Tliesttre.
9
clouds of dust and profanity, and de the edge, threw himself flat and s»r I
night, the girl maneuve"ed her hors': parted in search of a mount to replace bitterly, with an accent of griev^l
“Give me a thousand on account,' said to tlie side of Hopi Jim. and then
» n ;|t
j liken all tb"‘ tr»
horse that had been shot under as he rose.
the other, "and a paper saying you 11 dropped back, pern itting Marrophat the
CHAPTER XXXVl.
liddie
From the canyon below a dull no' I
I hcose loose i»i t'i
him; and Judith sat her horse calmly,
pay
me
nineteen
thousand
more
in
ex
to lead the t.ay with Texas.
of my
of galloping hoofs advertised too B
i trestle St the li
smiling
sweet
insolence
into
the
exas
herself
to
change for it and one dead man. prop-
As deliberately she set
Detail.
to go
ly the failure of their attempt.
“ I
didr't have the n-
of Marrophat.
the bandit’s susceptibility perated countenance fugitives
erly identified as the one you went— work l upon
Across the pl in purple shadows with the bu.im . *!'
,
disap-
And
Hopi
Jim
turned
back
only
.
I
Incidentally
the
disap
were sweeping, clot e-ranked. like som-i I "We went threu," '1 V
signed by you- i—and your man'B as to her charms.
find Judith mounted, reining her hor<- I
peared
round
a
bend
in
tlie
road
that
this
minute,
providing
vast dark army invading the land, rcfl!"'l Marmplcit <1-
Within an hour the had him ready
good _j
as dead
led directly into the wild and barren in between him and Marrophat, I
in riding distance of this beta to do anything‘to win her smile.
pouring cn over the rampart of moun as usual, they »tr
he's 1-
prepared to give emphasis to what si I
heart
of the Painted hills.
In that first rush cf golden day a-
tains in the east.
car.”
T hey Jumi ’ d out a
had to say with an automatic pfcJ I
in
the
brief
interval
that
elapsed
be
his
hand
at
his
s'-cre-
Within the rlrn of hills that ringed ties tie before our
thwart
the
land,
the
party
came
quietly
.3 waved__
Trine
that nestled snugly in her palm. ‘ I
fore
his
return
with
Hopi
Jim,
Marro-
Jimmy,
find
a
thousand
dolíais
the plain like the chipped and broken I boose. W« sura
into the town of Mesa, riding slowly in
tary. ’------- ------
"One moment, Mr. Slade,’ she tn, I
phat
contrived
to
persuade
the
bandit
for this gentleman. Make out th« order that the noise of their approach
flange of a titanic saucer, siienco I wood Lut th») pot
gested evenly. "Just a moment before I
that
Judith
had
been,
at
least
indi
paper he indicates for tne balance, might not warn tlie fugitives, who
brooded and solitude held «way— to niina the era h.
you break the sad news to Mr. Marr» I
dwarfing the town of Detail that oc I we bad stepp- d and c re d <
Hopi asserted confidently would still rectly, r< sponsible for the catastrophe,
and 1'11 sign it.”
cupied the approximate middle of th« ’ engineer—woll, it V ¿18 dark
"Ain’t you powerfl I trustful, Mr. be sound asleep in tlie accommoda with the upshot that, temporarily phat. I’ve something to say that need, I
blinded to her fascinations by the glit your attention—likewise, your respect I
sagebrush waste, to proportions even I w ay ot telling whit 11
Trine? now do you know ill do any tions offered by the town’s one hotel
J
It is this: I am parting company »¡u I
less significant than might be inferred run.”
thing more'n pocket that thousand and
It was to be termed a town only in ter of nineteen thousand dollars in the you and Mr. Marrophat. I am riding 2
near
distance,
Mr.
Siade
maintained
from the candor of its christening.
but
fade
delicately
away.
”
courtesy, this Mesa: a straggling
The girl started to sp
A platform, a siding, a water tank, a dropped limp h nd- at
"My daughter and this gentleman, street of shacks, ramshackle relics of his distance and a deaf ear to her on toward the west, by this trail. ;
Wei's Fargo offbe and a telegraph «nd - relied her ey ! ~
Mr. Marrophat, will accompany you.” what bad once been a promising com I blandishments. The only information either of you care to follow me"— I
automatic flashed ominously in th« I
ticket office, backed by three rough
"Oh, that’s the way of it, is it?"
oi
munity. the half-way station between as to their purpose that she was able
’ V. a uo
frame buildings; that is Detail ‘.t.m- served. “ We
“Name?" interjected the secretary, the railroad and tho mining camps to extract from either man, when the sun glare—"it will be with full kno»; I
ixt-d completely.
writing busily with the top of his at- secreted in the fastnesses of the Paint pursuing party turned aside from the edge of the consequences. Mr. Marnj. I
i comething
Shortly after nightfall the steel rib pens to tip
tache case tor a desk.
ed hills—canii« now abandoned, their main trail, some distance from Mesa, phat will enlighten you if you have I
doubt of my ability to take careot I
bons of the Santa Fe began to bum. A
“
Slade,
”
baid
the
bandit,
“
James
him
with
The girl
very names almost faded out of the was that Hopi Jim knew a short cut any
headlight peered suspiciously round a I.lazing ey.
through the range, via what he termed myself in Buch affairs as this. If yoj I
does that Slade.” Again Trine punctured the at memory of mankind.
shoulder of the eastern rang", took mean?” slu
¡11 a dangerous
mosphere with his index finger. "The
Midway in this string cf edifices the the upper trail, by which they hoped are well advised, you will turn back I
heart of col* age to find tire plain still voice.
man whose life 1 want is named Alan hotel stood—a rough, unpainted, wood I to be able *o head the fugitives off be and report failure to my father.”
She nodded curtly and swung her I
wrapped in peace, and trudged stolid
shoulders, Law. He is running away with my en editice, mainly veranda and bar- fore they could gain the desert on the
Marrophat Ijfl
ly toward Detail, the engine whose ’'Nothing—mu(
horse round.
■d. "I am daughter, Rose, accompanied by a per room as to its lower floor.
far side of the hills.
eye It was pulling after it a string of r-niy thinking hov
"And what shall I tell your father
it 1« that son named Barcus, disguised as a Pull
Jealously Judith watched tho
I Only at long intervals did they draw from you ?” Marrophat demanded
freight cars, both flat and box.
rein
to
permit
Hopi
Jim
to
make
re-
man porter—”
■Mr. Law can’t be
and
dows of the second floor:
I connoissance of the lower trail that sharply.
At De’all the train paused, Its i r stra'nrm!—wh-.
"The three of them having recent’ alone of the four detected tlie face
crew alighted and engaged in ani- Miss Judith!"
“What you please,” the girl replied,
escaped from a train wreck up yonder showed for one brief instant well back threaded the valley on the far side of
mated argument. Detail gathered that
flashing an Impish smile over shoulder I
The girl’s hands were clenched lido on the trestle?” Hopi Jim interposed. in the shadows beyond one of the bed the ridge.
tile excitq/m ut was due to the unac lists, white knuckhs Bhowing through
"Yoq’ve met them?” Judith demand room windows—a face that glimmered
Toward noon he returned in haste “But, since when I part company with I
countable disappearance of the ca i he flesh. " You cunt in pt i ble puppy!” ed, whirling round.
from the last of these surveys— you, I part with him as well—for allot I
momentarily
with
the
pallor
of
a
boose; none seemed to have any no i lie snai ped. . . .
"About an hour ago, or maybe an ghost's against the background of that scrambling recklessly down the moun- me, you may tell him to go to the I
tion as to how it could have broken
hour and a half,” Hopi Jim replied, "a obscurity, and then was gone.
But cn this her vol
I tain-side and throwing himself upon devil!”
loose; yet missing it conspicuously lyes traveled past t
good ways down the road. They I Her eyes alone, indeed, could have . his horse with the advice:
“Well,” Mr. Marrophat admitted con I
I
was.
' Lirrophat to the do»-
stopped and ast where they could get recognized tlie features of Alan Law i “We've headed ’em—can make it fldentially to Mr. Slade, "I’m damned!’ I
In the pause that followed, v.-hlle a irg room and tour
put up for the night. I kindly directed in that fugitive glimpse.
“And that ain’t all," Mr. Slade con I
, now if we ride like all get-out!”
report wae telegraphed to headquar I 'a anger.
them on to Mesa, down in tho Painted
Two sentences exchanged between
For half an hour more they pushed tided in ’Mr. Marrophat, whipping out I
ters and Instructions returned to pro
"Excuse me, frleni
hills yonder.’
Hopi Jim and a blear-eyed fellow 1 on at the best speed to be obtained his own revolver: “You’re being held ]
ceed without delay, one of the train fi lazy, semiJiumon ;
whom he roused from sodden slumbers ! from their weary animals, at length up, too. I’ll take those guns of your't, i
men spied n boyish figure lurking in ine considerable to
CHAPTER XXXVII,
behind the bar sealed their confidence j ' drawing rein at a point where the trail friend, and what else you’ve got about |
the open door of an empty box car. happy family gat In i
with conviction: the three fugitives ! crossed the ridge and widened out you that’s of value, including your hots j
Cunningly boarding th!« car fiom the is busfnets. same r.u
Fireplay.
were in fact guests of the house, oc I upon a long, broad ledge that over- —and when you get back to old man I
opposite aide, the trainman caught to ast you-all to pk
Contented with tho promise of a cupying two of tho three rooms that i hung the valley of the lower trail, with Trine you can just tqll him, with my I
the skulker unawares and booted him I ands!"
thousand dollars advance on his con- , composed its upper story.
a clear drop to the latter from the best compliments, that I’ve quit the I
valngloilotisly Into the night
"What do you want
tract, providing he returned with
job and lit out after that daughter o! I
As the figure alighted and took to manded
In the rush that followed up the brink of a good two hundred feet.
horses within a stipulated time, Mr. narrow stairway, Judith led with such
its heels, loelng itself in the darkness,
ais’n. She's a heap sight more attrac
One
hasty
look
back
and
down
into
hy,” drawled the bandit, "nothing
it uttered a cry of pained surprise and in particular oniy your cash. Shell Hopi James Slade drifted quietly away spirit that not even Marrophat sus the valley evoked a grunt of satisfac tive than nineteen thousand dollars i
i
into
the
desert
night
protest which drew a wrinkle of as out, if you pleas»- ,;euts all and the
pected her revolver was poised solely
and not half so hard to earn!”
Well coutent, persuaded that the with intent to shoot from his hand his tion from Hopi Jim.
tonishment between tin brows of the lady, toe.” lie ran an nppre-lative
“
Just
in
time,
”
he
asseverated.
"Here
morrofl-'s sun would never set upon a own revolver the instant he leveled I
trainman.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
s they come! Ten minutes more
. .
fiance down the lirui-e which Judith’s
"Rounded like a woman’s voice," be ulsgulso ret» tied rafh-r then <-on- world tenanted by one Alan Law, that it at a human target.
His smile answered Marrophat's
monomaniac,
Seneca
Trine,
forgot
ills
truiH-d; then dismissed the suggestion ccaled.
Closed and locked doors confronted with unspeakable cruel significance.
Burnt Fingers.
you'll pardou my takin’ recent ill temper and set himself diplo-
n.i obviously absurd.
them; and their summons educed no
Once 6he had lost touch with herfi-
“Texas will sleep better tonight
It was not. . . ,
response; while the first door, when when he knows how I’ve squared the ther's creatures, the girl drew rein i
Shortly after the freight train hod
broken in by a whole touled kick, dis deal for him!” the bandit declared.
and went on more slowly and can- j
gone on Its way—before, indeed, the
covered nothing more satisfactory
"What are you going to do?” Judith tiously.
glimmer of Its rear lights had been
than an empty room, its bed beaiing demanded, reining her horse in beside
Below her, in the valley, the lower
Inst among the western hills- a sec
the imprint of a woman's body, but Marrophat as the latter dismounted.
trail wound its facile way. From time
end headlight appeared in the east
that woman gone.
A gesture drew her attention to a to time she could discern upon some
swept swiftly seres» the plain and In
From the one window, looking down huge boulder poised insecurely on the naked stretch of its length a cloud of
turn sli t> •• d rl D t ill
the side of the house, Texas announced very lip of the chasm.
Just, or perhaps three mounted flg
The »»rond t-lrd-of-passage prove
that the woman had not escaped by
"We're going to tip that over on ures, scurrying madly on with fear of
tn be a locomotive d:u*mg a slngl
jumping out.
your friends, Miss Judith!” Marrophat death snapping at their heels.
tar—a • ullman
So it seemed that the three must replied, with a smack of relish in his
It was within an hour of midnight,
Hardly hnil I’ run past the switch
have had warning of their arrival, i voice.
“Simple—neat—efficient—eh? a night bell-clear and bitter cold on
bo-.evei. v ben t ie brnke:n:‘ii dr»ppe<
after all; and presumably were now What more can you ask?"
the heights, and bright with moon
down. I <>l quick.- ba- » Io the n.iiic.
herded together in the adjoining room,
She answered only with an irrepress light, when Alan’s party made its last
und tliiew it open.
which looked out over the veranda ible
gesture of horror. Marrophat’s pause and camped to rest against the
IToiiiptly tho tr In b.icl.ed cn to thi
roof, waiting in fear and trembling
laugh
followed her ae she turned away. lawn, unconscious of the fact that, a
siding
for the assault that mu3t soon come—
As the Bullmsti j lied aero«« thi
For some moments she strained her ¡uarter of a mile above them, on the
and
in
fact
immediately
did.
frogs tlie brakemiiii, Interposing him
But it met with more stubborn re I vision vainly, endeavoring to pene ipper trail, a lonely woman paused
self between It and tne tender, re
sistance
than had been anticipated. trate the turbulent currents of super- vhen they paused and made her own
loured the coupling.
The door had been barricaded from h(»ted air that filled the valley. Then ramp on the edge of a sharp declivity.
liv the time that the Pullman line
The level shafts of the rising sun
within
— re-enfcrced by furntture she made out indistinctly the faintly
come to a full atop on the siding, tin
marked line of the lower trail; and iwakened her. She sat up, rubbed her
placed
against
it.
Four
minutes
and
Il < omotlve was »winging westward
the united efforts of four men (includ immediately she caught a glimpse of eyes, yawned, stretched limbs stiff
llle ii scared Jickiablilt though n<
ing the bleary loafer of the barroom) three small figures, mounted, toiling with the hardship of sleeping on un
inch lailk-und watery characteiIziitloi
were required to overcome its inert re painfully toward the point where death yielding, sun-baked earth—and of a
ot the traitor passed the lips of any
sistance.
But even when it was down, awaited them like a bolt from the blue. mdden started up, surprised by the
one of the three men who prea°ntly
Hastily she glanced overshoulder: ¡rating of footsteps on the earth be-
the
room
was
found to be as empty as
appealed on tho Pullman's platforn
Hopi Jim and Marrophat, ignoring her, lind her.
the first.
amt shook Impotent tlsls In the dime
Before she could turn, however, she
Only the fingers of two hands grip were straining themselves against the
tlon taken by the fugitive engine.
ping the edge of the veranda roof I boulder without budging it an inch, was caught and wrapped in the arms
When tile lust of these had run tern
showed the way the fugitives had for all its apparent nicety of poise. For of Hopi Jim.
pornrlly out of breath ami blasphemy
flown; and these vanished instantly as i an instant a wild hope flashed through
She mustered all her strength and
n brief silence fell, puuctuuted by
her mind, but it was immediately ex wits and will for one last struggle—
the room wae invaded.
I roans from each, and concluded by
Followed a swift rush of hoofs down orcised when Hopi Jim stepped back and In a frenzied moment managed to
tlie sound of a voice calling from th»
the dusty street, and a chorus of blas and uttered a few words of which only break his hold a trifle, enough to en
interior of the cur a voice as strange
phemy in tlie hotel hallway: for Ju- two—“dynamite” and “fuse”—reachec. able her to snatch at the pistol hang
ly sonorous of tone as it was curiously
querulous of accent.
Jith had headed the concerted rush her ears.
ing from her belt and present it at his
Knee'ing beside the boulder he dug head.
for the staircase and contrived to
The three men Immediately ran back
block it for a full half minute by pre- busily for an instant, then lodged the
Into the car and presented themselvei
Marrophat at Her Elbow to Egg Her Cn.
But it exploded harmlessly, spend
tending to stumble and twist her stick to his satisfaction, attached the ing its bullet on the blue of the morn
with countenances variously apolo
gctlr, to oii < w ho occupied a comer ol notice,"
fuse, and breaking off, edged on hie ing sky. The bandit caught her wrist
ankle.
amended "Perhaps
the drawing room a man wrapped iu wouldu t if the lady s clothes didn't tti I matically to adjust the differences be
In spite of that alleged injury, she belly to the edge of the cliff and in time, thrust it aside and subjected
tween
his
daughter,
Judith,
and
hie
a steamer rug aad a cloud of fury.
never limped, r.nd wasn’t a yard. be- looked down, carefully calculating the it to such cruel pressure and such ear
her so all tired quick!’
first lieutenant, Marrophat.
Now when ho had drained thi
hind the first who broke from t lie i length of the fuse by the distance of sge wrenchings that the pistol dropped
"Keep a civil ton;-,no in your head,
it
was
no
facile
task:
Marrophat
i>ii ' Jv troth of profanity from his tern my man! Judith counseled, without
ho
’el to the op- n, nor yet appreciably the party down below from the spot from fingers uumbed with pain.
could not be trusted tn work with e
I er it left a clear and efterveacenl any show of fear.
where the rock must fall.
behind him in vaulting to saddle.
single
mind
because
of
bls
infatuation
And now all hint of mercy left his
v i II ot nil I, hi h ■ -r tli- wi.uh ol
Well up the road a cloud of smoky
At the same time het- father's voice for Judith: Judith could no more b<
But while l:e was so engaged and eyes; remained oniy the glare of rage.
Hie valetudinarian bigaii to vent Itsell brought her to her hciibi
dust
half
obscured
the
shapeB
of
three
Marrophat aided him, all eager inter He put forth all his strength in turn,
trusted faithfully to serve out her vow
i pon tlx- I'apleis heads ut the trio who
"Judith! He quiet, Let lue dea) to bring Alan l.aw to her father's feet. who rode for lheir very lives.
est, Judith was taking advantage of and Judith was as a child in his hands.
siuud before him.
with thij gentleman, 1 aui sure v.e , alive or dead, because—O cruel irony
The pursuit was off in a twinkling their disregard of her.
In .half a minute he had her helpless,
,Ä
Whi’o this was
In process, the can ooine to some arrang ment."
and well bunched —Marrophat’s mount
Hurriedly unbuttoning her jacket,
of
Fate!
—
she
herself
bad
fallen
in
¡el .-ii of I yl?!i cp|:taiauce, who had
“You bet your life." a| t-d the gen- love with that same man whose death leading by a nose, Judith second, Hopi she whipped a playing card from her in as much time more her back was
breaking across his knee, while he
I - - n keeping religiously aloof and tn tieman as the glrl mutinously stepped
Jim and Texas but little in the rear.
conspicuous In tin- background of lie back. “1 know what I vaut, and you she had pledged herself to compass. And in the first rush they seemed to pocket, a trey o' hearts, and with the bound her with loop after loop of hie
tr'i ev. r since that unhappy affair »11 know you pot it: so the naine ol Only when, as now, half mad with gain; moment by moment tiny drew stub of a pencil scribbled three words rawhide lariat.
on its face—"Danger! Go back!”
Then, leaving ner momentarily
w'h th- irdnmin. stole quietly up to the Baid arrangement ia juat 'shell jealousy, determined to see Alan dead up on the flying cloud of dust.
rather than yield him to the woman
Then finding a small, flatfish bit of supine on the ground, Hopi Jim caught
the rear of the stalled I’ullman, JUt.’ ’’
Judith
heard
an
oath
muttered
be
he loved, her «liter, might Judith be
I rock, the bound the card to it with and unhobbled her horse, and without
<1 nbarl at"-i<rd. and creeping down
"Ono minute," tt
inter- counted upon to serve her father in side her and saw Marrophat jerking a a bit of string; and with one more troubling to saddle it, lifted the girl
l ie aisle un. eie.noniously interrupted posed. “Don't n.'su
me : I his lust for vengeance as he would bo revolver from its holster. The weapon I backward glance to make sure she
tne c.-nfvrcnio just as the Invalid «au tuarantee you shall be m
satis- served—and even so not without Mar swept up aril to a level; but as the was not watched, approached the to its back, and placed her there, face
|- dishing of! .i iii le but I onost opinion led. I give you my » ord
upward, catching her hands and feet,
\\ V d
rophat at her elbow to egg her on hammer fi ll, Judith's horse caromed brink.
i i the Inlellcctual calibi-r of one of the of Seneca Trine."
as they fell on either flank of the ani
heavily
ug
rr.st
the
other,
av.inging
it
through her resentment of his survcil-
ttl'ei n med Mairopliat. who figured
Iiopi Jim was meticulously shorten
The eyes of the
1. lance. Neither could be trusted, in half a dozen f< ot aside, and deflecting ing the fuse, Marrophat kneeling by mal, with more loops of that unbreak
ss h,s right hand in.’.n and familiar ''No? Is that so? g
able rawhide, and d.ftly placing the
deed. to work alone to the desired con the bullet hopelessly.
f. Ullus.
his side.
master knot of the hitch that bound
railroad king ? Sure's
The
shock
of
collision
was
so
great
summation; for Trine had secret rea
Amen to that!" the boyish person you're him;
In the canyon below the‘three were this human pack well beyond possi
I've
seen
son to fear lest Marrophat might, that M.-.rrofhat kept Ills scat xlth dif within two minutes of the danger bility of her reach.
rjsculated with candid fervor, loung hi the papers
given opportunity, connive nt Alan's ficulty. He turned toward Judith a point
ltiy gtacelessly in the doorway 1 now. It looks a dozen I
She panted a prayer for mercy. He
like I’d i!
escape In order that he might ntarrv face livid with rage.
ihere's many a tiue word spoken In house to this pair
It was no trick at all to drop the laughed in her face, bent and kissed
of deui
Simultaneously,
ns
Hose and so throw Judith back Into
v rath. Mr Marrophat. Father forgot J
stvne so that it fell -Ithin a dozen her brutally, and stepped back laugh
You ought to be able to ; .r. something his, Marrophat's, arms.
as the signal for a
only one thing—your masterly way ' handsome
feet of the leading horseman.
—"
ing io admire his handiwork . . .
saw Alan lean back
Boor, deluded fool!
with a revolver. From what I've seen
She saw him rein in suddenly, dis-
Thus he stood for an instant be
1
*
rtiup
aud
open
fire.
Such was the private comment of
« f that, this day. I’ll go ball that the
( meunt. cast a look aloft, then dismount tween the horse and the edge of the
An instant later his companion. Bar- I and pick up the warning.
only safe place for a man you pull a than you dream of If you II do as I Marrophat's mast<<.
declivity, a fair mark, stark against
For all that, It was the man and not cu. lantat-. d his example.
».on on is right in front of the muxsle. wish." Trine interrupted quickly "Do
| As the others joined him, he de the sky, for one who stood in the val
me
the
service
I
wish-end
’
name
his daughter, whom Trine designated
1 here a something downright uncanny
in immediate consequence, Texas
price whatever It 1«. vou shall to lead the expedition, cunningly uo| ed reins, slumped forward over tached the card and showed it to them. ley below, holding his rifle with eager
In the wav you can hit anything but i your
; At the same time Hopi Jim and Mar Angers, waiting for just such oppor
have
it!
”
what vou alm at!"
counting on Judith's chagrin to work
rophat jumped up and ran back, each
!
Nothing
could
bt
falrer
’
n
that!
”
upon
her
passions
and
excite
her
to
Judith!" exclaimed the Invalid.
saddle for a moment, then losing the seizing and holding his horse by nose tunity with the same impatience »¡th
the
two-gun
man
admitted
suspicious-
which he had waited for it evet since
'Where did you drop from?"
ono lust. mad. blind attempt that stirrups, pitched headlong to I the and bridle.
ly. "But what's the number of thia should prove successful.
ground; while Hopi Jims 1 horse I Constrained to do likewise lest she the noise of debris kicked over the
From that freight,” Judith ex I I here
service—like you call it?"
plained carelessly, neglecting to elucl-
Smiling bls secret smile. Trine an stopped short, precipitating his rider lose her mount. Judith waited with a edge by the struggling man and
Listen
to me." Trine bent his head nounced his decision at the last mo- I overhand, ar.d dropped dead.
woman had drawn his attention to
mite ttie exact fashion of her drop. "I
lightened heart . . ,
what was going on above.
judged you d be along presently, and forward and jabbed the air with an meut. while Hop! Jim waited with hia ’
I
The explosion smote dull echoes
Alan pressed the trigger and ths
ho»gM Id like to learn the new. emphatic forefinger. “What's the life horses and an assistant—one Texas—
CHAPTER XXXVIII
from the flanks of the Painted hills, shot sounded clear In the morning
of a mau worth in thia neck of the for whose utter innocence of scruple«
' »1 what luck?"
■
woods?”
all drowsing in the noon-day hush; stillness, Judith saw a look of ag
•Mr. Slade unhesitatingly vouched.
The Upper Trail.
*'»h hl. one
"How much you got?”
the boulder teetered reluctantly on the grieved amazement cross the face oi
K
the
ten
minutes'
delay
nrcessi-
Sullenly
submissive,
at
least
in
out
a-irteA mm "UW7 Mr M'rw»Phat
’Hl pay you ten thousand dollars
brink, then disappeared with a tear
tated
ward seeming. Judith bowed to this de
by this reverse, a number of ing sound followed by a rush of earth Hopi Jim Slade.
P t n.
The other, shuf-
more
' •< unw.lly .nd looked all wav. but tor tho life of the man 1 will name."
Then he threw his hands out, clawed
less innocent bystanders
The eyes of the b.i'ulu -arrowed cision. marched out of the car, and nl krd _ or
gravel; a wide gap appeared in blindly at the air, staggered, reeled
■»
the gtrt tn mau'a clcthln«
vti the man Texas and carried and
suffered Marrophat to help ht-r mouut
the
brink
of
the
trail.
"Hold
on.
my
frhn-l
1«
that
what
you
ner nor».?.
- ->1 ' '
ln”rn-’’J "You
against the horse's flank so hen-ilj
Off t , breathe his last beneath a
Leaving Marrophat to hbld the two that it shied in fright, and abrupJj
—a t uv*u U> leU mr that aftw j Lad tall my naming my own pr!c< 1“
>w . b rately, as the lit»',.»
1 oi I
:u nicked i.imself up, (frightened
“Name it, then.' „...j t . , m
I
horses while the girl «hot tom
Over tfoe e<jge of the
cado rod« ihrougu j£q tuuvUlt desu^ tat-hU ilia pt.o. U
Xi
I
A
, "cotLed her own, the wu> Ji; pished t»
NyX