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but turning when he reached the porch, to look back at Masten and Hagar, standing together in the shade of the trees, the girlā€™s head resting on the manā€™s shoulder.

Catherson pulled the saddle and bridle from the pony, turned him into the corral, and then went into the house. A little later he came out again, smoking a pipe. Masten and Hagar were sitting close together on a fallen tree near where he had left them. Catherson smiled mildly at them and peacefully pulled at his pipe.

CHAPTER XXVI A DREAM COMES TRUE

On the edge of the mesa, from which, on the day of her adventure with the injured ankle, Ruth had viewed the beautiful virgin wilderness that stretched far on the opposite side of the river, she was riding, the afternoon of a day a week later, with Randerson. She had expressed a wish to come here, and Randerson had agreed joyfully.

Seated on a rock in the shade of some trees that formed the edge of that timber grove in which he had tied Ruthā€™s pony on a night that held many memories for both, they had watched, for a long time, in silence, the vast country before them. Something of the solemn calmness of the scene was reflected in Ruthā€™s eyes. But there was a different expression in Randersonā€™s eyes. It was as though he possessed a secret which, he felt, she ought to know, but was deliberately delaying the telling of it. But at last he decided, though he began obliquely:

ā€œI reckon thereā€™s a set plan for the way things turn outā€”for folks,ā€ he said, gravely. ā€œThings turn out to show it. Everything is fixed.ā€ He smiled as she looked at him. ā€œTake me,ā€ he went on. ā€œI saw your picture. If Iā€™d only seen it once, mebbe I wouldnā€™t have fell in love with it. Butā€”ā€

ā€œWhy, Rex!ā€ she reproved with an injured air, ā€œhow can you say that? Why, I believe I loved you from the minute I saw you!ā€

ā€œYou didnā€™t have anything on me there!ā€ he told her. ā€œFor I was a gone coon the first time I set eyes on you! But is it the same with pictures? A picture, now, has to be studied; it ainā€™t like the real article,ā€ he apologized. ā€œAnyway, if I hadnā€™t kept lookinā€™ at your picture, mebbe things would have been different. But I got it, anā€™ I looked at it a lot. That shows that it was all fixed for you anā€™ me.ā€

She looked mirthfully at him. ā€œWas it all fixed for you to take the picture from Vickers, by forceā€”as you told me you did?ā€ she demanded.

He grinned brazenly. ā€œI reckon that was part of the plan,ā€ he contended. ā€œAnyway, I got it. Vickers wouldnā€™t speak to me for a month, but I reckon I didnā€™t lose any sleep over that. What sleep I lost was lost lookinā€™ at the picture.ā€ The confession did not embarrass him, for he continued quietly:

ā€œAnā€™ thereā€™s Masten.ā€ He watched the smile go out of her face with regret in his eyes. But he went on. ā€œI intended to kill him, one night. But he had no gun, anā€™ I couldnā€™t. That would have spoiled the plan thatā€™s fixed for all of us. I let him live, anā€™ the plan works out.ā€ He took hold of the hand nearest him and pressed it tightly.

ā€œHave you seen Hagar since?ā€ he asked.

ā€œNo,ā€ she told him, looking quickly at him, for she caught an odd note in his voice. ā€œI just couldnā€™t bear to think of going back there.ā€

ā€œWell,ā€ he said, ā€œHagarā€™s happy. I was over there this morninā€™. Mastenā€™s there.ā€ He felt her hand grip his suddenly, and he smiled. He had talked with Catherson; the nester had told him the story, but it had been agreed between them the real story was not to be told. ā€œTheyā€™re marriedā€”Hagar anā€™ Masten. Masten come to Cathersonā€™s shack the day after Iā€”after I brought you home from there. Anā€™ they rode over to Lazette anā€™ got hooked up. Anā€™ Catherson had been lookinā€™ for Masten, figurinā€™ to kill him. I reckon it was planned for Masten to have a change of heart. Or mebbe it was gettinā€™ married changed him. For heā€™s a lot different, since. Heā€™s quiet, anā€™ a heap considerate of other folksā€™ feelinā€™s. Heā€™s got some money, anā€™ heā€™s goinā€™ to help Abe to fix up his place. He asked my pardon, for settinā€™ Pickett anā€™ Kelso on me. I shook his hand, Ruth, anā€™ wished him luck anā€™ happiness. Donā€™t you wish him the same, Ruthā€”both of them?ā€

ā€œYes,ā€ she said earnestly; ā€œI do!ā€ And now she was looking at him with luminous eyes. ā€œBut it was very manly of you to forgive him so fully!ā€

ā€œI reckon it wasnā€™t so awful manly,ā€ he returned, blushing. ā€œThere wasnā€™t nothinā€™ else to do, I expect. Would you have me hold a grudge against him? Anā€™ spoil everythingā€”natureā€™s plan included? It was to happen that way, anā€™ I ainā€™t interferinā€™. Why, I reckon if I wasnā€™t to forgive him, thereā€™d be another plan spoiledā€”yours anā€™ mine. Anā€™ Iā€™m sure helpinā€™ to work that out. Iā€™ve thought of the first of the month,ā€ he said, looking at her, expectantly, and speaking lowly. ā€œThe justice of the peace will be back in Lazette then.ā€

ā€œSo youā€™ve been inquiring?ā€ she said, her face suffused with color.

ā€œWhy, sure! Somebodyā€™s got to do it. Itā€™s my job.ā€

A little later they mounted their ponies and rode along the edge of the timber. When they reached the tree to which he had tied her pony on the night she had hurt her ankle, he called her attention to it.

ā€œThatā€™s where I lost the bandanna,ā€ he told her. ā€œIt fell off my neck anā€™ got tangled in the knot.ā€

ā€œThen you know!ā€ she exclaimed.

ā€œSure,ā€ he said, grinning; ā€œUncle Jepson told me.ā€

ā€œI think Uncle Jep has been your right hand man all through this,ā€ she charged.

ā€œWhy shouldnā€™t he be?ā€ he retorted. And she could give him no reason why it should have been otherwise.

ā€œIt was a rather mean trick to play on me,ā€ she charged pretending indignation.

ā€œIf youā€™d have thought it mean, youā€™d have told me about it before now,ā€ he answered. ā€œPatches was reliable.ā€

ā€œKester anā€™ Linton have sloped,ā€ he told her as they rode away from the trees. ā€œThis climate was gettinā€™ unhealthy for them.ā€

ā€œWhat makes folks act so foolish?ā€ he questioned, later. ā€œThere ainā€™t no way to escape whatā€™s got to be. Why canā€™t folks take their medicine without makinā€™ faces?ā€

She knew he referred to Masten, Chavis and Pickett, and she knew that this would be all the reference Randerson would ever make to them. But no answer formed in her mind and she kept silent.

When they came to the rock upon which he had found her, he halted and regarded it gravely.

ā€œYou had me scared that night,ā€ he said. ā€œPatches had most run his head off. I was mighty relieved to see you.ā€

ā€œI treated you miserably that night,ā€ she confessed.

ā€œDid you hear me complaininā€™?ā€ he asked with a gentle smile at her. ā€œI expect, some day, when weā€™re together more, anā€™ you get to lovinā€™ me less than you do now, youā€™ll get peevish agā€™in. Married folks always do. But I wonā€™t notice it. Iā€™ll get on Patchesā€”if heā€™s alive, you wantinā€™ to put off the marriage so longā€”ā€

ā€œUntil the first!ā€ she laughed, in gentle derision.

ā€œWell,ā€ he said, with pretended gravity, ā€œwhen a man has waited, as long as Iā€™ve waited, he gets sort of impatient.ā€ He grinned again, and gave her this last shot: ā€œAnā€™ mighty patient after!ā€

And they rode on again, through the white sunlight, close together, dreaming of days to come.

THE END

 

 

ZANE GREYā€™S NOVELS

 

May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlapā€™s list

 

THE LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS

A New York society girl buys a ranch which becomes the center of frontier warfare Her loyal superintendent rescues her when she is captured by bandits. A surprising climax brings the story to a delightful close.

THE RAINBOW TRAIL

The story of a young clergyman who becomes a wanderer in the great western uplandsā€”until at last love and faith awake.

DESERT GOLD

The story describes the recent uprising along the border, and ends with the finding of the gold which two prospectors had willed to the girl who is the storyā€™s heroine.

RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE

A picturesque romance of Utah of some forty years ago when Mormon authority ruled. The prosecution of Jane Withersteen is the theme of the story.

THE LAST OF THE PLAINSMEN

This is the record of a trip which the author took with Buffalo Jones, known as the preserver of the American bison, across the Arizona desert and of a hunt in ā€œthat wonderful country of deep canons and giant pinesā€

THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT

A lovely girl, who has been reared among Mormons, learns to love a young New Englander. The Mormon religion, however, demands that the girl shall become the second wife of one of the Mormonsā€”Well, thatā€™s the problem of this great story.

THE SHORT STOP

The young hero, tiring of his factory grind, starts out to win fame and fortune as a professional ball player. His hard knocks at the start are followed by such success as clean sportsmanship, courage and honesty ought to win.

BETTY ZANE

This story tells of the bravery and heroism of Betty, the beautiful young sister of old Colonel Zane, one of the bravest pioneers.

THE LONE STAR RANGER

After killing a man in self defense, Buck Duane becomes an outlaw along the Texas border. In a camp on the Mexican side of the river, he finds a young girl held prisoner, and in attempting to rescue her, brings down upon himself the wrath of her captors and henceforth is hunted on one side by honest men, on the other by outlaws.

THE BORDER LEGION

Joan Randle, in a spirit of anger, sent Jim Cleve out to a lawless Western mining camp, to prove his mettle. Then realizing that she loved himā€”she followed him out. On her way, she is captured by a bandit band, and trouble begins when she shoots Kells, the leaderā€”and nurses him to health again. Here enters another romanceā€”when Joan, disguised as an outlaw, observes Jim, in the throes of dissipation. A gold strike, a thrilling robberyā€”gambling and gun play carry you along breathlessly.

THE LAST OF THE GREAT SCOUTS

By Helen Cody Wetmore and Zane Grey

The life story of Colonel William F Cody, ā€œBuffalo Bill,ā€ as told by his sister and Zane Grey. It begins with his boyhood in Iowa and his first encounter with an Indian. We see ā€œBillā€ as a pony express rider, then near Fort Sumter as Chief of the Scouts, and later engaged in the most dangerous Indian campaigns. There is also a very interesting account of the travels of ā€œThe Wild Westā€ Show. No character in public life makes a stronger appeal to the imagination of America than ā€œBuffalo Bill,ā€ whose daring and bravery made him famous.

 

Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York

 

STORIES OF RARE CHARM BY

GENE STRATTON-PORTER

 

May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlapā€™s list.

 

MICHAEL Oā€™HALLORAN. Illustrated by Frances Rogers

Michael is a quick-witted little Irish newsboy, living in Northern Indiana. He adopts a deserted little girl, a cripple. He also assumes the responsibility of leading the entire rural community upward and onward.

LADDIE. Illustrated by Herman Pfeifer.

This is a bright, cheery tale with the scenes laid in Indiana. The story is told by Little Sister, the youngest member of a large family, but it is concerned not so much with childish doings as with the love affairs of older members of the family. Chief among them is that of Laddie and the Princess, an English girl who has come

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