himself for
the half regrets that persistently haunted his reflections.

It would be a moonlight night, he pondered. He had counted on riding
by the lunar glow to the "Laughing Water" claim. Would Beth, by any
possibility, attempt to see him--come out, perhaps, in the
moonlight--for a word before he should go?

He could not entertain a thought of departing without again beholding
her. He wanted to know what she would say, and when he might see her
again. After all, what was the hurry to depart? He might as well wait
a little longer.

He went to the hay-yard. Dave had disappeared. Half an hour of search
failed to bring him to light. On the point of entering a restaurant to
allay his sense of emptiness, Van was suddenly accosted by a wild-eyed
man, bare-headed and sweating, who ran at him, calling as he came.

"Hey!" he cried. "Van Buren! Come on! Come on! She's dyin' and all
she wants is you!"

"What's wrong with you, man?" inquired the horseman, halted by the
fellow's words. "What are you talking about?"

"Queenie!" gasped the fellow, panting for his breath. "Took poison--O,
Lord! Come on! Come on! She don't want nothing but you!"

Van turned exceedingly pale.

"Poison? What you want is the doctor!"

"He's there--long ago!" answered the informant excitedly, and swabbing
perspiration from his face. "She won't touch his dope. It's all over,
I guess--only she wants to see you."

"Show me the way, then--show me the way. Where is she?" Van shook the
man's shoulder roughly. "Don't stand here trembling. Take me to the
place."

The man was in a wretched plight, from fear and the physical suffering
induced by what he had seen. He reeled drunkenly as he started down
the street, then off between some rows of canvas structures, heading
for a district hung with red.

At the edge of this place, at an isolated cabin, comprising two small,
rough rooms, the man seemed threatened with collapse.

"May be too late," he whispered hoarsely, as he listened and heard no
sounds from the house. "I'm goin' to stay outside--and wait."

The door was ajar. Without waiting for anything further, Van pushed it
open and entered.

"There he is--I knew it!" cried Queenie from the room at the rear. It
was a cry that smote Van like a stab.

Then he came to the room where she was lying.

"I knew you'd come--I knew it, Van!" said the girl in a sudden outburst
of sobbing, and she tried to rise upon her pillow.