The Hunted Woman

name. It was Blackton. His thin, genial face with its little spiked moustac

d his friend's hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't

whom she knew. For a space it was as if the Joanne whom he had known had slipped away from him. She had told him about the grave, but this other she had kept from him. Something that was almost anger surged up in him. His face bore marks of

ride up from Miette these days. If we can get throug

over him a sudden shame. If she was seeking and expecting, it was to him more than ever that she was now looking for protection. The haunting trouble in her eyes, their entreaty, their shining faith in him told him that, and he was glad that she had not seen his sudden

hey came to the end of the platform, where a buckboard was waiting in the dim light of one of

quainted while we rustle the baggage

rain, and he handed them to Blackton. Toget

one of my men come with another team," he explained

to the buckboard, Ald

I'd let her explain. I want you to tell Mrs. Blackton that she has come to Tête Jaune on a rath

hout touching it to his cigar. "I guessed something was wrong. She's welcome at our place, Aldous-f

I are going to take her to the grave. Miss Gray is an old friend of mine," he lied bo

t a Chinese cook who's more like an owl than a hu

endi

on, the con

anxious to see you. He said he would not be at the depot, but that you must not

Aldous "And, when you come to know him, the

his companion's arm. A short distance from them they c

written you la

n't written a lette

on hes

en't heard of

face as he lighted a cigar made Joh

do you

s shoulder. It wasn't a bad wound. The old man swore it was an accident, and asked us to say nothing about it. We haven't. B

euce y

some way the bullet had spent itself before it

ed in speechless amazeme

is happen?"

. I delivered the telegram you sent him. After he had read it I showed him mine. He scribbled something on a bit of paper,

produced the note a

said Aldous. "The ladies may po

vered her self-possession. She smiled at him as they drove off, and there was something in the sweet tremble of her lips that made him almost fancy she was asking his forgiveness for having forgotten herself. Her voice sound

er, and I'm quite sure Miss Gray will be interested in our Great White Way of the

, had already prepared stories about Joanne, and he not only wanted Quade's friends-but all of Tête Jaune as well-to see Joanne in

as the Broadway of Tête Jaune. "And the woman who rides him is worth seeing, too," he chuckled. "He's a big fellow-and she plays

s along the line of steel. There had been great "camps" in the building of other railroads, but never a city in the wilderness like this-a place that had sprung up like magic and which, a few months later,

laces already filled with the riot and tumult of the night. A thousand lamps and coloured lanterns flashed like fireflies along the way, and under them the crowd had gathered

made up its transient life it would soon be a forgotten thing of the past. Even the mountains would forget it. But more than once, as he had stood a part of it, his blood had warmed at the thought of the t

t, if you made the hunt, you could find men of

rite the complete story of how Tête Jaune has broken the law,

d Peggy Blackton. "There!" she c

tween the shrieking notes of bagpipe. Peggy Blackton was pointing to a brilliantly lighted, black-tarpaulined shop. Huge white letters on its front announced that

xplained Peggy Blackton. "And the man over there across the street is going b

ome one whom she expected to see. Mrs. Blackton was pointing out lighted places, and explaining things as they passed, but he knew that in spite of her apparent attenti

Her sleek black hair, shining as if it had been oiled, fell in curls about her shoulders. Her rouged lips were smiling. Even at that distance her black eyes sparkled like diamonds. She had evidently just finished taking up a collection,

ton sotto voce, as he drove on. "She takes

ng beside a huge brown bear. In another moment she bestrode th

ey were inside, and Peggy Blackton had disappeared with Joanne for a few moments, did Aldous take old Donald MacDonald's note from his pocket. He pulled out the quill, unfolded the bit of paper, and read t

ill seem strange to them if I do not stay for supper. But-it is

ing him to remain. The contractor stared at him for a

" he said. "If you want m

at will be

his hand he repeated to them what he had told Blackton-that he had received word which made it immediately urgent f

or a moment they were alone, and now her eyes were wide and

the station. He followed us up the street. Twice I looked behind-and saw him. I am afraid-

him free her hands and crush her in his arms in the ecstasy of that wonderful moment. Then Peggy Blackton and her husband appeared in the door. He released her hands, and stepped out

engineers, there was a lantern on a pole. Here Aldous paused, out of sight

gible hand the old wanderer

w yorself in town. Cum to me as soon as you can on trail stri

D Mac

back out of the lantern-glow into deep shadow.