Beth Norvell, page 1 by Randall Parrish
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UT WITH A ROAD COMPANY III A BREAKING OF ICE IV A NEW DEAL OF THE CARDS V IN OPEN REBELLION VI THE "LITTLE YANKEE" MINE VII A DISMISSAL VIII "HE MEANS FIGHT" IX THE FORCE OF CIRCUMSTANCES X A NEW ALLIANCE XI HALF-CONFIDENCES XII THE COVER OF DARKNESS XIII TWO WOMEN XIV UNDERGROUND XV THE PROOF OF CRIME XVI A RETURN TO THE DAY XVII A COUNCIL OF WAR XVIII THE CONFESSION XIX THE POINT OF VIEW XX THE GAME OF FOILS XXI UNDER ARREST XXII THE INTERVENTION OF SWANSON XXIII A NEW VOLUNTEER XXIV AN AVOWAL OF LOVE XXV THE PROOF OF LOVE XXVI BENEATH THE DARKNESS XXVII THE SHADOW OF CRIME XXVIII ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END XXIX THE SUMMIT OF SUCCESS XXX THE MISSION OF A LETTER
BETH NORVELL
CHAPTER I
A CHANCE MEETING
There were nine altogether in the party registering. This number included the manager, who, both on and off the stage, quite successfully impersonated the villain--a rather heavy-jawed, middle-aged fellow, of foreign appearance, with coarse, gruff voice; three representatives of the gentler sex; a child of eight, exact species unknown, wrapped up like a mummy; and four males. Beyond doubt the most notable member of the troupe was the comedian "star," Mr. T. Macready Lane, whose well-known cognomen must even now awaken happy histrionic memories throughout the western circuit. The long night's ride from their previous stand, involving as it did two changes of trains, had proven exceedingly wearisome; and the young woman in the rather natty blue toque, the collar of her long gray coat turned up in partial concealment of her face, was so utterly fatigued that she refused to wait for a belated breakfast, and insisted upon being at once directed to her room. There was a substantial bolt decorating the inside of the door, but, rendered careless by sheer exhaustion of both mind and body, she forgot everything except her desire for immediate rest, dropped her wraps upon the only chair visible, and flung herself, fully dres