The Highgrader

the road within the hour. The morning was such a one as only the Rockies can produce. The wine of it ran through the blood warm and stimulating. A blue

not until half the distance had been covered that Joyce, who wa

p late, di

the soldi

savage beha

smiled as he spoke. He was thinking of Verinder, who had made a set against the miner and had tri

f assurance, hasn't h

e fitted in easily-wasn't shy or awkward-that sort of thing,

nteresting," J

her. The Westerner had not let his eyes rest often upon her, but the subtle instinct of her sex had told her that he was very much taken with her. Since J

ality on false pretenses. But, surely, he was worlds apart from any laborer she had ever seen. Last evening he had been as much at his ease as Lord Farquhar himself. A little uncertainty about the use of the spoons and forks had not disturbed him at all. In spite of the soft vocal elis

As she looked down on the arena from the box her party occupied, the heart of the girl throbbed with the pure joy of it all. She loved this West, with its picturesque chap-clad brown-faced rid

eliminated before the arrival of the party from the Lodge. Among the t

e Teddy Roosevelt," bl

Farquhar. "Didn't quite catch

ted his sister. A moment later, s

to give one bad dreams. But the lean-flanked young miner appeared clamped to the saddle. Lithe and sinuous as a panther, he rode with a perfect ease that was captivating. Teddy tried all its tricks. It went up into the air and came down with all four legs stiff as iron posts. It shot forward in a series of quick sharp bucks. It flung itself against the wall of the

done!" He turned to Moya, who sat beside him. "Finest bit of roug

g of the thing, you know," d

imals fighting for mastery in the arena, thought both comments characterist

of Moya. "He's as broadmi

"I think we ought to be fair, even to a

ll as its strength had been shaken. The bucks of the pony were easy to foresee. Presently they ceased

ear. India, watching the rough-rider through field glasses, saw the face of the young man grow grim and hard. Without the

wever, had been traveling with a Wild West show and was too soft to hold his own against the bit

outed one of the judges, a

of Teddy Roosevelt. The unanimous decision of the judges was in favor of Kilmeny. But

applauded his exploits liberally. The least he could have done would have been to have made a short cal

the steep wall of the gulch. The leathery face of the latter took them in impassively as he gave them a little nod of recognition, but the younger man reined in for a few words. He accepted their congratulations with a quiet "Glad you enjoyed it," but it was plain

oing to. If he can't be pleasanter than that you may k

them from the rear. Five dusty, hard-bitten men, all armed with rifles and rev

rs pass y

es

other on a roan with white

es

anyth

ew words. He is a Mr. Crumbs, ca

grimly. "Yes, he is-not. His name is Kilmeny-Jack Kilmen

meny?" asked the

man that won the broncho

ess in their manner. Her mind was groping for an explanation, but she understood this m

h him? What has he do

eeper of the fair association and go

Do you mea

th the whole proceeds of the sh

and half an hour,

nodded. "All

isappeared in a cloud

. Never before had they come so close to its raw, ugly seams. The

r big dilated eyes. "He said

ea. "You remember Uncle Archie. He had a son named Jack who lives somewhere in Colora

"He fought you

nto certainty. "Thought I had seen his face b

. By Jove, he doesn't look

it. Such nonsen

to supper with us," Joyce rem

n't. There must

ord Farquhar suggested. "He and his friend

he stop

. I could see his mind wasn't on what

ked him," Moya ch

at isn't evidence that will acquit

a criminal? Shall we have to cut her and Cap

his laughter. "You're a stanch friend, Miss D

of the devil in him drew on her sympathies? She recalled now that he had hesitated when she had mentioned his name, no doubt making up his mind to let her think him other than he was. The sheriff must know what he was talking about when h

the miners with the news that it was deserted except for two of the deputies who had stayed to guard

ecalled that these two men had disappeared as soon as the bucking broncho contest was over, not half an hour before the robbery. This would allow them just time to return to the corral on the outskirts of the town, where they had left their mounts, and to saddle so as to meet the treasurer on

id it, Ned?" India

ooks like it," he

events had taken. Verinder's manner was as openly triumphant as