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(Continued from last
‘SYNOPSIS
week).
CHAPTER I.—Arriving at the lonely
tle railroad station of El Cajon, New
xico, Madeline Hammond, New York
finds no one to meet her. While in
6 waiting room a drunken cowboy en-
ters, asks if she is married, and departs,
leaving her terrified, He returns with a
priest, who goes through some sort of
ceremony, and the cowboy forces her to
say “SL” Asking her name and learning
her identity the cowboy seems dazed. In
8 shooting scrape outside the room a
Mexican 1s killed. The cowboy lets a
conducts Madeline to Florence
sley, friend of her brother.
rl, “Bonita,” take his horse and escape, '
fro
CHAPTER II.—Florence welcomes her,
learns her story, and dismisses the cow-
Y, Gene Stewart. Next day Alfred
Hammond, Madeline’s brother, takes
Stewart to task. Madeline exonerates
him of any wrong intent.
CHAPTER III.—Alfred, scion of a
wealthy family, had been dismissed from
home because of his dissipation.
Madeline sees that the West has re-
deemed him. She meets Stillwell, Al's
employer, typical western ranchman.
Madeline learns Stewart has gone over
the border.
CHAPTER IV.—Danny Mains, one of
Btillwell’'s cowboys, has disappeared,
with some of Stillwell’'s money. His
Jrients link his name with the girl Bo-
CHAPTER V.—Madeline gets a glimpse
of life on a western ranch,
CHAPTER VI.—Stewart’s horse comes
to the ranch with a note on the saddle
asking Madeline to accept the beautiful
animal. With her brother’s consent she
does 80, naming him ‘‘Majesty,” her own
pet nickname. Madeline, independently
rich, arranges to buy Stillwell’'s ranch
jad that of Don Carlos, a Mexican neigh-
Tr.
CHAPTER VII.—Madeline feels she
has found her right place, under the light
of the western stars.
CHAPTER VIIL.—Learning Stewart had
been hurt in a brawl at Chiricahua, and
knowing her brother's fondness for him,
Madeline visits him and persuades him to
come to the ranch as the boss of her
cowboys.
CHAPTER IX.—Jim Nels, Nick Steele,
and “Monty’” Price are Madeline's chief
riders. They have a feud with Don Car-
los’ vaqueros, who are really guerrillas.
Madeline pledges Stewart to see that
peace is kept.
CHAPTER X.—Madeline and Florence,
returning home from Alfred's ranch, run
into an ambush of vaqueros. Florence,
knowing the Mexicans are after Made-
line, decoys them away, and Madeline
gets home safely but alone.
It was Alfred's voice.
“What’s the matter?’ asked Flor-
ence, as she slipped out of bed.
“Alfred, is there anything wrong?”
added Madeline, sitting up.
The room was dark as pitch, but a
faint glow seemed to mark the posi-
tion of the window.
“Oh, nothing much,” replied Alfred.
“Only Don Carlos’ rancho going up in
smoke.”
“Fire!” cried Florence, sharply.
“You'll think so when you see fit.
Hurry out.”
Florence helped Madeline to dress.
Then they hurriedly stumbled over
chairs, and, passing through the dining
room, went out upon the porch.
Away to the westward, low down
along the horizon, she saw leaping red
flames and wind-swept columns of
smoke,
Stillwell
turbed.
“Al. I'm lookin’ fer that ammunition
to blow up,” he said. “There was
enough of it to blow the roof off the
rancho.”
“Bill, surely the cowboys would get
that stuff out the first thing,” replied
Alfred, anxiously.
“I reckon so. But all the same, I'm
worryin’. Mebbe there wasn’t time.
Supposin’ thet powder went off as the
hoys was goin’ fer it or carryin’ it out!
We'll know soon. If the explosion
doesn’t come quick now we can figger
e boys got the boxes out.”
For the next few moments there was
a silence of sustained and painful sus-
pense. Florence gripped Madeline's
arm. Madeline felt a fullness in her
throat and a rapid beating of her
heart. Presently she was relieved with
the others when Stillwell declared the
danger of an explosion needed to be
feared no longer.
“Sure you can gamble on Gene Stew-
art,” he added. “There! She's smol-
derin’ down now. Reckon we-all might
Jest as well turn in again. It’s only
three o'clock.”
Madeline awakened early, but not so
early as the others, who were up and
had breakfast ready when she went
into the dining room. Stillwell was
not in an amiable frame of mind. The
furrows of worry lined his broad brow
and he continually glanced at his
watch, and growled because the cow-
boys were so late in riding over with
the news. He gulped his breakfast,
and while Madeline and the others ate
theirs he tramped up and down the
porch. Madeline noted that Alfred
grew nervous and restless. Presently
he left the table to join Stillwell out-
sido.
“They’ll slope off to Don Carlos
rancho and leave us to ride howe
elone,” observed Florence.
“Do you mind?” questioned Bade
fine,
“No, I don’t exactly mind; we've got
the fastest horses In this country; but
I've no hankering for a situation Gene
Stewart thinks—"
Florence began disconnectedly, and
appeared greatly per-
LIGHT OF.
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siie ended evasively. Madeline did not
press the point, although she had some
sense of misgiving. Stillwell tramped
in, shaking the floor with his huge
boots; Alfred followed him, carrying a
tield-glass. 2
“Not a hoss in sight,” complained
Stiliwell. *“Somethin’ wrong over Don
Carlos’ way. Miss Majesty, It'll be Jest
as well fer you an’ Flo to hit the home
trail. We can telephone over an’ see
that the boys know you're comin’.
Alfred, standing in the door, swept
the gray valley with his field-glass.
“Bill, I see running stock-horses or
cattle; 1 can’t make out which. I
guess we’d better rustle over there.”
Both men hurried out, ana while the
horses were being brought up and sad-
died Madeline and Florence put away
the breakfast dishes, then speedily
donned spurs, sombreros and gaunt-
lets.
“Here are the horses ready,” called
Alfred. “Flo, that black Mexican horse
is a prince.”
The girls went out in time to hear
Stillwell’s good-by as he mounted and
spurred away. Alfred went through
the motions of assisting Madeline and
Florence to mount, which assistance
they always flouted, and then he, too,
swung up astride.
“I guess it’s all right,” he said,
rather dubiously. “You really must
not go over toward Don Carlos’. It's
only a few miles home.”
“Sure it's all right. We can ride,
can’t we?” retorted Florence. “I de
clare he and Al were sure rattled.”
Florence dismounted and went into
the house. She left the door open.
Madeline had some difficulty in hold:
ing Majesty. It struck Madeline that
Florence stayed rather long indoors.
Presently she came out with sober face
and rather tight lips.
“I couldn’t get anybody on the
‘phone. No answer. I tried a dozen
times.”
“Why, Florence!” Madeline was
more concerned by the girl’s looks than
by the information she imparted.
“The wire’s been cut,” said Flor
ence. Her gray glance swept swiftly
after Alfred, who was now far out of
earshot. “I don’t like this a little bit.
Heah’s where I've got to ‘figger,’ as
Bill says.”
She pondered a moment, then hur-
ried into the house, to return presentiy
with the field-glass that Alfred had
used. With this she took a survey ot
the valley, particularly in the direc-
tion of Madeline's ranch-house.
was hidden by low, rolling
which were quite close by.
“Anyway, nobody in that direction
can see us leave heah,” she mused.
“There’s mesquite on the ridges. We've
got cover long enough to save us till
we can see what's ahead.”
“Florence, what—what do you ex-
pect?” asked Madeline, nervously.
“l don’t know. There's never any
telling about Greasers. 1 wish Bill
and Al hadn't left us. Still, come to
ridges
think of that, they couldn't help us |
much in case of a chase. We'd run
right away from them. Besides, they'd
shoot. I guess I'm as well satisfied
that we've got the job of getting home
on our own hands. We don’t dare
follow Al toward Don Carlos’ ranch.
We know there's trouble over there.
So all that's left is to hit the trail for
home. Come, let's ride. You sti i
like a Spanish needle to me.”
A heavy growth of mesquite cov-
ered the top of the first ridge, and
the trail went through it. Florence
appeared cautious, deliberate, yet she
lost no time. She was ominously si-
lent. Madeline’s misgivings took defi-
nite shape in the fear of vaqueros in
ambush.
Upon the ascent of the third ridge,
which Madeline remembered was the
last uneven ground between the point
she had reached and home, Florence
exercised even more guarded care in
advancing. Before she reached the
top of this ridge she dismounted,
looped her bridle round a dead snag,
and, motioning Madeline tc wait, she
slipped ahead through the mesquite out
of sight. Madeline waited, anxiously
listening and watching. All of a sud-
den she saw Majesty's ears were held
up. Then Florence's face, now strange-
ly white, showed round the turn of
the trail.
“’'S-s-s-sh!” whispered Florence,
holding up a warning finger. She
reached the black horse and petted
him, evidently to still an uneasiness
he manifested. “We're in for it,” she
went on. “A whole bunch of vaqueros
hiding among the mesquite over the
vidge! They've not seen or heard aus
vet. We'd better risk riding ahead,
cut off the trail, and beat them to the
ranch, Madeline, you're white as
death! Don’t faint now!”
“I shall not faint. But you frighten
me. Is there danger? What shall we
d07”
“There's danger. Madeline, 1
wouldn't deceive you,” went on Flop-
ence, in earnest whisper, We should—
Al should have listened to Genel! [
nelleve—I'm afraid Gene knew!”
“Knew what?" asked Madeline.
Listen. We
We'll go
“Never mind pow.
Jaren’t take the back trail.
on. [I've a scheme to fool that grin.
ving Don Carlos. Get down, Madeline
—hurry!”
Madeline dismounted.
“Give me your white sweater, Take
‘t off— And that white hat! Hurry,
Madeline.” Sbhe had divested herserf
of sombrero and jacket. which she
weld out to Madeline. “Heah. Take
these. Give me yours. Then get up
on the black. I'll ride Majesty. Rustle
now, Madeline. This is no time te
talk.”
“But, dear, why—why do you
want—? Ah! Youre going to make
the vaqueros take you for me!”
“You guessed it. Will you—"
“I shall not allow you to do any-
thing of the kind,” returned Madeline.
It was then that Florence's face.
changing, took on the hard, stern
sharpness so typical of a cowboy’s.
Madeline had caught glimpses of that
expression in Alfred’s face, and on
Stewart’s when he was silent, and on
Stillwell’s always. It was a look of
Iron and fire—unchangeable, unquench-
able will. There was even much of
“Give Me Your White Sweater.
Madeline.”
violence In the swift action whereby |
Florence compelled Madeline to the
change of apparel.
“It'd been my idea, anyhow, If
Stewart hadn’t told me to do it,” said
Florence, her words as swift as her
hands. “Don Carlos is after you—you, |
Miss Madeline Hammond! He wouldn’t
ambush a trail for any one else.
wants you for some reason. So Gene
thought, and now I believe him. Well,
we'll know for sure in five minutes.
You ride the black; I'll ride Majesty.
We'll slip around through the brush.
out of sight and sound, till we can
break out into the open. Then we'll
split. You make straight for the ranch.
: I'll cut loose for the valley where Gene
‘his |
This i you'll be on a fast horse.
said “positively the cowboys were with
the cattle. The vaqueros will
me for you. They'll chase me. They'll
never get anywhere near me. And
He can take
You home ahead of any vaqueros. But
you won't be chased. I'm staking all
on that, Trust me, Madeline. If it
were only my calculation, maybe I'd—
It’s because I remember Stewart.
( That cowboy knows things. Come,
this heah’s the safest and smartest
way to fool Don Carlos.” Madeline
felt herself more forced than per-
suaded into acquiescence. She mounted
the black and took up the bridle. In
another moment she was guiding her
horse off the trail in the tracks of
Majesty. Florence led off at right an-
gles, threading a slow passage through
the mesquite. She favored sandy
patches and open aisles between the !
trees and was careful not to break a
branch. Often she stopped to listen. :
This detour of perhaps half a mile
brought Madeline to where she could
see open ground, the ranch-house only
a few miles off, and the cattle dotting
the valley. She had not lost her cour-
age, but it was certain that these fa-
mililar sights somewhat lightened the
pressure upon her breast. Excitement
gripped her. The shrill whistle of a
horse made both the black and Majesty
Jump. Florence quickened the gait
Aown the slope. Soon Madeline saw
the edge of the brush, the gray-bleached
grass and level ground.
Florence waited at the opening be-
tween the low trees. She gave Made-
ne a quick, bright glance.
“All over but the ride! That'll sure
be easy. Bolt now and keep your
nerve!”
When Florence wheeled the fiery
roan and screamed in his ear Madeline |
seemed suddenly to grow lax and help
less. The big horse leaped into thun-
dering action. Florence's hair streamed
on the wind and shone gold in the sun-
light.
Madeline’s power of movement, anc
she spurred the black into the open.
He wanted to run and he was swift.
Madeline loosened the reins—Ilaid them
loose upon his neck. His action was
strange to her. He was hard to ride.
But he was fast, and she cared foi
nothing else. She was running away
from something; what that was she
did not know.
nameless danger Florence had men-
tioned.
Madeline listened for the pounding
of! pursuing hoofs in her rear. Invoi-
untarily she glanced back, On the
nile or more of gray level between |
ner and the ridge ‘there was not
horse, a man, or anything living. Sho
wheeled to look back on the other
side, Gown the valley slope.
Take |
It Off—and the White Hat; Hurry, |
He
take
Then hoarse shouts unclamped |
3ut she remembered |
Florence, and she wanted to look back. !
yet hated to do so for fear of the |
In zigzag flight before a whole troop of
vaqueros blanched Madeline's cheek
and made her grip the pommel of her
saddle in terror. That strange gait
of her roan was not his wonderful
stride. Could Majesty be running
wild? It flashed over Madeline thatf
Florence was putting the horse
same such awkward flight as might
lizve been expected of an eastern girl
Trightened out of her wits. Madeline
mude sure of this when, after looking
again, she saw that Florence, in spite
of the horse’s breaking gait and the
Irregular course, was drawing slowly
and surely down the valley.
Madeline had not lost her head
10 the extent of forgetting her own
mount and the nature of the ground in
front. When, presently, she turned
#igain to watch Florence, uncertainty
ceased in her mind. The strange fea-
tures of that race between girl and
vaqueros were no longer in evidence.
Mujesty was In his beautiful, wonder-
tul stride, low down along the ground,
stretching, with his nose level and
straight for the valley. Between him
and the lean horses in pursuit lay an
| ever-increasing space. He was running
| away from the vaqueros. Florence was
indeed “riding the wind,” as Stewart
| bad aptly expressed his idea of flight
upon the fleet roan.
A dimness came over Madeline's
eyes, and it was not all owing to the
sting of the wind. She rubbed it away,
seeing Florence as a flying dot in a
strange blur. What a daring, intrepid
girl! This kind of strength—and aye,
| splendid thought for a weaker sister—
| was what the West inculcated in a
woman,
The next time Madeline looked back
Florence was far ahead of her pur-
suers and going out of sight behind a
low knoll. Assured of Florence's safe-
ty, Madeline put her mind to her own
ride and the possibilities awaiting at
the ranch. She remembered the fail-
ure to get any of her servants or cow-
boys on the telephone. To be sure, a
windstorm had once broken the wire.
But she had little real hope of such
' being the case in this Instance. She
rode on, pulling the black as she
neared the ranch.
It was perhaps fortunate for her,
she thought, that the climb up the
. slope cut the black’s speed so she could
manage him. He was not very hard
to stop. The moment she dismounted,
' however, he jumped and trotted off.
At the edge of the slope, facing the
corrals, he halted to lift his head and
shoot up his ears. Then he let out a
piercing whistle and dashed down the
| lane.
i Madeline, prepared by that warning
whistle, tried to fortify herself for a
new and unexpected situation; but as
| she espied an unfamiliar company of
horsemen rapidly riding down a hollow
| leading from the foothills she felt the
..return of fears gripping at her like
cold hands, and she fled precipitously
into the house.
(To be continued).
—Get your job work done here.
Fire Takes 15,000 Lives and $500,000,-
000 Yearly.
Fire collects a national tax of $1000
a minute, according to the statistics
of the National Fire Protection Asso-
ciation, in session recently.
The annual fire loss is placed at 15,
000 lives and more than $500,000,000
by the experts, who declare 80 per
cent. of fires are preventable.
——Motor car production, which in
April broke all records, exceeded
March by ten thousand cars.
MEDICAL.
Convincing Testimony
Given by Many Bellefonte People.
2 Devienices told by Bellefonte peo-
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Those who have had weak kid-
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Who used Doan’s Kidney Pills—
Who found the remedy effective—-
Such statements prove merit.
You might doubt an utter stranger.
' You must believe Bellefonte people.
Here’s Bellefonte proof. Verify it.
Read. Investigate. Be convinced.
You'll find why Bellefonte folks be-
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| Harry Rossman, drayman, says:
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both day and night. I often had to get
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Price 60c, at all dealers. Don’t
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Fine Job Printing
0—A SPECIALTY—o
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that we can not do in the most sat-
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Call on or communicate with this
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The sight of Florence riding Majesty
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THE SHOE STORE FOR THE POOR MAN
Bush Arcade Building 58-27 BELLEFONTE, PA.
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Come to the “Watchman” office for High Class Job work.
CHICHESTER SPILLS |
Lyon & Co.
~ Special Sale
300 yards of Fine Batists, Voiles and Lawns—all col-
ors; values from 50 to 85c.—sale price 35c.
200 yards 36 in. Percale—all colors; worth 25c.—sale
price 18c.
150 yards Apron Check Gingham, only 15c. 500 yards
Dress Ginghams, worth 35 to 40c.—sale price 25c.
Good Heavy Toweling, during this sale 10c.
Royal Worcester and Bon Ton
-....Corsets.....
Our Summer stock of Corsets is just in. See our special Corset
at $1.00. Model Brassiers—the ‘Model Brassier’’ is the
best in the market. Bandeaus from 50c. up. Corset Brassiers
from $1.00 up. !
I m——
Shoes . ... Shoes
We have just received a new line of Ladies, Mens and Childrens
Shoes. Iadies in Black, Tan and White.
A new Black Satin 1-Strap Slipper at $3.50
A new Tan 1-Strap Slipper - - “4.00
A new Tan Oxford Slipper - - “ 4.00
A new White Oxford Slipper - *“ 2.25
Mens and Childrens Shoes at Special Sale Prices.
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Matting Rugs 9x12, special $5.00. Wilton and Axmin-
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SS To TV TS Te Le
Lyon & Corn