E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 17598-h.htm or 17598-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/5/9/17598/17598-h/17598-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/5/9/17598/17598-h.zip) BETH NORVELL A Romance of the West by RANDALL PARRISH Author of "When Wilderness Was King," "My Lady of the North," "Bob Hampton of Placer," Etc. With Frontispiece in Color by N. C. Wyeth [Frontispiece: The woman never changed her posture, never seemed to realize the approach of dawn; but Winston roused up, lifting his head to gaze wearily forward.] A. L. Burt Company Publishers -------- New York Copyright A. C. McClurg & Co. 1907 Entered at Stationers' Hall, London All Rights Reserved Published September 21, 1907 Second Edition October 5, 1907 Third Edition, October 10, 1907 Fourth Edition, December 2, 1907 Fifth Edition, December 12, 1907 CONTENTS I A CHANCE MEETING II OUT 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 A TALE OF THE WEST CHAPTER I A CHANCE MEETING