■XYOOWTY TT1IKS, OTA l*Ut P^Y. W. 3.

of

-ngc

Cjna Townsend Body

donn wbataotrer that ther* had bean any oonaplracy to aapprena the troth and ahlft the blame. True, hi* daughter had protested on that fatal day that ahe did not bellere Meade and Shnrtllff. but that wa* l^the exdtet of the moment and understandable In view of her plighted troth. Helen had never discussed that with 11 even the very name of the engir being banned, she waa aOent She l wlaj enough not to try to worry or bother her father with argument* on that point, to which, of course, h would not have listened In any event Accordingly the conferences with Rodney had never been brought to his notice. There waa no nae stirring up trouble and strife. There was no necessity even to dlacuas It with her father until she had found more proof. So he at least bad no suspicions as to her treatment of Sburtlllf. He could not see any end to be gained and therefore h* jumped to the conclusion that there

n-^St dinner the posriMn the cnniDrensini ■eaibirs of s talked of and Meade Oaf

escapee a fall to the river telUhle love and they go > approve* their marine la finished. IV—Abbott, tha conetroctlon Meade there U a deflection R, but makes light of it. MbS’S'.MK £ Mew Tork.

a ItO men, la In the river.

's proteeta. h ;-tt-R the

vm-Toong Mead a. on hi* Rodney, an old college v reporter* at the floor of

* obeyed order*, hot paper* the dead man had make public, also accuses

In course of time, as Miss Tilingworth never referred to Meade In secretary'! presence, all his mistrust disappeared. Finally he even brought up tbs subject of Meade's whereabouts of his own motion. Although the girl was fairly wild to talk and ask questions ahe had wit and resolution enough to change the subject when It had been first broached and for many

time* thereafter.

Helen Illingworth waa fighting for the reputation of the man she loved and for her own happiness, and she waa resolved to neglect no point In the game. She partook In a large measure of her father's capacity, but ahe added to hla somewhat blunt and tary way of doing things the Infinite .tact of woman, stimulated by a growing, overwhelming devotion to her absent lover. She cherished that feeling for him in any event and would have done so but the whole sltuatloc charged with mystery and surcharged .with romance that It made the most powerful and stimulating appeal to She lived to vindicate Meade and ehe bent every effort toward that end. did not overdo It. either. Finally, as be himself continued to press the subject upon her, ahe made no cret to Shurtllff of her devotion to the younger Meade, her sorrow that be bad made such a declaration, and her de-

M ... - ■ w! ^. -Mia n>t* * bODt to be commenced. -Wbeb Bee-* weecs would <«m*cte the grent via-

tnm Meada oi to* new t»“ d «tak-1 duct. Everything was proceeding in

were decidedly indlcatlye of a gro_ TO , njr lt ^ bln , to the heart. This the most satisfactory way and Colonel mrotal condition on the part - time there would be no mistake. In Illingworth was very much elated over

^ ^ the necessity of recouping Its fortunes, I the situation,

and expected. the Martlet Bridge company entered “Who would have thought." he said But Shurtllff could not bring him* ni>on nn eTen ^der career. The dlrec- as they sat down to dinner in the pelf to come out boldly and tors took contracts which they had brightly lighted observation room and his failure to do that made him huhprto (M-cause they were “thjt It would rain in this country ai

more and more miserable. At first s con jj, anltlr ^y unimportant, and they this season of the year!"

conscience had been ent , rdycl«jr. ue bld < n ill>eraUons which they had “It will probably be over by toraor .had viewed hla conduct in the light o fejtberto left to competitor*. They were row morning." observed Rodney, a noble sacrifice for the peat mam building the great steel viaduct by the "If it continued long enough and Now he began to question: Was t0 w n »,f Coronado below the dam. and rained hard enough, that dam would right to blast the future of the Uving they hB(1 IlIrwl) jy built the splendid jiave to he looked after. We'll go over lor the sake of the fame of the dead? (|rc j J ltiat spanned the ravine, U nd see It tomorrow," said the colonel

Probably be would have questioned hpre a ln the valley of cheerfully.

that eventually without regard o Uie Horse to the eastward of “What would happen If it guv«

Helen Illingworth, but when he began big mesa. way T" asked his daughter.

Mo grow fond of the woman and when After Ch rlstmas. Colonel Illingworth “It would flood the valley, sweep he realised, as ahe unmistakably d decided to make another of his tours of away the town, and—" he paused,

closed It to him, that her own happi- aDd M He |,. u ua s not look- “Well. fatherT" ness was engaged and that he waa not ^ pam^igriy *rell from the strain “Ituln the bridge."

only ruining the career of a man Du un(ler w jj C b abe was latxiring, he of- “We can't afford to have another wrecking the life and crushing tne f erpd t0 (akp ber with him. especially failure after the International,” said

.heart of an entirely limocent woman. u |)e wus to tbP f n r Southwest. Severen«-e.

.he had a constant battle royal wiui w j, ere (he %ea rber would be mild and Now there was a newcomer at the hlmsplf to pursue his course and o ^ eaaaQ ^ to Aspect the growing via- table, a Ulg rancher named Winters, .keep silent. duct and the completed arch. She whom Rodney had met in the town let such Is the character of a tem- availed herself of the permls- and had Introduced to Colonel Illingperament like that of Shurtllff, sloo. There was always a possibility, worth. The latter had Invited him In 'rowed and contracted by a single pas- gjbelt a most remote one. that she ; dinner and to stay the night In the 'slon of life and lacking the breadth bear 0 f Meade. That It might be i extra sleeper, and Winters, who had which comes from Intercourse with we j| to i nv | te a representative of The particular reasons for wanting to talk men and women, that hla compunctions Engineering News, to wit, Rodney, to ] with Rodney and to meet Mias Uling-

‘of conscience only made him the more acconipan} . them, so that the really ; worth, had accepted.

^resolved. The lonely, heart-broken wd gpipnjjd work the Martlet company “You can count or Ita stopping." he .man swore that he would never tell. waa doing might be made widely m id at last. “My ranch Is u hundred The young man could go hla own gait fcnown. The party consisted of the miles to the north of here. I heard and work out his own salvation, or be ja t b^ r an d daughter. Curtiss, the chief . Rodney was with your party, and ns .damned. If he must. The woman s en jjneer. L*octor Severence, the vice be was an old classmate of mine—in heart might break, pitiful as that a nd financial man, and Rod- fact, my best friend at Harvard aloug 'would be, but be would never ten. He nej . with Bert Meatfe' —and the mention ol

**"* * * Now Helen Illingworth had not the! the forbidden name caused quick

least reason In the world to suspect i glances to be passed around the tnble. that Berttatn Meade was In any way I but raised no comment—“the chance ol connected with this engineering proj- ■ seeing him brought me down here. 1 ect, hut Rodney had pointed out and know the weather along this whole had Imbued her with his own belief 1 section of the country: It's the dryesi that sooner or later, when Meade was place on earth, und I would almost of found, he would be found engaged in for to swallow all the rain that will engineering In some capacity. fall after this stotm spends Itself.” “It’s In his blood.” said Rodney. “He ‘ Well, that's good." said Curtiss, "be-

as unhappy in that determination

as any other man fighting against his

conscience must Inevitably be. Sometimes looking at the misery In the old man's face (for on hla countenance his heart wrote hla secret).

'Helen DUngworth experienced compunctions of conscience of her own. ■which she told to Rodney in default of other confessor. That fine young

man appreciated fully the woman s i no n)ore keep away from It than cause I've heard that the dam luck* feelings and understood her keen sen-, be at0 p breathing. He can't do very little oi completion, hut that tbs slbllliles, and his comprehension was fl i any thing else. Somewhere he's at the ! spillway has been delayed."

“Toull find that the storm has bro-

r protest Me. with Helen.

t West, at a big irrianetruction. Meade bea as a rod man under

XI—Meade has rone to a eoUaee friend. ■ of himself and the 1

„„ ., w „ own false » of hi rase If. Shurtllff £ by the colonel end » know* tne troth, set*

inter, hie chief, though

a before the spillway la ■ off surplus water. Continued, rain* f his man tntr an akin rss&Kz 4 - TisriKa, rr"ir*ntr. wrrsTheTMms'To her unnamed. 'poritka naturally brought touch with the colonel, transacted a good deal hla own house, frequently there. Under jinces Helen Illingworth treated him with that fine r courtesy which ahe ex- . everyone with whom ahe tact, but she would not -Jly interested heraelf In would not liave made him Of the delicate attention and

great comfort to her. He encouraged her to persevere. Since It was only through Shurtllff that the troth could be established, she must not falter nor reject any fair and reasonable means to gain hla whole confidence and make him speak. It was, after | ell, simply a question of whether the ! game waa worth the candle. How best, they expose or fight a d-iceltV J And that the deception waa for a noble ! purpose and to serve a laudable end In j the minds of the deceivers did not j

alter that fact.

“You are doing nothing la the least degree dishonorable. Miss DUngworth," , said Rodney, reassuringly. “Woman’s wiles have been her weapons sines

the Stcae Age."

“But I do feel compunctions of con-

science occasionally."

“Personally I think you are shuntantly Justified," urged Rodney. “Yes, to establish the troth, to give the men I love hit good name would Justify more than this,” she replied, “and yet”—she smiled faintly—“my conscience does hurt me a little. The d man la beginning to love me." “That's the reason It hurts you." said odney. “When he loves you enough he will do anything you want, aa I

Tha Old Man Got to Thinking of Hsr aa a Daughter. termination to wait for him. She was always careful to end every conversation by saying that ahe knew her outlook was perfectly hopeless and that she could expect nothing except sorrow until the younger Meade waa rehabilitated. She 84' < mtrived matters, while constanlly afflr>ri-g r. fe> for Meade, as to let Aburtllff Infer that ahe sras convinced that he had tiecn telling the troth In what ho had said.

the careful consideration ! have completely turned f a younger and more * us-

'd been a prejudice In Shurtagalnst women in general.

the morning," said Winters con-

fidently.

After dinner Colonel Illingworth, desirous of talking buKinens. called the men of the party, except Rodney and Winters, back Into the observation room of the other car, leaving the two

men with Helen.

“Mr. Shurtllff." sold Helen,

men stepped out on the platform, the i were tary following, since his employe! | hud Intimated his services might he 1 needed. “If you can. I wish you would | come back here as soou as possible. “Certainly. Miss DUngworth," said j the necretury. "Immediately. If youi ; father finds that hw does not need me.' “Rod." said Winters when they were ' alone. "I'd go a long way to see y4iu but 1 might es well be frank. I dl-J-not come down these hundred miles, leaving my ranch In the dead of wintei with all Its possibilities of mishap to the cattle, simply to see you. or even Miss Illingworth here, although she U worth It." he went on with the frank

bluntncKS of m western man.

“Of course you didn't," said Rcxluey. Helen Illingworth Stood on tho Step* smiling. "I know I'm not a sufficient of the Private Car. attraction."

“I came to talk about Meade.''

old Job. It might be In America, and ~H r . Winters," said Helen, clasping

The young man stopped, looked long it might bn out there at Coronado, or ^ bands over her knees and lean at her. and then turned away with a UP r might be in South America. Europe. , nf forward, -if you know anything tie gesture of—was It appeal or re- Asia, or—” about him. where he is. what ae Is nundation? He was too loyal to hla -j wonder If we ran't find out all the du , nc how h e fares, i* he well, does friend to speak, but he could not con- engineering work that I* being done In b* think of—I beg you to tell

idmlfted—r—er." 'fibuMSMQ Winters, suddenly reallxlng that was on the eve of a breach of eonfli donee and checking himself Just ta time. “In fact, the subject was painful to him, and I let him alone, which la what we generally do to a man who doesn't want hit affairs Inquired law too closely.” Winters ended lamely, reallxlng how near he had come to betraying his friend’s confidence and telling of Meade's own admission that be bad said what he had to save tha fame and honor of the father. “Well, what next?" asked Rodney; understanding as did Helen Dungworth horseli the ranchman's hesitation. and respecting It, although the unavoidable Inference gave her great

Joy.

“He hung around the ranch for ar month or six weeks to get his balance. He was pretty badly broken up. Tm a bachelor myself and don’t know, much about those things, but I can gay that he loved you. Miss DUngworth, more than life Itself." "Rut not more than the reputation of his father.” she said with a Uttle tinge

ot bitterness.

“Well, I take it he looked at that as a matter of honor. You know a man's got to keep his Ideals of honor." “Even at the expense of a woman's heart?" said the girl. "It sounds hard, but I guess we've got to admit that But that's neither here nor there,” he continued, gUdlng over the subject, “the point Is I found that be had to fight It out himself- and I mainly let him alone. I gave him a horse and gun and turned him loose In the wilds. Rest place on earth for a man In his condition. Miss DUngworth. You can go out Into the wilderness and get nearer to God there than any place I know of. He came back finally, turned In his gun, borrowed the horsu, bsde me good-by. and said he was going ont to make a new start.” , “Where did he go? Which way?" “He was headed south when I saw him last, and all this lay In hla way." “You mean—?" cried the woman. “He may be here?" said Rodney. Winters nodded. “I have thought so. It's only a guess, of course, and probably a poor one. Hut when I read In the papers that Colonel DUngworth was coming

trol everything. The tone of hla voice, ibe world and Bend reprc»* uiatlv< the look In hla eyes, hla quick avoid- him." said Helen llllugworib.

ance of her. told the woman a little ; Rodney laughed,

story. They had been very doeely as- “To hunt that way would he like aodated, these two. Rodney also had huuilug a needle In a haystack. I cannot had much advantage of woman's no i hid you hope that he Is there; In sodety, certainly not of a woman like f„ct. I think It Is most unlikely that ^uVr^ing

Helen DUngworth. She had given him would be any place near wnere the „ Tou |1PPtl nothing more. Mis* her fuU confidence In the Intimacy. Marti, t l^'pl" «re 4,|>eratlng. but ralnnrorth j Wn „» ail n iH.ut the sltuHe waa a man. He loved Uke others, there's a chance, even if only the faint- , B|1(;n n (K j npy wrole au d—" She waa too fond of him. too great. „i one." x WaU t hen. you understand my anxtoo true t woman to pretend. WeU. ‘.omen's heart* can build a . n**oa for asking?"

“Mr. Rodney." said the girl, laying great deal on a faint chance. They are her hand on hla arm aa though to re- calculated for the forlorn hope. And

•Mis* Illingworth, there Is nothing I would refuse to tell you If it rested

with

“1 don't mind confessing to you. you are auc-h old friends, you aud Mr. Rodney, and so devoted to Bert, that I

After a time Ae deftly appealed to him to know If he could not help her discover the troth she tactfully maintained even In face ?f the evidence that Shurtllff had given. And ahe did tbia i In such an adroit way that Shurtllff

DUngworth In particular. ! became convinced that ahe did not con- ^ Ickly rcnllred that she above i nect him with any willful deception. I -^“happiness!" ■ had the greatest Intenwt | and that she believed that he was de- j —.-j, and he mem more

'na Meede's statement and | luded himself and occupied the poal- . T .

and In laying the blame for , tloo of an Innocent abettor. And Shurt- ,. .. , h o> 1. brw,. wb» U t»- UC, In bl. n r.npn old. «lt<nnt.l»ri i

lb. ai.uM.r. ot lb. P..™. ! -«r Hn.ll, r— to 1U. 'Won Elio.. | ““J

b.- »«. lb. b^l, .1 bl. w„ rt b online,. ,»d^ b. “•! ’XiT'XT 1

ore the old secretary was In hlr work with natural antagonism on his gourd lest be be to Colonel DUngworth, and when be Into admissions or action* sensed, as he very book did. the dlft be used to discredit the ference that bad arisen between father and convict the two con- and daughter, he espoused the came- of

| the lath r. He was the kind of a man

n DUngworth was far too j who had to devote himself to aometo aUow any InkUng of such a I .xxly. He began to wonder If there to appear. Not the remotest I was any way to secure the girl's baph a purpose d'd ahe betray. | jdneas without betraying the elder

ratdy act about to win the : Meade,

a regard and respect and per- j ubv compeaeed the secretary, who wtually hla affection. She had j waa, of coume, old enough to be her of her father's household. I lather, with sweet observances and be Thai waa a matter tu which I found It lncrra*lugly hard to keep true concerned himself not ai | to his falsehood. Now she was c*pX as thing* went smoothly, j able of fa'-ctnatiug blggCff i-eraoualltle* • (ways did. Be wa* a Uttle than Khurtllff. although she eared Ut1 at her treatment of Shurt- I tie fur that power aud rarely exercised old secretary wa* at been tt. The old mu' actuaUy got to thlnki. und there wu* uo reason * !ng , £ her a* a daughter. Sometime*

“And you wiU tell us?"

•train him. “that way madness lies." M , Helm Illingworth *'o--l on the steps "Mlsa DUngworth." wild Rodney, j )lf private car a* It rolled across turning and faciug her, b!« Ups firm- | m,. 1.mg temporary bridge at Coroly comprenred. his eye* shining. “I'm ^ado. and scanned the workmen devoted to Bert Meade and to yon”— pouiH-d .-n one side of the traek. their be lifted her hand from hla arm and wurk „u'i>eiidrd for a moment that the klsaed It—“and I'm going to do every- tn ,i n might i*** on the wooden tre»-

tllng. In hope that she (Wild

“I Wish to heaven I could." “Can't you tell us anything?"

“WeU. ye*. I can."

“What?"

“It may be a breach of confidence.* “I'd take the risk." *ald the girl, her

bosom heaving. Was she at last about | trnck^of matt

to hear from her lover?

"Know where he Is, old man?" asked

■He Wouldn't Be a Common Workman, Would Her Asked the Olr! ii-re, aud that you were along, and Miss DUngworth. 1 thought I'd Jnst take a run down here aud see what

could be dune."

“Ob. Fm so glad you have come.” "He's not working on the bridge,"

mid Rodney.

"How do you know. Rod?" "1 examined all the pay rolls, and none of them hears Ids name." “He wouldn't work under hla own name In the Martlet Bridge company," said the woman. “Certainly not. That was only my first Step. I went around among the w orkm- n, too, und 1 got a look at every ona ot them. Fm sure ha'a not there,"

of them the roan she loved and sought. And Rodney stood by her side,

equal! v Interested, searching tb crowd Rodney. „ ,1. "I EHI>‘ —”—— b ">- „

"WhereT’—from the woman, breatb-

Loyalty la not always the easiest

thtnf on earth, I know."

“Yon make it easy for me because timeyou understand " *»*•>' 1 So tbe fall and winter were filled M^wlth interest to Helen DUngworth »nd hills un ! there waa In her day* no lack of hope, heated p Every Saturday the flower* that Meade m-nr thhad arranged for rpyke words of love the hill to her and bmda her not forget, al- arose. » though that waa admonition abe did und th-

“He wouldn't be a i

man, would be?" asked the girl, n diMipimluted than she could expt "Certainly not. He'd bo keeping ick of uatefil J, or running a transit, acting os a ^Magoremau. Moat of the workmen arc although the bridge erector* aW Ai- ' -w-ifl." “You're sure that he's not here?"

“Absolutely.”

I^Iy "There's tho dam," said Winters. “I didn't agree to tell you that." "Weil try that In tho morning." “What then?" “What good Is It golhg to do ua, “All I can aay la that after the death Dick?" u*ked Rodney a Uttla Irritably, of his father he turned up at my ranch I *®ven If wo do find him, we canx

sx —- - - a . _ ^h'unde^the^hii ol "What!" exclaimed Rodn^m “Did Mowly. !tut tf 1 culd Just aee him «.l arch utrier'heslope of ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ onco again. Mr. Rodney--abe apok.

of the dam. at fir*,. He told -^vaa w.thout j

"But you didn't believe him, Wld just »p. -

Imi-Ulslvely. ”1 bell

! said Wit

glance, also.

There wa* uolhing lu the town to atraet ll-ien out of the ear. She had tilted West aud Southwest many line*. Colonel DUngworth. with Rod-

erence. there of tut father he tunuxl up at my ranch , "Km n If " j nna (1mv Home five months atO and tuki ' make him

■ought tiding* of him In every po»*lhle "" " 1 *• " ... wayTbut tovaln. Her heart almost ^ 5£,SiS»- at the separation. She I- ■ up n the hi.U twenty had confidence enough tu her power “ " Jl,.," „ Mi-

over turn and tn her woman's wit, t

car was to Wplaced there.

The men left behind would use the pti- ---- - - — , j„_i_

A. eiMM, AlirilrtnrlTl- A» r

they had ended

1 H.l.ti ,1.,^ „ tod,* tom »to. tto, l«d h. UmJ Uml U to., oto, W to, trtm.0, .ml to.lt. tom to . Immd tomm-.: -tomlto, tor toto-m™i. ] .to mlH-i !.«, Ito ir,ib uitortow nmkv tom w.l- for ih, to,*«,v lb. tm™ U l"-m tom. ™mdtoln tom to toll , bourn-, .Ur toiould uoi do U...I.-, lor to-r b.d |.rorto~-d Uml r ‘ r »• toc.imo lovodblm! hi* dry. precUe way Shurt- by now. With Uni# details which hi* | __ . _ ED vull • rather likable. Uv waa touched knowledge and expartence of the two j __ __ CHAPTtR A II.

V»e*l by her kindaraa. and In men -uld supply. Trifling in them- ]

*- Wrtoto. .Ltob .tod, W,.. -rto Uto. mmmbuitom,», T ^!T l b.d

e downpour, bowel

bridge, which more thmi

i c*rtululy did

“Why notT'

"Well. I don't know why. 1 Jnst didn’t, that * alL 1 know Meade. 1 , know him well. I know bis make up. We get accustomed to slslng Up » ■ man's action* out West here, and It [ didn't take me longer than it took | him to tell the story to know that It

wasn't true."

"Oh. thank you for that." “‘d tho |

woman.

evidence, i

r reserve, and both

-.-ply for her—“If I could

11 him. If he would

• you can iK'rsuado him,' 1 imp*, but I want ShsrtUS -i, then wo can approach hliuself with more confl-

l Rodney.

reful workinan-

"But our beUefa are not Dick." interposed Rodney.

“We cnuT prove tt and that'* tbe , point. I told him." continued Winters,

- , M . eUln _ Ihp -to,-,,,- “t*-at It wa- a da—darned Ue-l beg ; imMo* Uie "the. private car upVrom your ^rdon. Mira DUngworth. I meat, tt? I.m.-v |...... ' . 1|JM -no * him that it waa not true and that. Ud lt^ bridgg. A law More ^ ^ lb Mfctn t

jly of printed wait until H