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“By God!" he munch u tut. m- mum-botudwhuumwmm "I "not hum: spoken u I did.” he beta. "Such language in not my custom. I m lmuud boom-o of your hat. in rejecting my minim bolero hum the proposition I cum to submit. I cominly rennet your -Into Hampton’s eyes there leaped e light upon which other then had looked before they diéd,â€"â€"the strange and (teem one sometimes seen in fighting unlmele. or Amid the fleece charges of war. His hand event instinctively backward. cloainzynpon the butt of a revolver beneath his coat, and for one second he who had dared such utter- lice looked on death. Then the hard ltnee about the man e mouth softened. the fingers clutching the Weapon re- laxed. and Hampton laid one opened hand upon the mlnlster’s shrinking” shoulder. , door. . "I have shot men (or less. Go, hetore I forget your cloth. You little impudeut iool! Seo hereâ€"l saved thet girl from deeth. or worse; I plucked her from the very mouth of hell: I like her; she’s not send; so isr so I know there is not s single soul for her to turn to for help in sll this wide world. And you, you misersble, snivellinx hypocrite, you little creep- ing Presbyterian person, you want me to Me her-l Whit sort of s wild beast do. you suppose I m?" Wyukoop hsd token one hssty step beckwu'd. impelled to it by the fierce new hissing from those stern. (my gym. But now he psused. end. for the-only ”time on record, discovered the oouventlousl image of polite so- ciety insdequsie to express his needs. “I think.” he sold. suroely reelislux his own words. “you ere s damned “S'It down," he said, his voice an. steady from no Iuddeu' u reaction. “Perhamuperhapl I dOn‘ t exactly un- derstand.” For I full minute they sat thus look- ing at each other through the fast dimming light, like two prizefighters meeting for the first time within the.- ring. and taking mental stock before beginning their physical. argument. Hampton, with a touch of his old au- dicity of manner. was first to break the silence. “So you think I am a damned tool. Well, we are in pretty fair accord u to that fact. although no one before has ever ventured to state It quite so clearly in my presence. Perhupi you will kindly expllln?" nnnnnnnn J v-y-uu- - "The prencher wet his dry up: with hll tongue. formula: himself when his thoughts bean to cry-mm” into WW MAYAG‘MW cg CHAPTER" V ~(Cuminued) %MHUMIMW07 Mfcfim JIM/WWW MSW/11mm? her life was truly a noble one. and your loyalty to her intereatl since is worthy Io! all Christian praise. But I believe I have a right to ask, what do yon intend tor the future? Keep her with you? Drag her nhout from camp to comp? Educate her names the contaminating poison of gambling holes and dance-halls? In her home hereafter to be the saloon 'and the rough frontier hotel? ' Her tdeal oi manhood the quarrelaome‘ gambler. and of womanhood a pointed harlot? Mr. H'alnpton. you are evidently a man 0! education, of early refinement: you have known better things; and I have come to you looking merely to aid you In deciding thin helpless young wom- an’a destiny. I thought, I prayed. you would he at once i'ntoreetod in that W. and would command the reaooubleneu ot'ny podttion.” Hampton sat silent, gazing out of the Window, his eyes apparently on the lights now becoming diiliy visible in the ssioon opposite: For a consid- erable time he made no move. and the other straightened back in his chair watching him. , '“Wo‘n’?” he venturo'd at hatfi‘what in your propootflon?" The question was quietly asked, but a slight tremor 1n the tow voice told of repressed feel- ins. “That. for the present at least, you confide this girl into the care of some worthy woman.” “Have you any such in mind?" “I have already discmsed the mat- ter briefly with Mrs. Hemdon, wife of the superintendent of the Golden Rule mines. She is a refined Christian lady, beyond doubt the most proper person 10 assume such a charge in this camp. " evident dare to ho ot tum-nee to thin you; woman. not hue I tho ullchtm Intention of Inter-term: bo- tvoen you. Your get-tn Mn; Hampton flung his sudden cigar butt out of the window. “I’ll talk it over to-morrow wittyâ€"with Miss Guns,” he said, somewhat grumy. “It may be this means a good deal more-to me than you suppose, paraon, but I’m bound to acknowledge there is consid- erable htrd sense In what you hug Just sold, and I'll talk it over with tho ‘1’!" f . t I reckon “costing-$.36: gaff-3’3. In sum tho right my.” ' It Wynksoop mwcrod. his words were Mimnmmblo, 1m Hunptou mun“ mum In tho open duo: Wynkoop how out his hand cox-mt]- ly um the firm grasp of tin other closed out 1m fingers. “I don't. _exactly know why I didn‘t kick you gown-mu," the latter can- monte‘gl. (I though sun in wonder at him-elf. “Never remember being quit. CHAPYII VI. “To Io or Na in 0" hey were mine auroral“- Wh- or upon tho stoop hill-lilo. will “hit- iy an moo-nun“ Gig-cud. At not omidenbio distance d! the lull tab in... oi the mining town had in” pared. and it seemed Almost idol]. viewed union the natdhi background of brown rocks and groan trees. Ivory- vhero wu ionelineu. no lound all!“ of the labor of man Ruched than, and the tow mitond handily hr below resembling more doll-homo. They ind convemd only upon the constantly clinging beauty 0! the scene, or of incidents connected with their upwnrd climb, will). moving liowly along the uni! 0110th tho from morning sunshino. Now they at In nilenoe. the young girl, with checks flushed nnd drenmy oyu ngiow. gued tar on along the "Roy; tho nun vntching her curiously. no! won- dering how but tonwronch bit “It. nun.- the mom on On tho Inflow sum. “Nam dale devil.” ho “MI- edsod 00va to W. “And who. nmrmfihuwouwbothbmtuu to: the K14.” Ohservin‘ her now, sitting thus in tots] unconsciousness of his eorutiny. Hampton made no sttompt 0 amino the depth 0! his interest for this "it who hsd come drifting into his life. Even to his somewhst prejudiced eyes she was not an ettrsctive cree- ture, tor she possessed no clear ,con- ception of how to. render spparent those few feminine chums she poso sossed. Noam“ end total mean- sulouaness of Deli. coupled filth leek of womanly coupenionship sud suit!- nee. had left her altogether in the rough. He muted now the curse rusted lhOOI, the cheap patched shirt, the toneled auburn halt. the eunburnt' check: with e IMO]! of freckles plainly visible beneeth the eyes. and some of tho ulttdiouenen'o! early days caused him to shrug his ehoul~ den. Yet-underneath the ten there was the glow of perfection; health; the eyes were frank, breve, unflinch- ing; while the rounded chin held e world of cheractu in It: firm con- tour. Somehow the sight of thle brought back to him that Ihldlng faith in her "dead sameness" which had first awakened his admiration. She glancéd quickly Quint at him, as though such unexpected expressions startle-d her from a pleuunt reverie. “Why, 1â€"! thought thnt was the way you plmned it yesterday.” she ex: claimed, doubtfully. “Kid,” in ventured at last, “you were talking while we came up the trail wont how we'd do this and {hit utter awhile You don’t suppose to: going to have any useless girl like. you hanging ar’ound on to 'me. do you?” “Oh, yesterday! Well, you see, yes. tot-day I van sort of dreaming; £04!” I Am wide awake, and I’ve nbout de- cided, Kid, that for your own good. and my comfort, I". got to shake you.” A an glam of mm resentment lap. into the dark eyes; the un- pad nqverx‘kno‘vn contiol. "Oh. you ha", In" you, Mr. Bob Rangoon? You have about decided! W011, why don't you monum- docido?‘ [don't think I’m down on my knee- beam: you for My. Good Lord! I rock- onlanmdoufllrlchtwlthout you! to (In you we! I chug o! “1 undo the Iudda daemon.“ ho m. “beans I!!!“ he wu far from beau. ‘thlt you "It too nu- m 3 you; wanna to no trap-h: around the country with me. living a: shah. ad having no column! but ”was ma, And an ,cluo o! “0. did you? Win: also?” “Olly that our tampon don't 0:- Wimutoflbtudmwool on cln't he houses In the am. 1-inch." She looked at him oontemptuomly. lenslnx her body archer nroold on m rook. nod Influx may. the color on' her cheeks deepening through the unborn "Now we here, luster Bob Hampton, you're I kind ond you know it! Didn't 1 “man exact- ly who you win, And what VIII your holiness? Didn’t- ! know you won 3 xunblet, had 3‘ ‘h‘ld In"? Didn’t I tell you plainâ€"enough out nude?”â€" nnd her who tutored manyâ€"mm» whet I thought than: you? Good Lord! I hnm' t- been hiatus to luck with you. hove I? I in“ didn't know which way to turn to, alter dad was kllled, and you sorter hung on to me. and! let 1: so the‘wny l luppOIed you wanted it. But I'm not particularly stuck'on your etyle, 'let me tell you, and -! reckon there's plenty of ways (or me to get along Only first, Imo- m to Understand whnt your llttlo some is. You don't throw down your hand like that without.some reason." Hampton at up, spurred into in- stunt admiration by such independ- once of spirit. “You grow rather good‘ looking, Kid, within you get hgt, but you so It thins: hall-Cock“, and you’ve got to get over it. That’s the whole troublavâ€"you'vo never been trained, and I wouldn‘t make much of a trainer {q a. high-Inning filly like you Ever remember your mother?" "Mighty little; reckdn she must have died when I was about a“ year: old. That'- her picture." Hampton took In Me bend 'the old- fashioned locket she held out town“! him, the long chain null cluped about. her throat, and pried open the sun catch with his knife blade. She bent dam to tuten .her loosened 'ehoe. and when her eyes were uplifted tun nee wu riveted upon the tece in ,tho picture. "£1th pretty, wan" she?" Ibo “M. with u widen rush Interest, bending forward to loo , moral." of hi: “rained attitude. "And‘ the was promo:- than tint. «on, tho my I yemmm ho:- but. with hop Inh- all “I Think You-An I Dammd Fool.” (Continued on page ll)