



Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive)









 The Golden Woman


 A Story of the Montana Hills


 By RIDGWELL CULLUM

 AUTHOR OF
 "The Way of the Strong," "The Law Breakers,"
 "The Trail of the Axe,"  Etc.

 With Frontispiece in Colors

 A. L. BURT COMPANY

 Publishers        New York

 Published by Arrangement with GEORGE W. JACOBS & COMPANY




 Copyright, 1913, by
 GEORGE W. JACOBS & COMPANY
 Published February, 1916

 _All rights reserved_
 Printed in U. S. A.




[Illustration: "It's the same book, dear, only a different chapter."]




Contents


       I. AUNT MERCY                                   9
      II. OVER THE TELEPHONE                          20
     III. THE PARIAH                                  26
      IV. TWO MEN OF THE WILDERNESS                   39
       V. THE STEEPS OF LIFE                          54
      VI. OUT OF THE STORM                            73
     VII. A SIMPLE MANHOOD                            85
    VIII. THE SECRET OF THE HILL                      96
      IX. GATHERING FOR THE FEAST                    106
       X. SOLVING THE RIDDLE                         110
      XI. THE SHADOW OF THE PAST                     121
     XII. THE GOLDEN WOMAN                           133
    XIII. THE CALL OF YOUTH                          149
     XIV. A WHIRLWIND VISIT                          158
      XV. THE CLAIMS OF DUTY                         165
     XVI. GOLD AND ALLOY                             177
    XVII. TWO POINTS OF VIEW                         187
   XVIII. WHEN LIFE HOLDS NO SHADOWS                 204
     XIX. A STUDY IN MISCHIEF                        217
      XX. THE ABILITIES OF MRS. RANSFORD             229
     XXI. THE MEETING ON THE TRAIL                   240
    XXII. A MAN'S SUPPORT                            246
   XXIII. THE BRIDGING OF YEARS                      258
    XXIV. BEASLEY PLAYS THE GAME                     273
     XXV. BUCK LAUGHS AT FATE                        286
    XXVI. IRONY                                      301
   XXVII. THE WEB OF FATE                            313
