Hidden Gold

you'd like to live

kitten through the dust of the main street. Carefully though she walked, her

little moue. "I don't see why you stay h

on it's

was looking up into his face with de

ack in the East, things have been settled for so long that a man's only a cog in a machine. Out here, a fellow has a sense of owne

hat sounds fine, but the reality i

ed in his

you haven't been here

tness and wholesomeness, and especially its men. I'm sure that's why I first liked you

lots of good

e's one, Maxwell Frayne, who has been plaguing me for months; but I don't care for

bette

w"-she eyed him mischievously-"I think this would be a nice place to call home, don't you know, j

taring

surprised at the suggestion that she was being annoye

t mean anythi

the street, who did seem to be staring and talking, with some indecision in their attitude

ing about you being

e. Haven't I made two trips to Chicago for no real reason except to see

closed eyes, knowing that th

usly, I hate an idle man, but I don't know what you'd find to do there. What a que

f in jest. "Besides,"-a dogged note crept into his voice-"

t the privilege,"

oor. "This is what I'd like, a neat little home like this, with a couple o

ared on the threshold to welcome them, but to Wade'

," said Helen, wi

Gordon. Then she came back and called out something to me, but I didn't catch what she said. Before I knew wha

r tactfulness to Mrs. Purnell. She would have been amazed could she have guessed that she was actually arousing him to resentment. He felt, somehow, that she was patroniz

said Mrs. Purnell, in a

hope to have the pleasure of meeting your d

em," Wade remarked, as they walked

out much spirit. "Nice, comfo

nd in th

orld has been the matter with you to-day? We usually get on so well together, an

he wrong way; that's all. I have plenty of faults, but I'm loyal to my friends

, I hav

t Crawling Water is a lot more real

n't been

y to go, eithe

thought he would go. Already, she was planning to get him out

a man leaving a group near the livery sta

uttered, recognizing the horsema

swung his mount in beside them and doffed his hat. "Two of Jense

h owner's jaw dr

sir. Word ju

elen," he went on, turning to the girl at his side. "There's been fighting-murder, perhaps-out near the ra

ke me to t

ust hurry to the ranch." Even at that moment he could not but reflect that there would have been no need to tak

s another man's bond. It was too bad, certainly, that the thing should have happened just when Senator Rexhill's promised aid had seemed in a fair way to settle the controversy. Now, the whole thing was more upset than ever, for M

e asked of the cowpuncher, whom

ranch, I

the heat of the day. He took off his hat and opened the neck of his shirt to the breeze, which revived his energies like wine. He knew that as he felt, so his horse felt, and he was glad, for the animal would have to make

s. Wade slowed his own horse down to a walk, and eased his Colt in its holster. He expected to meet some harmless wayfarer, but, under the circumstances, it was just as well to be prepared for trouble. Soon, however, he smiled to himself, for who

on, still slowly, until a turn in t

d a woman's contra

e, although he could not see the girl distinctly in the

as a little scared for a second or two. I've awfully bad news, I'm afraid," she added, immediately

and I went t

known. I've been cle

oneliness of her long ride. "They say some of Jensen's men ha

ed up her pony, nervously, for it would not stand still. Wade seized the animal's bridle and quieted it.

n?" Wade dema

n, and that's why I tried to find you." Wade groaned. "I peeped in at a window, and when I could see nei

as all alone there and they must have surprised him. But I don't see

ry quietly. I happened to be out back of the house

ed. "I told Bill to stay at th

declared, with spirit. "Yes, it was Jensen himsel

de declared, in a relieved tone. "If you're sure

it is. He hates you both. Whoa, Gypsy!" She reined the little mare in again. "No, it's all

." His face grew ugly with rage. "Dorothy," he continued grimly, "thanks ar

hining with devotion to him, but he was to

You may meet them on the way out, if not they'll be around th

allowed it to have its head; he was mo

rdo

it of the Western night. Her pulse was beating, too, to the call of danger, and despite the control which she had over her nerves, she was just a bit hysterical beneath the surf

can't do anything alone again

im and he warmly squeezed the li

rl," he said tenderly. "I shall

he others com

voice. "I'm going to look around-just as you did-on the quiet

iled a little

end the boys there. They'll not put Santry in jail if we can prevent

of courage again; the moment of weakness had pa

ht her arm as she had caught his. She went quite limp in her saddle a

e realize that he might have kissed her; that she had wanted him to kiss her, for the first time since they had known e

ay," he muttered aloud, "a