Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: Hunt’s arms were around the girl and he held her fast.] THE HEART OF CANYON PASS By THOMAS K. HOLMES Author of _“The Man From Tall Timber” etc._ A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers New York Published by arrangement with George Sully & Company Printed in U. S. A. Copyrighted, 1921 (as a serial). Copyright, 1921, by GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY _All rights reserved_ _Printed in U. S. A._ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. Discontent at Canyon Pass 1 II. Discontent at Ditson Corners 18 III. A Shadow Thrown Before 30 IV. Philosophy Bound in Homespun 38 V. How the Passonians Took It 46 VI. The Approach 58 VII. The First Trick 69 VIII. A Flower in the Mire 78 IX. A Beginning 91 X. Mutterings of a Storm 99 XI. The Storm About To Burst 111 XII. Tolley’s Tale 122 XIII. Plans Are Made 130 XIV. The Great Day Arrives 141 XV. Pep and a Little Pepper 152 XVI. Love and Longing 161 XVII. A Battle in a Girl’s Heart 169 XVIII. The Shadow on Betty’s Path 177 XIX. A Good Deal of a Man 189 XX. Murder Will Out 197 XXI. The Drama of a Lie 211 XXII. A Face in the Storm 219 XXIII. A Great Light Dawns 229 XXIV. The Barrier Down—for a Moment 237 XXV. Understanding 246 XXVI. Threatening Weather 256 XXVII. Several Conclusions 265 XXVIII. Catastrophe 273 XXIX. His Last Card 286 XXX. Clearing Skies 297 THE HEART OF CANYON PASS CHAPTER I—DISCONTENT AT CANYON PASS