Keith of the Border: A Tale of the Plains

by Randall Parrish

  Hope discovered very little difficulty in duplicating the outer garmentsKeith reported Miss Maclaire as wearing. The colors, indeed, werenot exactly the same, yet this difference was not sufficient to benoticeable at night by the eyes of a man who had no reason to suspectdeceit. The girl was in a flutter of nervous excitement as she hastenedabout the room, donning her few requirements of masquerade, yet Keithnoted with appreciation that she became perceptibly cooler as the momentof departure approached. With cheeks aflame and eyes sparkling, yetspeaking with a voice revealing no falter, she pressed his arm anddeclared herself prepared for the ordeal. The face under the shadowof the mantilla was so arch and piquant, Keith could not disguise hisadmiration.

  "Am I Christie Maclaire?" she asked laughingly.

  "Sufficiently so to fool our friend," he returned, "but I am ready toswear that lady never looked so charming."

  "A compliment, and spoken as though you really meant it."

  "Have I not been honest enough with you in the past, to be credited withhonesty now?" he protested, a little hurt by the bantering tone.

  "Of course you have; I merely talk lightly to keep my courage up. Youcan have no idea how afraid I am."

  "Then you are truly an actress, for you appear the picture of enjoyment.But we must go, or Hawley will be there before us, and thus spoil allour plans."

  They passed out through the office together, seeing no one familiar toeither, Hope keeping her face partially concealed. The east side of thestreet was less frequented than the other, having fewer saloons alongits way, and they chose its darkness. As they advanced, the longhabit of frontier life caused Keith to glance behind before they hadprogressed a block, and he was thus made aware that they were beingfollowed. Conversing lightly, and without a word to alarm the girl, heyet managed to observe every movement of the dimly outlined figure whichadvanced with them, timing every motion to theirs. Long before theycrossed the street to the Trocadero he was convinced there was nomistake--the fellow, whoever he might be, was trailing them. Keithsmiled grimly to himself, resolving that, as soon as he had left thelady, he would teach the spy a lesson not soon to be forgotten.

  They barely entered the outer circle of the Trocadero lights, notinga group of men thronging about the doors, and hearing the sound of theband within, and then turned swiftly down the narrow dark alley-wayleading toward the stage entrance. Keith, having been there before,advanced confidently, but Hope, her heart beating wildly, clung to hisarm, scarcely venturing a word in reply to his whispered assurances.Fortunately they encountered no one, and Keith, feeling cautiously inthe dark, easily succeeded in locating the opening to the vestibule.Listening intently he became convinced that no one occupied the littleshed. He had intended to remain with the girl until the time came forher to emerge, but the remembrance of that figure dogging them all theway from the hotel now caused a change of plan. He held her hand closelyclasped in his.

  "Now, Hope, I am going to leave you," he whispered, "and your own witwill have to carry you through. I know you will play your part allright, and it will be mine to wait for Christie, and give her someexplanation of why Hawley failed to meet her as he promised. It willnever do for her to suspect, until you time to learn all possible. Youare not afraid?"

  "Yes, I am," clinging to him, "but--but I am going through it just thesame."

  "The truest kind of courage, my girl. Now slip inside, but hold the doorajar. Hawley will certainly be here within ten minutes, and you mustjoin him at once, or else the other might appear. You can judge as toits being him even in this darkness. Good-bye."

  The longing to clasp her in his arms, to speak the language of hisheart, was almost overwhelming, yet the memory of that figure slinkingalong behind them, and the brief time before Hawley's probableappearance, for he would leave the theatre at the conclusion of MissMaclaire's act, restrained all demonstration. This was a moment foraction, not for words of love; no delay should hazard the success oftheir undertaking. He heard the slight creak of the door as the girlslipped within the concealment of the vestibule, and then he glided awaythrough the darkness with the stealthy silence of an Indian. There wasno one in the alley-way, which was narrow and easily explored, but theglow from the front windows plainly revealed the shadow of a man nearthe entrance, and Keith slipped up toward him, hugging the side of thebuilding for concealment, prepared to resort to harsh measures. As hereached out, gripping the astonished loiterer by the collar, the twostared at one another in surprise, and the gripping hand as instantlyreleased its hold.

  "You, Fairbain! What the devil does this mean? What are you spying on usfor?"

  Clearly taken aback, yet not greatly disturbed, his eyes showingpugnacious and his jaw set, the Doctor rubbed his throat where Keith'sknuckles had left a red welt.

  "Damn you, I think I'm the one to ask for an explanation," he growled."She said she was not going with you, and now you are around heretogether at this hour. I had a right to know whether I was being playedwith like that."

  "But, man, that was not Miss Maclaire I was with; it was Hope Waite.Come back here under the tent flap while I explain."

  Fearful of the coming of Hawley he fairly dragged the portly figure ofthe bewildered Doctor with him, striving, by quickly spoken words, tomake him comprehend the situation. Knowing previously something of theissues involved, it was not difficult to make Fairbain grasp the meaningof this present movement, yet his sympathies were at once enlisted uponthe side of Miss Christie. He'd be damned if he would have any part insuch a scheme--if she had a right to the money he'd help her get it--itwas a cowardly trick, and he'd fight if necessary, to keep her frombecoming a victim. His voice rose, his arms brandishing violently, hissentences snapping like rifle shots. Keith angered, and fearful ofa discovery which would leave Hope exposed, realized the futility ofdiscussion and turned to physical force. Grasping the gesticulating manwith both hands, he flung him backward and dragged him into the emptytent, kneeling on him as he throttled him to the earth.

  "Now, Doctor, you listen to me," he said sternly, "I'm through arguing.I hate to treat you like this, for you are my friend, but I'll not standfor interference here. Do you get that, you old fool? Lie still until Iget through! I respect your feelings toward Miss Maclaire. She is a goodgirl, and I hope to heaven you get her if you want her. But you neverwill if you permit this affair to go on. Yes, I know what I am talkingabout. In all that Hope and I do we are serving you and Christie,--ouronly fight is with 'Black Bart' Hawley. Stop being a bullet-headed oldfool, Fairbain, and understand this thing. Lie still, I tell you, andhear me out! Hawley is a liar, a thief, and a swindler. There is aswindle in this thing somewhere, and he hopes to pull out a big sum ofmoney from it. He is merely using Christie to pull his own chestnuts outof the fire. She is innocent; we realize that, but this fellow isgoing to ruin the girl unless we succeed in exposing him. He's not onlyinvolving her in his criminal conspiracy, but he's making love to her;he's teaching her to love him. That's part of his scheme, no doubt, forthen she will be so much easier handled. I tell you, Fairbain, your onlychance to ever win the interest of Christie Maclaire is to help us downthis fellow Hawley. Yes, you can sit up; I reckon you're beginning tosee clearer, ain't you?"

  Keith drew aside the flap of the tent to glance without, the lightfalling on Fairbain's face as he struggled to a sitting posture. Hehad had a new thought driven into him, yet failed to entirely grasp itssignificance.

  "But, Jack," he asked, still half angry, "how about the girl? Hasn't sheany right to this money?"

  "I don't know," honestly, "we don't any of us know, but whatever she hasthe right to she is going to get. You can bet on that, old man. We'rebucking Hawley not Christie Maclaire--get that into your head. Hehasn't any right, that's certain, for he murdered and stole to get thepapers--be quiet! Here the fellow comes now!"

  They peered out together through the convenient tent flap, Fairbainscarcely less interested than the other, already dimly comprehendingthat his truly dangerous rival was the gambler, an
d that he could bestserve the lady by helping to prove to her the real character of thatindividual. He was still blindly groping in the haze, yet out of Keith'ssharp, stinging words there had come to him a guiding light. The lattergripped his arm in restraint.

  "Easy, old man, easy--let him pass."

  Hawley turned into the alley whistling, evidently well pleased with thesituation and anticipating other delights awaiting his coming. The glowof the Trocadero's lights served, an instant, to reveal his face, shadedby the broad brim of his hat, and then he vanished into the dark. Keithleaning far out, yet keeping well within the shadows, heard the faintcreak of the vestibule door and the soft murmur of distant voices.Then he drew back suddenly, his hand again grasping Fairbain. Twofigures--those of a man and woman--emerged into the dim light, and asquickly disappeared. Apparently her hand was upon his arm, and he wasbending down so as to gain a glimpse of the face partially concealedby the folds of the mantilla. Only a word or two reached them, a littlelaugh, and the woman's voice:

  "Why, of course I hurried; you said you had something of such importanceto tell me."

  "Fairbain," spoke Keith, his lips almost at the ear of the other. "Thatwas Hope, all right, and she has got him going already. Now, man, willyou help us out?"

  "I? How?"

  "Go back there, and meet Miss Maclaire. I don't care where you takeher--lunch, anywhere; only keep her from the hotel as long as possible.You can do it far better than I, for she will not suspect you of anyinterest in this affair. Tell her any lie you can think up on account ofHawley's absence. Good Lord, old man, can't you see this is your chance;go in and win."

  Fairbain struggled to his feet, still a bit dazed and uncertain, yettempted by the opportunity.

  "You're perfectly sure, Keith, this isn't anything that will hurt thegirl?"

  "Sure! Of course I am. It's just Hawley I'm gunning after. For God'ssake, haven't you got that clear yet?"

  "I--I reckon I'm an old fool, Jack," admitted the Doctor regretfully,"and when an old fool is in love he hasn't got any sense left. AnyhowI'll do what you want me to now. Where are you going?"

  "To watch those others. There is no knowing what play Hawley might tryto pull off, and I want to keep within gun-shot of him. Hurry up, man;that vestibule door creaked just then."

  He shoved him down the dark alley, and dodged back himself across thefront of the tent out into the street. There was a crowd of men in frontof the Trocadero, but the couple he sought were nowhere in sight.

  Chapter XXIX. By Force of Arms