Produced by Al Haines [Frontispiece: "_'Tom!' she breathed. 'Tom! you do think I betrayed you after all...'_"] PARADISE BEND BY WILLIAM PATTERSON WHITE Author of "_Hidden Trails,_" "_The Owner of the Lazy D,_" "_Lynch Lawyers_." FRONTISPIECE BY RALPH PALLEN COLEMAN A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers New York Published by arrangement with Doubleday, Page & Company COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF TRANSLATION INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN TO MY CAPE MAY COUSINS DOROTHY, BESS, AND MARION CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Tom Loudon II. At the Bar S III. Shots on Pack-Saddle IV. The Skinned Cattle V. Their Own Deceivings VI. Pestilent Fellows VII. Paradise Bend VIII. The Amazing Mackenzie IX. Authors of Confusion X. The Horse Thief XI. Rocket XII. Scotty Advises XIII. The Dance XIV. A Determined Woman XV. A Hidden Trail XVI. Kate is Helpful XVII. Mrs. Burr Relieves Her Mind XVIII. A Murder and a Killing XIX. Marysville XX. The Railroad Corral XXI. The Judge's Office XXII. Under the Ridge XXIII. The Smoke of Conflict XXIV. Before the Dawn XXV. Trail's End PARADISE BEND CHAPTER I TOM LOUDON "And don't forget that ribbon!" called Kate Saltoun from the ranch-house door. "And don't lose the sample!" "I won't!" shouted Tom Loudon, turning in his saddle. "I'll get her just like you said! Don't you worry any!" He waved his hat to Kate, faced about, and put his horse to a lope. "Is it likely now I'd forget?" he muttered. "We'd do more'n that for her, wouldn't we, fellah?" The horse, a long-legged chestnut named Ranger, turned back one ear. He was accustomed to being questioned, was Ranger. Tom Loudon loved him. He had bought him a five-year-old from the 88 ranch the year before, and he would allow no one save Kate Saltoun to ride him. For the sun and the moon, in the estimation of Tom Loudon, rose and set in the black eyes of Kate Saltoun, the exceedingly handsome daughter of John T. Saltoun, the owner of the great Bar S ranch. This day Loudon was riding into Farewell for the ranch mail, and Kate had commissioned him to do an errand for her. To serve his lady was joy to Loudon. He did not believe that she was aware of his state of mind. A flirt was Kate, and a charming one. She played with a man as a cat plays with a mouse. At which pleasant sport Kate was an adept. But Loudon realized nothing of all this. Shrewd and penetrative in his business, where Kate was concerned he saw nothing but the obvious.