STARR, OF THE DESERT BY B.M. BOWER AUTHOR OF CHIP OF THE FLYING U, ETC. 1917 CONTENTS CHAPTER I A COMMONPLACE MAN WAS PETER II IN WHICH PETER DISCOVERS A WAY OUT III VIC SHOULD WORRY IV STARR WOULD LIKE TO KNOW V A GREASE SPOT IN THE SAND VI "DARN SUCH A COUNTRY!" VII MOONLIGHT, A MAN AND A SONG VIII HOLMAN SOMMERS, SCIENTIST IX PAT, A NICE DOGGUMS X THE TRAIL OF SILVERTOWN CORDS XI THE WIND BLOWS MANY STRAWS XII STARR FINDS SOMETHING IN A SECRET ROOM XIII HELEN MAY SIGHS FOR ROMANCE XIV A SHOT FROM THE PINNACLE XV HELEN MAY UNDERSTANDS XVI STARR SEES TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH XVII "IS HE THEN DEAD--MY SON?" XVIII A PAGE OF WRITING XIX HOLMAN SOMMERS TURNS PROPHET XX STARR DISCOVERS THINGS XXI THROUGH THE OPEN SKYLIGHT XXII STARR TAKES ANOTHER PRISONER STARR, OF THE DESERT CHAPTER ONE A COMMONPLACE MAN WAS PETER Daffodils were selling at two bits a dozen in the flower stand beside the New Era Drug Store. Therefore Peter Stevenson knew that winter was over, and that the weather would probably "settle." There would be the spring fogs, of course--and fog did not agree with Helen May since that last spell of grippe. Peter decided that he would stop and see the doctor again, and ask him what he thought of a bungalow out against the hills behind Hollywood; something cheap, of course--and within the five-cent limit on the street cars; something with a sleeping porch that opened upon a pleasanter outlook than your neighbor's back yard. If Helen May would then form the habit of riding to and from town on the open end of the cars, that would help considerably; in fact, the longer the ride the better it would be for Helen May. The air was sweet and clean out there toward the hills. It would be better for Vic, too. It would break up that daily habit of going out to see "the boys" as soon as he had swallowed his dinner. Peter finished refilling the prescription on which he was working, and went out to see if he were needed in front. He sold a lip-stick to a pert miss who from sheer instinct made eyes at him, and he wished that Helen May had such plump cheeks--though he thanked God she had not the girl's sophisticated eyes. (Yes, a bungalow out there against the hills ought to do a lot for Helen May.) He glanced up at the great clock and unconsciously compared his cheap watch with it, saw that in ten minutes he would be free for the day, and bethought him to telephone the doctor and make sure of the appointment. He knew that Helen May had seen the doctor at noon, since she had given Peter her word that she would go, and since she never broke a promise. He would find out just what the doctor thought.