Hidden Gold

oblem which confronted him, Wade walked rapidly toward the

belonged the romance of his life, fostered in other years by the distinct preference she had shown for him. At one time, they had been reported engaged, and although the word had never actually passed between them, many things more significant than speech had contributed to the warm regard wh

cally captivating. Only when some vital cause impends is a young man likely to distinguish between the impulses of his body and the cravings of his soul, and no such vital exigency had as yet appeared in Wade's life. He wondered if she was as bea

ding his interview with the Senator, which was his first purpose. He felt sure that if Senator Rexhill could be moved to interest in Crawling Water affairs, his influence would be potent enough to secure redress for the cattlemen, and Wade me

ills were in, and he presently found himself shaking han

ained. "I'm mighty glad to see you, Gordon. Only this morning we were

my friends, who have not yet had the pleasure of meeting you. Your arrival in Crawling Water could not possibly have been more opportune. You have come just

am much interested. P

was concerned in the Crawling Water enterprise. Certainly, Moran had done very well in that, and Rexhill almost wished now that he had been less precipitate in coming to Crawling Water. If he had stayed in the East, his complicity in the affair might possibly have been concealed to the very end. He hastily cons

he situation, Rexhill permitted an oleaginous smile to o

dations, as you call them, and up to a certain point, you shall have my aid, because I seem to see that matters have gone a bit beyond bounds. But wh

it that p

to believe the trip a sentimental journey, purely. He concluded tha

reason is that I, if you please, am the moving spirit behind the company which Race Moran is representing h

an is you

sense,

more keen was his intense disappointment at this failure of his hopes. "Wou

s an extremely rich and productive section, with natural resources which will make it heard from some day, so we are anxious to obtain a portion of the valley for speculative purposes. If the railroad comes through we'

e in the valley for stock grazing purposes. I, personally, filed a claim on the land I now call my home ranch

here because sheep and cattle can't live on the same range in large numbers. Until Moran came here, we had no trouble whatever-the sheep ranchers kept to their own side of the

e power to immediately correct your hired man's mistake. So far as we cattle ranchers can learn, Moran is bringing sheep in here with the deliberate intention of starving us out of our homes. He seems to want our range and he-I'll not say you-thinks that such a course is the cheapest way to gain possession. He'll

ummed with his fin

this attitude in you a

o settle our differences among ourselves. Moran knows this as well as I do; but he forgets that the thing can work two ways. Each day that the sheep are here in the valley they spoil mor

k this over with him; in fact, I really came out here to see how things were shaping up. If things can be peacefully arranged, that's the way we want them. We're n

I felt sure that an appeal to your sense of fair play w

s voice exclaimed

o his feet and turne

ng with Wade, for the reason that all the skill of the costumer could not beautify her so much as the radiance of love now in her

Dorothy Purnell wore, and in Helen Rexhill's face there was not the same sweet simplicity of expression which distinguished her rival. Flaming love was there, to transform her from the suggestion of a lily to that of a pomegranate; but it was the love that demands and devours, rather than the constant affection which

laimed. "And I? Have I changed? Now, be carefu

said, slowly feeling his way. "Exce

that, Father? In the

ator observed judicial

ou going to sta

aughed

end upon how glad I th

ich he was not proof against, nor

knew so well how to cast about him. "You couldn't have come at a better time, either, for now there is so

ious faux pas. Truly, despite his worth as a

but you'll like her. She's Miss Doro

el. Although she was not socially adept in concealing her real feeling, W

a little photograph of you both on horseback. Just see how her

ght dawned

wondered at the time. I thought it pretty impudent of him, but, o

in amount of pique, for the implication was manifestly that if Race Moran had

e, reflecting that, after all, she was most fond of Wade because of his naturalness. Maxwell F

Senator turned to bend over an open traveling bag on a nearby chair. "Is he-do you-?" A

f course, I was." She leaned toward him a trifle, a mere swaying of her bod

better mind his own bu

ng human, Wade kissed her; the Senator bei

did not actually see the kiss, could hardly have failed to suspect it from their embarrassed manner. He

eir talk, the agent spoke in a carefully guarded undertone with his employer. The news he brought,

go over to the offic

d it's cooler out. I'll show you something of our little metropolis. Or, I tell you what we'll do! Why not let me take you over

alls, but not before Race Moran. Before him, she would not humble Wade in the least degree, if only because to do so would reflect upon he

said, when the two young people had le

ou see how it plays right into our hands? It's the greatest thing

man shot, Race?" Senator Rexhill's tone was very dry and

an attitude

Senato

od, Race, you mustn't go too far! We're tr

ime. This one in particular has been brewing fo

lls upon Wade, who is at the head of the cattle faction and who, as you say, threatened

gerly. "Fortune has place

He's broken my bread, Helen likes him. We call him a friend, in fact. I always play square with my friends-as f

h in bringing the news to Rexhill had not been for their mutual cause alone; it had seemed to Moran to point toward the end of his rivalry with Wade for

've run a mighty big bluff on these cattle people, but I did it because it was the only way. I've held my own so far, but when they find out that it's not farm land we're after, but ore-why, Senator, there'll be no holding them at all! With Wade

a significant whisper-"i

m out," interposed the Senator

our side. No, sir, once we get him in jail, we've got the law with us and against him, don't forget that. Then the cattle party wou

rasped Rexhill. "If we fail to p

eyes g

s the only way,

ess

all comes into the family." Upon that poin

never will," said the Senator grimly. "I'm not selling

extent of his power to have aborted such a marriage, but if the Senato

d of, an old man named Santry," the

fellow. He must be nearly ready for the bone yard by this time anyhow. Saddle it on him,

evotion," the agent sneered, "bu

possible, though, that Santry might have been mixed up in such a brawl. Get him arrested, and then we'll let Wade know, gradually

ight. I'll have a

of strategy, I had to pretend that I would help him. Move them across the Divide until we

se. "The sheep don't c

"that you've done pretty well so far. If you stick to it, you'll not find

ming to summon coura

he said slowly. "There are some things that mean more

that he could not deal squarely with this aspirant for his daughter's hand. He had been sincere in saying that he would never barter her to further his

now she's too much occupied elsewhere, perhaps. But all my hopes are fixe

de what his face migh

was new to him, "you know what I think of you. As for