The Strange Case of Cavendish

r resolve. There had been nothing in her valise to show who she really was, or why she was in Haskell, and consequently, if any vag

ugh to be dangerous, yet she took the precaution of shrinking back into the darkest corner before opening her hand-bag and extracting the letter. It b

he West. He instructed her to be on the lookout for him in Haskell, added a line or two of sugg

ystery. She was a newspaperwoman, and the strange story in which she was involved appealed to her imagination, yet its appeal was far more effective in a purely personal way. It was Frederick Cavendish who had formerly been the partner of Jim Westcott. This was why no answer had come to the telegrams and letters the

by Valois; that was altogether too impossible, too melodramatic, this thought of the substitution of some other body. It might be done, of course; indeed, she had a dim remembrance of having read of such a case somewhere, but there could be no object attained in this affair. Frederick dead, apparently killed by a burglar in his own apartment

already entered her room and examined the contents of Stella Donovan's bag? To these queries there seemed to be no sat

llow of her hands, so lost in thought as to be oblivious to the flight of time, when t

and seated her at a table between the two front windows. Evidently this was reserved for the more distinguished guests-travelling men and those paying

with rolled-up sleeves, as though they had hurried in from work at the first sound of the gong. These paid little attention to her entrance,

opposite. He was not prepossessing, yet she instantly recognised his type, and the probability that he would address her if the slightest opportunity occurred. Beneath lowered lashes she studied the fellow-the promi

t as suddenly, it occurred to her that perhaps he may prove to be Ned

d she glanced at them hopelessly. As she lifted her gaze

t at good-fellowship, "but not to

answered, testing one

ociate me wi

n a joint like this. Besides,

ou've loo

explanation was required, "I took a squint at the register; then

goods on the roa

eal on up the ca?on. I'll earn every dollar I'll make, though, eatin

n here some

not here in Haskell all that ti

week ago," she

ed his m

t much late New York news?

particularly interesting." She dropped her eyes to her plate and busied herself w

e, then the man laughed as

d grimly, "but there are plenty of boys back on the East Side who

good bit about it in the papers-the desperate characters, gunmen, and all

business interests down that way, and so hear a good deal of what is going on at first hand. A New Yor

enly and took a

me abo

well here at the table; some other time, maybe, when you and I get

sm

xico next, but I'm after something else besides a description of mountains and men; I'm also going to

re I am. And I'm planning a great surprise on him. And, of course, I'm literally drinking

girl was busy eating and apparently paid no attention. Her calm indifference

"do you agree with th

all sorry having made the journey, although it hardly compares with Tennessee Pass or Silver Pl

s face seemed to

ped. "Of New York? Not

e table, her eyes wide with horror

lately in New York? It was Frederick Cavendi

much; the red had come back into his cheeks, but

ed, "has he been kill

name should have cropped up between them, but, now that it had, he must explain the whole affair so a

I remembered it as soon as you spoke, and that the papers said he had been mining in Colorado before he cam

have I never heard?

ave been a

e particulars? You have bee

ew York paper," he answ

s sent

tching him from beneath the shadow of lowered las

gh?" he questi

ul news has robbed

about revealed their presence, and without an instant of hesitancy the big

rely drew back a vacant chair and seated himself, his eyes ignoring the pr

easantly. "I had reason to suppose you

r surprised tone

rmed me. It chanced that we had

er

garding you-who you we

ck her chair

ou felt important enough to rebuke him on

hat it was none of his business, and that if he mentioned your name in

mean there was a fight over

hotel office. Beaton drew a

s brought into it?" she insisted. "You actual

slowly. "You see, I rather thought I was a sorter fr

man say anythi

; he-he just as

ere scornf

hoose my own friends, and am perfectly competent to def

the table, and touched Beat

she asked, her voice softening. "We will leave

them cross the room. He had no sense of anger, no desire to retaliate, but he felt dazed and as though the whole worl

ice before he was sufficient