The Fighting
Chance
ROBERT W
CHAMBERS
Copyrkbt. 1906. by the CurtU rullbhlug Company.
Cop) right, by tiuti'Ti V. t'hambera.
tSUuui'a eyca bud ttuddeuly narrow
ml, (i,,u u laughed, patuug fcagu
uiotv t -hecka. " I don't U'lle I ahull
boot wry neadily Uu ufteriioou," be
said, turning toward tlie group at
lum lici.u unler the tm "I wliU
tjunrrler well with tb cup."
.Noiim'Iim'!" wild Mariou 1'age curtv
It. are the cleuuest abet I ever ; "w
know." Aud ahe raised her gias to
tiai frauUy and emptied it with tua
lrt'iKiu characteristic of her: "Your
cup! W'ltb all uiy heart!"
- also driuk to jour success. Mr. SI
ward." ald Sylvia In a low voice, lift
ing ber chauipugne glasa lu the sun
light "To the Khotover cup If you
wish It"
lu the little gust of baud flapping
aud laughter bo turned again to Sylvia
uilllngty. Baying under hla breath.
A though wluulug the cup would
compensate, uie now for losing Itr
Bhe leaned Involuutarily nearer. "You
mean that you will not try fur It?"
-Yes."
That U not fair to me:"
Why not?"
"Because liecnuae 1 do not ask It of
you."
"You need not. now that 1 know your
wish."
"Mr. Slward, 1 my wish"
But she had no chance to finish. Al
ready Rena Bonnesdel was looking at
them, aud there was a hint of amused
surprise lu Eileen Sbauuou's mischie
vous eyes, averted Instantly, with ma
licious ostentation.
Then Mariou 1'age took possession of
hlui so exclusively, so calmly, that
something lu her cool certainty vague
ly Irritated Sylvia, who had never liked
ber. Besides, the girl showed too plain
ly her Indifference to other people,
which other people seldom find amus
ing. 'Stephen." culled out Alderdene anx
iously counting the web loops in his
khaki vest, "what do you call fair
shooting at these ruffed grouse? Yon
needn't be civil about it. yon know."
"Five shells to a bird is good shoot
ing." answered Siward. Ion't you
think so. Miss Page?"
"You have' a better score,' Mr. Sl
ward," said Mariou 1'age, with a hos
tile glauce at Alderdeue, who had not
made good.' Inpatient to start, she
had turned her tailo;- made back to the
company and was Instructing his crest
fallen lordship very plainly: "You fire
too quickly. Biiuky. Two seconds is j
wh;;t you must count when a grouse
flushes. You must say. 'Mark, right,'
or 'Mark, left, bang!' "
And so the luncheon party, lord aud
lady, twius and maidens, guides and
dogs, trailed away across the ridge,
distant silhouettes presently against
the sky, then gone. And after a little
Vhile the far dry. acceutless report
of smokeless powder announced that
the opening of the season had been re
sumed and the birds were dying fast
In the glory of a perfect day.
"Are you ready, Mr. Siward?" She
stood waiting for him at the edge of
the thicket. Miles resumed his game
sack and ber fowling piece. The dog
came up, looking him anxiously in the
eyes.
So he walked forward beside her
Into the dappled light of the thicket
Within a few minutes the dog stood
twice, and twice the whirring twitter
of woodcock startled her, echoed by
tie futile crack of his gun.
"Beg pardon, sir."
"Yes, Miles," with a glint of humor.
"Overshot, sir, exeusin' the liberty,
Mr. Siward. Both marked down forty
yard to the left If you wish to start
em again."
"Miles," he said, "my nerve is gone.
S'Jf'a things happen. I'm all in. Come
over here, my friend, and look at the
sun with me."
The discomfited keeper obeyed.
"Where ought that refulgent lumi
nary to scintillate when I faceOsprey
Ledge?"
"Sir?" s ."'
"The sun. How do I hold it?"
"On the p'int of your right shoulder,
sir. You ain't qulttin', Mr. Siward,
sir!" anxiously. "That Shotover cup
Is easy yours, sir!" eagerly.. "Wot's a
miss on a old drummer, Mr. Siward?
Wot's twice overshootin' cock, sir,
when a blind dropper can see you are
the cleanest, fastest, hard shootin' shot
In the hull county?"
But Siward shook his head, with an
absent glance at the dog. and motioned
the astonished keeper forward.
"Line the easiest trail for us," he
said. "I think we are already a trifle
tired. Twigs will do in short cover.
Use a hatchet in the big timber. And
go slow till we Join you."
And when the unwilling and per
plexed keeper had started. Siward, un
locking his gun, drew out the smooth
yellow cartridges and pocketed them.
Sylvia looked up as the sba-p metal
lic click of the locked breech rang out
In the silence.
"Mr. Siward!" In quick displeasure.
"Yes?"
"What you do for your amusements
cannot concern me."
"Right, as usual," he said, so gayly
that a reluctant smile trembled on ber
lips.
"Then why bave you done this? It Is
treasonable If you don't feel as I do
about killing things that are having a
giKil llaie lu the world.
He Mood slieul. absently looking at
the fowling pin cradled 111 hi loft
arm. "Shad we lt here a moment and
talk It over?" be Ugiled llatliwaly.
tier blue gai itwept him. Ill vague
Kinlle wa IndlnVtvitdr bluud.
"It jou aiv tlelermtned uot to snoot
might a well start for Ospivv
Ledge." h sugijeMed. "Otherwise
what reasou I there for our being here
together. Mr. SUxard'.'"
Awaiting III comment, perhaps en
ix-ftlng a counter proMM(ltlou. i-he lean
ed again! I lie tree bcidde which he
Mood, and after awhile, an bU absent
in !u led preoccupation continued:
"Io you think the leave are dry
euough to alt ou ?"
He slipped on hl shooting coat and
placed It at the base of the tree. Shtf
seated herself, and. aa he eoutlnued to
remain standing, she stripped off her
shooting glove aud glnnced up nt bliu
Inquiringly, "Well. Mr. Siward, I am
literally at your feet."
"Which redresses the balance lit
tle." be aald. finding a place near ber.
He sat there, chin propod on bis
linked finger, elbow on knees aud.
though there was always the hint of a
smile In bla pleasant eyes, always the
Indefinable charm of breeding in voice
and attitude, something now wa lack
lng. And after a moment she con
eluded that it wa bis atteution. Cer
tainly his wits were woolgathering
again. His eyes, edged with the shad
ow of a smile, saw far beyond ber. far
beyond the sunlit shadow where they
sat.
In his preoccupation she bad found
hlui negatively attractive. She glanced
at hhu now from time to time, ber
eyes returning always to the beauty of
the subdued light where all abont them
silver stemmed birches clustered like
slim shiuiug pillars crowned with their
autumn canopy of crumpled gold.
"Enchautmcut!" she said uuder ber
breath. "Surely au enchanted sleeper
lies here somew here."
"You," he observed, "unawakened."
"Asleep? I?" She looked around at
him. "You are the dreamer here. Your
eyes are full of dreaming even now.
What Is your desire?"
lie leaned on one arm, watching her.
She had dropped her ungloved hand,
searching among the new ly fallen gold
of the birch leaves drifted Into heaps.
On the third finger a jewel glittered,
lie suw It, conscious of its meaning,
but his eyes followed the hand Wly
heaping up autumn gold a white slim
hand, smoothly fascinating. Then the
little restless hand swept near to his.
almost touching It, aud then instinc
tively he took it in his own curiously,
lifting it a little to consider Its nearer
loveliness. Perhaps it was the uuex
lectedness of it, perhaps it was sheer
amazement, that left her haud lying
idly relaxed like a white petaled blos
som in his.
After a little while the consciousness
of the contact disconcerted her. She
withdrew her fingers, with an Invol
untary shiver.
"Is there no chance for me. Miss
Landis?"
The very revulsion of self possession
returning chilled ber: then auger came
quick and hot; then pride. She delib
erated, choosing her words coolly
enough, "Wrhat chance do you mean,
Mr. Siward?"
"A fighting chance. Can you give it
to me?"
"A fighting chance? For what?"
very low, very dangerous.
"For you."
Then in spite of her her senses be
came unsteady. A sudden ringing con
fusion seemed to deafen her, through
which his voice, as if very far away,
sounded again: j
"Men who are worth a fighting I
chance ask for it sometimes, but take
It always. I take It"
Her pallor faded under the flood of
bright color. The blue of her eyes
darkened ominously to velvet.
"Mr. Siward," she said very dis
tinctly and slowly, "I am not even
sorry for you."
"Then my chance is desperate In
deed," he retorted coolly.
"Chance! Do you imagine" Her
anger choked her.
"Are you not a little hard?" he said,
paling under his tan. "I suppose wo
men dismissed men more gently even
such a man as I am."
For a full minute she strove to com
prehend. "Such a man as you!" sue repeated
vaguely. "You mean" A crimson wave
dyed her skin to the temples, and she
leaned toward him in horror stricken
contrition. "I didn't mean that. Mr.
Siward! I I never thought of that!
It had no weight. It was not in my
thoughts. I meant only that you had
assumed what Is unwarranted that
you your question humiliated me,
knowing that I am engaged knowing
me so little so"
"Yes, I knew everything. Ask your
self why I risk everything to say this to
you? There can be only one answer."
Then, after a long silence, "Have I
ever," she began tremblingly "ever
by word or look"
"No."
"Have I even"
"No. I've simply discovered how I
feel. That's what I was
atrti.i l iii',;!t! turn tmin, uui t
e. ;iut I tb It auvway twfr It 1
iu too late.
"It b li !' from tti vry iuu
uteut v,n met. Mr. KUard." And.
t rvdiVt-, painfully again. b added
eul.Wh, "I mean thai I hid 'ready
Jo. i.U d -
And. he aald titrtliliif: "Y'n were
1 li.lle r-iiiSh. a litllo maldru with lit.
Mr. Kluiird, Men It. ked Hie that
n.Hit nii Mi'in! ilinen but never
mhiii. no unrvaMMiubij hmiii - ne
n itlitt-.it koine :-. latiiiHi , of win ort
40 tluit I toiilil fort" eo I more or If
prepared Hot you cme uu warn
lug. I -If you had I would have
known how to l eemle. wloh l
U now."
Still he said lioihht. 11 l there
l!i.tlH.Hlv MmlilllS the Mltl tot Klow
lutp uiivhiff waning, tin the carpet of
dead leave at hi feot
ia for what vim luiv mild" he
added, a little audit curving the a'""!
tit mouth. "It l Impulsive, uncoil
idcred. a trill Ihi.vIkIi. Mr. Siward. I
..it- n,v,.if ih.. eoiimilmeut of yiv.tr
odmvrltv. It l rather nle to lt
-iri hoi mi awaken the roina:iv lu a
i.ian within a day or two" a ni,ji:n!ut
... W Khali not iiiluuderM.ind
e.i. h other again, "hull we?"
lb- raised III head, eoimlderlllg b
foa litis the niitlle to meet her owu
W Klmll U Iwtter friends than
ever." he asserted confidently.
"Ye. Iftter than ever."
"Because what you have done mean
the nl.vat sort of friendship, you o
You can't escape It" tint lea and re-
Kp.iin Ibllltle now. Mr. Klward I ahull
exect you to end the greater part
of your life In devotedly doing thing!
for ine. Beside. I am now privileged
to worry you with advice. Oh. you
ted ma with all aorta of
power now!"
He nodded.
Kh Murmur to her feet flushed, snill
lng. a trifle excited.
"Is It all over, and are we the very
Ideala of friends?" she asked.
"The very Ideals."
"You are nice!" she said Impulsively
hnl, line out Imth cloveles bands. He
hel l them, she looking at hlui very
sweetlv. verv confidently. "And you
are content?" persuasively.
"Of course not." he said.
"Then I am sorry for you. Look at
that!" turning ber left hand In bla so
that the Jewel ou the third finger
caught the light
"I see It."
"Aud yet"
"And yet."
"That." she, observed, with compo-u-e.
"Is t:!ieer'olstlniicy. How can you
rr:i!'v care for me? Do you actually
Iteileve that devotion cotne3 like that?"
"Exactly like that."
"So suddenly? It Is Impossible!" with
a twist of her pretty shoulders.
"I low did it come to you?" be asked
between his teeth.
Tben her face crew scarlet, aud ber
eves grew dark, and her hands con
traded In his
tightened,
twisted fingers
entangled, uu
til, with a little
sob, she sway
ed toward him
aud he caught
her. An Instant
a minute more
perhaps she did
uot know she
half lay In his
arms, ber un
taught llpsclose
against his.
Lassitude, faint
consciousness,
then tiny shock
ou shock came
the burning re.
She wayed toward vulsion. aud her
him. and he cauaht voice came
her. back, too.
sounding strangely to her. a colorless,
monotonous voice.
He had freed her. She remembered
that somebody had asked him to per
haps herself. That was well. She
needed to breathe, to summon strength
and common sense, find out what had
been done, what reasonless madness
she had committed In the half light of
the silver stemmed trees clustering in
shameful witness on every band.
Suddenly the hot humiliation of It
overwhelmed her, and she covered her
face with her hands, standing, almost
swaying, as wave on wave of incredu
lous shame seenied to sweep her from
knee to brow. That phase passed after
awhile. Out of it she emerged flushed,
outwardly composed. Into another
phase, in full self possession once
more, able to understand what had
happened without the disproportion of
emotional exaggeration. After all, she
had only been kissed. Besides, she
was a novice, which probably account
ed in a measure for the unreasonable
emotion coincident with a caress to
which she was unaccustomed. With
out looking up at blm she found herself
saying coolly enough to surprise her
self: "I never supposed I was capable
of that. It appears that I am. I
haven't anything to say for myself ex
cept that I feel fearfully humiliated.
Don't say anything now. I do not
blame you: truly I do not. It was con
temptible of me to do it wearing
this" She stretched out her slender
left hand, not looking at him. "It was
contemptible!" She slowly raised her
eyes, summonmg all her courage to
face him.
I
pi
(To be continued)
i
George Nessling, marker for Com
pany H, Oregon National Guard, of
Dallas, wa$ shot in the leg Saturday
afternoon by Private Tom Magers.
The accident occurred at the rifle
range near town. Nessling was
rushed at once to the Dallas hospital
dreaming wnere 11 was found that hIs wound'
about when you asked me. I was while serious, was not fatal.
ONCE MORK
J
n (g re
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