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:ct "Well. ”that not. Like a m but aunt. main: my hue Md (ho colon on a mm thick. But I m no winged an]. m. nor exactly I moth! to: you to copy otter. I reckon you better Not to the vomn tad cut me.” Bhe did not never. yet to road In wheeled purpoee In her one. end K: on decision strengthened. Some that led him to do the right thing: he flew torth the locket from beneeth the told. of her dreu. holding it open to the light. He noticed now A name uneven on the gold one. and bent lover to decinher tho deflate letter- “Wu but me HIM-2" he quen- tlouod. III-rm. “It In an uncommon That on: not. ad than of both I“ 90700:)“ny wttened. “Nnids.” his lips dwelt upon the peeulinr me us though he loved the sound. “I went you to listen to me. child. I sincerely wish I might keep you here with me. but I csn't. You sre more to me than you dream, but it would not be right for me thus delib- ersualy to sacrifice your whole future to my pleasure. I possess nothing to otter you.â€"-no heme." no friends. no reputstion. Prscticslry I em on out- lsw. existing by my wits. disreputsiile in the eyes of those who no worthy to live in the world. She. who wss your mother, would never wish you to re msln with me. She would say I did right in giving you up into the are of s good womsn. Nnidh. look on thnt tsce in the locket} your mother's thee: It issweet, pure, beautiful, the face of s soul.- true women. Living or deed. it must be the pmer ot'tho'se lips that you become n good woman 3130. She should lead you, not I. for I an un- Bob Hampton of placer wordy. For her 'sake, and in her we. I ask you to so back to Mrs. Hen-don." , He could perceive the gathering tears in her eyes, and his hand closed tight- ly about her own. It was not one soul alone that struggled. Her gaze was faltened upon the open locket, the fair lace pictured there smiling up It her as though in pleading also. "You truly think she would wish It?" “I know she would " The girl gave utterance to a quick, startled breath, as if the vision fright- enedjher. _ “Then I will go." she said. her vale» a mere whisper. “1 will go." bler!” A moment he remained ailent. “But unfortunately I am, " he admitted so- berly, “and It is best for you to so back. Won’t you?" - The two plums azure: mun. poor in; through thin «Zn-mu. "I wag not looking hot.” III. to- turnod, telly. "I have no desire to'cul- Helm: her down the steps, out into the 10mm crowd below as it she had been with? princess. Her locket hung ]" ' and he slipped it back into its {flute and drew her slender form yet closer against his own. as they stepped {orth into the black. tie sorted road. Holt-way up the gloomy ravine they met a man and woman coming along the narrow path. Hotnp- ton drew her aside out of their way. then spoke coldly. “Mrs. Homzlon, were you led-1n; r»: Inst. churn? l have he‘l- hero) " “You will go?" “0 Bob, I wish you. wasn’t a gam- (Lumimwd {rum page 2) um- un mum mm o! It: Blanca.” “lo 1 Mn W. ”A coun- ”a: m hon um 00' Ill chins m m- Gum. 8b. In In- torn'xod no 0: your flattering opinion no“ an. m l MVO lndorud 1t «aluminutmtolue. no! um. this Mrly, NM?” “I hue come but." she altered. lingerie: the clash: st her throat. "I hue cone beck.“ “Without Bob 8mm?“ Tho [in times unessny mud him. but ho stood motionless In the doom. “Yepâ€"Iâ€"l suppose that." Hempcoe rested his land softly upon her shoulder. his fingers troubling,“- thosch his voiee remained eolsly de- “bouts. “! tmlt mu ll cum; satisfactory. In. Hmdon.“ he um. “1 cu: nun you I no: anomaly ghlu "out in; her purpou at 0011:; to m to- night. I realise quite elem-1y my on deficiencies. ud please myself hero- titer not to interim with you in my "y. You accept the um. I believe?” She gave Nutmeg to s deep “ch 6! mutation. “It come-1.0 me clan-1y u I Christian duty." the acknowl- edged. doubttmly. “and l suppose I must uke up my clogs: bub-J “But you have man." he mun-nupt- od. ',‘Well I hue none. for I hue neuter filth in the girl. sudâ€"130m»- In God. Good-night. mm. " He bowed Above the him! the girl ave. him in the darkness. end ever utter she believed he bent lower. end weaned his lip: upon It. The next mo- ment the black night he closed him out. And she stood there. he]! fright- ened at she knew not what. on the threshold of her new, life. ~ CHAPTER Ix. , .-At tho Occidental. Hunpton slowly picked m- way back through thedarkneu down the silent road. his only guide these dlm yellow light: flickering in the distance. It was Saturday night, and the min- in; town was nlmdy alive. The one long. Irregular street was jémmed wlth constantly moving figures, the numer- ous saloons ablaze, the pianos sound- lng nolally, the alumina of feet in the crowded dance~halls lnceasant. Hampton pushed his way through the noisy throng with eyes ever watch- ,tul tor the faces. His every motion was that all s man who had mliy de- cided upon his course He swung up the broad wooden steps of the Occi- dental and entered the barroom. which was crowded by jostling figures. the evenmoving mass as yet goodmatured, tor the night fess young. At the lower end a! the long, sloppy bar he stopped for a moment to nod to the fellow be- hind. ‘ “Anything going on tonight worth while, Jim?" he questioned, quietly.. “Rather still game. they tell me. Just stsrted in the back room,” was the genial reply. "TWO eastern suckers. with Red Slavin sitting in. " The gambler passed on. pushing ther unceremoniously through the mug of perspiring humanity. The large front room upstairs wss shine with lights. every gsme in full opera- tion sud surrounded )7 crowds at de- votees. He milked directly towsfl the Riot reigned unchecked, while the quiet. sleepy n of the afternoon blossomed un er the flickering light: into a satumefla of unlicensed pleas- ure, wherein the wages of tin were death. 01mm Athletdlnund c hustlm:holollbuklu haw Inldn m meow tabla an walla uni-(nut bayou. The. In In It the MO table, cards in land. and Human Invol- unurlly vhlulod Iottly behind Ill tooth at the Int ("mongol the money openly displayed baton than. This vn ”may not. l0 bad tor n .m- er. and Ill: vnnlu mum! revived. A MbwdoduhntJWIon-totm the doorwny. ulnmd up qulckly at h1- entrance. hln coam mouth Instantly akin: on the umblnnee of A smile. “All. Bob." hg min-led. with u: and“! alert u ya “been won. daring It you won! 1 show up before the night ran over. You're the very Inflow m nuke thin I. tour-mdod ut- tur. provided you carry Inmclont Ital.” Humpton cm wily forward into the till} slow at the swinging oil lamp. his manner cooiiy deiibenu. his face “messianic-u. “I feel no desire to in- trude.” he exphinod. quietly. vptching the uplifted he“. “i believe I bl" never before me! than gentlemen." 813m: laughed. his great while angers drumming the able, “It 1- ea nceuntntnnce easily mode." be new. “provided one can elord to trot 1}: their clue, for It In money that mu at this table wplght. Mr. Hamp- ton. permit me to present Judge Keven, at Denver. and Mr. Edgar Wil- Ill. president of the T. P. I: R. I hue no Men whet they are doing In this hell-hole o! e town, but they ere deed~ came motto. and I have been trying my best to emcee them while mey're here." ‘ Humpton bowed, lama: recogniz- ing the names. “Glad to assist " he murmured. sink- Ilt into a vacant chair. “What limit?” "We live had no occasion :9 disco” that, mutter to yet," volunteered Huron, sneeflngly. “However. it you hove scruplel we might settle upon something within mason." Hampton run the undealtvpack care- lessly through hlI .fingerl', his lips smiling pleasantly. -“0h, never mlnd, it it chances to go above my pile I'll drop out. Meanwhile. I hardly'belleve there ls any cause for you to be mod- est on my account " The play opened quietly and with some restraint,“ the fame of the men remaining impulsive, their watchful glance: evidencing nothing either 01 success or failure. Hampton played with extreme caution for .some time. his eyes studying keenly the other: about the table. seeking some deeper understanding of the nature at his op- ponents, their strong and weak points, and whether or not there existed any prior arrangement between them. He was there for a purpose, a clearly de- fined purpose, and he felt no inclina- tion to accept unnecessary chances with the fickle Goddess of Fortune. To one trained in the colm observation of small things, and long accustomed to weigh his adversaries with care, it was not extremely dimcult to class the two strangers. and Hampton smiled soitly on observing the size or the rolls {other ostentatiously exhibited by them. His satisfaction was in nownys lessened by the sound of their voices, when incontiously raised in anger over some unfortunate play. He im- mediately recognised them as the iden- tlcul lndividufls who htd loudly and (sully protested over his occupancy of the but room. u the lapâ€"to]. 'Ho chuckled grimly. But yhnt bothered hlm particularly And he was handily winning. Ones-- sionaliy some other bud drew in the growinz'stock of cold and bank notes. but not often enough to oilset those - continued gains that began to heap up in such an alluring pie upon his por- tion oi the table. The lockers-on who hnd conic in began to observe this. and gnthered more closely about his chair, fascinated by the luck with which the cards came floating into his lauds, the cool judgment of his criticnl plays, the reckless abandon with which he forced success. Suddenly he forced the fight to a finish. The opportunity came in a jack-pot which Hawes had opened. The betting began with I. cool thew. . sand. Then Hampton's tum came.- -Without drawing, his cards yet. lying downward before him On the board, his calm features as immovable as the _ Sphinx. he quietly pushed his whole aocumulated pile to the center, named tho'sum, and leaned back in his chair, his eyes cold. impasslve. , Hnwes threw down his hand, wiping his streaming face with his handkerchief: Willis counted his remaining roll, hesi- ' tated, looked again at the faces of his cards, flung aside two, drawing to fill, and called loudly for a showdown, his eyes protruding. Slavin, cursing fiercely under his red beard, having drawn one card. his perplexed face in stantly brightening as he glanced at it, went back into his hip pocket for every cent he had. and- added his pro- fane demand for a ehance at the money. ‘ m an.“ The 0001. grey eyes, gunn- ing with each eppmnt negligence ecroee the “MI ill tie hands, noted every Ilkht mi 0! the red- beerded enabler. in expectation 0! do- main. lone tin of trickery, or eomo evidence that be led been eelected by this preeioue trio me u. purpoee of my plucking. Kuvery m Blevie'e etyie, but ”patently he wee lei pinyin: e airtight ulna. no doubt reel- ixiu clearly. behind tie lam" meek or e face. the utter Milli! o! eeekinz to outwit. one of W‘l envieble reputation. it was, unqueetionnhly. e iniriy (ought toubhnnded bottle. end at hot. thoroughly convinced of this. Bullp- ton settled quietly down. prep-red to play out his gene. The nuke: (rev steadily larger. Severn timee drinks were eerved. but l-lunpton contented himself with e gulp 0! water, elwnye gripping In ulixhted ciw between his teeth. He wu pinyin: now with eppnrent rechleuneu. never heeltnt- ing over 3 end. hie eye on wetehtul u hint or n hnwk. hie betting quiet. eon- fldent. nudeciogq. The collusion 0! his spirit eeemed to meet the othefl. to force them into deepente wagon. The perepirntion wee bending Blevin'e ioreheed, uni now nnd then on oath burnt nnreetreined from hie hairy llpe. Hewee end Willie est thiteteced. bout tor-ward anxiouely over the uhh. their anger: flaking no they handled the warm cards, but Hampton played without perceptible tremor, hie otter- nneee few nnd monoeyllnbic, hie celm nee betraying not the tninteet emo- Maud Exporicnco. It may be worth while recording that the list of prominent Chicano citi- zens who are reported as about to put into effect u new method of mi!“ children comprises live families, with a trial of two children.-Now York Pcst. ( To 6: routintmx)