CHAPTER XI-—Continued
a] Fen
“My spirit wouldn't faint at that,”
she replled. “I saw you kill the
wretch—and I could help you bury
him.”
“I won't need you,” replied Jim, con-
strainedly, and wheeled away. Madly
he rushed to and fro, while he searched
the dead robbers, to fling their money
and valuables in a pile. Then he
dragged them to the brink of the wash
and toppled them over,
Action had begun to steady Jim, If
not compose him. He shoved all the
money into his saddlebag. Next he
packed every one of his shells. He
might be attacked again in that hiding
place. Then he selected supplies for
two packs and filled them, not forget-
ting a few utensils.
His next move was to strap blankets
and saddles on the two gentlest horses,
Those he led back to the cave, where
he packed them. After that he had
only to saddle Bay and the gray horse
Helen had ridden there.
Suddenly he thought of Smoky. If
he had been alone, or with another
man, even a helpless one, he would
have taken time to find that strange
and faithful robber and have given
him decent burial. But he would not
leave the girl
While he stood there, trying to think
what else to do, he remembered a sack
of grain that Hays had packed from
Star ranch. He found It half full and
tied It on the lighter pack.
He hurried back to the girl, calling:
“Are you ready?”
“I've been walting,” she said, and
came swiftly out. The rider's costume
brought out the rounded grace of her
form. She had braided her hair. The
sombrero he remembered shaded her
face
“Where are your
coat? asked Jim,
that unforgettable day.
“He burned them,”
in a stifled voice.
“Get Into this.” And he held his
slicker for her. It enveloped her,
dragged on the ground.
“We're In for storm.
due. You must keep dry.”
Turning to the gray
mounted,
“Ride close beside me where there's
room. Just ahead where there's not”
he directed her.
Jim tied the halters of the two pack
animals to their packs, and started
them off. Then he vaulted upon Bay
—the first time for many The
horse pranced, but steadied down un-
der an iron hand and heel
Helen looked back as one fascinated,
but Jim bent stern gaze ahead.
“1 would destroy this canyon if that
were in my power. Come,” he said.
They rode up out of the oval, driv-
ing the pack horses ahead. The rain
was now falling heavily. On the
gravel ridge to the west
dead man lying prone,
Soon they entered the wide, shallow
wash, In the sand of which Jim espled
footprints filling with water. They
rode out of the tail of the storm and
into a widening of the wash, where
it reached proportions of a small val
ley. Scrub cedar and brush and cac-
tus began to show, and patches of sun-
flowers on low, sandy Knolls. They
passed the cove where the riders’
horses had been left. Broad and deep
was the trall to the south.
“Are you all right?" Jim queried.
*Oh, 1 did not know I could feel rap-
ture again. Yes, I am.”
“You're dizzy, just the same,
sway In the saddle.
while you can. . Give me your
hand. Don't talk. Jut look—look!
You might see what I do not see”
They rode at length to a canyon
head, down which the hoof tracks
turned.
“We came this way by night,
remember,” she sald.
follow them?”
“We must not™
“But that is the way to Star ranch ™
“Yes, on the trail of desperate men,
and across that Dirty Devil river.
These summer rains. It will be In
flood. I would not be able to get you
through.”
“You know best. But just to be
free . . to see my brother, Bernie!
It is unbelievable”
Jim Wall looked away across the
brakes. Presently he said, “I will try
to find a way out of this hole. The
country is strange. I'll be lost soon.
But somewhere up out of here-—we'll
find a lovely canyon where there is
grass and water. I must not run into
cattlemen; robbers are not my only
enemies. I don’t want to be hanged
for—for saving you."
“Hanged! Oh, you frighten me!”
“I didn't want to tell you. It is no
sure thing that I can safely elude the
rest of Heeseman's outfit, If I try to
get out through the brakes. It'd be
far safer to hide you a while—south
of here, out of the way eof riders”
“Take me where you think best”
she sald tremulously,
“When you get out, you must go
home to England.”
“I have no home In England. Bernle
is my only kin, except very distant
relatives who hate the name of Her
rick.”
“Then go to a country as different
from this naked, stony wilderness as
day from night. Where it snows In
winter, and in spring there are flow-
ers, birds, apple blossoms. , ,
“No, I shall not leave,” she replied
positively.
A flash of joy leaped up In Jim at
her words, but he had no answer for
Ber. He led on, away from that broad,
"
veil and long
seeing her as on
she answered
Rainy season
horse, she
wee Ks.
You
Ride closer to me,
but I
“Do you dare to
Copyright.~WNU Service,
fresh trall, into an unknown region,
And it seemed that this point of sev-
erance had an inscrutable parallel In
the tumult within his heart.
The sun set in an overshadowed
sky and storm thredtened all around
the horizon. Far north the thunder
rolled, and to the south faint mutter-
ings arose, Jim could not hold to a
straight course. He wandered where
the lay of the land permitted. Rising
white and red ground, with the mounds
of rock falling, and green swales be-
tween, appeared endless and forlorn,
He began to look for a place to camp,
At last, as twilight darkened the
distant washes and appeared creeping
up out of them, Jim came to another
little valley where scant grass grew
and dead cedars stood up, spectral
ghosts of drought, and on the west
side a low caverned ridge effered shel
ter. He led over to this and, dismount-
ing, sald they would camp there. Her
reply was a stifled gasp, and essaying
to get out of her i ile she fell into
his arms.
CHAPTER XII
it seemed a miracle
to his
prairie
He set her up-
To Jim Wall
that he did not snatch Helen
breast. Like a wind-driven
fire his blood raced.
right on the ground.
“Can you stand?” he Inquired.
She essayed to, and, letting go of
him, plainly betrayed her spent condl-
Her Reply Was a Stified Gasp.
hollow under the rock.
In the quarter-hour before dusk he
had unpacked, hobbled and fed the
horses, bulit a fire and put water on
to boil
He carried his bed under the shelf
and unrolled it, changed and doubled
the blankets and folded the tarpaulin
so that it could be pulled up in case
rain beat In.
The fire sent a ruddy light into the
cavern, and all at once Jim discovered
that the girl was watching him,
“Are we safe here?” she asked.
“God only knows! 1 think so-—-I1
hope so, It's a lonely desert. OQur
enemies have gone the other way.
They know they nearly wiped out
Hays, and they'll try again with rein.
forcements, They knew Hays had a
fortune in cash—and you"
To his concern and discomfiture, she
ate very little. She tried, only to fail,
jut she did drink her coffee,
“You'll pick up,” he sald hopefully.
“Sleep, though, Is more necessary than
food.”
“Jim, I can't pull off my boots”
sald later, “Please help me”
She was sitting on the bed when
Jim took hold of the boot she ele
vated,
“Look to see If you have any blis
ters,” he said. “I'll bathe your feet
in a little cold water and salt”
Bringing a pan of water, he knelt
before her.
“Don’t stand on ceremony, Helen,
Stick out your foot, .
She put out her small feet. Jim lost
no time In pressing them down into
the cold salt water. Then he rubbed
her feet until they were red.
“Put your stockings back on and
sleep In your clothes,” he sald, “Be.
fore you crawl In, I'll bring a hot
stone.”
“Ooooo!” She stretched out with a
slow, final movement and pulled the
blankets up under her chin,
Almost Instantly she fell asleep with
the flickering firelight upon her face,
Jim walked out, to find the horses
close to camp and making out fairly
well on the grass. He patrolled his
beat between the flickering fire and
the sleeping girl, heedless of the rain,
sleepless for hours, on guard. And
after that when he slept It was with
one eye open,
Toward dawn he got up and rolled
his bed. The alr was raw and cold,
blowing a fine rain In his face,
By the time breakfast was cooking
daylight had broken. Finding a thin,
flat rock Jim placed Helen's break.
fast upon it and earried It to her bed:
side. Then he called her.
“I've brought some food and strong
coffee,” he sald.
Jim repaired to his own breakfast,
after which be
she
and meat to take on the day's ride,
She pulled on her boots, and erawl-
ing out and straightening up with
slow, painful effort she asked for a
little hot water. Jim fetched It.
Free then to pack, Jim applied him.
self with swift, methodical hands,
She mounted unassisted. Jim helped
her Into the long slicker.
“It'll be a tough day,” he went on,
“But we're starting dry. Hang on as
long as you can. We absolutely must
get out of these brakes.”
With that he lined up the pack anli-
mals, and they were off.
Jim traveled as best he could, keep-
ing to no single direction, though the
trend was northerly and following
ground that appeared passable, The
pack horses led. He followed them,
and Helen brought up the rear.
The rain fell all morning and let
up at intervals, Then black clouds
gathered, and a storm, with thunder
and lightning, burst upon them. W
ran in shoots off the rocks.
At length the fugitives came to a
veritable river at which the lead
horse balked, Bay, however, did not
show ‘any qualms. So he put Bay to
the task, The big horse made it easily,
with water coming up to his flanks
Whereupon Jim rode him back, after
which the pack horses, intelligent and
sensible, essayed the ford.
Then Jim returned for Helen,
“I'll carry you while you hang on
to your bridle,” sald Jim. riding close
to the gray. He had to lift her sheer
off her horse and around In front of
him, where he upheld her with his
left arm,
They made it, with
horse staggering out us
burden just in the nick of time,
“You are doing fine. We
eighteen or twenty miles, Ih
like the look ahead.”
When once mu on the
way Jim gave her | a biscuit and a strip
of meat. “Eat. ‘he rain will
us soon.”
Late in the afternoon there wa
momentary brightening of
clouds In the west,
ater
the splendid
fer his double
have come
it 1 don't
wre they wore
be on
8 a
massed
these low
ad limited their
winding val-
Dirty
under
down out of
that 1}
long, green,
A red river, surely
Devil, ran, ridged and frothy,
a steep wall of earth.
“1 can’t hang on—k
Helen, faintly,
“I'll carry you. 3
me reproved Jim,
her reins and dropped the loop over
her saddle. Then he
her hor
So Jim fode on, aware that her col
lapse and the terrible nature of the
desert and another storm at
wearing away even his
itable spirit,
Ragged, red bluff stood up all
his right, with acres of
ready to slide,
They swung in behind the bluff, and
then out again to the higher and nar
rower bank upon which the old trail
passed around the corner.
“Whoa, Bay,” called Jim hauling up
to walt for the gray. “I don’t like this
place. Don't look, Helen”
As she made no reply Jim leaned
back to get a glimpse of her face.
Asleep!
“Come on, Gray,” he called to the
horse behind, and to Bay: “Steady,
old fellow. If that narrows round
there you want to step sure.”
feet, six feet
its of the steep bank were
crumbling away. jut the pack horses
had gone round. It would not be safe
to try to turn now,
Suddenly Jim encountered a still
narrower point, scarcely five feet wide.
The edge had freshly crumbled. It
was crumbling now,
lay stepped carefully, confidently.
He knew horses with wide packs had
safely passed there. He went on
Jim felt him sink. One hind foot had
crushed out a section of earth, letting
him down. But with a snort he
plunged ahead to wider trail,
Jim's heart had leaped to his throat.
He heard thud of hoofs behind, a
heavy, sliddery rumble. Looking back
he saw the gray horse leap from a sec.
tion of wall, beginning to gap out
wards to solid ground ahead. Next In-
stant six feet of the trall, close up to
the bluff, slid down in an avalanche,
“Close shave for us all!” cried Jim,
huskily.
Right at his feet a red torrent rushed
with a wrestling, clashing sound from
out a deep-walled gorge of splintered,
rocking walls.
This was a tributary, a vicious
child of the hideous Dirty Devil, It
barred Jim's progress. Thirty paces
to the fore, on the widest part of the
bank, stood the pack horses. Jim
forced his startled gaze to the rear.
No rider would ever come or go that
way again,
Jim dismounted carefully with Helen
rode
gravel hills
sight,
ley.
“hey
{
into a
the
ager,” faltered
Why didn't you tell
sooner?” He knotted
the pommel of
lifted her off s¢ onto his
hand
indom-
along
loose rock
It did narrow. Eight
—
:
i
i
|
leaning rock, he set her down on dry
dust.
“Is it the end for us?"
He did not answer.
The New Year
By Tennyson
bh ING out, wild bells, to the wild
\ sky,
The flying cloud,
{ ght,
The rear is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
the frosty
“Ring out the old, ring in the new:
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
“Ring out the grief, that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor;
Ring in redress to all mankind.
“Ring out a slowly dying cause
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws,
“Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out, my mournful rhymes
But rin,: the fuller minstrel in.
“Ring cut false pride in place of blood.
‘he civie slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right;
Ring in the common love of good.
“Ring out o'd shapes of foul disease:
Ring ou: the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
“Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land;
Ring in the Christ that is to be.”
1 eave It to
a Nanc:
in
gr
po
—ea A ————— Pa
i Lo" on
fo
A
Pd
I WAS 11: p. m., December 31.
] Salesmen of the “Speedaway @
gtood In groups discussing tha
bonus contest of the year--an extra
$1000 to the salesman with the great-
est cash total, exclusive of trade-in
credits,
For several months, first one sales
man had topped the blackboard in the
salesmen’s room, then another. But
gradually It became evident that the
race was to be between Mark Bertman
and Jerry Gayle, leading the others
handsomely.
Some of the boys insisted that Mark's
deals were not always ethical Others
sald, “Get the business!”
But for Jerry's clean-cut methods
there was only admiration, though it
seemed that Mark would win.
Jerry left a sympathetic group, went
to the telephone and dialed a number.
“Hello! Nancy? His volce was un-
enthusiastic. “Mark Is up three hun
dred and ninety dollarg on me, and
there is less than an hour to go. I'm
sunk I™
Nancy's volce came back to him en.
couragingly. “Hold everything and
leave It to Nancy!”
Jerry hung up, wondering, but
strangely revived. Nancy was such a
good little sport.
At 11:42 Nancy breezed into the
Much?" "Eight Hundred and
Fifty Dollars.”
“How
ghow room and motioned Jerry over to
a sport roadster,
“How much?” She asked.
“Eight hundred and fifty dollars”
sald Jerry. Understanding dawned up-
on him.
Nancy wrote a check for the amount.
“Make out the papers” she sald “I
want to drive it away.”
By that time the whole sales force
had gathered around, including the
The transaction completed, Nancy
settled herself at the wheel and pet |
back upon It. Serambling up, he re
moved the saddle from Bay and
leading the horse, he stepped forward
to where the gray and the pack ani |
mals had halted.
TO BE CONTINUED,
Palestine Aide Silk Worms
The government of Palestine planted
about 87,000 unibetsy trees for the
encouragement of
1028,
Walker extendeu his nand to Jerry.
“You win, Jerry! Congratulations!”
Anderson,
She planks down eight hundred and |
fifty to help Jerry win a thousand, |
a hundred and fifty over!”
“What of {t7" asked Smith. “Who 1s |
that little peach?
“Why, she is merely Jerry's future |
wife. They are to be married tomor-
row-<or rather, today. By the way, a
bappy New Year, and all clean deals!”
© Western Newspaper Union.
GET SMARTNESS
IN SATIN FROCK
MISLEADING MELODY
“You can learn a great deal from
old songs,” remarked the light-heart-
ed statesman,
“They may be
swered Senator
posterity revives
misleading,” an-
Sorghum, “When
‘We Have No Ba-
nanas’ a large number of persons |
may led to infer that with all]
our crop failures the most we |
had a contend with
of tropleal
be
hav
was a
frult,"--Wa
scarcity |
shington Star,
Case of Necessity
“What was the inspiratio
BUC e rich
“Well, frankly,” h
was the meals my
we were first married, 1 real
right off I'd have to earn er
hire a cook if 1 didn't
of Indigestion.”
n for your
ess?” th Ian was ¢
w ife {
ah to
want to die
Don't Be So Modest
Visitor—And what's your
my good man?
Prisoner—0742,
Visitor—Is that your real name?
Prisoner—Naw, dat's me pen name,
- Santa Fe Magazine,
Probably now you have de-
| elded that t Just must have a
| satin frock. You're right! And here
| is the model you have been seeking
in which to make it. It is a dress
i you ¢ rnoon or evening
and alwa) The jabot is
Lord | not just an ordinary jabot but some.
eall on you to
settlements,
Mr. Multirox ie'll h
expert solicitin® to make
across with more’'n I pr
r
——————————————————————— ¥
¢
:
Mess ug— dicitor
My sc
arrange the
will
marriage thing cut in one with the yoke and
joined in the bodi new and
very chile sleeves,
ice on
ciples. The
and while
about the
afta do some
too, do fferently,
thines 4
come things dif
: the fa ¢ -
there is nothing
nis at
ront and back
me
ii ry #
3 Gili ere
nised you asierens
2 ad
the of the skirt,
» afford graceful
om
Busy
Caller- 4 § 1d like ed
Pattern
Jud; » .
idge, ple
movement for anels,
20020 is avaliable In sizes
42, 44 and
‘ . 0 fen
ards 30 inch
the
3
but he is
Secretary—1i'n
at dinner,
Caller
is in i
Secretary—It can’t be helped, sir. |
His Honor is at Pearson's
Magazine,
fabric, lllu alec 1 v3 Ww
But, my man, my errand ;
portant Eesti _—
IS (15¢) In
referred)
name,
SURE
gleak
£1) , sumber. BE
| TO STATE SIZE.
Address Circle
Pattern Department, 243 West Sev-
enteenth New York City.
She Was Willing
Curate (admiring a bowl of t bulbs)
-How lovely to think it will soon be
opening time, Mrs, Bird.
Mrs, Binks— Well, now, and who-
ever would have thought of you say-
in' a thing But I'm game
to pop out for a qu! lek one if yon |
feel like it.—London Tit-Bits,
orders to Sewing
Street,
like that! NO JOKE
the recent bride was asked,
you Jearned since you
man's meal getter?
there are a of things
have
e.g became a
Not What They Ought to Be “That
wes | Hi
had 1. ould you like some pi ickles? | abont it besides onlon to bring tears
sald Marjorie’s aunt. ‘who had asked to the eyes,”
ber to luncheon. a .
“No,” sald Marjorie, i rp
“No,” suld Marier . __. _.| THROUGH THE READING GLASS
But these are sweet ones,” replied |
auntie,
“But I
ought to
jot
she sighed,
don't like sweet things that | NR SvER
be sour,” Marjorie insisted, | ’
the Old One Is Comfy
would your wife say if you |
bought a new car?” !
“Look out for that traffic light! |
Be careful now! Don't hit that
truck! Why don’t you watch where |
you're going? Will you never learn? |
And a lot more like that."-—Boston |
Evening Transcript,
HEFTY ENOUGH
Why
“What
Great
rible giant!
Jug—— Scott, look at that ter
Diagnosed
“Doctor,” said the pest who al
ways was trying to get free medical
advice, “I have the queerest noises
in my head; what do you suppose
causes it?”
“Maybe the wheels in there need
oiling,” he snapped.
Good Reason
Visitor—WIill you marry me right
away?
Girl — W.w-w-why — 1.Y
know you!
Visitor—That's why I want you to
marry me right away.
Couldn't Blame Him
Blinks—It always surprises me to
see a big, strong fellow like you
shudder every time there is a peal of
thunder,
Jinks—It always reminds me of
what I get at home,
scarcely
“What made them
trip to California?®”
“His wife happened to hear some
one say that travel broadened one”
give up that
Hm-m!
“That certainly is a freak pub-
Heity stunt of Judge Bart's!”
“What's that?”
“Well, the paper states that he
wouldn't sit again for a month™
Equality for All
Friend—How"s the boy since be
came back from college?
Man-Fine! Still treats us as