HTH VVIVTTIIyTY
IN THE TOILS
“You-—~you are the justice from
Nogales? she asked doubtfully.
“That's what I am; Judge Cor-
nelius Garrity, ma'am, at your
service.”
“And you were asked to come
out here to marry me to Bob
Maager ?™
“Maybe so, If you are the gurl.”
“I am Deborah Meredith I
want to appeal to you, Judge
Garrity, as an officer of the law,
to refuse to perform this mar-
riage"
“Refuse! I refuse Bob? Why,
i's all straight enough; I've got
the lieense here all made out
regular with your name on it."
“That is just the point That
‘ense was procured without my
nsent or knowledge. I repu-
diate it; I refuse to assent to f(t
1 any way. I have never agreed
to marry Bob Meager. I am here
now under threat, and I appeal
to you for protection.”
Does Judge
her?
Garrity protect
Hardly He marries her
rthwith to Bob Meager She
ikes down with a pistol-butt the
hated bridegroom and steals out
nto the night to get a horse and
dare the perils of the desert.
She meets “Frisco Kid,” an out-
law with a price on his head
And deliberately she chooses to
tr him and rides off with him
nto the desert
So the possibilities of all sorts
excitemdnt are found in
stirring story by Randall
sh Many a thrilling tale
Is author written And this
his most thrilling
st
this
af
if
CHAPTER |
fc
The Choice.
wonderful
full of hope
the wide
still to
of nearly two
us of Frunce, six months
Just behind the Ameri
Yet the .
iis then
as a
three
thing
and
out-of-do
to
ambi
and
ana
in
wonderful
rs
posse
iS memory
he hospi
: I
In
of that time
fis girl
i ns she
off across
where
mountains
Mir ragged
vor
all hung
slowly turning
mpared that
sunsets in
she never |
r would be like
ranch
with
on ey
of
the soutl
desert
fron
1 the drear
stretching away
little
or
onsls water and
had never told
he had dwelt on the
loneliness of his sick wife, the chance
had of regaining health. with
proper nursing and care:
heauty of the sunsets. the
des ort
grass Tom Meager
the whole story:
she
wonderful
nights,
of the
glow cool
with excitement and a dash of danger
It all had appealed to her strangely—
the service, the complete change in en-
vironment. the escape from the hum-
pay
lent, and she had said “yes” without
But she realized now. Those first
few weeks had been glorious indeed,
She found everything new, attractive,
tinged with romance and color. She
itked Mrs. Meager, and discovered
her task to be an easy one, her time
largely at her own disposal. But it
was lonely, terribly lonely: and, after
those first few weeks, nothing seemed
to occur to break the dull monotony,
It was sixty miles over a half-oblit.
erated desert trall to the nearest town,
and that little more than a general
store and a cattle corral. The only
link between there and the civilization
she had left to the eastward were the
glistening ralls of the rallroad.
Day by day, week following week,
she saw the same faces, heard the
same volces. Riders froin the outer
range came in with thelr reports,
bringing the tales of Mexican raiders,
or of cattle strayed into the desert.
Whenever she could she rode about
with old Tom Meager, in and out the
occasionally far beyond
into the vast sand plains, listening to
his quaint tales of adventures, and
helping him round up bunches of
strayed stock. She became expert In
the saddle, learned to use a gun skill-
fully, and even picked up some knowl-
edge of the lariat. Thus, little by
little, she had adapted herself to the
rough life, determined to keep her
word, but nevertheless growing con.
stantly more and more heartsick.
Then Tom Meager came to his
death. Riding home alone from No-
gales at night, In the dark of Silver
canyen, his horse slipped and fell, and
Meager lay there on the rock motion-
less. A packer found his bedy the
next day, and brought It en to the
ranch. In some way the message of
the old man's passing crossed the bor
der line down far into old Mexico,
until it reached the ears of his son,
God alone knows where, Three days
after the burial this wanderer of many
years returned, drove his saddle horse
into the corral, and assumed control.
Whatever might be his legal right,
there was none to oppose his bold as-
sumption of authority or management.
The widow lay helpless on her bed;
she was not the boy's mether, and he
never 80 much as crossed the thresh-
old of ber room. If there had been a
will, no one searched for It, or made
inquiries, iy force and au-
dacity Bob Meager took command,
asking permission of no one.
For some days after his arrival the
girl did not even encounter this new
master. From dawn to dark he was
in the saddle, familiarizing himself
with every detail of his new posses
sions. Rhe had no desire to meet Him,
for long ago his story had been told
to her—not by old Tom, who never
spoke his =on’s name, or the patient,
invalid wife, but by others, long In
service, glad now of an
sheer
was a story of brutal shame: of
disappearance: of
floating back from
bearing the ta f
n le of
reputable life
vague
here
ru-
a wild, dis
. To her lob
had become
was evil in
the synonym of all
this borderiand
of fs
he
left helplessly
1y
ite,
wus here
his power, unt wh
104 YN
dependent on
1
The thought
They fin
day, unex
knocking,
the widow's
The g
hastily
Brose
fronted the
rade
blazing
“Who are
YO
“Who Are You? He Asked Gruffly,
yet with a measure of doubt the
tone, “Some poor relative?"
“Not quite as bad as that,” she an-
swered, resenting his manner, yet en
to control her speech.
am Mrs. Meager's nurse.”
“Nurse!” he sneered sarcastically,
“Good Lord, so the old man stood for
that, did he? Well, you can hardly
expect me to; It Is more than my
mother ever had. Do you know who
I am?
“I presume you must be Robert
Meager.”
“You guessed right, and I've come
back here to run this ranch: you get
me?’
“Quite clearly—yes."
“Oh, you do, hey? Then I'l en.
lighten you further, You're Mrs
Meager's nurse, you sald? Pretty soft
Job, isn’t it? I don’t believe there will
be any necessity for her having a
nurse very long. What's your name?”
“Deborah Meredith.”
He laughed, showing a row of cruel
white teeth.
“Sounds like a story book ; where
did the old man pick you up?
“My home is in Chicago.”
“Well, he certainly showed good
taste, I'll say that for him, You fre
some good-looker, Deborah Meredith,
I'm d—d If I don't rather like your
style”
He stared at her Insolently, his
glance appraising form and features
much as he might take In the points
of some animal he contemplated pur.
chasing. The girl's face flushed In.
dignantly, but her eyes never fell,
“You sure do look good to me,” he
in
ATV ITT
announced finally, “and I don't belleve
I'll fire you-—not yet, anyhow."
“It will not be at all necessary,” she
sald quietly, “I shall attend to that
for myself.”
“You mean yon will quit?
“I certainly shall”
“Oh, b—1! Spunky little tigress,
ain't you? I reckon I'll have some
thing to say about that”
“You mean you will cempel me to
remain whether I wish te or not?" she
asked in surprise. “Why, that cannot
be done; I am not a siave"
“It can’t hey? Do youn know where
you are?”
“Certainly I do.”
“By G-—da, I doubt It
Meager ranch In Arizona. There ain't
another outfit within fifty miles, and
nothing else round us but desert:
there aln't no water, and no grass
I'm a-runnin’ things here, and vou bet
I know how to run them. You get
me? I'm the boss: before another
week's out every white man on this
ranch will be hunting a job, and
there'll be Mex In their places I
know how handle Mex: they'll do
what I say-—-you bet they will. So
Miss Deborah Meredith, how Is {1
you're going to quit before ever 1 sas
you can? Aim to hoof It
alkall to Nogales? Ten miles o
stuff would break your
better think it over”
This is the
fo
Rerose the
that
heart
She saw hlm clearly In the light of
the window, and. in spite of her nat
ural the
Was any act
man would be incapable of?
heart sand
y the
Courage,
girl's
there of
brutnlit
big, burly, with broad shoulders
a deep chest, almost a glant
$
face whiel
Brute was
s weegerny!
an’ what
watel
1
ig
3
went out the doo
worse even
unable whol
“What
4 tarsi PM
0 You suppose?
cansod
As
has disliked me always
“Send you Why, yon
his en if
no
in the estate
“1-1 not
never explained anything to me,
but I am afraid of Bob Menger
him; don't hin
Sen 3 away!
father's wife. Ex there was
will you have
Sorely, that Is
\ "
Know,
must dower rights
the law ™
“Tom
Fast
ol
do wearily.
| cTOSS anger He is
your sake as well as my own."
girl questioned, influenced by
timidity of the other.
have his own way with me?"
“No—mno, not that. But-—but
him fairly, Miss Meredith. He will
not always be as he is today. As he
sald, you cannot fight or run away
All depends on winning his
Then sometime there will he a chance
We must walt and watch, until he is
in a mood to let us both go.
here in his power.”
“You fear him Uke that?"
is worth nothing—I know that"
And Deborah Meredith,
down Into the white face lying on the
pillow, made her choice.
CHAPTER 1}
Meager States His Plan,
It was the menfbry of this scene
her promise to Mrs. Meager, and her
dislike of Bob Meager—which left the
girl unobservant of the desert view
outspread below, and thoughtless of
the descending night. She had sought
this spot to be alone, to escape any
possibility of encountering Bob, and
to turn over once more in her mind
the conditions which had made her
virtually a prisoner. There had been
an expression In the man's eyes that
had frightened her more than she
would even confess to herself-—an In-
solent boldness, a sneering dominance
which haunted her memory with its
sinister threat, He was playing with
her as a cat plays with a mouse, hid:
ing the proper time to strike. He
knew he could afford to walt: that she
was utterly In his power. His very
Lallence and aloofness Increased her
alarm, her dread of the morrow.
Not a day passed without witness.
ing a change In the personnel of the
ranch. She might not have ed
*
this, but for her own personal suspl-
clon. Old Tom Meager would never
employ a Mexican on the place, nor
trust them; but now, one by one, the
old hands disappeared, while swarthy-
skinned riders appeared mysteriously
to take thelr places, Within six
days the transformation was practi-
cally complete, and Bob Meager was
surrounded by those of his own kind.
Creatures of his will, denizens of that
world he knew best. This change was,
to Deborah's mind, ominous of evil:
it Increased her fear, and rendered
The walls closed her more tightly in, |
What did this man plan to with |
her? The question could not an- |
swered | she could only walt fearfully |
for his actions to make reply. Yet it |
must be evil: could conceive
nothing else in Bob Meager's heart |
Her thought was not with the wild
desert outstretched her,
or the beauty of that red sun bee |
hind those far-off peaks. She was not
even conscious of
surroundings,
ious to the solitary
proaching along the barely
trail skirting the
he horse
do
he
she
scene before
set
her more immediate |
remaining totally obliv-
horseman, ap- |
discernible
edge of the mesa, |
with
was moving slowly,
drooping head the
the
wearily
sand no
noise sufficien wan
arral
to
wouldn't
ought to mean something to
leave
or you
be here lessor
sou. I've
11
it sink in”
“That 1 could not escape from here |
“Sure: there ain't no way for »
woman-—a tenderfoot—to get across
that desert without help of some kind |
I reckon you are smart |
to know that. It was mostly |
Your account I sent them ol¢
punchers away, an’ got a lot Mes |
enough
o'
jobs were needed. There ain't no
body round who cares a whoop In hi |
what happens. You better let that
soak in, too, first of all. Then it will |
be easier for us to come to an under
“An understanding?’ she asked in
surprise. “You desire to explain, then}
He iaughed.
“Threaten, h—1! 1 don't have to
threaten; I'm holding all the ecards”
He took a step forward, and, as the
girl drew slightly back from his ape
proach, his face quickly darkened
with anger. “You don't want me to
touch you, hey? or come near you?
All right, I'll walt, but just the same
you'll do Just what I tell you to. Sit
down there on that log. You hear me?
8it down!"
She took the place designated, real
izing the utter uselessness of refusal,
while he remained standing, with one
foot Insolently planted on the log be
glide her.
“You're sure a wildcat, but
I'l tame you!”
ws
—
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
A A ————— i.
Trouble Ahead for Pussy.
Mattie came running into the house,
excitedly exclaiming, “My pussy hae
borned five kittens! I don't know how
she'll manage to take care of five chil
dren when it keeps me and you busy
every minute with nothing but the
twins, muvver”
Deahabilles, negligees!
What soothing, luscious words they are |
=i Na} Don't they
conjure up pletures of heaped cushions,
graceful
pelignoirs,
how translatable!
reclining chalrs and pler mir
rors to reflect the lovely unconvention-
ul that only this type of gar-
vient may so delightfully express? For
in no other part of her wardrobe may
the woman of Interesting individuality
give free rein to her (imagination and
indulge her craving for weird color, ee-
centric line and luxurious fabrics.
There are literally no restrictions, as
kerts a fashion writer in the New York
Times,
The woman who finds it dificult to |
personality in her formal
beuuty
of her There are
for every
find the
regligees,
creations
doil-llke girl will
Ee ec smog
Piaited and Plain
Co
fu
Chiffon, Along With
d Ember Most
House Picturesque Enough
¥
Satisfy the Most Fastidious
dery, Makes Grace
Gown,
went a sho
hing of f{
te lispel
model in
in her fav
uld be just as much
stenogr ipher Ss
ness of the
crepe de chi orite
tint. she
a part of
the wardrobe
And the
find herself
firesome
hier
aw
fallored hiouses busy house
keeper will wafted away
problems by
slipping into a soft lis ging satin thing
of dreams
from
domestic
Creations for Summer.
Feeling so strongly woman's need
0x
have innumerable exquisite
The obvious
course, the quality of coolness
this element has been attained by vari
ous means. Chiffong and crepes are
used in place of the velvets and bro
cades of winter. Trimmings include
sheer laces, valenclennes and soft sha-
dow laces, and lovely bands of filet
Ribbons and ruffles take the place of
fur and metallic ornaments Cool
greens and blues and orchids replace
the warmer orange tones and rich
flame colors,
A thing to invite one’s soul is a
design of apricot crepe and Ivory lace,
Its success lies in the fact that, while
really very simple in cut, it is draped
80 as to appear delightfully eccentric.
The long interrupted line of heavy
lace neross the shoulders and down to
a point below the knee is perfect In is i
stmplicity ; while the amusing idea of |
leaving one arm bare and massing the |
drapery over the other is unusual.
Another charming model, less ex.
treme, with an Interesting medieval
note Is of rosé charmeuse, with sliver
Ince sleeves trailing from shoulder to
hem. The sleeves are caught up at a
point above the elbow with amulets of
old silver and blue enamel to give the
familiar Moyen age silhouette
These models are excellent examples
of the more formal types of negligees,
but there are numerous possibilities for
the woman who lives to be original In
devising lounging robes along loss
ustal lines. In this entegory are found
fascinating combinations of loose satin
trousers
really
nnd
arent { os Dus ior
which
s of
4, falling
The
this type of gar.
variety it affords
the woman of limited means. For eX-
ample, a georgetie overblouse,
picoted in silver, might he worn us sne-
cessfully with black charmease trons
In
material thrown over the
10
inte becoming folds to the Lip
obvious advantage of
ment is tl}
the added
Corine
semt-precions stones and bend orns
are just the decorative note
Contrasted to this more or less bole
mian type of thing, one finds demure
little breakfust coats in pastel eolor-
Ings with hardly any trimmings, but
ruffies of the same material
These models are cut often ently three
quarter length, and are worn ever mi
lady's robe de nult or sk costame
sip
Make Negligees at Home.
With all the beautiful silks and ehif
that are crowding the
there comes an excellent
the making of negli
imme. They have se Hitle Ehape
They a
of lengths of material gathered into be
ids and the amount of sewing
necessary is, on the plainer
, almost to be discounted
and
distributions of
applied and
Then there gre
fons meariet
these days
opportunity for
goes ut bh
about them
re merely matters
Hections of color fine
ntiful
used aw
widths and
ther colored or
© ¥ white
Lovely Robe d'Intimate Is Made From
Series of Loosely Draped Lines
Which Are Fastened to Yoke of
Lace That Ends in Floating Panel.
and to get well If you are pleased with
the way you look when you are attend.
ing to the business of getting back your
Then there are the little things that
go along with boudoir apparel. They
are always fascinating to the feminine
soul. Without them—the slippers, caps,
ete ~~the house gown, no matier how
simple it Is, loses much of the best of
its effect,
There are dainty little mules covered
with gay brocades and lightly woven
tapestries. There are others of plain
eating and kid which are most amusing.
Of course, they are hard to walk in,
but they are goodldooking. No one
can deny that fact. For those who
wish more comfort there are flatter
sorts of sligpers and enes which more
nearly approgalh a guarantee to stay
on tha foe.