n at the glove, muscles and brain alike paralyzed

nd of the wire drifted t

hough he was, the rough rider knew that the police were

worst outlaw horses the West could produce. But he had never been so shock-shaken as he was now. A fact impossibly but dreadfully true confronted him. Wild Rose had been alone with his uncle in these rooms, had listened w

se could have done this in her right mind. But he had heard a doctor say once that under stress of great emotion people

side a book. Beneath it was a slip of paper on which ha

you not here. He say maybe perhaps

HOR

hough it had been the warning of a rattlesnake close to his head. Some one was at

open from the outside without a key. He switched off the light and passed through the living-room into the bedchamber. His whole desire now was to be gone

his hand. He thrust i

iron ladder ran down th

the ground. Kirby lowe

ht down the alley to

cigar. He was a reporter on the "Times," just returning from

"Can you lend me

d him three or four

a light. "Do you always"-puff, puff-"leave yo

e were witnesses to prove he had gone up to his uncle's rooms. Here was another to test

s truly." He broke into a little amused chuckle. "I reckon friend husband, who never comes home til

a grin. It was not a mir

zard," he sa

wise," he said with a wink. "Chuck Ellis isn't anybody's fool. Beat it, Lothario, while the beating's good." T

is advice w