reat influence, and after many vain attempts, I found that I
could not obtain a hearing; that nothing remained for me to do but to
fight my own way. And I did fight it.

"Out of my father's safe I purloined a sum of money sufficient to
defray our expenses for a while, and then, taking Anita with me, I
fled from the home of my youth. I came first to Fort Laramie, where I
spent a year in the service of a fur-trader.

"My guardian, during that year, sent three men out to kill me, but
they had the tables turned on them, and their bones lay bleaching even
now on Laramie plains.

"During that year my sister met a gay, dashing young ranger, who
hailed to the name of Justin McKenzie, and of course she fell in love
with him. That was natural, as he was handsome, suave and gallant,
and, more than all, reported tolerably well to-do.

"I made inquiries, and found that there was nothing against his moral
character, so I made no objections to his paying his attentions to
Anita.

"But one day a great surprise came.

"On returning from a buffalo-hunt of several days' duration I found my
home deserted, and a letter from Anita stating that she had gone with
McKenzie to Cheyenne to live; they were not married yet, but would be,
soon.

"That aroused the hellish part of my passionate nature. I believed
that McKenzie was leading her a life of dishonor, and it made my blood
boil to even think of it. Death, I swore, should be his reward for
this infidelity, and mounting my horse I set out in hot haste for
Cheyenne.

"But I arrived there too late to accomplish my mission of vengeance.

"I found Anita and took her back to my home, a sad and sorrowing
maiden; McKenzie I could not find; he had heard of my coming, and fled
to escape my avenging hand. But over the head of my weeping sister, I
swore a fearful oath of vengeance, and I have it yet to keep. I
believe there had been some kind of a sham marriage; Anita would never
speak on the subject, so I had to guess at the terrible truth.

"And there's where you made an accursed mess of the whole affair!"
cried McKenzie, stepping into the cabin, and leading Anita forward, by
the hand. "Before-God and man _I acknowledge Anita Harris to be my
legally wedded wife_. Listen, Edward Harris, and I will explain. That
day that you came to Cheyenne in pursuit of me, I'll acknowledge I
committed an error--one that has caused me much trouble since. The
case was this:

"I was the nearest of kin to a