, 'sku-t me, geutleiuon, b my road," There was no time for discussion Tho road was already palpably thickening under their feet. Hale's anil was stiffened tohU side by a wet, clinging snow wreath. Tho figure of tho others worn almost obliterated and shtix'loNi It wiu not snowing It was suowholliugt The huge Uaki, shaken like enormous feathers out of a vast blue black cloud, commingled and fell in sprays and patches. All idea of their former pursuit was forgotten, the blind rage mid enthusi asm that had poetbed them was gone. They dashed after their new leader with only an Instinct for shelter and succor. They hail not ridden long when for tunately, as It seemed to Hale, the character of the storm changed. Tho snow no longer fell In such Urge flakes, nor us heavily, A bitter wind succeeded; the soft snow began to stiffen ami crackle under the horse' hoofs; they were no longer weight! and encum bered bV the drifts uiwu their bodies: the smaller flake now rustkxl nudnuped against ' tluim like Mud. or bounded fnuu theiu like ' hall, Thoy scorned to ho moving mom ensity and rapidly, their spirits wcro rising with tho stimulus of cold and motion, when sud denly their leader halted, "It's no use, boys. It can't bo donel This is no bllzard, but a regular two days' snifter I It's no longer meltln', but packln' and drift in' now, Kvru If wo get over tho divide, wo'ro sure to bo blocked up in the paw." It wasliuol Tothelrbittordlsappolntment they could now wo that tho snow had not really diminished In quantity, but that the now finely powdered particles wero rapidly filling all inequalities of tho surface, packing in long furrows across tho lovcls. Thoy looked with anxiety at their self-constituted leader. "Wo must mako a break to get down In tho woods again before it's too late," ho said briefly, Hut thoy had already drifted away from tho fringe of larches and dwarf pines that marked tho fides of tho IUdgc, and lower down merged into tho denso forest that clothed tho flank of tho mountain thoy had lately climbed, and it was with tho greatest diffi culty that thoy again reached it, only to And that at that point it was too precipitous for tho descent of their horses. Dcuumbed and sjicechless, thoy continued to toll on, opposed to tho full fury of the stinging snow, and at times obligod to turn their horses to tho blast to keep from being blown over the IUdgc. At tho end of half an hour tha ostler dis mounted, and, beckoning to tho others, took his horse by tbo bridle and began tho descent When it came to Hale's turn to dismount bo could not help at first recoiling from tho pros pect beforo him. Tho trail if It could bo so called was merely tho track or furrow of some fallen tree, dragged, by accident or de sign, diagonally across tho sides of tho moun tain. At times It npjieared scarcely n foot In width; at other times a mere crumbling gully, or a narrow sholf mado by the projec tions of dead boughs and collected debris. It seemed iwrllous for a foot passenger; It ap carcd InipoxslMo for a horse. Nevertheless, his had taken a step forward when Clinch laid his hand on his arm. "You'll bring up the rear," ho said, not un kindly, "ex you'ro n stranger here. Wait un til wo sing out to you." "Hut If I prefer to take tho somo risks as you all r said Halo, stiffly. "You kin," said Clinch, grimly. "Dut I reckoned, as you weren't familiar with this sort o' thing, you wouldn't kecr, by any foolishness o' yours, to stampedo tho rock ahead of us, and break down tho trail, or send down an avalanche on top of us. Hut Jutt cz you like." "I will wait, then," said Hale, hastily. Tho rebuke, howovcr, did him good ser vice. It preoccupied hU mind, so that it re mained unaffected by tho dizzy depths, and enabled him to abandon himself mechanic ally to tho sagacity of his horso, who was contented simply to follow tho hoofprlnts of the preceding animal, and in a few moments they readied tho broader troll below without a mishap. A discussion regarding their fu ture movements was already taking place. Tha InqioKslblllty of regaining tho station at tho tjumralt was admitted; the way down the mountain to tho next settlement was still left to them, or tho adjacent woods, if they wished for an curamimeut. Tho ostler onco mom assumed authority, "'ijkusu me, gentlemen, but them horses don't take no power down tho mountain to night, Tho stage road ain't a mile off, and I kalkllato to wait hem till tho up stago comes. Bho's bound to stop on account of tho snow; and I've done my dooty when I hand the horses over to the driver." "Hut if she hear of the block up yer, and wait at tho lower station!" said Ituwlhu. "Then I've done my dooty nil the somo. 'Kkuso me, gentlemen, but them cz hex Uielr own lion Lin does they like." As this clearly poinUnl to Hale, he briefly assured lib cimijmnlons that ho bad no inten tion of doMirtlng them. "If I cannot reach Kaglo' Court I shall at least keep as near it m kksIIiIo. I suppoMi any messenger from my hoase to the Hiimmlt will learn where I am and why I am delayed " "Messenger from your liousel" gasped Unw litis. "Am you crazy, stranger! Only a bird would get outer Ingle's now; and it would hev to lie an eagle ut that I Hot ween your house and the Kummlt the snow must be ten feet by this time, to say-fiothlug of the drift In tho pass." Halo felt it wo the truth. At any other time ho would have worried over this unex lHctod situation, and In utter violation of all his traditions. He wapat that now, and even felt a certain relief. He knew his fam ily wem safe; It wa.t enough. That thoy wero lockedup securely, and inaqiablo of In tcrfciiug withhlm, seemed to enhance his new, half conscious, half shy enjoyment of an adventurous existence. The ostler, who had been apjuuvntly lost in contemplation of the steep trull he hail Juit descended, suddenly clapped hU liand to his leg with an ejaculation of gratified ustou Ishmcut. "Waal, darn my skin ef that ain't Heuuick er's 'slide' all the timet I heard ft was torn! what about hero," Haw lliu briefly expla'rxl to Hale that u slide was a rude Incline for tho transit of heavy good that could not U carried don n a trail "And HennlekerV," continued tho man, "ain't mom nor a inlle away. Ye might try Heimlcker's at a push, ehi" Hy a common Instinct the whole i-&rty looked dubiously at Hale, "Who's Hen nickerl" he felt compelled to rtsk. The ostler hotdtatod and glaiieul at the others to reply. "There am folks," he said hully at last, "ex Uloeen that Hennlckcr ain't much better nor the crowd we're hunt ing; but they don't say it to Hennlckcr. We needn't let on what we're after." "I for one," said Hale stoutly, "decidedly object to any concealment of our purpose." "It don't follow," said Rawlins carelessly, "that HeWlcker even know of this yer robtery. It' hi ginerurgalt we refer to. Ef yer think it more i-allte, and it make it more sociable to discus this matter afore him, I'm agreed." j "Hale means," said Clinch, "that it wouldn't l-on the square to take and make' use of any point we might pick up thero' agin the road agents I "CrUlnlv." said I.a!o, It was not ut all what ho hod meant, but be felt singularly rclioved at the compromise. "And cz I reckon Hcnnlckcr ain't sueh a fool as not to know who wo aro and what wo're out for," continued Clinch, "I reckon there ain't any concealment." "Then It's Ilcnnlckcr'sl" said the ostler, with swift deduction. "Hennlckcr it isl Lead on." Tho ostler remounted his horso and tbo others followed. Tho trail presently turned Into a broader track, that bore somo signs of approaching habitations, and at tho end of five minutes they came upon a clearing. It was part of ono of tho fragmentary mountain terraces, and formed by itself a vast niche, or bracketed shelf, in tho hollow flank of the mountain that, to Halo' first glance, boro a rudo rcscmblanco to Eagle's Court. Dut there was neither meadow nor open field; the fow acres of ground had been wrested from tho forest by ax and fire, and unsightly ' stumps every whtro marked tho rudo and dlf- flcult attempts at cultivation. Twoorthreo rough buildings of unplancd and unpalntod boards, connected by rambling sheds, stood in tho center of tho amplthcatre. Kar from being protected by tho encircling rampart, it seemed to bo tho selected arena for tho com bating elements. A whirlwind from tho outer abyss continually filled this cavo of Eoluswlth driving snow, which, howovcr, incited as it fell, or was quickly whirled away again. A fow dogs barked and ran out to meet tho cavalcade, but there was no other sign of any llfo disturbed or concerned at their ap proach. "I reckon Hennlckcr ain't homo or he'd her been on tho lookout aforo this," said tho ost ler, dismounting and rapping at tho door. After a sllcnco a female voice, unintelligi bly to tho others, apparently had somo collo quy with tho ostler, who returned to tho party. "Must go In through tho kitchln can't ojicn tho door for tho wind." Leaving their horses In tho shed, they en tered tho kitchen, which communicated, and presently como upon a square room filled with smoko from a fire of green plno logs. Tho doors and windows were tightly fastened ; tho only air camo In through tho largo throated chlmnoy in voluminous gusts, which seemed to mako tho hollow shell of tho apartment swell and expand to tbo point of bursting. Despite tho stinging of tho resin ous smoko, tho tcmeraturo was grateful to tho benumbed trnvolcrs. Bcveral cusblonloss arm chairs, such as wcro used in barrooms, two tables, a sideboard, half bar and half cuplKianl, and a rocking chair comprised tho furniture, and a few bear and buffalo skins covered tbo floor. Halo sank into ono of tho armchairs, and, with a lazy satisfaction, Uirtly born of hi fatlguo and partly from some newly discovered appreciative faculty, gazed around tho room, and then at tho mis tress of tho house, with whom tho others were talking. She was tall, gaunt and withered; In spito of her evident years, her twitted hair was still dark and full, and her eyes bright and piercing; her complexion and teeth had long since succumbed to the vitiating effects of frontier cookery, and her lips were stained with tho yellow Julco of a brierwood plpo sho held In her mouth. Tho ostler had ex plained their intrusion, and veiled their character under tho vague epithet of a "hunting irty," and was now ovldently de scribing them personally. In hi new found philosophy the fact that the Interest of hb host) scorned to In excited only by tho name of lib companions, that ho himself was carelessly, and oven deprocatlngly, al luded to as tho "stranger from Eaglo'"by tho ostler, and completely overlooked by tho old woman, gave him no concern. "You'll havo to talk to Zcnobla yourself. Dod rot ef I'm gluu to interfere. Bho know Hennlckcr' wuys, and If sho cboosea to toko in transient it ain't no funeral o' mine. Zccnlet You, Zcenlel LookyerF A tall, lazy looking, handsome girl ap peared on the threshold of tho next room, and with n hand on eacldoor iost, slowly swung herself backward and forward, without en tering. "Well, maw." The old woman briefly and unalliirlngly pictured the condition of the travelers. "Paw ain't here," liogan the girl, doubt fully, "and- Howdy, Dlckl Is that you I" Tho Interruption was caused by her recogni tion of the ostler, and sho lounged Into tho room. In splto of it skimp, slatternly gown, w hose straight skirt clung to her lower limbs, there was a quaint, nymph-like contour to her figure. Whether fnu languor, 111 health, or more probably from it morbid consclous nctsqf her own height, slio moved with a slightly affected stoop thnt had become a habit. It did not seem ungraceful to Hale, already attracted by her delicate protUe, her largo dark eyes, und a certain weird resem blance she hud to some, half-domesticated dryad. "That'll do, maw-," she said, dUmin&ing her parent w lib a nod. "I'll talk to Dick." As the door closed on the old woman Zo luiblu leaned her bauds on the back of a chair, and confronted the admiring eyes of Dick with a goddetd-lika indifference. "Now, wot's the use of your playlu' tub yer game on me, Dick I Wot' tho good of your ladllu' out that hog wash about hunt In' I "Hot's IU oochi of your ladUu' out that hog trash about AuuffnV" JluntMl 111 tell yer the huntin' you-uns hev been at! You've been hunUn' George Leo and hb boy since an hour before sun up. Votte beu follow lu' a bliud trail uo to th lUdgo, until tho snow got up and bunted you right hero) YouVo been whoopln' and ycllln' and circus ridln' on tho roads like ex yer wos Comanche?, and frightening all the women folk within miles that's yer huntln'l You've been cllmbln'downjiaw'sold slide at last, and makln' tracks for hero to savo tbo skins of them condemned government horses of tho kempany I And that's your huntln'l" To Hale's surprise a burst of laughter from tho party followed this speech. He tried to Join in, but this ridiculous summary of the result of hb enthusiastic senso of duty left him the only earnest Iwllever mortified and embarrassed. Nor was lie. tho less concerned as ho found tbo girl's dark eyas had rested onco or twice upon him curiously. Zcnobln laughed too, and, lazily, turning tho chair around, dropped Into it, "And by thb tlmo (Jeorgo Lee's loungln' back In his chyar and smokln' hb cigar somow bar In Sac ramento, she added, stretching her feet out to the II iv, and suiting tho action to tho word with an imaginary cigar between tbo long fingers of a thin and not over clean hand "Wo cave, Zecnlel" said Ilawlins, when their hilarity had subsided to n moro subdued and scarcely loss flattering admiration of the unconcerned goddess before them, "That's about tbo size of it. Yo kin rako down tho pile. I forgot you'ro an old friend of Qcorgo's." "Ho's a whit man!" said tbo girl decid edly. "Yo used to know him!" continued Raw lins. "Onco, Paw ain't in that lino now," she said simply. There was such a subllmo unconsciousness of any moral degradation Involved In thb allusion that oven Halo accepted It without a shock. Bho roso presently, and, going to tho Ilttlo sideboard, brought out a number of glasses; theso sho handed to each of tho party, and then, producing a demijohn of whisky, slung it dexterously and gracefully over her arm, so that it rested on her elbow liko a cradlo, and, going to each ono in succession, filled tbclr glasses. It obliged each ono to rlso to accept tho libation, and as Hale did so In hb turn ho mot the dark eye of tho girl full on hb own. There was a pleased curi osity in her glanco that made thb married man of 35 color ta awkwardly as a boy. Tho tender of refreshments bclns under- ! stood as a tacit recognition of their claim to a larger hospitality, all further restraint wo removed. Zenobla resumed her seat, and placing her elbow on tho arm of her chair, and her small round chin In her hand, looked thoughtfully In the Are. "When I say George Loo' a white man, it ain't bocauso I know him. It's hb goneral gait Wot' ho over douo that' underhanded or mean! Nothln'l You can't sho w tho poor man ho's aver took plcayuno from. When bo' helped himself to a pllo It' been outer thyi banks or them exproa companies, that think it mighty fine to bust up themselves and swindle tbo poor folks o' tholr but cent, and nobody talks o' huntln' them I And does ho keep their money! No; ho passes It round among the boyi that holp him, and they put it in circulation. Ho don't keep it for himself; he ain't got lino houses In Frisco; bo don't keep fast horses for show. Like ox not tho critter he did that Job with ef it was him none of you boys would havo rid I And ho takes all tho risks himself; you ken bet your life that every man with blm was sofo and away dforo h turned hb back on you tins." "He certainly drops a Ilttlo of hb money at draw pokir, Zeunle," said Clinch, laughing, "no lost 15,000 to (Sheriff Kelly last week." "Well, I don't hear of tho sheriff hunUn' him to glvo it back, nor do I reckon Kelly banded It over to tho exprua It was taken from. I beard tou won suthln' from him a spell ago. I reckon you've been hunUn' blm to find out whar you should return It" Tho laugh was clearly against Clinch. He was about to mako somo rallying rejoinder when the young girl suddenly Interrupted him. "Ef yo'ro wautln' to hunt somebody, why don't you toko higher game I Tbar's that Jim Harklns; go for him, and I'll Join you." "Harklnsl" exclaimed Clinch and Hale, simultaneously. "Yes, Jim Harklns; do you know him!" sho said, glancing from the ono to the other. "Ono of my friends do," said Clinch, laugh ing; "but don't let that stop you." "Aud you over there," continued Zenobla, bending ber head and eyes toward Halo. "The fact b I bellovo he was my banker," said Halo, with a smile. "I dont know him jiersoually." "Then you'd Mter hunt him beforo bo does you." "What's ho done, Zecnlel" asked Rawlins, keenly enjoying tho dbcomllturo of ibe other. "What!" She stopped, throw her long black braid over ber shoulder, clasped her knee with her hands, and rocking backward and forward, sublimely unconscious of the appa rition of a slim ankle and half dropped oft slipper from under her sh-a'.cned gown, con Umied: "It mishn't ploaso htm," she said, slyly, nodding toward Hale. "Pray don't mind me," sold Hale, with un necessary eagerness. ''j iffi.'iii (I r ".. i Mr Cmtioued Next Week ) LADD & REED, llTU, Ossoox Iutters aad Hretlers of Short-Horn Cattle, OoU-roM sod LtitaUr Shp sud Cljd dtle Uorsc tfeiSsa V "-- ... ijsg aszsiHt-tr!'.'mm- : "jrSii'J